Loudspeakers

Measured on the 28mm Esotar 3 tweeter’s axis, the Contour 20 Black Edition shows a gentle decline in output from 1kHz to the 3.6kHz crossover all the way up to 12kHz above which the treble recovers its ‘bite’ [see Graph 1]. These features largely account for the very acceptable ±2.45dB and ±2.6dB response errors (re. 200Hz-20kHz), although there’s a further 2.2dB modification in response with the grille in place [blue trace, Graph 1]. There’s also a steady decline in treble extension from 33.9kHz, on axis, to 24.1kHz at ±15o off-axis [–6dB re. 10kHz, grey trace, Graph 1].

Furthermore, as the average seated height will, in all likelihood, place the listener slightly above the top of the cabinet, this coincides with a further –3dB notch in output at 4.4kHz [green trace, Graph 1]. So, ideally, you’ll want to keep the Contour 20 BE’s aimed at the listening position, sans grilles.

Pair matching is a very tight 0.5dB (200Hz-20kHz), improving to 0.35dB from 3kHz-20kHz, while sensitivity is higher than the rated 86dB at 86.8dB/1kHz (or 86.2dB from 500Hz-8kHz). Moreover, and despite the modest sensitivity, bass distortion is a low 0.2% (re. 90dB SPL/1m) while an increase in odd harmonics lies behind a (still very fine) 0.45% through the midrange. Bass extension is generous too, the 68Hz (–6dB) roll-off of the 180mm MSP woofer supplemented by the 44Hz port tuning to deliver 41Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz), albeit with a fairly strong quarterwave mode exposed at 612Hz. Neither is this two-way an especially tough load – the ‘high’ 4.8ohm/188Hz minimum impedance joined by ±55° swings in phase angle through the bass to create a very ‘driveable’ 2.16ohm minimum EPDR at 125Hz. PM