This review page is supported in part by the sponsors whose ad banners are displayed below

PS
: After having finalized this review, I received an email on final recommended amplification for the Accordo, which essentially confirmed what I’d already written. "Let me clarify some issues related to amplification for the Accordo. These speakers have been designed to be as transparent and dynamic as possible. In order to successfully achieve this objective I have used a unique woofer with a long-stroke diaphragm and low resistance bass-reflex loading designed to offer the best impulse response. Although the Accordo can be driven by any amplifier, we recommend amplifiers with low output impedance and medium output power (40-70wpc into 8Ω and 80-150wpc into 4Ω). Too much power may result in excessive cone excursion and deterioration of signal quality. If we use the Accordo with a tube or Mosfet amplifier with high output impedance we may end up with not fully optimal bass control and again encounter uncontrolled cone travel. Needless to say that tube amps are generally not too good in this regard. I personally use the Einstein integrated amplifier which is nice sounding but without bass as good as transistor amps." - Sincerely, Franco Serblin



Design. The Accordo is a stand-mount monitor from Italian company Franco Serblin, a two-way bass-reflex design. The high frequencies are reproduced by a 29mm soft dome tweeter designed by Ragnar Lion as the result of nearly 30 years of development work. Midrange and bass are handled by a modified ScanSpeak Revelator 150mm mid/woofer. Its paper cone features a number of precisely angled slices to dramatically reduce break-up modes in the diaphragm and prevent standing waves between coil and suspension. With a patented Symmetrical Drive (SD) motor system using copper caps or rings in the magnet system for uniform magnetic flux density throughout the air gap and a symmetrical drop on either side of the gap, dynamic distortion is claimed to be significantly lower than conventional drivers. In the cone a long metal phase plug improves the response at higher frequencies and assists voice-coil cooling.


The drivers are mounted to a curved-profile cabinet whose baffle is covered with leather. In the front we have rubber strings stretched on a chrome-plated frame as a very characteristic detail of former and present Sonus Faber designs. The cabinet is made of hardwood staves, the inside top and bottom plates are made of aluminium/magnesium alloy for additional rigidity. The box geometry is highly intriguing whereby the cabinet tapers sharply from the front baffle towards the back. Apart from the top and bottom, no other wall run parallel to increase rigidity further. The cabinet was clearly designed such that looked at from the front the side walls remain invisible no matter how far the speakers are toed-in. The bass port doesn’t aim straight at the back but angles somewhat to the side. Its wall is damped.


The speakers arrive with integral stands consisting of a large metal base onto which bolts a hollow MDF leg. To its top bolts a small aluminum plate to which one secures the speaker. I must admit that it is not a very stable design. There always is a bit of wobble between base plate and leg, hence the overall assembly lacks perfect rigidity. Additionally the stands aren’t very heavy. To complete the picture there are three spikes, two in front, one in the rear. The crossovers are housed inside the legs. They feature air core inductors, polypropylene capacitors and non-inductive resistors. The crossover is of an unspecified lower order. It connects to the drivers via a Neutrik Speakon plug, the best speaker connector I know of. It was once used by Dynaudio but today it shows up mostly with professional companies. Regular audiophile speaker binding posts no matter how impressive looking are a joke next to a Speakon. Even so the conventional posts located in the stand's base are a very good new Furutech design. Internal wiring is by Yter Audio, a company run by Mr. Serblin’s son-in-law Massimiliano Favell.


Technical data according to manufacturer:
Frequency response (in-room): 40Hz-33kHz
Nominal impedance: 4Ω
Sensitivity: 87dB/1W/1m
Minimum amplifier power: 20W
Dimensions: 360 x 190 x 360mm HxWxD
Stand height: 740mm
Weight: 16kg/ea. speaker + stand
opinia @highfidelity.pl

Franco Serblin website