We’ve come a long way in a very short time. A few years ago, the audio world
was relatively stable; you bought a CD player and an amplifier, wired these to
some loudspeakers, and you were away.
Computer audio changed all that, but the real depth of that change is only just becoming
realised with products like the Active Discreet system, from Audiovector.
Audiovector supplied us with a pair of Si 3 Signature floorstanders with the Active Discreet
modules and the little plastic hub that goes with it. The Si 3 Signature is something
of a known product to the magazine; we’ve tested the Si 3, and discussed the company’s
unique upgrade path from basic Si 3 to top-notch Si 3 Avantgarde Arreté. Which means
the Signature model (mid-way in the five-step upgrade path) is a good platform upon which
to work up the Active Discreet system. However, the wireless active system can be fitted
(or retrofitted) to any one of more than 30 models in the Audiovector catalogue.
all the benefits of active drive, without the need to plug the speakers into the
mains AC power. Audiovector went with low voltage power modules inside the
loudspeakers, meaning the Active Discreet modules are driven by a bell-wire
sized connection cable between hub module and loudspeakers, which sends
both power and data. All you have to do is assign left and right channels, by
flipping a switch at the back of the loudspeaker, and everything else configures
almost automatically. The only big user adjustments involve setting the volume
ceiling for a given room and whether you want the Bluetooth pairing process to
be protected or open. Either way, you cannot have two competing Bluetooth
devices paired at once, for obvious clashing reasons.
You can control this hub through a range of remote handsets and it has
a learning function, but in most cases, given the ease of connection through
Airplay and Bluetooth means it’s probably going to be controlled from the
phone, tablet, or computer that is driving it in most cases. Functionality without
a remote, the hub is fairly basic; just one multi-colour LED to denote source.
While the combination of Bluetooth and Class D might bring some
audiophiles out in a case of hives, those of us who listen to stuff instead of
judge it on specifications alone will find much to like here. In some respects,
once you set aside the amp and Wi-Fi prejudices, Audiovector’s system is
more like a scaled-down version of the Linn Exakt concept without the hoop-la
and the high price. And, in fairness, without the room correction options, too.
This had to be one of the least fussy installations around. Once the
speakers were in place, the cables connected up, and the Si 3s learned whether
they were left or right loudspeakers, we were streaming from a phone in under
a minute. And the sound was actually damn good. You could definitely hear
the typical Audiovector strengths of precision, focus, good rhythmic properties,
a tight bass and an ability to play loud without strain, and the active speaker
wasn’t giving much away next to the passive version in a good system. There is
some upper mid graininess and a slight tendency toward leanness shown here
more than with the passive versions, but the overall effect is mild.
I found the Discreet to be remarkably good at picking up a wireless
signal of any sort. It was also good at holding it. Dropouts were rare even in
an environment shown to be typically hostile to wireless signals. Pushing it
to the limit, trying to get Bluetooth to work at the limits of reception still did
well, until the inevitable Dalek-like sonic freezes took over. Nevertheless, by
comparison to most wireless connections used in audio, Discreet is militarygrade
in its reliability.
OK, so the further you get from the absolute pinnacle of well-massaged
digital high-res files squirted along wired channels directly into the hub, the
further you get from the absolute benchmark of sound, but what’s surprising
is even the worst case possible (streaming a live feed through a relatively lowpower
3G phone signal with 128kbps MP3 from a Deezer mobile account
through regular Bluetooth, because the iPhone doesn’t do AptX) isn’t
anywhere near as bad as we’ve been led to believe. Yes, freshly squeezed,
organically-grown, super-sized digits made by craggy-faced craftsmen are
more listenable over the long term, but I could call on the entire canon of
modern music from my mobile phone and more than enjoy the experience
two go well together. No-one already using a Naim system would upgrade to
the Active Discreet, because it doesn’t have the drive, the energy, and the sheer
grip of good Naim equipment. That’s not exclusive to Naim, and good though
the Discreet system is, realistically those driving Audiovectors with muscular
electronics are very liable to stay with the muscular electronics. However, part of
this reticence to give up old paradigms comes down to familiarity.
