Напольная акустика — Pylon Audio Zirkon 20

Zirkon 20 is a slim two-way tower that took the place of the Emerald series in the Pylon Audio catalogue, slotting between the Jade and Diamond ranges. Pylon first displayed a prototype in Warsaw at the 2023 Audio Video Show, the production version followed at High End 2024 in Munich, and serial manufacture at the company's Jarocin plant began on 3 October 2024. It is the first Pylon design led by Grzegorz Matusiak, who holds a PhD in acoustics from Wroclaw University of Technology. The Polish price at launch was PLN 15,990 per pair, and the British price is GBP 3,945.

Key specs that matter

Two 18 cm Pylon PSW 18.8 CSP-CUT woofers flank a custom Seas 27TBCD/GB-DXT tweeter. Pylon quotes 33 Hz to 24 kHz, 4 ohm nominal impedance, 89 dB efficiency and power handling of 150 W nominal and 260 W maximum. The cabinet measures 168 mm wide, 1330 mm high and 364 mm deep, and its plinth widens the footprint to 232 by 390 mm. Weight is 27.5 kg per speaker, and the suggested room size spans 18 to 45 m2.

Engineering and use context

The woofers have cellulose diaphragms treated with a proprietary impregnation and embossed with a scale-like pattern that raises stiffness. Their baskets are cut down at the sides - hence CUT in the name - so a large cone fits a narrow baffle while keeping long excursion, and a large ferrite motor with Faraday rings keeps the magnetic field stable. The tweeter has a light aluminium-magnesium dome and a short front tube shaped with Seas Diffraction Expansion Technology, which limits diffraction from the baffle and lets the tweeter sit closer to the woofers in a D'Appolito layout. The crossover is simple, wired point to point on an upper internal brace and built only from linear parts - air-core inductors and foil capacitors. Inside, the MDF enclosure is split into three stacked chambers, with ribs below the tweeter and transverse braces between the side walls, and synthetic wool is used only around the woofers. Two low-tuned reflex slots open downward and exit at the sides of the plinth. Finishes are black-stained or natural American walnut veneer and matt white or black lacquer, and a magnetic grille is included.

Pairing

Given the demanding load and generous power rating, the Zirkon 20 suits a high-current solid-state amplifier. A single pair of terminals sits low on the back, and small feet are fitted, with spikes or isolation feet as options.

Alternatives

The Amber mkII is a much larger Pylon floorstander using two 12-inch cellulose woofers and a compression driver, rated at 97 dB and weighing 65 kg per speaker.