Полочная акустика — Chario CONSTELLATION LYNX MK2

The Constellation Lynx MK2 is the smallest speaker of the second-generation Constellation series from the Italian manufacturer Chario, and it opens the brand's current bookshelf offering. The Constellation name dates back to 1998, and the MK2 range now consists of the Lynx, the larger Delphinus stand-mount and two floorstanding three-way models, the Cygnus and the Pegasus. In Australia the Lynx was listed at AUD 3,499 per pair.

Key specs that matter

The Lynx is a bass-reflex speaker with two drivers. High frequencies are handled by a 38 mm soft dome made of silk, and a 130 mm woofer with a paper compound cone covers everything below the 1,500 Hz crossover point. Chario rates sensitivity at 87 dB SPL, normalised to 1 m and 2.83 V using decorrelated left and right pink noise according to ITU-R BS 1116-1. The -3 dB point in the bass sits at 67 Hz, and the response continues to 20 kHz. Impedance is stated as a 4 ohm modulus with a phase argument that remains within plus or minus 36 degrees. The enclosure is 360 mm tall, 200 mm wide and 200 mm deep, and one speaker weighs 10 kg, which is heavy for a box of this size.

Engineering and use context

Construction uses two layers - a central body of high-density fibreboard to which solid wood side panels are applied, finished in walnut. The low-frequency section follows the vented NRS 2 pi sr principle that Chario uses across the range, with the reflex port firing out of the bottom panel. Dedicated feet with soft rubber pads raise the cabinet so that the port has the air gap it needs to breathe, which is why the speaker should not sit flat on a shelf or stand top. Chario offers custom stands that lift the Lynx to ear height, add further damping of cabinet vibration and keep the spacing under the port at the calibrated distance for the reflex system. The company recommends the Lynx for listening spaces between 6 m2 and 14 m2, a smaller window than the one it gives for the Delphinus.

Pairing

The suggested amplifier power is up to 60 W average into the nominal load. Since efficiency is moderate and the nominal load is low, a design with good current reserves into low impedances is preferable to a tiny low-output unit, although there is no need for a large power amplifier given that ceiling. The matching Chario stands are the most direct partner, since they are built around the bottom port.

Alternatives

The Chario Constellation Delphinus MK2 is the bigger bookshelf model of this series, with a 160 mm woofer and 90 dB sensitivity.