JM Reynaud Cantabile

Few loudspeakers, nowadays, can display such impressive technical performances and such a manufacturing quality, normally reserved for much more expensive systems. The meticulous optimization of the acoustic loading system; its geometric, electrical and mechanical parameters; the quality of all its constitutive elements and particularly of the hand-built loudspeakers: all contribute to produce remarkable results in term of musicality, airiness and natural.
Its unbaffled tweeter is capable of a very high energy at several meters in and off axis.
The optimized dynamic phasing of the two transducers ensures ideal time group propagation, the fundamental and the harmonics of the musical signal reconstituting themselves in perfect time concordance. Exactness of timbres is thus perfectly respected.
Comfortable with rock music as well as chamber music, the Cantabile demonstrates plainly that a perfectly designed loudspeaker is, by essence, versatile.

6.7 '' diameter unit. Composite cone in Cellulose/PVC, double magnet system, double edge wound copper coil mounted onto high temperature aluminium voice coil former. Magnetic core acoustically dampened, Soft textile central dust cap, flat ventilated spider. Massive anti-resonant basket ensuring perfect pole pieces ventilation and free displacements for the spider and for the positive half-roll surround section.

1''soft dome textile diaphragm. Front horn frame treated anti-resonances. Frontal wave guide.

Three way. Slopes 6 and 12 dB/octave. Crossover fréquencies 600 and 3500 Hz. Selected components with low tolerances, pure copper air coils and polypropylène capacitors.

Tuned triangular transmission line with slim event port. Machined in medium wood of 0.75''thickness. Beveled edges reduce diffraction effects. Assembly under press in order to guarantee optimal rigidity of the cabinet. Head support machined in solid wood. Steel spikes.

Power handling capacity	90 Watts
Peak power	210 Watts
Impedance	4 ohms
Frequency response	40-20.000 Hz +/- 3 dB
Sensitivity	90 dB
Distorsion	lower than 1% (84 dB level)
Nominal SPL	110 dB
Dimensions	H.37'' L.8'' P.12'' (including spikes and treble module)
Finish	Stained real beech veneer in wild cherry color
Connectors	Mono and Bi - Wired

Jean-Marie Reynaud’s designs are to most others what gastronomy is to fast-food. Its latest creation, a floorstander named Cantabilé, stands up brilliantly for a reasonnable and affordable high-fidelity. The Cantabilé are the fruit of 30 years of passion and unique know-how. Jean-Marie Reynaud’s love for music has crossed time untouched by fashion, so-called « revolutions » or venal attitude.

Some listening sessions, let’s confess it, are pure routine, which does not necessarily imply that the tested component is second-rate. On the contrary, some are a real feast for the ear, which does not necessarily imply that the component is ultra-high-end, or ridiculously expensive ! These fabulous speakers illustrates the latter perfectly, by combining excellent technical ratings and performances with a musicality that’ll make you forget all technical considerations to listen to Music, with a big « M ». They only have one draw-back : the listening level must remain moderate to preserve all their overall qualities.

The Cantabilé are not without a slight personnality in the way they reproduce spacialization. This inclination makes them speakers for music-lovers before all. Forget them if you intended to use them as a sound system or as analytical monitors. In my opinion, the Cantabilé must be slightly raised from the floor to give of their best and to erase a touch of blur in the bass department. The soundstage will then open and do justice to the best recordings. Should be matched with a fast amp with tight bass.

With the Cantabile, JMR presents some 10.000 francs three-ways speakers that will fulfill your highest musical demands. While listening to these wonderful speakers, we experienced some kind of intense serenity, due to the fact that nothing seemed disturbing to the ear : music was fluid, totally unrestrained, with timbres worthy of the best components. Soundstage expanded naturally, faithful to the engineer’s intentions, without being thrown in your face. Once more, experience talks, with this oh-so-refined touch that is JMR’s unmistakable signature.

The care lavished upon the Cantabile’s design is immediately obvious : perfect impulse response, outstanding linearity from 35 hz up to 20 khz, total absence of directivity. As it were, curves nearly merge in-axis at 30° and 45°, up to 12 Khz ! The triangular loading system is perfectly tuned, with no internal stationnary waves (see 3D curves). Very low distorsion : 100 Hz: 0.4%; 1KHz: 0.5%; 5 KHz: 0.12%. Perfect results.

Some speakers are just obvious, will other require either a lot of fuzzling with their set-up, either some intellectual excuses to justifiy that they don’t work as they should. Simply take the Cantabile, place them barely more than one foot away from the back wall, use the spikes with carpeted of wooden floors, plug them to an amp (at least 30W), choose a CD, and there it goes ! The sound is crystal-clear, smooth, and not intellectual in the least. Thanks to the unbaffled tweeter, soundstage is ultra-stable. Its quality will only depend from the sound engineer’s talent. What a pleasure to have a solo instrument that stays firmly between the two speakers, as if anchored to the ground, and that doesn’t move when you move ! The illusion is outstanding, and performers get such a 3-dimensionnal quality you can almost go around them !

For 10.000 francs ,in a normal listening room, the Cantabile are able of an extremely precise rendering, with faultless soundstaging capacities. Above all, they’ll make you want to listen to all kinds of musics, and to re-discover your records.

The Cantabile’s performances are growing exponentially during their quite long breaking time. Thanks to their front port, setting them up is easy. Just keep them three feet away from nearby walls, and toe them in slightly. What is more, the associated amp won’t have to be very powerful. The Cantabile will mate well with neutral and lively electronics.

Yeah, the Cantabile are great speakers. Great because they’re so close to perfection, extremely balanced. We enjoyed, first of all, their ability to respect each and every performer. No one encroaches upon its neighbour, so that you’ll be able to follow everyone individually. Great for a jazz band !

With the best recordings, the soundstage is really amazing - espacially regarding these speakers’ size. Close your eyes and you’ll feel extraordinarily light, borne by the glorious music flowing out of the Cantabile. You’ll suddenly enter the recording hall, whereas you where just listening to a record before a few minutes before. For less than 10.000 francs ,Jean-Marie Reynaud has invented teleportation. Ear-wise, at least...

The Cantabile’s rendering, though, has nothing to do with surgery. Neutral, in their case, doesn’t mean sterile. Detailed is not over-analytical. No, the Cantabile are full of joy, refined, so faithful to the music your room will suddenly widen to the recording venue’s original dimensions. A true cornerstone as far as stereo or multichannel reproduction is concerned.

We have no links whatsoever with Mr. Reynaud, and have always tried to be unbiased in our judgements. But some manufacturers do such a great job we cannot help being impressed. No need to spend big bucks to enjoy the Cantabile, to make them sing with all the power, sensuality and refinement they are capable of. As beautiful to the ear as they are to the eye, the Cantabile are one of Jean-Marie Reynaud’s crowning achievement.