Kingfisher Audio Releases Flagship Retro-Styled Loudspeaker
Australia's own Kingfisher Audio is deservedly making a name for itself in recent times, and its new flagship retro-styled 3-way loudspeaker is one you're going to want to hear.
The Dacelo's are inspired by classic speakers from the '70s and '80s and a few notable re-releases like the KLH model 5 and JBL L100. A 3-way, bass reflex (ported) design utilising high-end Danish-engineered transducers, they boast a 10" high excursion bass driver, a 5.5" midrange with mode balanced Egyptian papyrus fibre cone and advanced BIMAX spider, as well as a 29mm silk ring radiator tweeter. Despite the retro styling of the speaker, the drivers are anything but, employing state-of-the-art tech you would expect for speakers at this price point.
Myles Oliver-King, the younger half of this father-son led company, told StereoNET:
As with all our designs, the Dacelo's weren't built to a price point or to satisfy a certain consumer, we designed them to be a speaker we would love to live with ourselves. We were inspired by some recent re-releases of iconic speakers and were curious what we could do with modern tech and Aussie veneers in an old-school style.
As with all of Kingfisher's speakers, the Dacelo's are clad in thick Australian hardwood veneers made in-house from salvaged logs. This helps distinguish them in the Australian market with interesting timbers like Bloodwood and Silky Oak, a refreshing break from the standard northern hemisphere species we usually see in the market. It also means no two pairs are the same. You can find out more about their tree-to-speaker process here.
The Dacelo's measure 324x690x291 (W x H x D mm) without stands and weigh 24kg each. Quoted frequency response is +/- 2db from 38Hz-30Khz, while the bass extension is -6db@29Hz. They are rated at 200W power handling with an impedance of 8ohm and 87dB/2.83V sensitivity.
Kingfisher Audio is an Australian boutique brand focusing on low numbers of high-quality products. This means there are short wait times for their speakers, so the customer gets to speak and work directly with the manufacturer throughout the process. Kingfisher also offer in-home trials for those on the Mid-North Coast of NSW, and you can demo any of their three models at Coffs Coast Audio in Coffs Harbour.
Available now, Kingfisher Audio Dacelo's sell for $8,799 RRP with black magnetic grills and black timber stands. Custom coloured grills are also available to order.
For more information visit Kingfisher Audio
Gallery
Marc Rushton
StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After a few years writing for audio magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET, known at the time as Planet Audio, in 1999.
Posted in: Hi-Fi
JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION
Want to share your opinion or get advice from other enthusiasts? Then head into the MessageForums where thousands of other enthusiasts are communicating on a daily basis.
CLICK HERE FOR FREE MEMBERSHIP
Trending
applause awards
Each time StereoNET reviews a product, it is considered for an Applause Award. Winning one marks it out as a design of great quality and distinction – a special product in its class, on the grounds of either performance, value for money, or usually both.
Applause Awards are personally issued by StereoNET’s global Editor-in-Chief, David Price – who has over three decades of experience reviewing hi-fi products at the highest level – after consulting with our senior editorial team. They are not automatically given with all reviews, nor can manufacturers purchase them.
The StereoNET editorial team includes some of the world’s most experienced and respected hi-fi journalists with a vast wealth of knowledge. Some have edited popular English language hi-fi magazines, and others have been senior contributors to famous audio journals stretching back to the late 1970s. And we also employ professional IT and home theatre specialists who work at the cutting edge of today’s technology.
We believe that no other online hi-fi and home cinema resource offers such expert knowledge, so when StereoNET gives an Applause Award, it is a trustworthy hallmark of quality. Receiving such an award is the prerequisite to becoming eligible for our annual Product of the Year awards, awarded only to the finest designs in their respective categories. Buyers of hi-fi, home cinema, and headphones can be sure that a StereoNET Applause Award winner is worthy of your most serious attention.