Alfred Vassilkov, who is well known throughout Europe for both his speaker and crossover designs, is the mastermind behind Alfred & Partners and its newest brand, Estelon. The Estonian company’s recently released flagship speaker, the XA, pushes the boundaries of style and engineering, bearing an amorphous shape that is a result of blending the latest manufacturing technologies with a healthy dose of handmade craftsmanship. The cabinet itself is cast from a proprietary marble-based composite material that is then hand finished and polished with multiple coats of an automotive finish similar to that used in Formula 1 monocoque construction. Estelon offers these beauties with either high-gloss or black matte finishes.
For audio reproduction, the XA speakers combine state-of-the art German-built Accuton-brand ceramic drivers with the finest crossover components, making for a loudspeaker that epitomizes the expression “form follows function.” While the XA’s soft curves provide the initial allure, its breathtaking performance will keep listeners engaged for hours on end. This is a true full-range speaker, with bass that extends effortlessly into the low-20 Hz region.
Estelon leaves no detail untouched—from the XA’s bespoke shipping containers, featuring laser-cut, high-density foam interiors that assure the acoustic sculptures within arrive undamaged, to the boxes containing the floor spikes, which appear as though they might contain fine jewelry. The Estelon XA, at $43,990 a pair, belongs in a listening room alongside the world’s finest components. (
www.estelon.com)
