Напольная акустика — EgglestonWorks The Ivy Signature

The Ivy Signature, sold in its current form as the Ivy Signature SE, is a professional reference loudspeaker made by hand by EgglestonWorks in Memphis, USA. It was developed in collaboration with mastering engineer Bob Ludwig and is the main reference speaker at Gateway Mastering Studio. The SE suffix marks a special edition with a new paint finishing system, upgraded crossover parts, better internal wiring and higher-grade terminals.

Key specs that matter

EgglestonWorks quotes a frequency response from 13 Hz at -4 dB to beyond 24,000 Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB at 1 m. Nominal impedance is 8 ohm, with a minimum of 5 ohm. The cabinet is about 193 cm tall and 91 cm deep, 38 cm wide and 46 cm at the bottom. The rear panel of each cabinet carries two pairs of rhodium binding posts.

Engineering and use context

The speaker relies on isobaric loading, in which drivers are mounted behind the visible units so that each pair works together. Eight drive units appear on the front baffle, with more hidden behind them. Treble comes from a 1 inch fabric dome tweeter. The midrange uses three compound-loaded 6 inch drivers with custom carbon fibre cones and 3 inch voice coils. Bass is handled by six 12 inch woofers arranged in twin pairs with push-push compound loading. Enclosure walls are 39 to 45 mm thick, and crimped, non-settling Dacron and felt fill the interior throughout. A speaker of this height and mass needs a large room, a solid floor and several people for delivery and placement. The design aims to combine accuracy with long-session comfort, which is why it was chosen for professional mastering work, but it is also offered to home listeners with a suitable space.

Pairing

EgglestonWorks recommends a minimum of 250 to 300 W of amplifier power, since the multi-driver layout moves a large volume of air. High-power transistor designs, either stereo units or monoblocks, that hold steady into its minimum impedance suit it best. The doubled terminal panel lets the six-woofer bass array receive a dedicated cable or a dedicated amplifier channel, apart from the tweeter and midrange feed.

Alternatives

The EgglestonWorks Savoy Signature SE is a smaller reference floorstander from the brand, with four woofers and two midrange drivers per cabinet.