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The Wave 168D generally employs shallow filters with smooth phase characteristics. Only for its twinned bass section is there a 10dB/octave rate added by the acoustical filter function of the chamber loading. Onda Ligera engineers also implemented specific solutions to control cone movement and thus reduce undesirable effects from their reflex port. This enabled a shallow 1st-order high-pass for the midrange. The massive weight of the enclosure is the result of an ambitious acoustic design. Its walls are made of dissimilar density MDF which is reinforced by aluminum for the highest rigidity and additionally damped with inorganic granular material, all of which is soft glued together to shift resonances into insignificant areas. The construction is also said to minimize bending waves which would be stimulated by the bass section. The choice of drivers combined with low-order filters minimizes acoustical reactance for a faster cleaner sound. The electrical filter points are 270Hz and 3700Hz. This lets the Eighteen Sound midrange handle almost four octaves. The Wave 168D should not require high-power amplifications. It presents a quite friendly impedance curve for a cabinet of this kind and its uncommonly high-ish 93dB/2.83v sensitivity. Even with my little Trends TA 10.2 integrated amp, the Onda Ligera speakers provided very satisfying if not outstanding results. A good tube or transistor amp of 100 watts should be ideal. The Onda Ligera allows for bi-wiring/amping and includes 4 jumpers.

Claimed bandwidth is 37Hz–25.000Hz ±2dB. Dimensions are 57cm deep, 122cm tall and 43cm wide. The massive weight limits easy transportation and I could not bring these speakers into my new listening room above the garage. But in this price and size class, it would be exceedingly rare to deal with lightweights.


Sound. If the primary goals for the Wave 168D design were accurate amplitude response, good efficiency, deep and taut bass and overall transparency, their sonic signature was nonetheless comfortable and dense. The Revelator tweeter guaranteed the necessary precision but delivered it with great smoothness.


The bass was tight and well controlled, with an overall sonic fingerprint reminiscent of the Eggleston Works Andra III. My Latvian loaners delivered perhaps even more density and soundstage accuracy but the overall sound was quite similar. It came as a lovely surprise that such a large loudspeaker could play my modestly sized old room. I never had the impression that it would overload.


Compared to my Vivid Audio K1, the sound exhibited far greater density and weight. The Wave 168D didn't possess the same treble extension or speed and incision of transients however. Yet it produced the kind of big seamless sound which can be achieved by the most expensive speakers. The Wave 168D was able to reproduce such physical impact and extension in the bass that my Vivids felt a bit recessed by direct comparison.


Neither speaker suffered from any typical forwardness. The Wave 168D in fact had a kind of unflagging serenity no matter what. The risk with such bigger speakers is often that they require monstrous amplification or play it prima donna adapting to a room. Here the Wave 168D's unusual enclosure design makes a large very welcome contribution. With easy 93dB sensitivity and sophisticated cabinets I'll define Onda Ligera’s flagship as an exceptionally friendly speaker to be quite unusual in this class. It had a lovely tonal balance and avoided the darkness which too often characterizes big loudspeakers with massive bass capabilities. The speaker proved very sensitive to cables and I had the best results with Live Cables Martien brought with him. By comparison my Audioquest K2 was rather dark. I'd nevertheless consider the Latvians relatively forgiving compared to my K1s which are so transparent that each tiny change impacts the overall sonic result. Here there was a bit more response inertia with the Latvians but not to the extent that they really offered less detail than the South Africans.