YG Acoustics has announced its latest creation, Sonja™ XV. Sonja™ XV is an extreme, four tower version of Sonja™, created to celebrate YG Acoustics™’ upcoming 15 year anniversary (2002-2017). It combines everything that YG Acoustics™ knows about speaker design, and incorporates several next generation technologies that cannot be found elsewhere. Handmade in the USA, innovations include, a breakthrough tweeter made in-house, and proprietary bass inductors.

The bass, mid bass and mid range units are made in-house using YG Acoustics™’ proprietary BilletCore™ technology: uniquely, the drivers are precisely machined out of massive slabs of aircraft grade aluminium. A pair of Sonja™ XV utilises a total of 18 BilletCore™ drivers. The brand new BilletDome™ tweeter is YG Acoustics™’ most complex mechanical invention to date: a resonance free soft dome is supported by a stiff, light airframe machined from aluminium billet. The air frame weighs a mere 30 milligrams, but its critical sections are up to 14 times thicker than a typical hard dome. Finally, a tweeter that combines the best of both hard and soft The tweeter’s motor is YG Acoustics ForgeCore™ system: in-house CNC cutting introduces 3D geometries into the magnet system. YG Acoustics™ crossover circuits are all created using proprietary software developed entirely in-house. DualCoherent™ technology provides the best frequency response and relative phase available. Sonja™ XV’s bass crossover uses a brand new technology: ViseCoil™ inductors are CNC wound in-house, then encased in a vice-like milled structure to eliminate vibration and tighten tolerances. Residual loss is reduced by 24%, and linearity is improved by 60%. The result is better control over the woofers, for greater bass impact, and an easier job for most amplifiers. Sonja™ XV’s mid and tweeter crossover uses ToroAir™ technology: in-house CNC wound toroidal air-core inductors eliminate cross talk. Sonja™ XV’s cabinet is constructed of precision machined aircraft grade aluminium alloy. The multi layered structure is optimised for each module’s specific frequency range. FocusedElimination™ anti-resonance technology keeps mechanical losses low, by combining the minimised turbulence of a sealed design with the low friction otherwise associated with enclosure free concepts. YG Acoustics™ speakers are not voiced. All measurements are verified using extensive listening tests, but the speakers are not artificially manipulated.

YG Acoustics say that their speakers ‘simply convey the recording – nothing more, nothing less. The end result: Sonja™ XV is the closest that we has ever come to the natural sound of a live performance. It will be heard by few and attained by even fewer, but those who hear it will likely echo the statement that YG Acoustics™ President Yoav Geva made upon finishing his masterpiece: “From now on, when I listen to music, I want it to be either live or with Sonja™ XV”. ‘

Existing pairs of YG Acoustics™ Sonja™ can be expanded to Sonja™ XV, without the need to replace the speakers. Sonja™ XV, in addition to its two channel (stereo) performance, is also fully compatible with multi channel audio and home theatre systems.

Specifications

Deviation:

±1 dB in the audible band

±5° relative phase throughout entire overlap

Exceptional pair matching

Usable output extends from below 20 Hz to above 40 kHz

Drivers:

A four-way, four tower system with a total of 20 drivers per pair of speakers

BilletCore™ ultra high rigidity woofers, mid-woofers and mids

BilletDome™ ultra-low distortion tweeter, unique to Sonja™ XV

Filters:

Sonja™ XV is fully passive

Proprietary DualCoherent™ crossover at 65 Hz, 337 Hz and 1.75 kHz

Designed using software developed in house ViseCoil™ bass inductors reduce residual loss and improve linearity, for greater bass impact and an easier job for most amplifiers

ToroAir™ mid and tweeter inductors eliminate cross talk

Sensitivity:

88 dB / 2.83 V / 1 m 2π anechoic

Impedance:

4Ω nominal, 3.5Ω minimum

Dimensions:

4 towers, each 179x43x72 cm (70x17x28”) HxWxD

Weight:

4 towers, each 210 kg (463 lbs) per channel unpackaged

Shipping weight of a pair is 1.3 tons