Audiovector R1 Arreté Standmount speakers £4995
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What if you have a generous budget, but a compact listening space? Audiovector’s R1 Arreté may provide the answer.
Audiovector is different from most rivals in that it offers upgradable speakers. The entry-level R1, the Signature (£2499), features a good-quality dome tweeter and a carbon-coned mid/bass driver all housed in a neat, nicely made, curved cabinet.
When the upgrade itch strikes, the speakers can be returned to the factory for conversion to either the Avantgarde (£4099) or the range-topping Arreté spec we have here. The changes are wholesale, involving better drive units, higher-spec crossovers and even improvements to the cabinet, depending on the level chosen.
IMPROVED RESOLUTION
The Arreté features an open-backed version of the company’s hand-built AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, claimed to offer greater agility and detail than conventional domes. The rearward sound radiation from the diaphragm is allowed to escape through a vent in the back of the cabinet, helping with dynamics, detail and sense of sonic space in the soundstage. This vent is positioned just above the reflex port for the 16.5cm carbon fibre mid/bass unit. The carbon fibre cone mixes aramid fibres with artificial wood resin to create a well-damped but rigid structure. The claim is of improved resolution and dynamics over alternatives.
A carefully calibrated crossover network links the two drivers. It’s packed full of high-quality components, but here the company’s engineers have gone further than most. That crossover is cryogenically frozen down to -238ºC in a process intended to relieve internal stresses in the copper conductors and reduce resistance. The sonic benefits should include improved clarity and resolution.
The single-wire terminals are mounted on a carbon fibre plate rather than metal to avoid unwanted electromagnetic interaction with the crossover components. The AMT tweeter’s grille and faceplate are shaped to help dispersion and then the grounding connection is connected to the drive-unit chassis to get rid of any unwanted currents flowing in the structure.
We place them a little out into the room with a slight angle towards the listening position, and get an impressively wide soundstage with precisely located sounds and instruments. The sense of depth is palpable with suitable recordings too.
Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring is a stern test and the R1 Arretés respond with enthusiasm. They may be small in stature but th
