Audiovector trapeze Reimagined
“When paired with substantial electronics, the Trapeze Ri can recreate concert-like conditions. This is demonstrated by the listening experience of George Walker’s Symphony No. 1 (excerpt B), which was stunning, alternating between explosive and suspended as the modern piece requires, while also offering analytical and differentiation capabilities akin to monitor listening. The ability to delve into information and put it into perspective is perfectly suited to The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian recorded live (excerpt D). This speaker is anything but dull or consensual, revealing a striking potential for soundstage representation, unusual for a product of this size. Such qualities restore its iconic status.”
– Vincent COUSIN, Editor
Forty-five years after the original Trapeze was created by Ole Klifoth in 1979, the Danish company Audiovector, still led by Ole and his son Mads, is launching a reimagined version of this icon. Its name: Trapeze Ri, where “Ri” stands for Reimagined. This new version retains the general look and the isobaric design of its predecessor. At a time when loudspeaker design tends toward standardisation, the trapezoidal shape is completely original and neo-retro in design, perfectly aligned with the idea of revisiting an optimistic and joyful past. The cabinet features non-parallel walls, is massive, and sits on a heavy sandwich metal base, which helps to limit resonances and directs the speakers towards a seated listener with linear phase.
To make the most of the small internal volume and to reach down to 23 Hz, the bass is handled by a 30 cm driver in an open isobaric configuration, complemented by a 20 cm driver mounted horizontally on an internal panel. A 13 cm driver in a sealed enclosure covers the midrange from 500 to 3000 Hz, before handing over to a custom SEC AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, which is designed to extend up to 53 kHz. The diaphragm of this in-house tweeter is dampened and decompressed at the rear (with the top opening at the back of the speaker).
Listening Experience
The crossover includes an original damping factor compensator with three settings (Low, Medium, High) and a socket to ground the woofer basket (grounding cable provided). Both features have a notable influence on the final result: the first modulates the speaker from soft to tight, while the second connects both woofers to a single grounded power outlet, effectively tightening the lower end of the spectrum. What is certain is that these speakers deliver what can be described as grand performances, with substantial presence, immense acoustic power, and sound density. When paired with substantial electronics, the Trapeze Ri can recreate concert-like conditions. This is demonstrated by the listening experience of George Walker’s Symphony No. 1 (excerpt B), which was stunning, alternating between explosive and suspended as the modern piece requires, while also offering analytical and differentiation capabilities akin to monitor listening. The ability to delve into information and put it into perspective is perfectly suited to The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian recorded live (excerpt D). This speaker is anything but dull or consensual, revealing a striking potential for soundstage representation, unusual for a product of this size. Such qualities restore its iconic status.
Pros: A large soundstage in an unprecedented format.
Cons: Monitor/concert-oriented, atypical, and captivating (+).