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cabasse_uk
20-08-2009, 11:14
La Sphère, the groundbreaking flagship loudspeaker from French manufacturer Cabasse, is to get its first public showing in the UK at the forthcoming National Audio Show, 26-27 September, Whittlebury Hall, near Silverstone.

Standing 1.4m tall, La Sphère is the ultimate expression of Cabasse’s SCS (spatially coherent system) technology and is the culmination of many years research into the importance of point source reproduction from drive units. Making use of the 3 way tri-axial TC23 drive unit and a 55cm (22”) woofer, which are co-axially mounted and digitally controlled, it is the world’s only true point-source four-way speaker, with one acoustic centre, absolute linear phase, optimum impulse response and perfect spatial coherency.

Working with the renowned French designer and architect, Sylvain Dubuisson, Cabasse produced an aesthetic masterpiece which is both beautifully simple and technically perfect for the reproduction of the full audible frequency range. The 70cm spherical enclosure, manufactured from a sandwich of composite materials originally designed for the European space programme, is coupled to the helical die-cast aluminium stand, which positions the centre of the speaker at the perfect height for listening.

Supplied complete with the dedicated digital signal processing electronics, developed in conjunction with the company’s Canon corporation parent and 5000 watts of digital amplifiers, the price is a cool £108,000. Standard finishes are pearl and black pearl, but any finish can be supplied (e.g. to match the Ferrari parked in the garage) at a premium price. Delivery of La Sphère is accompanied by a Cabasse acoustician who carefully and painstakingly adapts the response of the digital signal processor to perfectly suit the user’s room.

Founder George Cabasse’s passion for perfect music performance can be traced back to his ancestors at Mirecourt in the Vosges Mountains. It was there, in 1740, that the first violin signed Cabasse was crafted. Five generations of craftsmen who followed pursued the tradition, supplying violins, violas and cellos to Europe and the world, many of which are still in use with orchestras today.

Now, for the first time in the UK, music and hi-fi enthusiasts will get the chance to experience one of the world’s most sought after and exceptional loudspeakers and understand what it is about music that inspired George Cabasse.

Steve Toy
20-08-2009, 14:37
A worthy statement product that will hopefully be spawning trickle-down affordable versions.

jandl100
21-08-2009, 06:57
Wow! - wonderful.
Will these be appearing at any UK hifi shows? ... the thread title hints/implies they'll be at the "National Audio Show" end-September at Whittlebury Hall - is that right?

I used to own a pair of Cabasse Io speakers - 6 inch spheres - nice in my conservatory. :) Probably not in the same league as the biggun shown here though!

Alex_UK
21-08-2009, 09:36
Will these be appearing at any UK hifi shows? ... the thread title hints/implies they'll be at the "National Audio Show" end-September at Whittlebury Hall - is that right?

Um, I think the first sentence of the post


La Sphère, the groundbreaking flagship loudspeaker from French manufacturer Cabasse, is to get its first public showing in the UK at the forthcoming National Audio Show, 26-27 September, Whittlebury Hall, near Silverstone.

is much more than hinting or implying Jerry! :lol:

jandl100
21-08-2009, 09:43
Ah, yes - I missed that. :) I probably got distracted by the £108,000 price tag!

Mike
21-08-2009, 13:04
I probably got distracted by the £108,000 price tag!

Not just me then! ;)

Fascinating looking beasties though...

The Vinyl Adventure
21-08-2009, 13:11
its gonna wanna sound pretty bloody good for that kinda moolar!

Marco
21-08-2009, 13:37
Away - you've paid more than that for a camera lens! :eyebrows:

Marco.

The Vinyl Adventure
21-08-2009, 14:08
this one :)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Mother-of-All-L-Lenses.jsp

... i wish... not that id have much use for it mind! be nice though!

Jonboy
21-08-2009, 14:40
I hope my local dealer gets a pair in so i can have a listen, i have listened to his MBL stuff, thats the best i heard from solid state amps, but what a price tag:mental:

jandl100
22-08-2009, 10:10
I'll certainly be joining the line at the National Show for a dem of those big Cabasse babes :eek: .... but what if I decide I can't live without them ... ? :scratch:

Mr. C
22-08-2009, 13:31
Cabasse's La Sphere's are pretty amazing to behold and stunning sonically as well.
One of the few speakers in the world, that sounds better than they look.
Craftsmanship is stunning, finish is sublime, sound is just breathe taking.
Coherent Systems will be debuting the brand new Cabasse Riga's and Santorin 30 digital time alignment sub woofer, a direct descendant of La Sphere' at the show.
Along with the new Bora's and a 7:1 Io2 multi channel surround/ home cinema system.
Come and sample these stunning loudspeakers in the 'Monaco' suite at the show.

Ali Tait
24-08-2009, 17:43
They bloody well should be good for that kind of money!! Madness and unjustifyable IMHO.Yes I know all about R&D costs etc. but I'd like to know what the real mark-up on these is...

