The R 3 Avantgarde is a slim floorstanding loudspeaker from Audiovector of Denmark and the middle trim of the R 3, the tower in the compact R series. Within the R 3 upgrade ladder it sits between Signature and Arreté, and it differs from the Signature chiefly by its air motion transformer tweeter. Audiovector no longer lists the version, which was priced at GBP 8,100 per pair. Custom painted finishes to RAL or automotive codes were offered from GBP 900.
Key specs that matter
Audiovector fits two 6.5 inch carbon bass/mid units and the hand-made R AMT tweeter, with crossover points at 280 Hz and 3,000 Hz. Audiovector specifies a range of 23 Hz to 53,000 Hz, sensitivity of 90.5 dB/W/m and an 8 ohm impedance, and gives power handling as 300 W. The column stands 103.4 cm tall on a footprint 23 cm wide and 36 cm deep. Standard finishes are real wood veneers in African Rosewood, Black Ash and Italian Walnut, plus White Silk, and piano lacquer colours could be ordered to taste.
Engineering and use context
A floor-firing bass reflex system vents the port through the base of the cabinet rather than the front or rear panels. The enclosure avoids parallel surfaces, has a curved back and laminated baffles, is lined with nanopore damping and contains internal shock absorbers. The carbon cones are Audiovector designs made in-house in Denmark under the company's patents, and they use titanium technology coils. The filter follows the maker's DFF crossover technology. Owners of an R 3 Signature could reach this trim through a tweeter change under the Individual Upgrade Concept, and an Avantgarde can in turn move to Arreté, which brings a higher-spec AMT, the Freedom Grounding network, cryogenic treatment and revised damping, along with crossover points of 320 Hz and 2,900 Hz and a 350 W rating. The narrow front was designed with partner acceptance in mind, keeping the speaker visually small for a floorstander.
Pairing
Good efficiency and a benign nominal impedance put the R 3 Avantgarde within reach of moderate-power amplifiers, including valve designs, while the generous power handling leaves headroom for large transistor amplifiers. A black cloth grille is supplied with each speaker.
Alternatives
The Audiovector R 3 Signature uses the same floorstanding cabinet with an R Evotech soft dome, crossovers at 230 Hz and 3,100 Hz and a quoted 26 Hz to 28,000 Hz range.