Can we have a discussion about Denmark? Consumers rarely pay attention to where products are engineered and manufactured, but that is not the case in the high-end audio industry. Innovation often comes from smaller markets such Denmark, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Finland.
The Danes have been heavy hitters in the loudspeaker driver market for decades, not to mention the success of brands like Bang & Olufsen, DALI, Dynaudio, Gryphon, and Buchardt Audio.
Another ultra high-end audiophile Danish brand that may have flown under your radar is Børresen. They launched in 2018, and are now part of the umbrella company, Audio Group Denmark, which also includes Aavik, Ansuz and Axxess.
The Børresen X1
Priced at $5,500 USD per pair the Børresen X1 joins the “entry-level” X-series loudspeaker line-up which includes the X2 ($8,800/pair), X3 ($11,000) and X6 ($22,000) floorstanding loudspeakers. The X1 is the only bookshelf model in the range, although Børresen’s step-up M, 0, and Z speaker series do include stand-mount models.
Trickle-down technology has made its way into the Børresen X-series. Examples include the new Spread-Tow carbon membrane, the Børresen ribbon tweeter, and the use of copper caps in the magnetic motor system.
X Series Membrane
Used on the bass and midrange drivers, the X-series membrane is designed to provide maximum stiffness with minimum noise. The components for the membrane performance were designed, refined, and assembled in-house.
The X-series membrane consists of three skins laminated into a single unit: two layers of spread carbon fiber, with a layer of aramid honeycomb spacers in between.
The combination of these materials gives the membrane unique properties. The spread-tow carbon fiber is designed to provide skin with optimal stiffness. The aramid honeycomb also has the best stiffness-to-weight ratio in the vertical direction. A flat response membrane in terms of resonances, helps create a very transparent sounding loudspeaker with a reduced size of the magnetic motor system.
X Series Magnet System
Also used in the bass and midrange drivers, the X-series magnet motor system, uses double copper caps on the pole rings to achieve high flux and low inductance. The use of copper caps has been adopted from the Børresen Z-series speakers.
Tech Note: Copper produces a response to flux changes – the better the counter-effect of these copper rings, the flatter the inductance curve, and the lower the electromagnetic resonance.
In addition, lower inductance also means fewer spikes in the impedance curve. Both result in a lower load on the amplifier. To ensure high efficiency, the X-series has two pole rings. This causes the loss of some flux, which reduces efficiency, but this is compensated by the larger magnet.
X-series Børresen Tweeter
The tweeter used in the Børresen X-series has the same design used in all other Børresen loudspeaker series but with a reduction in magnet and iron mass. As a result, the efficiency has dropped only slightly from 94 dB to 90 dB, but this is still good efficiency for a tweeter.
The tweeter operates from about 2.5 kHz upwards. The moving mass is extremely low at 0.01 grams. The fully concealed tweeter can operate at a high speed and the robustness of the tweeter allows it to handle high transients without causing any deafening dips.
X-series Crossover
The Børresen X-series is equipped with a parallel crossover built with the same high-quality components from the Z-series. This makes for a very mechanically stable crossover that minimizes its self-resonance.
X-series Cabinet
The X1 cabinet is made of a heavily braced wood composite material that limits sound distortion. The material used for the cabinet also reduces mechanical influences, especially hysteresis. The X-series is equipped with bass reflex ports. The tweeter is vented to compensate for the air pressure that builds up. The bass section consists of tuned ports calibrated for musically relevant frequencies.
The X1 cabinet is finished in black or white piano lacquer and reinforced with carbon fiber inserts.
The X1 Stand
The stand offered for the X1 speaker is designed with an aesthetic reference to design elements from Børresen’s sister company Aavik. The X1 speaker incorporates a stand and foot made of a natural-based composite material that ensures resonance control.
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 50Hz – 50kHz
- Sensitivity: 86 dB /1W
- Impedance: >6 Ohm
- Recommended Amplifier: 50W
- Tweeter: 1 x Børresen planar ribbon tweeter
- Bass/Midrange: 1 x Børresen bass/midrange Driver: 4.5 inches
- Bass:1 x Børresen bass driver: 4.5 inches
- Ports: The X-series is equipped with bass reflex ports
- Finish Options: Black or white piano lacquer
- Dimensions:
- Speaker & Stand (HxWxD): 113 x 29.5 x 39 cm (44.5 x 11.4 x 15.4 inches)
- Weight: 23.7 kg (52.3 lbs)
- Speaker (HxWxD): 42 x 20 x 39 cm (16.5 x 7.9 x 15.4 inches)
- Weight: 12.9 kg 28.4 lbs
- Stand (HxWxD): 71 x 29.5 x 39 cm (28 x 11.4 x 15.4 inches)
- Weight: 10.8 kg 23.8 lbs
- Speaker & Stand (HxWxD): 113 x 29.5 x 39 cm (44.5 x 11.4 x 15.4 inches)
Price & Availability
Børresen X1 Loudspeakers can be purchased through the Audio Group Denmark Dealer Network for $5,500/pair (€5,000). The stands are an extra $1,100 (€1,000) per pair. All X-series models are available in black or white piano lacquer and are priced as follows:
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Asa
February 9, 2024 at 10:11 pm
I was wondering why I enjoy this stuff…I’m half danish! 🙂
Pretty efficient speakers…was expecting higher amp wattage requirements. Thanks for another lesser known, but high-quality company.