Advanced 3       reviewed in Klan+Ton 3/2007

Advanced 3 as in Klang+Ton 3/2007
technical data
- impedance: 6 Ohm
- rated SPL: 89 dB (at 2.83V, 1m)
- frequency range (-8dB): 42-25 000 Hz
- crossover frequencies: 220, 2300 Hz
- size (HxWxD): 104 x 23.5 x 34.5 cm
- speaker type: bass reflex
We were looking for new loudspeaker kit with an excellent price / performance ratio. After the well priced Basis 3 was launched Dennis Frank came up with a few sketches. The final result was the Advanced 3, a floorstanding speaker with:
- Audaphon Neo 2.0, an omnidirectional ribbon tweeter featuring an extremely linear frequency response
- Vifa midrange / bass driver equipped with paper cone and reinforced with wood fibre
- tight and powerful bass coming from two Alcone 8 inch bass drivers.

Excerpt from the lab results in Klang+Ton 3/2007: "To cut a long story short, in the lab the Advanced 3 is perfectly convincing. With the exception of a slight rise in the high frequency area the frequency response is almost straight – and above all, at 90 dB sound pressure and up to an angle of 45 degrees! That's the reason why we recommend to place the speakers parallel to the side walls. The high frequencies may be, however, adjusted by angling the speakers towards the centre. The Bass only shows a slight emphasis, the lower cut-off frequency is just under 50 Hertz. There are no outliers in the form of resonance. A look at the waterfall spectrum shows only shows a slight oscillation up to 500 Hertz, from then on the response is exemplary. Also the distortion is almost perfect: almost over the entire measuring range the D2 and D3 values move along the measuring limits, there is only a slight high frequency distortion at (very loud) 95 dB." ...

Review in Klang+Ton 3/2007:
"Although our listening is not small, the first thing we had to do was to damp the bass reflex ports to reduce the bass energy of the four Alcone 8 inch bass drivers. This shows, without any doubt, that the Advanced 3 is suited also for larger rooms. Apropos energy: the Advanced 3 seems to have a built-in power station. That's how powerful this sturdy speaker is. An acoustic guitar not only shows this beautiful whirring of the strings, but also a powerful midrange due to the wooden body. The same is applicable to powerful vocals, while the lyrics are always distinct. After we had damped the reflex ports, bass was tight and clearly structured, but also dark and mighty if required by the music material without even a hint of boom. The midrange provided mainly by the wood fibre Vifa driver shows excellent dynamics with plenty of colour. The high frequency part is performed by the tweeter with high resolution and absolute control. The reproduction is extremely detailed, but can also show a bite if required by the recording. The sound stage is much wider than the distance between the speakers and the depth is absolutely astonishing. Especially with live recordings the instruments and vocals are placed with precision and are clearly separated. The virtual sound stage is certainly large enough. In a nutshell, this is a true universal loudspeaker, whether it's the secret indulgence of musical treasures or brute force dynamics, the Advanced 3 can do anything."

Verdict in Klang+Ton 3/2007: "Dynamic and filigree, colourful and neutral – The Advanced 3 is a jack-of-all-trades. It's certainly a kit that costs a bit more and requires more skills, but considering the result it's well worth it."
 

Our kit consists of:

  • Audaphon Neo CD 2.0 ribbon tweeter
  • Vifa XW18 325/8 full range driver
  • two Alcone AC 8 SW-8 bass drivers
  • 3.5 packs polyester fleece damping material
  • 1/2 pack sealing tape MDM-5
  • Bass reflex tube BR100V/SW Vario
  • 2 binding posts from gold plated brass **)
  • 24 Allen screws 4x25 mm
  • 8 PAN screws 3.5x17 mm
  • 4m loudspeaker cable 2x 1.5 mm2
  • building instruction
  • the crossover components to be mounted on wood

  • (see right page)
  • 4.7 mH i-core coil, < 0.3 Ohm
  • 18 mH ferrite core coil, Mundorf H71 *)
  • 4.7 mH ferrite core coil, Mundorf H100
  • 0.82 mH baked varnish coil, Mundorf BL 100
  • 0.47 mH air core coil, Mundorf L 71
  • 100 uF ELCO non-etched
  • 182 uF ELCO etched (100 + 82 uF in parallel)
  • 100 uF MKP capacitor
  • 10 uF MKP capacitor
  • 3.3 uF Mundorf MKP capacitor
  • 10 uF Mundorf MKP capacitor
  • 2x 0.47 Ohm MOX10 resistors (yellow-purple-silver)
  • R3: 3x 1.8 Ohm 20W resistor in series *)
  • 3.3 Ohm MOX10 resistor (orange-orange-gold)
  • 5.6 Ohm MOX10 resistor (green-blue-gold)
  • 39 Ohm MOX10 resistor (orange-white-black)
*) to improve power handling the original Klang+Ton components were changed

**) upon request we also supply 4 or 6 binding posts (in case you want to drive two or all drivers individually)
Additional cost per binding post pair EUR 5,90

Order No. str-advanced3, price per speaker (without cabinet)   - not available

Upon request a 220 x 155 mm universal PCB is available for mounting the crossover components.
Two PCB's are needed per loudspeaker, if the large coils are also mounted - otherwise just one.
Price per PCB EUR 8,80

Building Instruction    

Advanced 3 with high-end crossover

Upon request we supply the Advanced 3 with crossover components that are high grade throughout. Especially, the components in the signal path have been replaced with e.g.
- Mundorf Supreme capacitors (having the lowest loss known to us) in the path to the ribbon tweeter
- many Mundorf copper foil coils.
Changes to the original components are in italic:
  • 4.7 mH cfc10 copper foil coil with 0.31 Ohm
  • 18 mH ferrite core coil, H71
  • 4.7 mH baked varnish coil, 1.4 mm
  • 0.82 mH cfc16 copper foil coil
  • 0.47 mH cfc16 copper foil coil
  • 100 uF ELCO non-etched
  • 182 uF ELCO non-etched (100 + 82 uF in parallel)
  • 100 uF MKP capacitor
  • 10 uF MKP capacitor
  • 3.3 uF Mundorf MCAP Supreme
  • 10 uF Mundorf MCAP Supreme
  • 2x 0.47 Ohm MOX10 resistors (yellow-purple-silver)
  • R3: 3x 1.8 Ohm 20W resistors in series
  • 3.3 Ohm MOX10 resistor (orange-orange-gold)
  • 5.6 Ohm MOX10 resistor (green-blue-gold)
  • 39 Ohm MOX10 resistor (orange-white-black)

Order No. str-advanced3-he, price per speaker (without cabinet)   - not available

Upon request a 220 x 155 mm universal PCB is available for mounting the crossover components.
Two PCB's are needed per loudspeaker.
Price per PCB EUR 8,80

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