Напольная акустика — Kharma Classique

The Classique is a passive floorstanding loudspeaker from Kharma, the Dutch company founded in 1993 by Charles van Oosterum after more than a decade of building speakers under his earlier O.L.S. name. Kharma calls it the prime model of its Exquisite collection, a range that also includes the Galileo, Midi 3.0, Midi Grand 3.0, Grand 3.0 and Extreme Grand 3.0. The speaker was originally sold as the Exquisite Reference and was later renamed to mark it as the classic model of the series, and it has been in the catalogue for more than ten years.

Key specs that matter

The factory type code is EXQ-CS-2.1-S. The layout has three ways and one driver per band - a 1-inch concave diamond tweeter, a 7-inch Kharma Omega-7 midrange and a 12-inch woofer with a Nomex Kevlar cone. Kharma quotes a frequency range of 22 Hz to 90 kHz and a nominal impedance of 4 ohm. Efficiency is 90 dB for 2.83 V at 1 m, and the peak level Kharma lists is 113 dB. Power handling is 250 W RMS and 500 W programme. Each cabinet stands 1,270 mm tall, 565 mm wide and 849 mm deep.

Engineering and use context

Vertically stacked panels of high pressure laminate form the enclosure, each with computed irregular cut-outs that break up internal air resonances. A decoupling compound sits between the layers to stop structure-borne energy passing from one panel to the next, and acoustic damping is added inside. Kharma holds a patent on this cabinet construction. As across the Exquisite series, the cabinet narrows around the tweeter and midrange, a shape meant to meet acoustic requirements rather than styling alone. The drivers receive the Kharma Signature treatment, which targets vibration in the driver chassis and the handling of the magnetic field. Internal wiring uses pure silver and gold alloys. The crossover is developed in-house and uses a complex filter technique that Kharma says few other makers apply because of its difficulty.

Pairing

Given its demanding impedance and generous power handling, the Classique calls for a transistor design able to hold up into a low load and supply high current on peaks. The good efficiency means moderate power is enough for normal levels, but using the rated headroom calls for a substantial amplifier, and Kharma offers its own Exquisite MP1000 amplifier within the same collection.

Alternatives

The Kharma Exquisite Grand 3.0 is another floorstanding model from the same Exquisite collection.