Полочная акустика — Mordaunt-Short Aviano 1 XR

The Aviano 1 XR is a small two-driver speaker for stands and shelves from Mordaunt-Short, the British loudspeaker company that Norman Mordaunt and Rodney Short set up in 1967, now under Audio Partnership ownership since 1999. It updates the Aviano 1, the smallest model of the Aviano series, and the XR suffix refers to its redesigned crossover. Around 2011 the pair was listed at USD 575 in North America while UK buyers paid GBP 200.

Key specs that matter

A 25 mm (1 inch) aluminium dome tweeter sits above a 130 mm (5.25 inch) woofer with an aluminium CPC cone. A port on the back panel tunes the enclosure as a reflex box. Mordaunt-Short quotes a sensitivity of 89 dB, an impedance of 8 ohm and a frequency response of 55 Hz to 22 kHz, and suggests amplifiers from 15 to 100 W. The Aviano 1 cabinet on which the XR is based stands 275 mm tall, 179 mm wide and 267 mm deep, with a weight of 5 kg.

Engineering and use context

The original Aviano 1 used a first-order crossover with DVP. For the XR Mordaunt-Short fitted a new second-order network whose steeper slopes roll the two drivers off faster, which reduces the overlap between the woofer and the tweeter and is intended to improve the off-axis response. The same network limits how much low-frequency energy reaches the tweeter, which the company says raises power handling, lowers distortion and allows the speaker to play louder. Compared with the earlier model, sensitivity rises by 1 dB and the impedance is now given as a single figure instead of the 4 to 8 ohm stated for the Aviano 1. The CPC cone of the woofer is made of aluminium, a stiff material chosen to keep the cone moving as a piston. The series installation guide includes self-adhesive feet for the bookshelf models and advises dedicated stands for best results, and the drivers are magnetically shielded within 50 mm of the cabinet, a detail that mattered when the series was used next to tube televisions.

Pairing

With its moderate sensitivity and steady impedance, the Aviano 1 XR suits modest stereo amplifiers and home cinema receivers within the suggested power window. The rear port needs some free space behind the cabinet, so a stand placed slightly away from the wall suits it better than a closed bookshelf. For home cinema use the speaker can be combined with other Aviano models such as the Aviano 5 centre and an Aviano subwoofer.

Alternatives

The Mordaunt-Short Aviano 2 steps up in size within the Aviano range, built around a 6.5 inch CPC mid/bass driver in a 320 mm tall cabinet.