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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
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

Hi larryi,

Your assessment of the Nenuphar makes me curious as to what components were used upstream in the signal path. I’ve become convinced that the Nenuphar simply delivers what it is fed. Srajan of 6 Moons has particularly made this point on several occasions. While this could be said of any number of good quality speakers it seems especially so in regard to the Nenuphar.

David whose ears I trust has owned these speakers for a year and has had none of the shortcomings you identified. Now to be fair David has truly excellent components in his system and no doubt this is a factor. But this makes my point as to the impressive honesty of the Nenuphar. Larry as always I appreciate your informed insight and comments. For an example  of upstream changes, Srajan noted this speaker sounds crystal clear and a ’touch’ nordic cool with the Bakoon amp.

The speaker clearly sounds warmer/fuller/richer with the S.I.T.-3 amp. So the sound heard via the Nenuphar is ’quite’ different merely by changing the power amplifier.

Charles

grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,506 posts
 
I guess I assumed the parties planning the room used electronics known to have good synergy. @larryi please let us know the amp paired with the speaker. I assumed First Watt SIT3. 
larryi
4,044 posts
 
It might very be the case that the show room (small hotel room) and the accompanying electronics were not ideal--they rarely are, but, I have some experience listening to gear under these circumstances so I have a rough handle on what the speakers sound like.  I heard them in near-field conditions, so I know a bit more than if I heard them in some very large space where bad sound is most often the result of a bad room.

Please don't misunderstand, I actually liked the speaker.  I am also very much drawn to speakers that sound vivid, alive and do micro-dynamics well (which IS the case of the Nenuphar).  But, I pointed out what I saw as some shortcomings (all speakers have them) because that is, to me, more informative than unconditional ravings.  Because speakers like the Nenuphar deliver a sound that is so much more vivid than the typical audiophile speaker, it is easy to be caught up in its strengths and not become aware of what would be more serious issues if you own them and had to live with them in the long term.  I did that myself when I first became aware of what many high efficiency systems (e.g. horn systems) can do.

By the way, I find it interesting that you mentioned the S.I.T-3 amp.  A friend of mine built his own S.I.T. amp from the design Nelson Pass made publicly available and it is one of a handful of solid state amps that I like.   Another one is the Nelson Pass First Watt J-2 which I borrowed from the same friend.  I would not consider either amp "warm," at least tonally, but, they were very musically engaging and did not sound lifeless (which is the case with many solid state amps).
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

larryi.

Just to be clear I welcome your listening impressions and opinion. There is no ’perfect’ speaker and that’s a fact. I found your critique interesting as I believe David had some concerns about full range single driver speakers that you mentioned. Fortunately for him these concerns/fears did not materialize in his system. I know his experience with the Nenuphars has been outstanding. David forgive if I’m putting words in your mouth. BTW David is using the superb Found Music 2A3 SET mono blocks.

Charles

stephendunn's avatar
stephendunn
151 posts
 
"...a bit lacking in warmth, a bit rough sounding in the upper midrange and had a pronounced peak in the treble range."

Interesting that the above accurately describes what I was hearing during the first 25 hours or so of playing the Nenuphars.  (Also interesting that during the first 5 hours of play they actually sounded better.)   I'm at about 55 hours now and will wait to 100+ to give further impressions.
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