The other side of the story is there’s an increasing move away from lots
of components, even among audiophiles, and the Discreet takes that to the
limit. The system is just one small box about the size of a paperback (to future
generations, a ‘paperback’ is a Kindle played on period instruments), designed
for hiding. The rest is loudspeakers, and tiny wires that are also easily hidden. I
can see these speakers flanking many a TV set.
There’s a move to add active circuitry to systems (compare this with the
ELAC Air-X system also in this issue), but this doesn’t quite fit that bill. Every
other active system I’ve encountered relies on the loudspeaker having two sets
of cable, one of which is a power cord. That locks the speaker into parts of
the room where there are power outlets, and in some brick-built buildings, just
adding another couple of sockets is no easy task. These more conventional
active designs might have a slight edge when it comes to sheer grunt, but you
lose in terms of flexibility next to Discreet.
A loudspeaker company might seem an unlikely agent for change in the way we
access our music from today’s sources,but if any brand were likely to drive change
in the market, it would be Audiovector.
No other brand can take people through a range of systematic upgrades in the same
loudspeaker cabinet, so the idea of making the next step and upgrading the way the
sound arrives to that loudspeaker is a natural one.
While the concept is not for everyone,the Active Discreet modules are an exciting
adjunct to a fine line of loudspeakers. This is how tomorrow sounds.
speaker with active drive and separate
control module.
Driver complement: One 30mm 3rd
generation Evotech low compression
Audiovector soft dome, two 165mm
carbon sandwich composite long
throw mid/bass drivers.
Inputs: analogue line RCA and 2x S/
PDIF connections, plus Ethernet, USB
and Bluetooth/Airplay wireless on Hub.
2x 4mm speaker terminal connections
on hub and speakers
Crossover frequencies: 210Hz, 3kHz
Frequency response: 27Hz – 27kHz
Impedance: N/A
Sensitivity: N/A (3x 70W Class D
amplifiers driving loudspeakers)
Dimensions (HxWxD): 1030 x 190 x 330mm
Weight: 21kg/each
Finishes: Cherry, maple, walnut, rosewood,
black ash, gloss white, gloss black.
Price: £6,750/pair
Manufacturer: Audiovector
URL: www.audiovector.com
was relatively stable; you bought a CD player and an amplifier, wired these to
some loudspeakers, and you were away.
Computer audio changed all that, but the real depth of that change is only just becoming
realised with products like the Active Discreet system, from Audiovector.
Audiovector supplied us with a pair of Si 3 Signature floorstanders with the Active Discreet
modules and the little plastic hub that goes with it. The Si 3 Signature is something
of a known product to the magazine; we’ve tested the Si 3, and discussed the company’s
unique upgrade path from basic Si 3 to top-notch Si 3 Avantgarde Arreté. Which means
the Signature model (mid-way in the five-step upgrade path) is a good platform upon which
to work up the Active Discreet system. However, the wireless active system can be fitted
(or retrofitted) to any one of more than 30 models in the Audiovector catalogue.
all the benefits of active drive, without the need to plug the speakers into the
mains AC power. Audiovector went with low voltage power modules inside the
loudspeakers, meaning the Active Discreet modules are driven by a bell-wire
sized connection cable between hub module and loudspeakers, which sends
both power and data. All you have to do is assign left and right channels, by
flipping a switch at the back of the loudspeaker, and everything else configures
almost automatically. The only big user adjustments involve setting the volume
ceiling for a given room and whether you want the Bluetooth pairing process to
be protected or open. Either way, you cannot have two competing Bluetooth
devices paired at once, for obvious clashing reasons.
You can control this hub through a range of remote handsets and it has
a learning function, but in most cases, given the ease of connection through
Airplay and Bluetooth means it’s probably going to be controlled from the
phone, tablet, or computer that is driving it in most cases. Functionality without
a remote, the hub is fairly basic; just one multi-colour LED to denote source.
While the combination of Bluetooth and Class D might bring some
audiophiles out in a case of hives, those of us who listen to stuff instead of
judge it on specifications alone will find much to like here. In some respects,
once you set aside the amp and Wi-Fi prejudices, Audiovector’s system is
more like a scaled-down version of the Linn Exakt concept without the hoop-la
and the high price. And, in fairness, without the room correction options, too.
