A 15-inch driver is a 15-inch driver, because only a 15-inch driver is truly a 15-inch driver! In other words: we’re talking a real man’s speaker here! But we’re getting ahead of ourselves …
Pylon Audio has been impressing us with impeccably crafted loudspeaker designs since 2011. Excellent woodworking is in the company’s DNA: two parents of the Pylon Audio founders used to own a furniture company known for its high-quality products, which the founders have taken over and are now manufacturing speakers with a team of 50 skilled employees across roughly 3,300 square meters. An anechoic chamber (also known as a “dead room” or “reflection-free room”) is an integral part of the development of all loudspeakers. This room has external dimensions of 10 × 10 × 10 meters and is noteworthy as it’s constructed with a room within a room whose walls are decoupled from the outer structure via vibration isolating supports and an air gap. Inside, this anechoic room is fitted with 6,543 acoustic wedges, each 100 centimeters long with an 80-centimeter profile. An acoustic absorption coefficient of over 97 percent allows for measurements to be carried out under ideal conditions. This alone should give you a good idea just how serious Pylon Audio is about loudspeaker design.
Retro style has been popular for some time now, not only in the hi-fi scene. Pylon Audio successfully positioned its Jade Twenty in this genre – and it was only natural to expand the series. Thus, we now find the Jade Thirty above that model. In my review on the Twenty (FIDELITY Nr. 70), I had already noted the exceptionally precise build quality, which in the case of the Jade 30 is likewise exemplary. The cabinet is available with an American walnut veneer or alternatively in an all-black version – according to Pylon Audio, a perfect homage to the retro designs of past decades. I couldn’t agree more – there’s really no need for countless variations of finishes. The walnut version offered by the distributor is not only impeccably crafted from real wood veneer and finished with oil – it’s quite simply perfect. The same goes for the front grille – it’s not just stylish but fits in perfectly with the positive overall impression with its pin mounts and textile surface. I could hear a difference in sound with and without the grille. Which is better? Well, try it yourself – just pull on the small tab at the bottom edge to remove it.
The cabinet is made of 22-millimeter-thick MDF, with the usual internal bracing. The damping made of real sheep’s wool counteracts standing waves and also prevents unwanted airflow noise from the front facing bass reflex port. According to the manufacturer, the Jade 30 is suitable for larger rooms from 25 to 45 square meters. In this review, it was allowed to demonstrate its sonic qualities in a 40-square-meter room – and let me say this right away: I really liked what I heard.
The Thirty features a specially developed 15-inch woofer with a paper cone. As is typical for speakers with such drivers: “there’s some serious grunt there!” The proprietary 6-inch midrange driver also uses a paper cone. It also features a phase corrector in the form of an aluminum cylinder with a specific geometry, and thanks to the tilted cabinet, the radiating axis is directed at ear level. Due to the front-facing bass reflex port, this speaker requires less distance from the rear wall than designs with rear ports. Whether it should be toed-in toward the listening position or set up straight ahead is a matter of taste. For me, a “slightly toed-in toward the listener” position in a stereo triangle of about three meters worked exceedingly well. Place the speakers with the tweeters on the inside for a more centered and precisely focused presentation. Again: try things out and see what works. A short Tractrix horn (a proprietary Pylon Audio design) in front of the 1-inch BMS tweeter ensures detailed sound with correspondingly dynamic dispersion. Overall, a sensitivity of 93 decibels (2.83 V/m at 8 ohms) makes this a highly efficient speaker that is perfectly suited for use with powerful tube amplifiers. Before I forget: the crossovers are carefully tuned with a low parts count and are built using linear components and film capacitors from European manufacturers such as Jantzen. A single-wire connection completes the picture, which again is one of a consistent focus on quality – I love to see that!
After the Jade 30 had been broken in for about a week on a solid-state amplifier, the tube amp came into play. Signature Synchronicity by Fiona Joy is the first recording used to audition the test subjects. This one gets straight to the sonic core – vocals/piano and a large soundstage. No question: right from the start, this is a lot of fun! I especially like the reproduction of voices; the midrange driver is doing an excellent job. One small note: if it seems too forward, you’re sitting too close to the speaker. Next comes a listening session with the Buena Vista Social Club. From the very first note, good vibes again, because the tweeter makes sure that the relevant frequency ranges don’t come across as underexposed. Thankfully, it never becomes fatiguing either. For completeness’ sake I should briefly mention that the tweeter does take a few more hours to fully break in. Overall, I would describe the tuning of the drivers as very well judged (the crossover frequencies are 250 and 2000 Hz). The midrange driver stands out visually with its design, and when we asked the manufacturer about it, we received the following response: “This midrange driver was developed by our engineers, while its production is carried out on our behalf by a renowned European manufacturer specializing in high-quality paper and composite cones. The distinctive faceplug is produced using a special technology that ensures low mass while maintaining stiffness, resulting in very accurate reproduction of the midrange. This allows music to be delivered naturally, with detail and dynamics that surpass standard designs in this class.”
Well worth hearing! That sums it up. Convincing body projection is one of the outstanding imaging qualities of the Jade 30. It particularly excels with instruments that are difficult to reproduce, such as organ or wooden resonant bodies. Jon Lord’s Continuo on B.A.C.H. in a 1974 recording with the Munich Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Eberhard Schoener is the next track fed digitally. While browsing my music collection, I immediately come across another highly demanding recording by the same musician: Beyond The Notes from 2004. After leaving Deep Purple for good in 2002, Jon Lord took time off to pursue new musical challenges. His love of classical music and longstanding interest in crossover led to a number of new compositions recorded at the Hansa Haus Studio in Bonn. The album was recorded, among others, with the world-renowned Norwegian 16-piece string orchestra The Trondheim Soloists. Without a doubt, this is highly complex fare for any speaker. The deep notes produced by the Hammond organ’s pipes practically touch my diaphragm, and after initial skepticism, I now take the Jade 30’s stated lower cutoff frequency of 32 Hz seriously.
The album Pax by the Tingvall Trio spins on the turntable, and I sink deep into the music, enjoying the sounds with pleasure and relaxation … Like many speakers of its size, the Pylon Audio Jade 30 has that ability to faithfully reproduce large instrument bodies – such as that of a double bass. The introduction springs back to my mind: a 15-inch driver is a 15-inch driver …
What could be better for a “man’s speaker” than honest, down-to-earth blues? Some time ago, Kai Strauss live at the jazz club in Regensburg provided an absolutely mandatory (for a hi-fi reviewer no less) calibration of the auditory canal, and the recording I picked up there retells the story of that evening with striking authenticity. Kai Strauss on the Fender Stratocaster – unmistakable; the classic Fender sound is what? Round and warm, a bit dense at times, but it only really roars when a weapons-grade Stratocaster is plugged into a Marshall amp. But let’s now move away from hearing damage territory and back to the listening room. With the album Night Shift, memories of this live experience are revived, and the Jade 30 presents the signals lifelike.
Loudspeaker Pylon Audio Jade 30
Concept: 3-way floorstanding speaker, bass reflex | Drivers: 15″ woofer (paper cone), 6″ midrange (paper cone) with phase plug, 1″ BMS tweeter horn | Frequency response: 32 to 20,000 Hz | Impedance: 8 Ω | Crossover frequencies: 250 Hz and 2000 Hz | Sensitivity: 93 dB | Connection: single-wire | Finish: American walnut veneer or black oak | Dimensions (W/H/D): 480/934/460 mm | Weight: 55 kg | Warranty: 2 years | Price per pair: around €5,500
Audium/Visonik
Catostrasse 7b
12109 Berlin
Phone +49 30 6134740
kontakt@audium.com