Floorstanding loudspeakers — German Physiks Unlimited

The Unlimited is a slim floorstanding loudspeaker from German Physiks, introduced in 2011. It follows the brand's usual layout, with one carbon fibre DDD driver mounted above a small cabinet and an 8-inch woofer firing downward from the base. Two versions exist - the Unlimited Ultimate, lacquered in high-polish polyester in black, white, red or yellow, and the Unlimited Carbon, covered in carbon fibre. The idea was a speaker with a footprint of just 24 by 24 cm that fits into a living room without dominating it.

Key specs that matter

German Physiks describes a two-way design with 360 degree radiation. Frequency response spans 32 Hz to 24,000 Hz, sensitivity is 88 dB for 1 W at 1 m and impedance is 4 ohm. The crossover frequency is 200 Hz. On the DDD side the slopes are 6 dB per octave electrical and 18 dB per octave acoustic, and on the woofer side 18 dB per octave electrical and 18 dB acoustic. Power handling is 110 W nominal and 170 W short term. The cabinet stands 1,050 mm tall on its 240 mm square base and weighs 28.9 kg. German Physiks suggests rooms between 10 and 55 m2, and the warranty period is 5 years.

Engineering and use context

In the Unlimited the DDD driver covers everything above the crossover, almost seven octaves, so the whole midrange comes from a single cone with no crossover inside it. That cone is carbon fibre just 0.15 mm thick, light but rigid, and it spreads its output evenly in every horizontal direction, so the speakers need no toe-in. Below the crossover the downward-facing 8-inch woofer takes over, and the maker states that useful output extends into the 20 Hz region despite the small enclosure. Heavy MDF panels with internal reinforcement form the cabinet. Each panel carries Hawaphon damping, which German Physiks credits with more than 50 dB of broadband attenuation of structure-borne vibration, and high-density felt lines the interior to absorb standing waves in the air volume. All hardware uses V4 stainless steel. After assembly every speaker receives a burn-in period of no less than 12 hours before final checks.

Pairing

The minimum amplifier rating is 90 W into the nominal load. Input is through a single pair of WBT nextgen binding posts, so the Unlimited takes one cable per speaker and offers no bi-wire or bi-amp option. A compact integrated amplifier meets the requirement as long as it holds that rating into such a low impedance.

Alternatives

The German Physiks Borderland MK IV is a larger floorstander from the brand that combines its DDD driver with a 12-inch downward-firing woofer.