This had to be one of the least fussy installations around. Once the
speakers were in place, the cables connected up, and the Si 3s learned whether
they were left or right loudspeakers, we were streaming from a phone in under
a minute. And the sound was actually damn good. You could definitely hear
the typical Audiovector strengths of precision, focus, good rhythmic properties,
a tight bass and an ability to play loud without strain, and the active speaker
wasn’t giving much away next to the passive version in a good system. There is
some upper mid graininess and a slight tendency toward leanness shown here
more than with the passive versions, but the overall effect is mild.
I found the Discreet to be remarkably good at picking up a wireless
signal of any sort. It was also good at holding it. Dropouts were rare even in
an environment shown to be typically hostile to wireless signals. Pushing it
to the limit, trying to get Bluetooth to work at the limits of reception still did
well, until the inevitable Dalek-like sonic freezes took over. Nevertheless, by
comparison to most wireless connections used in audio, Discreet is militarygrade
in its reliability.
OK, so the further you get from the absolute pinnacle of well-massaged
digital high-res files squirted along wired channels directly into the hub, the
further you get from the absolute benchmark of sound, but what’s surprising
is even the worst case possible (streaming a live feed through a relatively lowpower
3G phone signal with 128kbps MP3 from a Deezer mobile account
through regular Bluetooth, because the iPhone doesn’t do AptX) isn’t
anywhere near as bad as we’ve been led to believe. Yes, freshly squeezed,
organically-grown, super-sized digits made by craggy-faced craftsmen are
more listenable over the long term, but I could call on the entire canon of
modern music from my mobile phone and more than enjoy the experience
I guess a dose of reality is necessary. In its native Denmark, Audiovector
has traditionally enjoyed a close association with Naim: for good reason – thetwo go well together. No-one already using a Naim system would upgrade to
the Active Discreet, because it doesn’t have the drive, the energy, and the sheer
grip of good Naim equipment. That’s not exclusive to Naim, and good though
the Discreet system is, realistically those driving Audiovectors with muscular
electronics are very liable to stay with the muscular electronics. However, part of
this reticence to give up old paradigms comes down to familiarity.
The other side of the story is there’s an increasing move away from lots
of components, even among audiophiles, and the Discreet takes that to the
limit. The system is just one small box about the size of a paperback (to future
generations, a ‘paperback’ is a Kindle played on period instruments), designed
for hiding. The rest is loudspeakers, and tiny wires that are also easily hidden. I
can see these speakers flanking many a TV set.
There’s a move to add active circuitry to systems (compare this with the
ELAC Air-X system also in this issue), but this doesn’t quite fit that bill. Every
other active system I’ve encountered relies on the loudspeaker having two sets
of cable, one of which is a power cord. That locks the speaker into parts of
the room where there are power outlets, and in some brick-built buildings, just
adding another couple of sockets is no easy task. These more conventional
active designs might have a slight edge when it comes to sheer grunt, but you
lose in terms of flexibility next to Discreet.
A loudspeaker company might seem an unlikely agent for change in the way we
access our music from today’s sources,but if any brand were likely to drive change
in the market, it would be Audiovector.
No other brand can take people through a range of systematic upgrades in the same
loudspeaker cabinet, so the idea of making the next step and upgrading the way the
sound arrives to that loudspeaker is a natural one.
While the concept is not for everyone,the Active Discreet modules are an exciting
adjunct to a fine line of loudspeakers. This is how tomorrow sounds.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Type: 3-way, three-driver, floorstandingspeaker with active drive and separate
control module.
Driver complement: One 30mm 3rd
generation Evotech low compression
Audiovector soft dome, two 165mm
carbon sandwich composite long
throw mid/bass drivers.
Inputs: analogue line RCA and 2x S/
PDIF connections, plus Ethernet, USB
and Bluetooth/Airplay wireless on Hub.
2x 4mm speaker terminal connections
on hub and speakers
Crossover frequencies: 210Hz, 3kHz
Frequency response: 27Hz – 27kHz
Impedance: N/A
Sensitivity: N/A (3x 70W Class D
amplifiers driving loudspeakers)
Dimensions (HxWxD): 1030 x 190 x 330mm
Weight: 21kg/each
Finishes: Cherry, maple, walnut, rosewood,
black ash, gloss white, gloss black.
Price: £6,750/pair
Manufacturer: Audiovector
URL: www.audiovector.com