Cube Audio Nenuphar Single Driver Speaker (10 inch) TQWT Enclosure


Cube Audio (Poland) designs single drivers and single driver speakers. 

Principals are Grzegorz Rulka and Marek Kostrzyński.

Link to the Cube Audio Nenuphar (with F10 Neo driver) speaker page: 

https://www.cubeaudio.eu/cube-audio-nenuphar

Link to 6Moons review by Srajan Ebaen (August 2018):

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/cubeaudio2/

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Parameters (from Cube Audio):

Power: 40 W

Efficiency: 92 dB

Frequency response: 30Hz - 18kHz ( 6db)*

Dimensions: 30 x 50 x 105 cm

Weight: 40 Kg


* Frequency response may vary and depends on room size and accompanying electronic equipment.
david_ten

Hi Steve,

Your Billie Holiday example is an excellent one. As I improved my audio system over the years I became more aware of recording flaws yet this was overpowered by the increased naturalness of tone/timbre nuance just as you observed . This heightened awareness was particularly noticed when I began using my 300b SET amplifiers. The ’naturalness/realism’ factor went up a level without question. I can certainly see how the Nenuphars could have the same effect (if not even more so). Bottom line, you aren’t distracted by recording imperfections.

Bill what are your Clayton amp’s specs in regard to

Damping Factor

Output impedance

Utilization of NFB?

If you read the initial 6 Moons review of the Nenuphar you'll find considerable discussion on these parameters and their effect on the speaker’s performance.

Charles

Great points Steve. Thanks so much.  

Charles, the output impedance is not ideal, but all other aspects are. I need to do more research as I think I can add a nice resistor to fix that issue.  
@grannyring What follows may come across as apostasizing speaker first thinking....it is not.

To begin, I’d like to recognize @stephendunn ’s excellent post.

would you say these these speakers are fussy or finicky of the recording quality?

The Nenuphars are speakers that "step aside." Simply put, they express "more."

The question to ask is whether your system and the components and cabling ahead of your speakers are "fussy" or "finicky?" I’ve found what’s ahead of the Nenuphars to be far more important. In other words, I don’t think about the Nenuphars... which I think is saying a whole lot.

In contrast, I have spent a ton of time thinking through my components and critically evaluating them.

An aspect which may help answer your concerns (by example) is how incredibly good mainstream popular music sounds. The genre, as you know, is oft derided here for various reasons...however, I’ve been enjoying a wide swath of the genre like never before. Similarly, Stephen and Charles have shared their take on older recordings and how incredibly amazing they can be, notwithstanding their faults.

Recordings are far better (especially the ones labelled as not being so) than the critical ’discredit’ heaped upon them. It’s our systems and the way we implement them that (I believe) are responsible to a far greater degree than the recording.

does this speaker have good mid bass response avoiding the tendency to sound lean or thin at times?

Page 7 of Srajan Ebaen’s review of the Nenuphar Mini Basis addresses your question head on. (Link a few posts prior)

I experience mid-bass response to be stellar in tone, timbre, color, texture, impact, naturalness, aliveness, etc. AND variable depending on what is in the chain... recently highlighted and expressed while using two different amps, as well as front end components.

Great to hear your Interior Designer spouse approves!!! I believe Cube is now offering custom finishes, by special request.

David,

Thanks for providing the link to the Cube Audio Mini Basis review. The final sentence on page 6 Srajan sums it up well in regard to High End Audio. "The absolute sound is what you like best"

His effective weather/climate and coffee analogies for the two amplifiers  work well  for me. Given my taste/bias in music reproduction, I'd  choose the S.I.T.-3 over the obviously excellent (as well) Bakoon.

Charles

@charles1dad Charles, you are most welcome! The review is another gem from Srajan, especially for those who have one or more of the speakers he is discussing. His writing is highly illustrative while being informative.

In addition to what you point out in your post, I found his "aquatic water line" ’line’ valuable. : ) [Page 5]

I wonder how that line has been lowered for the original (non-BASiS) models, for example: By the efforts Robert ( @toetapaudio ) has made in isolating his Nenuphars via Townshend Seismic Podiums, etc.?

Based on photos alone, I haven’t seen evidence that Srajan has applied speaker isolation solutions of his own (for the Nenuphars), other than using the stock spikes and rubber bumpers. Though I realize, understand and appreciate the need to use the stock setup for review purposes.