Tag: Made in Australia

A new Australian built loudspeaker, with French flair! Microphase Towers reviewed.
History – Who is Jean-Marie?

Jean-Marie Liere, the creator of these somewhat offbeat towers started life in France. I say ‘towers’ but this size of speaker was once known as a floorstander (when a loudspeaker was too large to happily be placed on a shelf). During his time in France prior to exporting himself to Sydney, Jean-Marie worked for Hewlett-Packard. This was at a time when test instruments for loudspeaker measurement cost approximately the same as a small provincial cottage. How times have changed…Test equipment has now never been cheaper and houses are a similar price to tulip bulbs in Holland during the early 1600s! This free access to what was state-of-the-art test gear lead Jean-Marie off on a search for loudspeaker nirvana. The result was his first speaker design, a small monitor style speaker which he sold in commercial quantities. Some time later when his venture did not meet with his financial hopes and a family arrived, he returned to the reality of regular paid work. Sometime later in a land far away (post 1997 when Jean-Marie moved to Australia) a lifelong interest was rekindled. Jean-Marie’s interest in phase correct, fast sounding loudspeakers that offer life-like performance resumed with the current range of Microphase Audio Design loudspeakers. Back in business for the last 5 years, Jean-Marie has enjoyed fine tuning his 2 satellite models, a sub, a centre and the model on review here, the Tower One.

Construction and Design

The Microphase Tower Ones are built right here in Australia to exacting standards. The cabinet construction material is Birch plywood imported from Finland. The unusual, somewhat architectural look may not be to everyone’s taste but I rather like the style. Simple, functional and manufactured by a local cabinet guru who once made enclosures for Richter and Orpheus back in the day. I’m not sure when these two highly regarded manufacturers stopped making their loudspeakers here on home soil, but I don’t believe they do anymore. Moving on to the ‘innards’ of the design, we find more ‘French flair’ (more than being created by a Frenchman). French made Audax drive units abound. Coincidentally Richter and Orpheus also used Audax drive units in many of their designs. They are great sounding drivers in my opinion. Not only my opinion but in the opinion of designers at Spendor, the BBC and Mission over the years. Speaking of the BBC it should be remembered that many BBC designs such as the LS3/5A employed Birch ply as the cabinet construction board too. All in all Jean-Marie would appear to have made some well regarded choices in materials for his designs.

Microphase Tower One reviewed by HiFi and Stereo Australia

More on design…

Whether you like the look or not, one cannot doubt the build quality of these loudspeakers and the likelihood they will last a very long time. Beautifully fitted together with all components flushed into the front, rear and side baffles. Neat magnetically attached grilles are employed for the side mounted woofer and front mounted mid. The tweeter is kept reasonably safe from interested fingers by a tough plastic ‘acoustic lens’. Bi-wiring is available at the rear by familiar looking 5 way binding posts. Sometimes I wonder what the fourth and fifth ‘way’ are? I’ve got 1) Spade connectors, 2) Banana connectors, 3) Bare wire, 4) Not sure, 5) Don’t know. Anyway, if you wish to drive the woofer with a separate amp you can. Or you could just run separate wires to it from the common point of the speaker terminals on the rear of the amp. Your mileage may vary but for me bi-wiring in this way is right up there with propping your speaker cables up on supports. Bi-amping on the other hand may well help improve the sound, although at some considerable cost. To sum up, these Towers are smart and modern looking. Perhaps one well out on the periphery of what many would consider typical loudspeaker design.

And the sound!

Now the fun bit. I didn’t run them in as Jean-Marie supplied me a pair that had done a bit of work and were fully loosened up and ready to rock. I applied signal via my Naim Star and some files from Tidal. I am very familiar with the sound in my room having used this source on a number of other loudspeakers. I thought therefore, this was a good place to start and hear what the general flavour of the Microphase speakers was. I kicked off with some tracks from kd Lang’s ‘All You Can Eat’ (as mentioned in my article on well recorded music). Immediately it was obvious from the ‘smack’ from the drums that these speakers are fast and are quite sensitive, or at least as sensitive as the spec suggests. A decent amount of detail was obvious and the bass was quite uncoloured. The bass on this recording can be overly full on some speakers but not here on the Tower Ones. The upper treble was in balance with the rest of the spectrum doing just what it needs to do and nothing more. These are not sizzly sounding loudspeakers with exaggerated treble.

