Following the recent review of the Figaro BL2 loudspeakers from AudioSolutions, it is now the turn of their larger siblings, the Figaro L2 loudspeakers.
Cut from the same clot and with identical DNA, the Figaro L2 offers the exact balancing act but due to the bigger size and additional drivers brings a greater dynamic scale while retaining the familiar liveliness and vibrancy.
Outrigger system
One of the features most eagerly awaited by AudioSolutions’ customers is the outrigger system with spike support. This not only makes the speaker more stable but also minimizes its footprint on the floor. Although this is the “standard” choice on the market today, AudioSolutions has deliberately made the outriggers slightly springy so that they absorb some of the energy radiated by the speaker.
Mini Horn Loading
Updating The Mini-Horn was not necessary, but AudioSolutions has made slight improvements that justified the implementation. A small difference in geometry provides a slightly wider working range, especially in the top frequency range. Figaro uses a Mini-Horn loading technology to deal with the notorious problem of soft domes – cone break and cone “excursion”. Cone breakup and “walk” occur when a soft dome tweeter is driven hard at high signal levels. The distortion increases exponentially because:
- when a certain signal level is reached and thus a certain dome acceleration/amplitude, the center part of the dome bends uncontrollably due to the soft nature of the silk
-differences in air pressure behind and in front of the dome create a non-linear environment and overcome the ability of the suspension to prevent axial movement of the cone.
AudioSolutions Mini-Horn is based on the acoustic damping that takes place in the area of the front dome. They’ve carefully measured at which frequencies the dome starts to bend and cause an avalanche of distortion. The Mini-Horn is then designed and manufactured to the desired specifications to attenuate these frequencies.
The result is a proportional damping of the movement of the tweeter. The louder it plays, the more damping and air pressure on the front surface it receives from its own radiated sound. This is known as acoustic impedance and is highly dependent on the shape of the mini horn.
Another positive side effect of this process is that the mini horn increases the sensitivity and thus the efficiency of the driver. Extended mid-range. The human ear has different sensitivities to different frequencies.
We are naturally less sensitive to high and especially low frequencies. The exception is sensitivity to mid frequencies in the 1000-2000 Hz range, which is due to evolution. Simply put, in nature, the sounds of life-threatening events are more or less in the 1000-2000 Hz sound range, so we are naturally most sensitive to them so that we can remain alert.
The flip side of this phenomenon in our rather safe modern world is that we can hear and localize the smallest imperfections in sound reproduction at these frequencies. And imperfections in sound reproduction are called distortions.
Special ER cone bass and mid-woofer
The second generation of the Figaro loudspeakers uses newly designed woofers with ER paper cones. ER stands for Extra Rigid Paper. It is visible on the cone surface in the form of flakes of hard pulp and fibers and is a natural component of the rigid cones. ER paper membranes were chosen because of the advantages of traditional paper membranes and the advantages of rigid membranes. Hard cones (metal, ceramic, etc.) provide a smooth push-pull motion where all cone tips act as a uniform piston, which is desirable.
The disadvantage is that hard cones are prone to premature breakup and ringing due to a lack of damping properties in the material itself.
Paper, on the other hand, has no predetermined breaking points as it is quite soft and flexible, but it does not act like a piston, and usually, the edge of the paper cone flutters, and the whole cone bends.
By using the positive properties of paper and introducing hardening materials such as robust fibers and hard pulp, AudioSolutions gets a unique cone that acts like a piston, but at the same time has no ringing or early break-up of the cone. ER cones allowed the Lithuanian speaker manufacturer to introduce new piston-like woofers and of course our Extended Band Midrange.
Crossover
Most manufacturers calculate the crossover point in the range of 1000-2000Hz. Since each speaker has its natural spectrum of distortion, we can hear the crossover from one speaker to another, not to mention the additional distortion caused by the phase shift of the crossover.
The resulting sound is referred to as unnatural or multi-way sound. It is not possible to eliminate the natural distortion of the drivers or the phase shift in the crossover, which is mathematically related to the calculation of the db/oct crossover. For AudioSolutions only way to counteract this is to use crossover points that are not in this 1-2kHz range.
Extended Band Midrange driver
For this reason, AudioSolutions has developed an Extended Band Midrange driver. The crossover points from 400-4000Hz are one octave away from the sensitive band. This solution not only helps with the perception of crossover distortion, but the listener also gets a smooth, undistorted sound coming from a driver with virtually no phase shift.
In AudioSolutions’ opinion, a homogeneous sound is one of the most important goals in the audio industry.
The crossover has been updated with thicker air-core coils and a new PCB layout that has slightly less crosstalk. AudioSolutions uses WBT Next-Gen binding posts for Figaro and plans to add a second pair of binding posts for larger models to support bi-wiring or bi-amping.
Cabinet
Figaro MK2 features Virtuoso enclosure technology and is equipped with a cabinet-in-a-cabinet enclosure system. The entire cabinet consists of two intersecting cabinets – a light inner cabinet and a heavy outer cabinet.
