Saturn Pandora

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Sonoma 14), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Singxer SU-6 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Sonnet Pasithea, LAiV Audio Harmony; Active filter: spl Audio Crossover MkII; Power amplifiers: Vinshine/Kinki Dazzle & mono Ncore 500 Nord Acoustic amps on subwoofer; Headamp: Enleum AMP-23R; Phones: Raal 1995 Immanis; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan] Cables: Exact Express Flame, Furutech; Power delivery: 2 x Kinki/Vinshine Tai Hang on amps and source stack, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, AudioQuest FogLifters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat; Room treatment: 2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps
2nd system: Source: FiiO R7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos; Loudspeakers: ModalAkustik MusikBoxx; Subwoofer: Zu Method; Cable loom: Exact Express Earth; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra, Akiko Audio Corelli Corundum & Castello Solo; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Furutech cable lifts, Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
2nd headfi system: DAC: Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Magna, HifiMan Susvara
Desktop system: Source: HP Z2 workstation Win11/64; USB bridge: LHY UIP; Ethernet bridge: LHY EFI; Ethernet reclocker: Stack SmoothLAN; DACs: Audalytic DR701 & Gustard R26II; Headphone/preamp: FangSound Dionysus; Speaker amps: Topping B200 monos; Loudspeakers: Virtual Hifi Viper; Headphones: Final D-8000, aune SR7000, FiiO FT7
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7; Headphones: Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3
2nd upstairs speaker system: Source: FiiO R7; DAC/pre: COS D1; Amplifier: Kinki EX-M7; Loudspeakers: sound|kaos Vox3 with Dynaudio S18 subwoofer
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: Zu Mission; Subwoofer: Zu Mission; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Review component retail: €15K/pr, add €1.5K for custom finishes, add €4.9K/pr for the stands

Spain. Land of flamingos at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra in Málaga; flamencos from Jerez to Sevilla and Madrid; paella, sun and British expats. Three of the country's very ambitious speaker houses are Audionostrum, Kroma Atelier and Lorenzo Audio Labs. Today is about the first brand so Josep Maria Gallart of Barcelona. His academic work in neuroscience and auditory perception "has contributed to scientific research on how the human brain processes sound. His participation in cutting-edge studies includes auditory-evoked potentials to explore cortical mechanisms involved in language segmentation; and ERP-based spatial localization of sound in the brains of orchestra conductors—research that delves into neuroplasticity and spatial auditory cognition."

That backdrop and his Orbital Driver System aka ODS had my attention. The latter "creates synergistic acoustic reflections using hyper-exponential curves based on the positive interference between paired drivers operating across different frequency bands. This compact system consists of a mid-frequency driver paired with another dedicated to high and ultra-high frequencies. While the first driver radiates forward through a horn, the second radiates in the opposite direction using the same horn as passive reflector. The result is an exceptionally natural sound enhanced by an innovative horn geometry inspired by fluid mechanics, ensuring flawless precision and immersive depth. This harmonizes with the way our auditory system is wired to perceive space and depth."

Perusing Josep's 6moons-deep catalogue, it won't surprise that I alighted on his 2½-way Saturn Pandora monitor as the smallest model to feature an ODS.

When the company's marketing director Maika Manrique confirmed interest in a review, wheels geared in motion. "Availability of Pandora will start in March. At present the demonstrator units are still in Germany and first production units will be ready for shipment during that same month." My inquiry's timing felt opportune.

As one of Saturn's inner shepherd moons, Pandora isn't just about that box. "As an outer satellite of the F ring, Pandora's gravity interacts with Saturn's ring particles." This naming appears to hint at the interaction between the floating piezo super-tweeter satellite forever facing its 1" aluminium dome-tweeter in fixed orbit whilst the 7½" spread-tow carbon mid/woofer gravitationally binds both of them in a twin-layer rear-ported wood cab with surgical-grade steel components. Published bandwidth is 45Hz to 100kHz, sensitivity 87dB, nominal impedance 8Ω. Dimensions are 48x30x34.5cm HxWxD (128cm with stand), weight is 16kg/ea. All that is easily learnt from the website. Going deeper required a conversation with Mr. Gallart. I was keen to learn what Audionostrum's extraction of neuroscience and acoustic research had wrought in a model that would ship and set up easy to cause neither sender nor receiver undue wallet and lower back stress.

Three different ODS executions.

Before learning specifics, an obvious aspect of ODS is that whilst conceptually mirroring rear-firing ambient tweeters, it controls their reflectivity and with it, path length hence time delay. Also, unlike conventional ambiance tweeters mounted to a speaker's rear baffle, Josep's is a piezo¹. That extends its reach 2+ octaves beyond human hearing whilst mixing into the forward-aimed standard tweeter's emission with a small time delay. How does our ear/brain apply this offset and apparently redundant bandwidth? I had my core question for Josep who unlike most designers in this field can rely on his own psychophysical research on human hearing.
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¹ A piezo tweeter uses a crystal or ceramic material without surround or voice coil which vibrates under applied signal voltage. By acting like a capacitor, a piezo doesn't need a classic filter but a series resistor is common to reduce its high sensitivity. Directionality tends to be very high which Audionostrum's dispersion scheme counteracts.

A Kondo valve amp demonstrated happy compatibility with these speakers. Digital by Wadax of Spain.