Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Cabasse Iroise Speakers by JPO

Model:	Iroise
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	6595$
Description:	3-ways floorspeakers with 4 units
Manufacturer URL:	Cabasse
Model Picture:	View

Review by JPO on July 07, 2002 at 08:11:44
IP Address: 193.248.196.165

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for the Iroise

Let's start with a little technical specifications.
The Cabasse Iroise are high-end French floorstanding speakers.Sizes: LxWxH 40x28x113 cm. The Iroise is a 3-ways speaker with 4 drive units. Two concentric speakers (Cabasse SCS technology, see Cabasse Website for details) of respectively 3 an 4.2/9 cm, whitch are also mounted out of the cabinet, and two 21 cm boomers bass reflex. The cut freqencies are 1200 and 4500 Hz. Weight: 34 kg. Excellent value, with a marvellous finish quality.
This speakers blew me away, thanks to the very naturel way they reproduced music. With Rega electronics, they sound not beautiful, but extremelly real. The piano is not a simple plan beetwen the two speakers, but a 3 dimensional instrument as never a speaker in this price range has done to my ears. The voices are particularly well-timbered. With great real audiophile recordings, they simply excel. They disappear behind the music as they do not exist in the room.
The sound spectrum is perfectly reproduced from the high to the lowest frequencies. So you don't need a subwoofer or wathever else to enjoy an organ in your room. Of course, the better the amp will be in the bass, the deeper and firmer they be with the Iroise. The use of cones is indispensable to have clean bass. In general, this speaker seems to have a very great potential and would undoubtly suits with considerably much expensive electronics.
The spatialisation is amazing. The SCS technology is really a "plus". With electronic music, the effects of the mix are very well reproduced. For instance, the sound could come from behind you when the disc requires this effect...
I've tried to find them weaknesses, but I coulnd't (In my system... and aware of his limit, as the use of a relatively "cheap" CDP as the first Planet is in this case).
Nevertheless, be care with their installation, because the BC12 dual concentric loudpeaker is powerfull... So do not focused them towards the auditor (The medium/high could be harsh) and keep them parallel. Install them in a well-deadened room too.
A great piece of Cabasse's know-how.

Product Weakness: None as far I know, but prefer large deadened room due to its size and its acoustic power, especially in the high frequencies. The associated electronic should be chosen with care, to not stress the high freqencies.
Product Strengths: Extraordinary holographic stereo image, deep and wide. Excellent tonal balance, with full firm bass. Formidable transparency. Easy to install and to drive, despite of its low impedance. Great potential.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Rega Elicit, dual mono 2x110W/4 load
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Rega Planet mk I
Speakers:	Cabasse Iroise; 92 dB/W/1 m; 4 load; 120 W (nom.); 840 W (max.)
Cables/Interconnects:	4 mm2 OFC/Rega Std interconnect
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classic and World Music/Chamber M., Symphnonic, Percussions, Voices.
Room Size (LxWxH):	7 m x 4 m x 2.4 m
Room Comments/Treatments:	Assymetric, well-deadened (furnitures, curtains, carpet)
Time Period/Length of Audition:	Hours and hours...
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Std power conditioner.
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition

Product Weakness:	None as far I know, but prefer large deadened room due to its size and its acoustic power, especially in the high frequencies. The associated electronic should be chosen with care, to not stress the high freqencies.
Product Strengths:	Extraordinary holographic stereo image, deep and wide. Excellent tonal balance, with full firm bass. Formidable transparency. Easy to install and to drive, despite of its low impedance. Great potential.