The polyurethane layer between the two enclosures serves as a damping material. The thin but rigid inner housing provides the necessary support for the structure itself and transmits the energy radiated as a return wave to the outer housing layers without storing the energy in the material and preventing the return wave from being reflected to the listener.
Fast energy transfer is important to avoid low Q vibrations, which can persist for a relatively long time and affect accurate sound reproduction. From the inner cabinet, the energy is transferred to the outer cabinet, which has a large mass and absorbs the received energy.
The outer cabinet material has low internal stress forces and therefore high damping properties to convert the energy into heat as quickly as possible without generating unwanted, long-lasting vibrations. However, these two layers alone cannot ensure efficient energy exchange and heat dissipation. That’s why the third layer between the outer and inner casing is so important – a thin 0.1 mm layer of polyurethane that connects two casings and acts as a damping barrier between the casings, dissipating any residual vibrations into thin air.
This layer not only acts as an additional barrier to dissipate energy in the form of heat on the way from the inner to the outer housing but also increases the efficiency of the damping properties of the outer housing by mechanically amortizing the vibrations.
The tailor-made Trim
AudioSolutions has introduced six standard colors with the “Bespoke” trim. A modern-looking satin color with brass accents looks stylish and refreshing and suits today’s contemporary living spaces. A completely new approach to color and material matching makes it possible to give the speakers a truly bespoke look.
Exclusive personalization
Perhaps the most exciting news is that AudioSolutions is working on a product configurator that will be unveiled at the Munich 2024 high-end audio show. The Exclusive Personalization program will not only allow users to choose a different color but also combine different metal decorations, different types of outriggers, spikes and feet, upgrade terminals, or internal cabling using the online configurator.
AudioSolutions will also launch some new features that will allow clients to follow the entire process of making their personalized speaker from A to Z and provide users with an overall superior user experience.
Post-purchase and post-warranty tools will also be introduced.
The Music
It’s not the products that leave a legacy, it’s the people, through their products and especially in our industry, with the products that are closely linked to the reproduction of music as it is.
Gaidelis operates from a vantage point of highly illustrious heritage, always characterized by the highest musical gravitas, and the AudioSolutions Figaro L2 loudspeakers proudly continue this legacy.
As always, here are a few reference albums/tracks that underline the undisputed qualities of the AudioSolutions Figaro L2.
The Police – Reggatta De Blanc
Reggatta De Blanc, reggae-inspired-induced, syncopated rhythms with lots of thirds, wicked ambiance, and tons of underlying sonic micro-stories, is still as avant-garde as it was at the time of its release.
“Walking On The Moon”, a Police masterstroke, does not get demystified that often, as it may seem like a simply executed pop song to many. The well-known track hides a skillfully played and sung collage with an unexpected amount of space in the music that calls for a top-class speaker, which Figaro L2 proves to be time and time again.
There are so many things that need to be done right with this piece, starting with an appropriate foundation for the sound space that allows the complexity of what seems an utterly minimalist score to fully unfold.
The echoed hi-hat can start to get into brittle territory, and instead of evoking a compelling rhythm, it becomes distracting and does not allow the brain to resonate with the music. Synthesizer parts and Sting’s vocal harmonies can become blurred and hidden even on far more expensive speakers, which says a lot about what Figaro L2 is aiming for, as it reproduces all the nuances of the music remarkably well without hiding the essentials nor losing the dynamic factuality.
Reggatta De Blanc needs to be reproduced with a unique dreamy feel that can quickly become kaleidoscopic if everything is not properly matched with the speakers or if loudspeakers are by default off-track sonic-wise.
The AudioSolutions Figaro cut through the music of “Walking On The Moon” with the necessary focus, serving the music mojo with a great swing and keeping the energy of the music floating with ease at all times.
Phish – A Live One
Compared to the first generation, the Figaro G2 has a self-locking cabinet, a great trickle-down tech of the box-in-a-box concept of the Virtuoso series, revised woofers and tweeters, and their mini horn, minor changes to the crossover, additional outrigger feet and magnetic grilles instead of the old style peg grills
Most of the performance improvements in the second Figaro generation are due to the improved housing and the revised drivers and that can be quickly heard with familiar tracks.
When improving performance by introducing novelties, it is always difficult to maintain the sound character of the loudspeaker when it is very well tuned to begin with, but the Figaro L2 offers an enviably harmonious sound. By no means a happy coincidence, but rather well-considered strategic acoustic decisions.
A Live One is a great live album that embodies a vibrant, colorful upbeat narrative, pulsating with propulsive rhythms, electric guitar riffs, great percussive playing, engaging keys, and great audience feedback and interactivity.
The bluesy, almost jazzy feel requires a loudspeaker with a sparking core that can not only ignite the momentum but maintain and follow it at all times to fully capture the Phish at its core. Figaro L2 is not shy of dynamic shifts, able to fluently follow both micro and macro changes promptly and aptly.
Miroslav Tadic – Spavati, Možda Sanjati
The thunderous intro of “Duerme Negrito” immediately sets the tempo and shows how well the speaker under review can hold everything together without the kind of thudding effect that can be heard even with some more expensive speakers.
