FinkTeam KIM Loudspeaker Lab Report

Lab Report

While it's not uncommon for planar-type tweeters to suffer high distortion and complex resonances, FinkTeam's pleated AMT driver (operating above 2.2kHz in the KIM) is exceptionally 'clean' – the CSD waterfall showing only minor modes at 10-20kHz [Graph 2, below] while distortion is typically <0.5% from 3-20kHz (re. 90dB SPL/1m). The forward response [Graph 1] is free of any significant narrowband peaks or dips, showing a smooth uplift in treble (+3dB/10kHz re. 1kHz) following a mild –2dB 'BBC trough' between 1-4kHz, after which the extreme HF rolls swiftly away to –6dB/29kHz [pink shaded area, Graph 1]. Incidentally, there was absolutely no measurable difference in the KIM's forward HF response in either the '+1' or '–1' High settings.

Otherwise, pair matching was excellent at 0.6dB while the mild ±2.6dB/±2.7dB response errors account for the very similar 86.0dB/1kHz and 85.6dB (500Hz-8kHz) sensitivities – bang on Fink's own 86dB specification. The KIM's amplifier loading is also largely as advertised – a 5.8ohm/165Hz minimum increasing to >8ohm from 415Hz-60kHz where there's a very mild (maximum) +20° phase angle. The highest angles occur at LF, but at high impedance: –60°/75Hz and +46°/18Hz, both at 17ohm. The impedance drops very slightly to 5.6ohm and 5.4ohm/165Hz with the 'damping' control at 2 and 3, respectively. Its low frequency loading/37Hz port tuning is expertly judged – the 200mm bass/mid unit offering a smooth, gently uptilted sub-2kHz response and a very fine diffraction-corrected LF extension of 46Hz [–6dB/200Hz; green shaded area, Graph 1]. PM

321kim.lab1

Response inc. nearfield summed driver/port [green], freefield corrected to 1m at 2.83V [yellow], ultrasonic [pink]. ‘Left’ speaker, black; ‘right’, red

321kim.lab2

Resonances are quickly suppressed with low-level modes remaining at 1-2kHz and 10-20kHz

Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – 1kHz/Mean/IEC) 86.0dB / 85.6dB / 83.9dB
Impedance modulus: minimum & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 5.8ohm @ 165Hz, 42ohm @ 60Hz
Impedance phase: minimum & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) –60° @ 75Hz, +46° @ 18Hz
Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) 0.6dB/ ±2.6dB/±2.7dB
LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 46Hz / 28.7kHz/28.9kHz
THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.3% / 0.08% / 0.5%
Dimensions (HWD, w. stand) / Weight (each) 854x300x412mm / 25kg
Price £8900

COMPANY INFO
FinkTeam
Essen, Germany
Supplied by: Kog Audio
0247 722 0650
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