Floorstanding loudspeakers — Lowther TP2

The TP2 is a dual-loaded folded corner horn loudspeaker from Lowther, the British maker formed in Kent in 1934 as an alliance between Paul Voigt and O.P. Lowther. Voigt had begun developing his Domestic Corner Horn in 1924, and the TP2 is based on one of the early folded corner horn designs from that tradition. It is made to order and handcrafted in Northampton, England, with configurable finishes and drive unit options. Lowther notes that its silhouette has often been emulated by other brands, Klipsch among them.

Key specs that matter

A single 8 inch Lowther drive unit is fitted, with the PM4A recommended. Frequency response is quoted as 35 Hz to 20 kHz and sensitivity as 98 to 105 dB. The impedance is listed as 8/15 ohm. Each speaker measures 1055 mm high, 820 mm wide and 600 mm deep and weighs 70 kg.

Engineering and use context

Like the Lowther AudioVector, a limited edition model loaded with two drivers and a top dispersal horn, and the Lowther Hegeman, the TP2 uses the dual-loaded horn principle, which the company links to high efficiency and the scale typical of physically larger horns. The model revises the original Lowther TP1, with improvements to build quality and to all of the materials used in construction. The cabinet is now able to hold the PM4A drive unit and can be ordered with the new Lowther super-tweeter as an option. The top horn has been redesigned so that it detaches from the bottom section, which makes installation in a home easier, and detachable magnetic grilles, a signature Lowther feature, are fitted. The company credits the patents of its co-founder Paul Voigt for horn-loaded speakers with laying technical groundwork for the hi-fi industry. The enclosure is made of Baltic birch plywood with book-matched wood veneers, and every speaker is assembled by hand. Lowther designed it to use the room boundaries of a corner to add horn gain. Lowther states that the diaphragm suspension relaxes over a break-in period of more than 1,000 hours. Final pricing is quoted on enquiry.

Pairing

As a single full-range driver without a crossover, the TP2 connects straight to the amplifier through its drive unit. The optional new Lowther super-tweeter is the one addition the company offers to extend the basic single-driver layout.

Alternatives

The Lowther Acousta 117 is a smaller front-facing folded horn floorstander at 905 mm tall and 27 kg, with the PM6A as its recommended drive unit.