Bookshelf Speakers — JM Reynaud VOCE GRANDE

The Voce Grande is a two way bass reflex monitor from Jean Marie Reynaud, a French maker, supplied as one piece with its own stand. The stand cannot be removed, which explains why the complete speaker is far taller and heavier than a typical compact model, even though the upper cabinet alone is a stand mount enclosure.

Key specs that matter

A 120 mm long AST (Aero Striction Tweeter) with a pleated silicone diaphragm covers the upper range, working from 1.2 kHz to 30 kHz. Below it an 18 cm woofer with a seven layer cone of carbon and PEEK handles the bass. The passive filter is a two way design at 12 dB per octave centred on 1.2 kHz. Rated response is 38 Hz to 30 kHz. Nominal impedance is 8 ohm with a minimum of 6.8 ohm, and sensitivity is 88.5 dB for 2.83 V at 1 m. The speaker handles 100 W continuous and 200 W peak, and JMR recommends amplifiers from 40 to 180 W. The upper cabinet is 28 cm wide, 46 cm high and 39 cm deep, and the pair was listed at EUR 7,800 at launch.

Engineering and use context

The enclosure has a double wall that combines high density MDF with aluminium, pairing materials of different density to reduce resonances. Bass loading comes from a proprietary reflex system in which four progressively damped cavities end in a laminar port that opens forward, with no opening at the back. The 635 mm stand is also made of MDF with aluminium covered edges and holds the passive crossover parts, which keeps them away from the vibrating enclosure above. Terminals at the base accept heavy gauge cable, banana plugs and spades, and a separate ground terminal is provided. Teflon pads under the stand decouple it from the floor, though they cannot be adjusted for height.

Pairing

The high minimum impedance of 6.8 ohm places a gentle load on the amplifier, so both transistor and valve designs of adequate power are suitable choices. Since the port faces forward, a position close to the back wall matters less here than for a rear ported box. The AST driver covers a wide band from 1.2 kHz upward on its own, which leaves out a dedicated midrange driver and keeps one crossover point in the path. Production takes place in France, and the construction with the crossover inside the stand means the only wiring from the amplifier goes to the base of each speaker.

Alternatives

The Jean Marie Reynaud Offrande Supreme is another compact model of the brand that also uses an integrated stand design.