Spark was a plug for realism. It said, know what you need. Don't waste coin and complications on headroom you'll never tap just for silly bragging rights; or because you're ignorant and/or insecure. When I bought Codex, today's Spark was as yet a spark in Audio Physic's collective imagination. My audiophile journey crossed paths with cardioid Ripol bass quite a bit later. Today I'd pick Spark over updating Codex and on actual bandwidth still wouldn't feel put out were the sub to subtract again from the picture. Spark is extended enough.

As a big proponent of cardioid bass for its most noticeable reduction of temporal blur from reduced reflections, I'm of course married to this sub. In fact I'm already eyeing a forthcoming smaller 2×12" version for upstairs. With the higher 80Hz filter transition neatly eliminating two room modes which traditional omni bass rides, Codex's hard-earned extra bandwidth has become overkill in our division of labor. It's why for good rhyme and reason, Spark really ought to replace it.

Far more to the point of today's review, if you still listen to an original Codex full range as you should—why otherwise pursue its 25Hz spec—upgrading it to Manfred's spiderless new midrange strikes me as an absolute no-brainer. Music's lion share will gain microdynamic range and expressive energy to feel more direct, present and intimate. Who wouldn't want that?

Audio Physic from Brilon still practice inspired German engineering without the prevailing bling or marketing noise. Informed punters not distracted by buzz words thus won't forget to investigate their speaker catalogue. There's real substance here!