DeVore Fidelity loudspeaker the first to join Absolute Sound Ten collection

High-end audio distributor Absolute Sounds has announced a new curated portfolio of esoteric Hi-Fi, dubbed ten, hand selected by Ricardo Franassovici, Absolute Sounds’ founder and MD.

The Ten portfolio will stand apart from Absolute Sounds’ main catalogue, which consists of 21 established high-end audio brands, and feature products from audio artisans.

Each piece in Ten will be a limited Edition, ‘ lovingly crafted in limited quantity to satisfy the specific tastes of audio connoisseurs.’

Ten adopts an indie rather than mainstream ethos, says Franassovici, “shining a light on exceptional creative talent from every corner of the globe. Each maker has a high level of specialisation. The best audio equipment is made by creators who specialise in a particular thing.”

The first entries in Ten hail from New York-based DeVore Fidelity. The maker will supply the O/96 , or Orangutan 96, a high sensitivity loudspeaker designed to be partnered with valve amplifiers. It has a quoted electrical sensitivity of 96dB, compared to the 85dB to 90dB sensitivity of most modern designs. The distributor suggests it forms a perfect partnership with single-ended triode (SET) valve amplifiers, which have a modest power output.

The O/96 incorporates a bespoke mid/bass driver with a 25cm wood fibre cone and a motor system developed from DeVore Fidelity’s Silverback Reference drivers. This combines with a 25cm silk-dome tweeter built into a concave flange that lends a subtle horn-loading effect, driven by a powerful double motor magnet system with a tuned chamber at the rear.