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Another new albeit invisible feature is the midrange driver’s suspension. It’s of the ‘progressive’ type which attaches seamlessly to the cone to create a driver with zero break-up over the band it’s employed. The passive filter network was adjusted for these driver improvements and they claim superior phase response over the mid band. The internal wiring was completely modified to push forward the technical specifications of the new drivers, including how the wire is routed inside the speaker to avoid resonance effects from internal air pressures. The wiring of woofer and tweeter required two different types of copper. The first employs a double cross section while the conductors on the other are separated to lower capacitance. Low capacitance is particularly useful to reproduce signal complexities in the high frequencies with less distortion and more clarity. Low-capacitance driver leads have a smoothing effect on the high frequencies but retain a good level of transparency and fluidity. These new Magellan wire looms are hand-crafted by the way.
The Duetto’s specifications are similar of course to the previous SW2. The sensitivity remains unchanged at 88dB/2.83V/m. The F3 drops by two cycles to 36Hz. Continuous power handling and max SPL are unchanged at 80W and 107dB respectively. Nominal impedance is defined as 8 ohms but dips to 3.9. The 24dB/octave crossover now hinges at 2.500Hz instead of 2.800Hz made possible by the better damped lower reach of the TZ2900GC tweeter. This change is said to significantly improve openness and dynamics. According to Triangle's technical manager Thomas Robert, the Duetto received the most comprehensive makeover from previous SW2 status of all the current Magellan models. The main target for the French technical staff was to demonstrably improve the quality and transparency of the midrange while increasing dynamics and transient fidelity. At the stage of maturity the SW2 had reached, each small modification now had a noticeable impact on the overall result. Triangle reported working very hard within this fragile equilibrium. The anechoic measurements conducted on site by Triangle’s engineers are quite meaningful. As usual, they were taken with speakers fresh off the production line after two hours of play using a B&K 4190 microphone with 2669 preamp at one meter removed.
As shown in the upper graph, the bass register is very clean and quite flat between 35 and 90Hz. The overall response is commendably linear but retains the rising treble which records Triangle’s sonic heritage. The 500 – 1000Hz midrange emphasis conforms to contemporary standards but in the actual listening seat remains very smooth and pleasant.
The off-axis response
shows a deliberate 4dB loss at 30° even above 10Khz as a result of the wave guide’s tailored directivity.
This graph shows how impedance remains mostly above 4 ohms (it drops to 3.9 ohms at 3kHz) eve though it exhibits steep fluctuations particularly in the bass which should preclude high output-impedance valve amps. A small wrinkle in the 300Hz region implies a small cabinet resonance.
The impulse response is flawless and a very important signifier of properly engineering timing.
The cumulative spectral decay plot or waterfall graph is a series of FFT-derived frequency-response curves taken at discrete time slices to reveal resonance in decay cycles after a recorded impulse. Not surprisingly, the new Duetto exhibits very clean decays over its operational bandwidth.