Wishing to explore the bass extension I flicked to Nusratt Fatah’s, ‘Sea of Vapours’ on the Musst Musst album (also mentioned in my 10 best demo tracks article). This track dives deep with electronic bass going way down. I also noticed on this track a great sense of ‘air’ but as mentioned previously, without any excessive sizzle from the tweeter. Bass-wise I expected it may go lower than it did due to the largish bass unit and the sealed alignment (rather than the far more common bass reflex alignment most designers employ). Sealed alignments roll off more slowly and tend to offer a more accurate bass response than the sometimes boomy ported alternative. When I took a closer look at the probable box volume though I realised this isn’t really a very large loudspeaker enclosure. I made a quick comparison with another loudspeaker I had on hand that also sported a sealed bass unit design and although a different shape, it offered a similar internal volume. The Microphase towers comfortably outperformed these speakers, not so much in extension but in sensitivity.

Moving onto the delicate midrange area, I played Meav, once again from my demo suggestion article. Her voice has a glass like quality and the ability to upset many a loudspeaker. To some degree the Tower Ones suffered at Meavs voice as well. Just a trace of a hard edge, or maybe some otherwise well hidden resonance was excited by her demanding vocal. I’m not sure, but suffering at the hand of Meav does not place these speakers into some ‘Robinson Crusoe’ like group. I have heard many a well regarded speaker show off some nasties when she is played. Hence a great test I think. Playing a variety of other material I did notice the occasional ‘cupped hand’ like colouration in the mid which for many will go unnoticed but for some may be an issue. Overall the sound of these speakers is rather refined with quite an even frequency response and an enjoyably painted stereo image.

Sum up –

The Microphase Tower One with grille removed from side mounted woofer

Sum up –

For anyone looking for something a bit different. For those wanting a loudspeaker of bespoke appearance and build quality, the Microphase Tower Ones are worthy of audition and closer inspection. I enjoyed their time in my listening area for their iconoclastic style.
- For – Unusual and quite unique cabinetry.
- For – Built in Australia to last!
- For – High quality components used throughout.
- Against – As much as I like the appearance some who saw them while under review were unsure.
- Against – Some slight edginess/resonances around the upper midrange area could be distracting on some material.
- Against – Just an observation but there is no facility for spikes to be fitted in the underside of the plinth.
- Manufactured by – Microphase Audio Design, Sydney, Australia.
- Dimensions – 195mm Wide x 340mm Deep (plinth) x 955mm High
- Weight – Approx 10kgs each
- Price – $4290pr inc shipping to anywhere in Australia
- Tested with – Naim Star – Straightwire Symphony 3 speaker cables.
Beer!

3 Ravens American Pale Ale. The beer style that pretty much started US based craft brewing. It is owed a lot. I set out to buy something brewed in France for this beer tasting for no particular reason other than Jean-Marie comes from there originally and reckons French beer is fantastique! Alas with the local craft beer scene going mental, and the main stores actually stocking decent beer, European alternatives are very thin on the ground. I visited three stores with no success. I could have gotten close with a few Belgians of some distinction but I’m pretty sure Jean-Marie would agree, Belgium ain’t France. It would appear I am now stuck drinking craft beer if I fancy something fresh and tasty.

So being forced to drink crafties, I thought I’d grab something of quality. A relatively local one in this case, made in Thornbury, Melbourne. I chose this particular one due to the outrageous statements on the side of the can. Very clearly printed in alternating blue and red Arial. Well, some Sans Serif font that is rather basic in appearance. I can report that what is contained within the can is anything but basic. As you may have noticed from the pics, not a lot of head, and frankly not benchmark setting mouthfeel but that’s the only negatives I can express. This is one damn fine and complex APA. Very much a hyped-up version of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which is probably still the reference beer for the style. Terrific balance of malt and hops, probably more hops than malt but not enough out of whack to annoy. I mean, you want more hops right? Well this beer delivers. As much in bitterness as late additions, mmm yummy! I can’t see an alcohol content number on the can but it states 1.6 standard drinks so I guess about 5%. (Edit – found it in large print – 5.5%) No nasty aftertaste, and as mentioned, very satisfying levels of complexity. It keeps you guessing as to what you are in fact actually tasting. This is old school APA goodness, nice and fresh and ready to be smashed down 3 at a time. A solid 9 out of 10 from me. Only let down by lack of body/head. Buy some now before they decide to stop making it again.

3 Ravens American Pale Ale can and beer poured into a glass
March 11, 2021
Alderwood Eros – A new Australian Made Loudspeaker
We used to make all sorts of things in Australia as diverse as electronics, clothes, watches and cars! There were a host of Australian made loudspeakers too, including some names still around such as Richter, Duntech and Krix. Unfortunately many have gone…forever. Of those that remain, I suspect that many components of these brands are sourced from overseas. In many cases they may even be assembled overseas. It might be a stretch to regard them as still ‘Australian made’? For many buyers though, it doesn’t matter where it’s made and for the manufacturer the choice may well be to go offshore, or go out of business. I fully understand this but Scott Wilkinson at Alderwood Speakers is ignoring this trend. He loves the concept of making things here in Australia. He has designed a particularly cute speaker AND makes the vast majority of the component parts on the premises at Alderwood HQ in Victoria.

