Australian loudspeaker manufacturer Dellichord has extended its loudspeaker line with the new modular FR2035, a two box, semi-active, full-range design.
The FR2035 combines the company’s new FR35 ‘Bookshelf Monitor’ standmount speaker and the distinctive FR20 IsoActive Bass Module which acts as the small speaker’s stand platform. The FR2035, as per all Dellichord loudspeaker products, are designed and manufactured (including the cabinets) in Brisbane, Australia.
The FR35 Bookshelf Monitor is a homage to the venerable Rogers LS3/5a much loved by Dellichord’s founder Andrew Hutchison. Hutchison states the aims for the FR35 were, “… to improve the performance of the LS3/5a design but keep the magic that makes it such an entertainer and a wonderful musical performer.”
The FR35 was developed in conjunction with highly acclaimed Australian loudspeaker designer Brad Serhan of Orpheus Loudspeakers and Serhan Swift fame. Serhan is also responsible for engineering many Australian award-winning loudspeaker designs. The FR35 standmount features modern transducers which aims to up-the-wick on the LS3/5a’s performance. The FR35’s tweeter is a 20 mm soft textile dome made by Scan-Speak, employing a neodymium magnet system. The mid-bass is handled via a 150 mm “poly hybrid coned premium quality” driver supported by a cast aluminium frame. The driver is acoustically isolated from the front baffle. The dimensions of the FR35 are similar to the LS3/5a’s own. The FR35 is a high performance loudspeaker which can be used independently of the low frequency module, providing the option to upgrade at a later stage.
The FR20 sealed box low frequency module features a unique octagonal protrusion, or ‘OctoBaffle’ as Dellichord terms it, which serves as the mounting point for one of the two 250 mm natural fibre-coned bass drivers. A further driver is placed internally in an isobaric configuration. Both drivers’ large magnet systems are capable to provide wide extension (below 30Hz in-room) and high-power.
Of course, this is achieved in conjunction with the built-in 500 watts RMS two-channel Hypex Ncore power amplifier which powers both the bass drivers and also the FR35 (the FR35 neatly connects to the FR20 via supplied cable jumpers). There are XLR analogue input and output, AES/EBU via XLR input and output, unbalanced RCA Left/Right, S/PDIF via RCA input and output, an optical Toslink input, and a mini-USB for data/computer connectivity.
The FR35 runs full-range, in other words, it employs its own high quality crossover network in the way it would as a stand-alone speaker. The FR35 and FR20 couple to each other via a 4-armed bracket system which connects with rubber footers and is sandwiched between the FR20’s top panel and the FR35’s bottom panel.
Dellichord provides two 3m IEC cables for connecting the FR20 to AC, plus two 3m “premium quality” signal cables (either RCA or XLR) to hook-up to a preamplifier or directly to a digital-to-analogue converter with volume control. Dellichord will supply longer cables where needed. The standard finish options are in Maple and Walnut real wood veneers for the FR35 ‘Bookshelf Monitor’, while the FR20 IsoActive Bass Module is available in either Black Ash or Satin White. The OctoBaffle comes in black only. Custom finishes are available on request.
Dellichord FR2035 Loudspeakers
Price: FR35 AU$3999, FR2035 (FR35 + FR20) AU$13,999
Dellichord Loudspeakers Australia
+61 (0) 418 772 434
www.dellichord.com.au