Bookshelf Speakers — Triangle Magellan- Duetto 40th

The Magellan Duetto 40th is a small two-way monitor that the French maker Triangle released to mark its 40th anniversary. Magellan is Triangle's top range, running from the Duetto up to the Quatuor floorstander. For the anniversary editions Triangle revised the drivers throughout, with a new magnesium-dome tweeter and a new cellulose-pulp mid/bass cone. Every driver in the Magellan range is designed, made and assembled in Triangle's own factory in France.

Key specs that matter

The horn-loaded TZ2900PM-MG tweeter with a magnesium-alloy dome works alongside a 16cm paper-cone mid/bass driver. Frequency range is 38Hz to 30kHz (+/-3dB) and sensitivity is 88dB/W/m. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms with a 4.6-ohm minimum. Recommended amplification is 30 to 150W, and peak power handling is 160W repetitive. The crossover uses 24dB/octave slopes around 2.8 to 3.1kHz. Each speaker measures 252 x 348 x 460mm and weighs 16.8kg, and Triangle recommends it for rooms of about 15 to 40 m2.

Engineering and use context

Triangle chose the light, rigid magnesium-alloy dome for greater linearity and consistency than its earlier tweeter. A short horn around the dome limits directivity, so treble level falls off less quickly away from the axis, and a phase plug helps smooth the frequency response. A counter-cap on the rear of the motor cuts reflections of the rear wave back into the dome, lowering distortion at the top of the band. The mid/bass driver has a cellulose-pulp diaphragm with what Triangle calls a progressive suspension, which avoids a sharp mechanical step where the cone meets the surround. Inside the diaphragm sits an ultra-light anti-vortex polypropylene cone with a latex damping layer that suppresses irregularities at the upper end of the driver's range, and a powerful motor with a matched voice coil controls the cone in the bass. The fourth-order crossover aligns the phase of the two drivers through the transition. An accessory kit for decoupling the speaker from its support comes in the box.

Pairing

Its benign impedance curve and moderate sensitivity make the Duetto 40th undemanding for most amplifiers, including valve designs of moderate power. The dedicated Triangle S08 stands lock the speaker in place, can be filled with sand or steel shot and rest on adjustable spikes, with cable management at the rear.

Alternatives

The Triangle Esprit 40th Comète 40th is another anniversary bookshelf speaker, from the Esprit range below Magellan.