High End 2024: Totaldac’s Totally New D120 Loudspeaker

Okay, I exaggerated a bit of in that title, however I couldn’t resist. The D120 speaker from Totaldac is new certainly, however quite than being “completely” new, it’s extra of an “evolution” than a “revolution.” I’d by no means heard of this firm earlier than the times main as much as High End 2024, however I’m glad to have been launched.

The purpose I’ve described the D120 as an evolution is as a result of the D100 and D110 audio system got here earlier than it. That stated, I used to be shocked to learn the way a lot effort and time went into the D120 after I visited the French agency’s exhibition room. True to its identify, Totaldac has involved itself with providing a collection of merchandise such that one may construct an entire system. It was thus apparent {that a} reference-grade speaker could be required, and the D100 and D110 walked so the D120 may run. In reality, all three audio system had been initially created for inner use as reference audio system, however have since develop into obtainable on the market. High End 2024 marks the official introduction of the top-of-the-line D120, which is about to go on sale for €70,000 per pair.

While the D120 shares its driver structure with the D100 and D110, its most outwardly apparent improve over the opposite fashions is its cupboard. Vincent Brient, Totaldac’s founder and chief designer, informed me that the D120’s curved cupboard is machined immediately out of a number of massive items of hardwood, that are then glued collectively. As a outcome, the woodgrain on its exterior is just not a veneer of any type—that’s the end of the hardwood cupboard materials itself. Additionally, the cupboard has a equally carved inside quantity, which makes use of diffusor patterns carved into the cupboard itself to interrupt up standing waves and different sonically-harmful reflections.

In addition to the quietly spectacular woodwork of the cupboards, the treble-driver horn and even the hampers of the midwoofer and bass woofer are made out of wooden as nicely, Brient informed me. The declare is that wooden is of course self-damping, extra so than typical metallic supplies, and the usage of wooden on this software results in a extra pure sound.

As one would count on, the D120 has an onboard passive crossover. But as Brient emphasised, it may be simply transformed to simply accept Totaldac’s lively crossover, and it was this configuration that was in use within the firm’s exhibition room.

The sound in that room was as spectacular to me because the D120’s construct high quality. Played by way of a pair of D120s, some haunting feminine vocal music with a sparse piano accompaniment had such a wonderous sense of scale that it was simple to get misplaced in it. The audio system appeared proper on the cash tonally as nicely, they usually conveyed the emotion within the singer’s lament simply as competently as they did scale.

To give credit score the place it’s due, Totaldac is primarily identified for its electronics, they usually had been out in pressure driving the D120s. A pair of the Amp-1-sublimes (€28,000 every) drove the audio system, whereas a d1-sublime DAC (€50,000), matched with three (sure, three!) d1-digital-sublime reclockers (€7750 every), labored to chug out an analog sign for them. A d1-player-mk2 (€11,000) and d1-streamer-sublime (€9,900) served up the digital sign for the DAC. I used to be informed that the overall value of the system, together with the audio system, cables, and equipment, was inside spitting distance of €300,000.

But worry not, ought to ye assume Totaldac gear out of your worth vary, their room additionally had examples of the D100 and D110, that are claimed to come back near the efficiency of the D120. The D100 prices €14,900/pair, and the mid-tier D110 is available in at €38,000/pair. All costs, by the way in which, embrace VAT in Europe.

Matt Bonaccio
Contributor, SoundStage!