Полочная акустика — Cabasse MINORCA MC40

The Minorca MC40 is the compact three-way stand-mount of the MC40 range from Cabasse, the French company that traces its history to 1950 and builds its speakers in workshops in Brittany. It sits beside the Java MC40 floorstander and the Cabrera MC40 centre channel, and two pairs of these models join a Santorin 25 subwoofer in the MC40 5.1 home cinema package. Cabasse lists the Minorca at EUR 898.

Key specs that matter

A BC10 coaxial midrange-tweeter places a 2.7 cm dome at the centre of an annular midrange diaphragm, and a single 17 cm woofer of type 17MD18LB1 covers the low range. Crossover points sit at 900 Hz and 3,200 Hz. The rated response runs from 65 Hz to 23,000 Hz, and efficiency is 89 dB at 1 W and 1 m. Nominal impedance is 8 ohm with a minimum of 3.3 ohm. Power handling is 75 W nominal and 550 W peak. The cabinet measures 40 x 23 x 28 cm and weighs 8.5 kg, and buyers choose between all black, gloss white and gloss black.

Engineering and use context

The coaxial unit follows the Cabasse SCS (Spatially Coherent Source) principle, in which midrange and treble leave the baffle from one common centre instead of two separate points. According to Cabasse, the BC10 reuses solutions first developed for La Sphere, the reference system of the brand. The woofer has a Duocell membrane that is light yet rigid, with an exponential profile and a thickness that varies across the cone, so it can exploit a long-excursion motor without losing control. Filter slopes are not fixed - they vary between 6 and 24 dB per octave, and they were derived from anechoic chamber measurements taken around 360 degrees so that directivity and total radiated power are managed together with the cabinet geometry and the behaviour of each driver. A small reflex port on the back panel supports the bass. The speaker can stand on a shelf, and Cabasse offers matching stands in matte black or white that hide the cables and carry loads up to 50 kg.

Pairing

Its low impedance dip means an amplifier whose output stage stays stable into low impedance is the safer choice, and the nominal rating is the continuous level the drivers are designed to take. For surround use the Minorca matches the Cabrera MC40 centre, rated at 89.5 dB and 90 W, while a Santorin subwoofer from the same catalogue adds the bottom octaves when the Minorca is used in a 2.1 system.

Alternatives

The Cabasse Antigua MC170 is the nearest bookshelf alternative, coming from the brand's MC170 range.