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ITALIAN REFRESHMENT

Loudspeaker system

Xavian XN 185



Producer's data:


Number of bands
2
Number of changers
2
Tweeter
Scan-Speak Danmark D2010/8512
impregnated silky membrane; diameter: 19 mm

Middle-bass loudspeaker
Scan-Speak Danmark 18W/8542
sectionally impregnated paper membrane;

diameter: 180 mm

Baffle board
opened, bass-reflex
Frequency range (-3dB in reference axis) Hz 50 - 20.000
Nominal impedance Ohm 8
Minimal impedance ohm 6,5
Nominal acoustic sensitivity (1W / 1m) dB 86
Transition frequency Hz 2.600
Load capacity RMS / acoustic signal W 100 / 500
Suitable amplifier W 50 - 150
Suitable stander
XS 65
External dimensions (h, b, d) mm 345 x 220 x 320
Weight kg 12


Introduction


The firm Xavian, which has been operating on the Czech market for 5 years, is very known to the readers of HI-FI magazines in the Czech Republic. Roberto Barletta - the founder and co-owner of the firm - is an Italian, but the firm is Czech. Mr Barletta uses his experience he has learned in Italy (where he worked in a small company Aloia) in his own business now. Aloia was with its size, assortment and philosophy similar to another Czech firm - Dudek. It produced top-ranking amplifiers. After his arrival in the Czech Republic, Mr Barletta founded his own firm manufacturing loudspeaker systems (but he considers to produce high-quality amplifiers as well). The slogan "Closer to music" became the motto of his firm. Just his first models - Xavian XN 225 and XN 230 - became very popular for their characteristic sound. The competition forced the firm Xavian not only to keep up, but to innovate its assortment, thus Barletta`s firm produces the range XN 125, 185, 250, 270 and 350 at present. Besides these it offers stands of its own design and the wide range of cheaper loudspeaker systems of Suona (Gran Colonna, Colonna and Primissima). Other sets, a little bit more expensive, but with better loudspeakers will extend the range in the near future.

At present the firm Xavian resides in Kladno (a town in Central Bohemia, not far from Prague), where it moved in the spring 2000. The reason for that was that Mr Barletta sought for a new room to be able to enlarge the production. The firm Xavian now occupies nine rooms and this space capacity conforms demanding requirements to separate a joiner`s trade from the electronic part of the manufacturing process. Barletta`s firm employs 5 people.

The firm Xavian especially emphasises manual work. The craftsmanship of the joiners is admirable. Each loudspeaker housing is really a piece of art. Of course, this craft must necessarily influence the final price of Xavian loudspeaker sets. On the other hand, the customer gets a superb product of high qualities for his money. Each piece must succeed in a special testing process, in which the impedance characteristic is measured. It is followed by measurement of the directional emission through an acoustic microphone. The data is evaluated in the computer. If the set does not satisfy strict requirements, it is sent back.


Description of the loudspeaker system


Let's start to describe our tested model, XN 185. It is a two-zone stand loudspeaker system of an open type. The bass-reflex opening leads into the backside. At the first sight at a repro box you surely identify it is a product of the firm Xavian with the receding front side, two repro changers whose support-pans partially penetrate. Compared with the older models Mr Barletta used both changers made by a firm Scan Speak. XN 185 is a middle-bass loudspeaker of a very high quality with a type 18W/8542 and a tweeter D2010/8512, of a very high quality too. Inner walls, the bottom and the ceiling of a repro box are equipped with 3 mm thick sheet of bitumen. This asphalt like material very strenghtens the structure of the repro box and suppress the resonance. Consequently the basses are clear. Dividing network of a middle-bass loudspeaker is of the 1st class, a tweeter of the 3rd class. The tweeter itself is placed in a hermetic chamber (metallic case skirts the magnet and the support-pan). The middle-bass loudspeaker is equipped with a "low-distorting magnet", which is a patent of the firm Scan Speak. Thanks to this solution the problem of possible harmonic distort (which can arise, when the amplitude of the membrane is high) is markedly reduced. Aluminium wires have been used instead of copper wires in the coil. The high price of the changer is influenced by the fact that the half of a suspension is manually impregnated. The inner damping of the baffle board is done by a shaped plastic foam which is glued to the inner walls. The repro box made of thick MDF board is precisely veneered. The customer can choose between the design of walnut or cherry tree.


Sound features


I had a chance to "live" with a loudspeaker system Xavian XN 185 for several weeks and to run them using different amplifiers (I tested number of amplifiers worth 11.000,- - 17.000,- Kč simultaneously). From aesthetic point of view the loudspeaker system created a very well-balanced set with recommended stands Xavian XS 65. The cable "Dudek Cable One" was usually used to connect the set with amplifiers. Well-tried denon_dcd_1800r_(connected to the amplifier by using the cable "KrautWire Model 4") featured in the role of the signal source. To be able to distinguish the sound differences I used loudspeaker system of the same firm, XN 270. I listened to so many music CDs during the test that it is pointless to list them now.

In brief, the sound of XN 185 can be described as unobtrusive and pleasant. Now I try to specify it better. As an example I use the system with power amplifier DPA 380 SE or with Marantz PM 7000 (the winner of the amplifiers test, mentioned before).

The bass component performed by tested loudspeaker system is energetic and in relation to "physical possibilities" of the repro box is voluminous and sharply depicted. These mentioned attributes (of performing of higher and partly middle basses) are the most attractive and interesting feature of these loudspeaker systems. With respect to a higher neutrality and analyticity of DPA 380 Marantz PM 7000 appeared to be an ideal partner for XN 185. In this case a slight shift of basses was positive. The middle band is traditionally a strong trait of all Xavian loudspeaker systems, the model XN 185 is not the exception. Neutral, exact, clear and natural they are. Thanks to these qualities, they matched to the test of the amplifiers that was in progress. If you connect these repro boxes with an appropriate amplifier, you obtain excellent sound spaciousness. There was a minor problem at high frequencies - but in combination with some amplifiers only. Neither DPA nor Marantz or Rotel had this problem. In some configurations heights were hidden a little bit behind loudspeaker system. I made sure that this is a problem of only some tested amplifiers. Even in case of Xavian XN185 one wise rule is valid: It is very important to choose the right pair: an amplifier - loudspeaker system. If I use the repro-cable Dudek Cable One, then the optimal pair for me is Marantz PM 7000 and Xavian XN 185. High frequencies are clear and immaculate, even high volume level does not bring unpleasant distortion.

Loudspeaker system is ideal for listening to acoustic music, folk, blues, jazz and chamber classical music. I was very surprised that the rock music sounds also very good. For listening to a large symphonic orchestra without least problems, you would probably have to choose between larger and much more expensive loudspeaker systems.


Conclusion


It is plain that you can hardly compare these loudspeaker systems with big systems of a very high quality, especially in the field of capacity and dynamic range of the lowest frequency. On the other hand, XN 185 belong surely to the best repro boxes in the category of loudspeaker systems which can be bought in the Czech market for 30.000,- Kč. If you find a suitable amplifier, you will be surely very satisfied for many years.



Petr Püschel    


Evaluation
price: 29.800,-

Virtues: excellent design and work, excellent and detail-full sound, clear center Negative features: it is a bit difficult to find an optimal amplifier


Verdict of "Stereo and Video" magazine: EXCELLENT, 10 points (of 10 possible)


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