Полочная акустика — Mordaunt-Short Performance 2

The Performance 2 belongs to the Mordaunt-Short Performance range and is the smallest speaker in that family. The range also comprises the Performance 5 centre, the Performance 6 floorstander and the Performance 9 subwoofer. The Performance 2 came out in 2010, several years after the Performance 6, and in 2011 it sold for EUR 3,450 per pair in Europe. Mordaunt-Short positioned it for stereo use on stands or as a satellite in a multichannel Performance system.

Key specs that matter

The Performance 2 is a ported two-way box. A 1 inch aluminium-dome ATT tweeter works above a 6.5 inch woofer that uses a third generation aluminium CPC cone. Rated frequency response runs from 48 Hz to 30 kHz, sensitivity is 89 dB and nominal impedance is 4 to 8 ohm. Its crossover is a damped second-order network with DVP capacitors, and the recommended amplifier power is 15 to 150 W. Each speaker weighs 12 kg and measures 239 mm wide, 486 mm high and 361 mm deep. The drive units are magnetically shielded, and the listed finish is black.

Engineering and use context

The enclosure is not made of wood. Mordaunt-Short developed a proprietary polymer resin that is injection-moulded into a curved monocoque shell, with the front baffle permanently bonded to it, and the density of the compound can be varied so that the outer skin is hard while the inner layer damps the panels. A heavy cast metal base completes the cabinet and accepts spikes. ATT stands for Aspirated Tweeter Technology, a patented design in which an elongated metal diffuser behind the dome carries vents along its length, so the rear output of the tweeter is released instead of being trapped in a closed chamber. The whole tweeter assembly sits in a rubber jacket that isolates it from cabinet vibration. The woofer was developed for this range at the company's London design centre, with radial ribbing, a five-pointed subcone, a V-Form surround of varying thickness, a die-cast chassis, a titanium voice coil former and copper-clad aluminium wire. The computer-modelled crossover is mechanically isolated and uses polypropylene capacitors in critical signal paths, and the nickel-plated bullet terminals accept banana plugs, spades or stripped cable.

Pairing

Dedicated Performance 2 stands were offered, and the metal base also allows spikes on other supports. The 4 ohm lower limit means the amplifier should handle low-impedance loads comfortably, and the moderate sensitivity means moderate power reaches normal levels. For home cinema it combines with the Performance 5 centre and the Performance 9 subwoofer.

Alternatives

The Mordaunt-Short Aviano 2 is a stand-mount from the Aviano line with a CPC woofer, a 320 mm tall cabinet and a 45 Hz to 22 kHz rating.