Floorstanding loudspeakers — Kroma Atelier Turandot

The Turandot is a six-driver floorstanding loudspeaker in the Reference Series of Kroma Atelier, the Spanish maker of Krion-bodied speakers based in Granada. Kroma's top range also includes the Irya, Maribel and Callas, and the name refers to the title character of Puccini's opera, whom the company describes as a figure transformed by themes of power, love and redemption. In Canada a pair is listed at CAD 425,000.

Key specs that matter

Each tower holds two AMT tweeters with neodymium magnets, two 6.5 inch units and two 12 inch bass drivers, the last four with cones of proprietary material, anodised aluminium in the case of the 6.5 inch pair. Sensitivity is 88 dB and impedance is 8 ohm, and the frequency response extends from 20 Hz to 25 kHz. Kroma suggests amplifiers from 30 to 1,000 W. The cabinet measures 181 cm in height, 46 cm in width and 61 cm in depth, and each Turandot weighs 208 kg.

Engineering and use context

Kroma forms the whole cabinet from Krion, a non-porous high-density mineral composite from the Porcelanosa Group, and the sheer mass of the material is a large part of the design. The passive crossover is built with Duelund and Mundorf components, and a resonance frequency of 19 Hz is quoted in the specification. The two woofers handle the bottom octaves inside the same enclosure as the tweeters and midrange units, so no separate bass module is part of the system. The white Krion version is standard, and seven through-coloured Krion options, among them Ocean, Ruby, Graphite and Mocha, add CAD 6,850 in Canada. The manufacturer also offers paint in Seychelles Blue, Supernova Red, Buckinghamshire Green, Magnetic Silver and Magneto Bronze, alongside plain black or white.

Pairing

The higher nominal load is easier on amplifiers than the low impedance Classic Series towers, so both high-current solid-state designs and capable valve amplifiers can be considered. With moderate sensitivity the upper end of the power window is intended for large rooms and high levels rather than being a requirement. Given the weight of each cabinet, the floor must be solid and delivery and placement have to be planned in advance.

Alternatives

The Kroma Atelier Maribel is the larger Reference Series floorstander, a four-way design with two 15 inch woofers, 93 dB sensitivity and a height of 201 cm.