Напольная акустика — Audes Llc. U100

The U100 heads the Universal line of Audes, the Estonian loudspeaker maker, and the company introduced it as the newest addition to that range. Audes describes the Universal collection as slim, panel-shaped speakers fitted with components of the same grade as its Credo series, intended for stereo listening and for home cinema next to LED, LCD or plasma screens and projection systems. Next to the U100, the line comprises the U80, U70, U40, U30 and U10 models plus the SW U4 and SW U2 subwoofers.

Key specs that matter

The four drive units are divided by two crossover frequencies. The bottom octaves go to a 10-inch woofer with a paper cone that Audes both designs and builds in-house, a pair of 5-inch paper cone mid-woofers takes over at 100 Hz, and a 1-inch fabric dome tweeter handles everything above 2,000 Hz. The quoted frequency range is 38 Hz to 20,000 Hz within plus or minus 2 dB. Nominal impedance is 6 ohm and sensitivity is 92 dB, measured with 2.83 V at a distance of 1 m. The cabinet stands 1,411 mm tall and 325 mm wide but only 165 mm deep, and it rests on a base plate of 325 x 360 mm that gives the tall, shallow enclosure a stable footprint. Each speaker weighs 32 kg.

Engineering and use context

The shallow depth makes possible the installation option Audes highlights for this model - the cabinet can be partially sunk into a plasterboard wall, leaving a low profile visible in the room. Audes states that the speaker is built with European components. Its standard finish is paint in black, silver or white, and the front partition of the cabinet can be ordered in real wood veneer or with a high-gloss surface instead. The Universal range as a whole is planned for flexible placement, with wall mounting, in-wall fitting, floor standing and shelf use on stands all listed by the maker. Within that family the U100 is the model that adds a dedicated 10-inch bass driver, whereas the U80 relies on 6.5-inch cones and the U40 on 5-inch units alone.

Pairing

Audes recommends amplification from 50 W up to 300 W, so the maker allows anything from a moderate integrated model to a high-output separate power stage. For a multichannel system, the U70 and U30 from the same line are offered for centre channel use, and the SW U4 or SW U2 subwoofer can be added for the lowest effects.

Alternatives

Within the same Universal line, the Audes U80 is a slimmer floorstanding model rated at 93 dB sensitivity into 4 ohm, with a cabinet 240 mm wide.