Напольная акустика — Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Grand Avant Garde

The 30th Anniversary Grand Avant Garde is a floorstanding loudspeaker from Gershman Acoustics of Thornhill, Ontario, the Canadian company founded by designer Eli Gershman. It belongs to a pair of anniversary models marking three decades of the brand, released next to the 30th Anniversary Black Swan, while the current range also lists the Studio XdB and Studio II. The speakers are handcrafted in Canada, and list prices for a pair are USD 19,995, EUR 20,995, GBP 16,995 and CAD 24,990.

Key specs that matter

The design is a three-and-a-half-way dynamic system with three driver types. A 1 inch soft-dome tweeter covers the top, a 5.25 inch carbon-fibre cone handles the midrange, and an 8 inch aluminium woofer with a dual voice coil takes the bass. Gershman quotes a frequency response of 20 Hz to 22 kHz. Each cabinet stands about 99 cm tall and weighs roughly 37.2 kg. Crossover frequencies are not given in the published data.

Engineering and use context

The cabinet is tapered and truncated, with a sloping front baffle, and sits on an oblong base that is a separate enclosure, isolated both acoustically and mechanically from the main box. Inside the main bass chamber, Eli Gershman's patent-pending Back-wave Control Technology (BCT) uses a resistive line so that the bass units behave as if they were loaded by a larger internal volume than the cabinet physically holds. The base adds tuned venting and an internal matrix structure, and the two volumes together set up a pressure difference between main cabinet and base. The aim stated by the company is to lead the energy from the rear of the cones away from the diaphragms, reducing intermodulation distortion and the re-radiation of that energy back through the cone. Gershman sums up its method with the motto Never stop experimenting and names extended bass and a low system signature as the constant design goals across its range. Finish choices include black or white gloss lacquer with either a black or a wooden grille, and special cabinet colours are offered on request.

Pairing

Gershman lists neither a nominal impedance nor a recommended power range, so the only published amplifier-related value is a sensitivity of 87 dB. Units are supplied with IsoAcoustics Gaia II isolation feet fitted under the base.

Alternatives

The Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Black Swan is the other floorstanding model released for the brand's 30th anniversary.