Напольная акустика — Ophidian SKYE

The SKYE is a passive floorstanding loudspeaker from Ophidian, a British maker, and it widens the company's S-series, where it joins the SEREN standmount model. Standing at approximately one metre, it is presented by Ophidian as a full-range loudspeaker for contemporary domestic spaces, with the goal of bass authority from a cabinet of moderate size. UK pricing is GBP 3,995 including VAT, and that figure applies to both of the real wood veneer finishes offered, oak and walnut.

Key specs that matter

Ophidian quotes a frequency response of 30 Hz to 25 kHz within plus or minus 3 dB, a sensitivity of 90 dB and a nominal impedance of 4 ohm. The drivers sit in an M-T-M arrangement - two 180 mm mid-bass units with alloy cones on either side of a centrally mounted 22 mm fabric dome tweeter. The cabinet measures 103 cm high, 28 cm wide and 35 cm deep, and each speaker weighs 23.5 kg. Each cabinet ships with magnetic grilles and a base mounted on a plinth, and the speaker is built in Britain.

Engineering and use context

The tweeter comes from SEAS of Norway and uses a Sonolex coating on its diaphragm for damping, together with a wide roll surround intended to raise power handling while holding distortion low. On the aluminium mid-bass cones, Ophidian indexes the junction between cone and surround, a production step the company says tightens behaviour through the crossover region. The crossover network was tuned specifically for the M-T-M layout to support an even off-axis response, and it is built with Mundorf parts - air-cored coils, polypropylene capacitors and non-inductive resistors. Low frequencies are loaded by Ophidian's own Aeroflex system, which the brand has applied across its range to draw speed and depth from compact enclosures, with the stated aim of control and articulation rather than raw output. The enclosure was developed with attention to structural integrity and resonance control, and the port system also contributes to the internal bracing of the cabinet.

Pairing

Ophidian recommends amplification rated between 50 and 250 watts per channel. Because of the low nominal load, an amplifier specified into 4 ohm, whether solid state or a high-current design, is the natural match within that power window.

Alternatives

The Ophidian Incanto, a floorstanding model rated at 89 dB, uses three 175 mm aluminium bass drivers, a 50 mm soft dome midrange and a SEAS tweeter.