Our focus remains on components that most people can actually afford, and we rarely cover new products in the stratosphere unless we know from previous experience with the brand that their products are really, really good. Alta Audio makes some rather good loudspeakers; none that we can actually afford but I’ve listened to their products rather extensively and they didn’t leave me with the impression that the engineering wasn’t solid.
The new Alta Audio Hestia II Titanium Loudspeakers are making their debut today in New Jersey at the VPI House and we suspect the event will be standing room only.
The market for $37,000 loudspeakers isn’t huge — but that doesn’t stop manufacturers from focusing on it because there are audiophiles and other consumers interested in spending $100,000+ on a hi-fi system.
All the power to the people who can afford to do so. I would rather spend $37,000 on a new Ford Mustang but that’s just me.
The Hestia II Titanium (MSRP: $37,500 in piano black; additional finishes available), is, like its namesake, a three-way tower speaker with drivers arranged in an open-back D’Appolito configuration, in which midrange drivers are placed above and below the tweeter—creating a unified wideband pulse response that most closely mimics the original sound pulse, i.e., as close a replica to the original performance as humanly possible.
Alta Audio’s Founder, CEO, and Product Designer, Michael Levy, improves upon the original Hestia by updating the crossover with a design like that of the Adam floorstanding speaker, which was introduced earlier this year.
The updated design features new 7” midrange drivers, updates to the amorphous core transformer in the tweeter, new silver-coated deoxygenated copper multi-strand variable diameter Teflon insulated internal cabling, and updated crossover components including silver foil capacitors.
“The original Hestia Titanium is continually cited as a favorite by reviewers, dealers, and most important, music lovers in the market for an endgame speaker,” says Mr. Levy. “The updated version improves upon the original while maintaining the musicality that makes the Hestia more of an instrument than just another tower speaker. It’s the ultimate expression of our capabilities as a designer of advanced-technology speakers for the most demanding listeners on the planet.”
The output of the two lower midranges matches the output of the single 6” midrange above the tweeter, thus creating a unified pulse. In the woofer crossover passband, the two 7” lower midrange drivers produce the extended lower midrange and bass response needed to seamlessly blend with the XTL Bass (patent pending) woofer.
Alta Audio surrounds the voice coils in a newly developed titanium former that offers lower mass, greater stiffness, and smoother response than traditional aluminum designs, resulting in a lack of magnetic flux with clean, open dynamics.
By adding these new elements in a newly retuned crossover based on the concepts incorporated in the company’s recently introduced Adam speakers, Mr. Levy smoothed out the impedance, making the speaker less sensitive to amplifiers while increasing the phase linearity of the design. In addition, the bass response has better control, and is deeper and more dynamic than the original Hestia Titanium as with updated tuning thanks to the latest version of Alta Audio’s lossless XTL transmission line technology.
Available in Alta Audio’s super high-gloss black onyx finish with other colors available on special order, the Hestia II Titanium features the best of Alta Audio’s proprietary audio technologies.
Alta Audio’s amorphous core transformer, used in the high output 70 MM ribbon tweeter is responsible for the natural and detailed high-frequency response. Likewise, the 6” cone titanium former upper midrange and two (2) titanium former 7” lower midranges provide exceptionally low distortion and ultra-fast transient response.
Rounding out the driver complement is a 10” woofer whose tuning parameters are coupled to the unique cabinet design for its infrasonic (floor-moving) bass and for refined cohesion between the Adam’s XTL (Extended Line Transmission) and its pure aluminum ribbon tweeter. (Extended Transmission Line is Alta Audio’s proprietary technology that applies sonic geometry to tune speaker cabinets as if they are musical instruments, delivering an accurate, fast, and powerful low frequency response.)
The Hestia II Titanium stands 53.75”H x 15” W at the bottom x 8 1/2” W at the top x 18” D at the bottom.
Alta Audio’s Hestia II Titanium features a frequency response of 28Hz to 47kHz, sensitivity rated at 90 dB / 2.83 Volts @ 1 Meter, and an impedance of 4 ohms. Recommended power handling is 50 – 400 watts per channel, bi-wired or bi-amped.
For further information, visit https://altaspeakers.com.
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