This is where the AudioSolutions Figaro L2 box-in-box with updated drivers and all the aforementioned updates comes into its own, really bringing out the Tadic splendor and sheer drama of the guitar virtuoso remarkably well.
Conclusion
In the sea of often copied, imitated speaker designs, Gaidelis has never taken the easy way out. He goes against the tide, which is precisely because of his laser-focused, non-antecedent, consistency.
When the out-of-the-box mentality comes into play and talented people have the time and space to be creative, something meaningful usually emerges.
The AudioSolutions Figaro L2 is an important milestone on the canvas of Gediminas Gaidelis’ work. The Figaro L2 builds on a strong heritage, uses proven innovative passive approaches, and embodies the core design of the AudioSolutions philosophy that has made these Lithuanian speakers so attractive.
Especially with loudspeaker designs, every extra step counts, and the Figaro L2 is an antidote to the multitude of deja vu loudspeaker concepts on the market.
The AudioSolutions Figaro L2 is not intended for the target audience seeking the analytical, clinical, and mechanical sound reproduction that many manufacturers strive for and that is deeply baked into the DNA of many contemporary speakers.
The Figaro L2 simply works on the contrary, in sync and in harmony with the key elements of what music is all about at its core.
Like a master chef working painstakingly to deliver a real treat of aromas, textures, and palates, Gaidelis doesn’t want to take away all the pleasure of timbre, tone, and color; the key elements of what makes music reproduction sound natural.
Over the years, Gaidelis has forged its path and managed to understand the seamless fusion of the art of music reproduction and technically advanced product design. Very often this line is blurred.
There is no question that the Figaro L2 is all about technological approaches and solutions, but as with other AudioSolutions loudspeakers, the Figaro L2 is not just about form follows function. In addition to the always up-to-date, stylish design, Gaidelis always finds a way to give its loudspeakers the ability to project expansive sound spaces enriched by naturally warm, natural tones.
The Figaro L2 captures the fundamentals of music, with the familiar “in-house” tonal balance, whereas Figaro L2’s leitmotif is defined by its exceptionally natural aural expanse, with the focus always on the music first, and not just the sound.
Figaro L2 easily demonstrates that it is a fully-fledged AudioSolutions loudspeaker, whose DNA has made the Lithuanian company one of the most interesting loudspeaker manufacturers, so much so that even some of the bigger brands are strictly taking attention to its momentum.
The Figaro L2 exhibits characteristics of universal scaling, features of criticality, and strategically placed choices that result in a physical representation of a wide spectrum of endless and colorful soundscapes. The Figaro L2’s sophisticated interlocking system and cabinet-in-cabinet system improve energy efficiency and reduce the effects of unwanted resonances and micro-vibrations, which are fleeting and very important in the primary concept of the second-generation Figaro loudspeaker line.
As is often commented on, criticized, and objectively argued, many contemporary speakers are over-hyped, but what AudioSolutions Figaro L2 offers in terms of performance not only far exceeds its price, but is transformative for the sector.
AudioSolutions’ Figaro L2 loudspeakers are a staple for those who want to delve deeper into music, with high-end audio reproduction that is emotionally compelling and capable of rendering the raw beauty of music.
After just a few songs, you realize that these speakers are made by someone who not only understands proper voicing/tuning but also market demand and the needs of audiophile, music-loving, and value-oriented consumers looking for meaningfully different, modern, stylish, and highly musical speakers.
With its size, sheer power, and affordable price, the AudioSolutions Figaro L2 is not reserved for a privileged few. The Figaro L2 opens the door to far more people than its market price suggests, disproving the long-standing shoutout in our industry that speakers can not be made affordable, high-performing, aesthetically pleasing, and just come with the right amount of lux. The Figaro L2 proves that this is possible.
For what they represent in terms of music, performance, and value, I am more than happy to highlight the AudioSolutions Figaro L2 speakers with the Mono & Stereo 2024 Best Buy and Highly Recommended Product Awards.
Following the recent launch of the innovative and forward-looking AudioSolutions online loudspeaker configurator, I am excited to see what Gediminas Gaidelis has planned for the future. ❖
The Price
- € 12.700 EUR
- 10% + for the bespoke trims
Technial specifications
- Dimensions (HxWxD) : 1240mm x 336mm x 581mm; 48.82 x 13.23 x 22.87in
- Weight : 75 kg/165 lbs each
- Shipping weight : 82 kg/180 lbs each
- Sensitivity : 92 dB @ 2.83V 1m
- Suggested amp power : 20-500 W;
- Impedance : nominal 4,0 ohms
- Crossover frequency : 400 Hz; 4000 Hz
- Frequency response (in-room environment) : 24-25000 Hz
- Drivers : 19mm silk dome tweeter, 18.3cm ER paper cone mid, two 23.3cm ER paper cone bass drivers
Contact
AudioSolutions
LT-09109 Vilnius,
LITHUANIA,
PHONE: +37066226342
E-MAIL: info@audiosolutions.lt
Web: www.audiosolutions.lt