Alderwood Eros Pro in clear lacquer finish

Digging further into how the Alderwood Eros Pro was designed and made Scott tells me, that the drive unit (there is only one per box) is of his design. Particular care was taken with the cone and roll surround materials to get just the tonal balance he was looking for, plus durability and moisture resistance. The driver is assembled at Alderwood HQ and magnetised on the premises. The enclosures are also crafted in-house on various CNC woodworking machines. Hand finishing, assembly, careful testing and packaging for shipping all happens at Alderwood’s Cobden facility. A stunning part of country, very near the 12 Apostles on the Victorian coastline.

And they arrive very nicely packed indeed!

It is great to see an Australian built product arrive so ‘complete’. There was proper packaging, labeling and an instruction manual. Within minutes I had the Eros attached to their brackets and stands, cables plugged into the ever-ready Naim Star and music playing. Mmmm but there was a catch…

Alderwood Eros being unboxed

The Alderwoods are obviously very well made. Well made enough that they sport an IP67 rating which in ‘English’ means you can use them on a boat. This boat could be off the 12 Apostles taking a lot of green water over the bow and they will keep on playing. I’m not sure I would want the green water smashing into the speakers directly but the point remains that they are marine rated. In fact the IP67 standard suggests they could play under water for up to half an hour! They are offered in a range of finishes including the clear coated finish on display here but also a textured black or white painted finish. In fact if you are willing to wait Scott can organise a pair in any colour you like. I’m guessing this ‘customisation’ might come at a small premium, but the clear, white, black option all retail for $1900pr. For me the clear is definitely the go, they look stunning. Included in the box are a pair of rather handsome machined brass swivel brackets. These are included in the price and yet look very ‘bespoke’ (and pricey). Scott also supplied some appropriate cables and his new speaker stands. Both are $99 optional extras (a bargain!).

And the catch is…

When I say these loudspeakers are tiny I’m stretching the truth as they are in fact, miniscule. Take a look at the picture below for a scale shot to give you an idea just how small they are. To the uninitiated it might seem they could not possibly produce serious volume or great sound quality. The catch of course is that they do not even attempt to produce any low bass notes. In fact the lowest bass is gently filtered out by a built in simple passive crossover. This leaves the vast majority of the audible spectrum intact but the need for high excursion cones and big boxes is removed. Those lower notes that require real power and authority are handled by a subwoofer of your choice. Alderwood manufactures a few, but I was interested in what an inexpensive solution might sound like. With this goal in mind I sourced an REL T Zero on short term loan from my friendly neighbourhood HiFi store – The Audio Tailor. (Also currently Australian HiFi Retailer of year!) The REL is a highly regarded incredibly small powered woofer that is both fast and musical but also rather well priced at only $699. It was a guess on my part that this little sub would work well with the Alderwoods, as it turned out I guessed correctly. I wired them directly to the HiFi and Stereo resident Naim Star, using cables Scott at Alderwood supplied with the correct connectors fitted at each end. I connected the REL subwoofer directly via an RCA lead to the pre outs of the Naim. I tweaked the low pass filter on the rear of the REL to its highest setting, adjusted the level control to the middle and powered everything up. Now I had full range sound.

Yes the Alderwood Eros Pro are tiny

And the sound?

The Alderwoods have an immediately appealing light and bright balance which causes instruments such as acoustic guitar to sound exciting and dynamic. The obvious pace and detail of the Alderwood’s sound also adds fruity colour to husky male vocals such as Joe Bonamassa and Robert Cray on track 4 of Lee Ritenour’s Six String Theory. The overall effect is a little like feeding acoustic instruments through a Concert PA, they become larger and louder. Through a PA they also become somewhat less clean and a bit harmonically challenged. In other words, their frequency range is perhaps ‘enhanced’ or some would say ‘coloured’. For many this is no bad thing and frankly for their (the Alderwood’s) incredibly small proportions and price, a damned fine outcome.

I do note that the instrument most effected by their exuberant performance is the female voice. For those looking for a particularly sweet and seemingly accurate rendition of your favourite lady singer, you might need to buy larger and probably more expensive loudspeakers. I still very much enjoyed the likes of Janis Ian’s ‘Breaking Silence’ Album (an album I should have put in our 10 hot demo tracks article?). Her easy to get along with voice does not shine a light on any limitations the Alderwood’s incredibly tiny full range driver may cause.