REM
24-08-2009, 18:45
Surely these things are just a 'statement' product to showcase the technology/craftmanship/design capabilities of the company and maybe point to future directions that may lead to trickle down products with somewhere near real world pricing. They honestly don't expect to actually sell any of them in the current economic climate, do they?:scratch:

jandl100
26-08-2009, 07:55
I don't think the current economic climate actually affects a lot the seriously rich b*stards out there. There'll be a few folks who want 'the best' as they perceive it, and will be willing and eager to fork out the readies! ;)

Is there more of a % markup on these than on any hi-end gear? Maybe, maybe not. I'd imagine they need special tooling and the like and they are probably hand made to a large extent. You won't get too many sales to amortise those costs over!

StanleyB
26-08-2009, 10:06
I don't think the current economic climate actually affects a lot the seriously rich b*stards out there. There'll be a few folks who want 'the best' as they perceive it, and will be willing and eager to fork out the readies! ;)
I never thought you would tun on your kind:lol:. Even some high end dealers must be wishing they could stock some of the stuff you get to play with, and dispose at the blink of an eye;).

STan

clive7164
30-08-2009, 22:42
I wish you luck if you go to the show to see them, with the usual brilliant organisation by the Chester Group the British Superbike championship is on the same weekend at Silverstone. You may go but you wont be able to get away because of the traffic(perhaps thats what the organisers want)
Clive Smith

Covenant
31-08-2009, 22:02
I think they look foul. I wouldnt have 'em in my house if they were free.
Sorry.

The Vinyl Adventure
31-08-2009, 22:26
I think they look foul. I wouldnt have 'em in my house if they were free.
Sorry.

im glad im not the only who thought that, i know its only a picture but they look really plasticy to me

Alex_UK
31-08-2009, 23:18
I think they look foul.

I think they look frightening - bet you'd hide behind the sofa if you were playing Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds"! :sofa:

The Vinyl Adventure
31-08-2009, 23:22
I think they look frightening - bet you'd hide behind the sofa if you were playing Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds"! :sofa:

haha yeah... your not wrong!! i wonder if thats a design influence on them?
like the start trek/rega cdp thing??

jandl100
01-09-2009, 06:39
To me, it looks a really interesting design, based around some serious and fairly novel ideas of how best to approach sound reproduction - I'd have 'em if I could afford them. They look fascinating to me.

Who wants yet another MDF rectangular cabinet stuffed with the usual OEM drivers? Well, lots of people obviously! :doh: :lol:

I'm really looking forward to seeing and hearing these. :)

The Vinyl Adventure
01-09-2009, 09:15
To me, it looks a really interesting design, based around some serious and fairly novel ideas of how best to approach sound reproduction - I'd have 'em if I could afford them. They look fascinating to me.

Who wants yet another MDF rectangular cabinet stuffed with the usual OEM drivers? Well, lots of people obviously! :doh: :lol:

I'm really looking forward to seeing and hearing these. :)

If the alternative cost 108000 ... Me, il stick with my Mdf! ;)

REM
01-09-2009, 10:43
An interesting point arose from the Naim summer roadshow where they debuted their new speakers. Apparently they wanted to make a more conventional looking speaker while maintaining the sonic advantages they claim arise from the mechanical de-coupling of the various parts of the speaker. The rep claimed that their experience had taught them that more potential customers are put off by unusual or unconventional designs than are attracted by them, the bigger/more expensive the speaker then the more that held true.

Regards

The Vinyl Adventure
01-09-2009, 10:52
An interesting point arose from the Naim summer roadshow where they debuted their new speakers. Apparently they wanted to make a more conventional looking speaker while maintaining the sonic advantages they claim arise from the mechanical de-coupling of the various parts of the speaker. The rep claimed that their experience had taught them that more potential customers are put off by unusual or unconventional designs than are attracted by them, the bigger/more expensive the speaker then the more that held true.

Regards

oddly then I quite like the look of th naim dbl's ... I'm just not into stuff looking all whacky and "space age" like something designed in the 60's as a guess at what all technology would look like in the 90's! Wood is good in my books!

REM
01-09-2009, 11:17
Hi Hamish

That was the point they were making, when it comes to some of their earlier designs a lot of the opposition to them came from their own dealers who couldn't be bothered faffing around with frames and boxes etc. when it came to demming the speakers, it's cost them a lot of lost sales down the years apparently.

Regards

The Vinyl Adventure
01-09-2009, 12:08
.... dealers who couldn't be bothered faffing around with frames and boxes etc.....


that really is a shame i recon

REM
01-09-2009, 12:34
Before any of the hi fi dealer Daves take exception I would suppose there were good reasons for the dealers to be less than enthusiastic about some of Naims' past attempts at speakers, I mean a casual punter is hardly likely to hang around for however long it would take to set up, say, some SBLs, whereas it's a lot easier to wheel in and hook up a conventional box and even if you don't make a sale on the spot then at least the fly is drawn further into the web....;)

Mr. C
01-09-2009, 14:04
What ever your thoughts and feelings, you will be able to sample these speakers for yourselves at the September show.
You can also meet the designer Christoff Cabasse, I am sure he will happy to answer your questions.