Bookshelf Speakers — Davis Acoustics Olympia One Master 35

The Olympia One Master 35 is a compact stand-mount speaker from the Capsule line of Davis Acoustics, a French maker established in 1986. It is a reissue of an earlier model, prepared to mark the company's 35th anniversary and announced in September 2023. Davis builds it in its own workshop in Troyes, in the Aube department of France, and the suggested price is EUR 1,200 per speaker. Two wood veneers are offered, Tamo Ash and ebony.

Key specs that matter

The layout uses two drivers in a two-way arrangement. High frequencies go to a 28 mm soft dome tweeter, while a 13 cm Kevlar woofer and midrange unit covers the rest, with the crossover point set at 3,500 Hz. Sensitivity is quoted at 90 dB. Davis gives a nominal power of 80 W and a maximum of 120 W, and states the impedance as 4 to 8 ohm. The cabinet is 35 cm high, 18 cm wide and 25 cm deep, and a pair weighs 18 kg together.

Engineering and use context

The Kevlar cone of the mid/bass driver carries a champagne-coloured dome, and a metal cone at its centre is meant to limit turbulence and reduce distortion. Compared with the original version, the anniversary edition gains upgraded capacitors, better internal wiring, new connection terminals and revised air filtering. The crossover is air-wired in the old-fashioned way, with components picked by hand, rather than built on a printed board. Internal reinforcements on the walls add rigidity to the enclosure. Bass is loaded as a bass reflex, and its vent exits through the back panel. The terminals are made by WBT and accept bare wire, spade connectors and banana plugs. The use of Kevlar membranes has been associated with Davis Acoustics since its early years, and the Olympia One Master 35 keeps that material for its main driver. Davis positions the model as a speaker intended for quality amplification.

Pairing

Since the impedance is given as a range down to 4 ohm, pick an amplifier whose specification covers 4 ohm loads. The nominal power rating sets a sensible upper bound for the continuous output of that amplifier. Because the port fires backward, the speaker is built for use on stands rather than inside a closed cabinet, and the compact width keeps a pair unobtrusive on a desk or sideboard.

Alternatives

The Davis Acoustics Ariane 2 is a lower-priced two-way bookshelf model from the entry Ariane range, with a fibreglass woofer and a 20 mm soft dome tweeter.