I should mention that the integration I easily achieved with the REL T Zero powered subwoofer was perfectly seemless. The full range of sounds appear to come only from the tiny enclosures. I experienced none of the old ‘Bose-like’ boom-boom from one corner, a hole in the response and then tish-tish from the main speakers. I should also say that the quality of stereo imaging was impressive with great accuracy of placement and significant width and depth.

So, overall an enjoyable sound if not the last word in audiophile perfection. But then, seriously, at this price and size that was unlikely. The laws of physics are almost certainly impossible to break, but Alderwood have come very close with the Eros model. Their slightly brightly lit and mildy coloured response is likely to be just what many want to hear. If you were to consider them a loudspeaker more in the ‘lifestyle’ category rather than an outright attempt on HiFi world domination, then I reckon they are a great success.

Miniscule Alderwood Eros Pro in clear lacquer finish pictured for scale with Falcon LS3/5A and REL T zero.

And to Sum Up !

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these hand crafted gems. In a situation where you really do not want to see the source of the beautiful music in the room, these Alderwoods can be highly recommended. They can also be highly recommended for those that want their cash to stay in Australia. You can support a small local business trying very hard to manufacture something here. Australia is a very harsh environment for those designers who would also like to make the product locally. Good luck to Scott Wilkinson, I wish him well on his quest to bring back real ‘made in Australia’ manufacturing and from what I see and hear with the Eros model, he is likely to succeed.
- For – A very high quality product designed and made in Australia.
- For – Rather stunning aesthetics.
- For – Impressive sound quality and scale for their size.
- For – Impervious to dust and moisture.
- Against – You will also need a subwoofer to obtain full range sound.
- Against – Slightly exuberant nature of the tonal balance may not suit some listeners or all material.
- Manufactured by – Alderwood, 56 Curdie Street Cobden, Victoria Australia – www.alderwoodspeakers.com.au
- Price – $1900pr inc brackets (stands and cables extra at $50 each)
- Tested with Naim Star and REL T Zero (on loan from The Audio Tailor)
Beer! The stereo is on, favourite album queued….

Today I’m going down the West Coast IPA path again. They may not be everyone’s favourite style, but I like them. A good one has lotsa mouthfeel and a great whiff of fresh hops when you pour it. The hop bitterness, of which there should be plenty, is balanced generally by big biscuity malt. It may well be that this local one from Sea Legs brewery is as close as most crafties get to making it right. I have had better but this was very enjoyable. Superbly balanced with reasonable complexity. A thoroughly enjoyable drink that annoyingly you could just throw down. The highish alcohol for the style is very well disguised. This makes for a sessional, right up to the point where you fall down and your wallet is empty. Which brings me to another point – price? I have bought 3 of these, at three different locations. One at the brewery itself and the other two in cans at local bottlo’s. $8.50, $10 and $12.50, all for the same quantity. One of the prices they throw in a stool and a glass… So what is the real price of beer? For that matter how can there be one price 50% more than another. The answer is, I have no clue, but wow things have changed. There was a time when a beer in a bar or restaurant was $7 – $11. This time wasn’t long ago and it still exists now.

I reckon the $10 I paid at the brewery was reasonable value. As mentioned you get a free chair and container to drink it out of and its super fresh straight out of the keg. So the real question is what has happened with bottle shop pricing? Take home beer used to cost a third or maybe even a quarter of the restaurant price. Well we know that bottle shop B is taking about 47% more than bottle shop A in turnover. Assuming A is making money and the two shops have similar overheads (which they do, based on size and staffing), B is making some serious bucks. For how long I’m not sure, as unsurprisingly I don’t shop there anymore. The guy at A is a much friendlier bloke too. There is possibly an analogy here with the HiFi world.

B is owned by a large business with half a dozen pubs and no doubt many bottle shops. As part of this ‘corporate’ structure we as customers get the same product, coupled with poorer service and pay a premium for it. The winner is some faceless corporation which probably runs it’s business less efficiently. They no doubt also own a much bigger boat than old mate the independent. All this makes me wonder about the mass corporatisation of the brand name HiFi landscape that has been going on for the last few years. Are we as consumers getting more or less for our money as our favourite brands get gobbled up. Mostly by groups of accountants who couldn’t give a toss about fidelity and good music?…..

If you get a chance give one of these WC IPA a go. Sea Legs make excellent beer under the Story Bridge in Brisbane. Drink up!

One of the better Australian made West Coast IPAs I have enjoyed recently. Very yummy!
January 31, 2021