Напольная акустика — Diapason MICRA III EXCEL

The Micra III Excel is a compact two-way design from the Italian brand Diapason, whose cabinets are built by hand from solid walnut. The maker describes it as a bookshelf and standmount design meant to be placed on a stand. It is the smallest model of a compact lineup completed by the Karis and Adamantes speakers. Every model in that group uses solid walnut staves worked into a polyhedral diamond shape, which the maker links to even dispersion.

Key specs that matter

A 110 mm mid woofer with a polymethylpentene cone works with a 25 mm silk soft dome tweeter, and both drivers use ferrite magnets. The crossover point is 3,800 Hz. Diapason rates the frequency response at 60 Hz to 25,000 Hz, sensitivity at 87 dB SPL measured with 2.83 V at 1 m, and nominal impedance at 8 ohm. Each cabinet measures 205 mm wide, 280 mm high and 285 mm deep and weighs 6 kg. Bass loading is reflex, vented through the rear baffle.

Engineering and use context

The most unusual part of the design is what Diapason calls Direct Drive. The rear terminals are wired straight to the woofer with no low pass filter in between, so the cone runs full range and rolls off by its own acoustic behaviour, while only the tweeter passes through a high pass circuit. Internal wiring is Van den Hul CS12 oxygen free copper cable, which is halogen free. The enclosure is made of solid Canaletto walnut rather than veneered board, with curved side panels, and it receives a water based natural finish. Each cabinet carries a single set of terminals. The warranty runs two years on components and for life on the cabinet. Because the port sits on the back, the maker notes that the speaker still allows flexible placement, although a gap to the rear wall is advisable with any rear ported box.

Pairing

Its moderate sensitivity and conventional load suit a quality integrated amplifier of modest power, and the small cabinet fits desks, shelves and rooms of about 20 m2. A pair of rigid stands brings the tweeter close to ear height, since the maker positions the Micra as a standmount product. The single terminal pair also means a single cable per channel completes the connection. In the lineup, the Karis III is the compact version of the Adamantes V with the same proportions, while the Micra keeps a simpler box shape with curved sides.

Alternatives

The Diapason Adamantes V is a larger two-way standmount with a 180 mm mid woofer and a quoted range of 45 Hz to 25 kHz.