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Authorized dealers for Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD

  • The ASOC Gallery of Fine Audio — in-store — Stratford, Ontario, Canada (website)
  • Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
  • American Sound — in-store — Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (website)
  • Audio Concept - Luxembourg — in-store — Gare, Luxembourg, Luxembourg (website)
  • Audio Gallery — online and in-store — Las Rozas de Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain (website)
  • Audio Revolutions — in-store — Khwaeng Thung Phaya Thai, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (website)
  • Audiogears — in-store — Casalecchio di Reno, Emilia-Romaña (website)
  • Auditorium — in-store — Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg, Germany (website)
  • Aug & Ohr — in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Germany (website)
  • AURA HIFI — in-store — Stadtbezirke II, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)

and 30 more verified dealers

Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD #1
Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD variant 1
Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD variant 2
Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD variant 3
Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD variant 4
Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD variant 5

Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD

The UNO SD delivers seamless subsonic bass, startlingly natural midrange and a vast, precisely layered soundstage that makes its horn-plus-active-bass design disappear. Tom Lyle found its low end tight, mighty and fully integrated, while lifelike instruments and clean treble bring live-scale immediacy without the old-school horn coloration. It is a lavish, high-sensitivity statement speaker for immersive full-range listening.

View at Avantgarde Acoustic
Specifications22 reviews & sources

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92/100
Rating for UNO SD

Deliciously Crispy

Sound Quality

95/100

Build Quality

86/100

Value for Money

85/100

Pros

Powered bass reaches convincingly deep while staying tight, quick and seamlessly integrated with the horn drivers.

Exceptionally realistic, uncolored midrange avoids the cupped-hands character associated with older horn designs.

Creates a gigantic, finely separated soundstage while allowing the speakers and individual drivers to disappear.

Cons

Large physical dimensions and visually bold horn architecture may not suit every room or décor.

Its $48,800 price places it firmly in luxury-system territory.

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What Reviewers Are Saying

"I'd have no problem making the UNO SD my new reference loudspeakers... that should say hornspeakers."

— Enjoy The Music

SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 95/100

The UNO SD delivered an unusually seamless, full-range presentation in this review, combining deep active bass with lifelike horn midrange and treble. Its ability to disappear while projecting a huge, precisely organised soundstage was a particular highlight.

Bass

97/100

The powered low end was described as superb, extending credibly to subsonic depths while remaining tightly controlled through the midbass. The reviewer heard no separation between the subwoofer and horn system, praising mighty deep bass, convincing transient response, and exceptionally realistic jazz bass and drums.

Mid

96/100

Midrange reproduction was among the reviewer's strongest praises, making individual instruments sound exceptionally realistic within the large stage. Earlier Avantgarde concerns about a "cupped hands" coloration were explicitly absent, with the UNO SD portrayed as open, natural and highly convincing.

Treble

94/100

The review describes cymbals as incredibly lifelike and captures saxophone reverberation as a convincing aura around the instrument. Those observations point to clean, resolved high frequencies with strong tonal realism rather than overt sharpness.

Soundstage Imaging

96/100

The UNO SD separated instruments clearly and placed them across what the reviewer called a gigantic soundstage. The speakers were also said to almost disappear, leaving the physical locations of the drivers inconsequential to the musical illusion.

Dynamics

92/100

Low-frequency dynamic impact was especially persuasive: the reviewer could not only hear the deepest notes but physically feel them. Tight bass transients and the system's realistic portrayal of drums suggest strong scale and physical expression, though the review offers less direct discussion of large-scale dynamics above the bass region.

Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.

Build Quality

86/100

The review sample made a strong visual impression, with a stunning appearance and attractive piano-black lacquer cabinets. The review says little about cabinet internals, hardware durability or long-term ownership quality.

Value for Money

85/100

At $48,800 per pair, the UNO SD is firmly a luxury purchase. Even so, the reviewer said that, if able to raise the funds, he would buy the UNO SD or a higher model in the Avantgarde range; there is no direct comparison with competing speakers at this price.

Reviews & Sources

Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.

Online Reviews & Mentions

YouTube Reviews

Forum Mentions

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Specifications

Frequency range satellite
290-22,000 Hz
Frequency range subwoofer
18-350 Hz
Power handling
50 Watt
Sensitivity (1 Watt/1 m)
> 107 dB
Crossover frequencies
290/2,800 Hz
Nominal impedance
18 Ohm
Recommended amplifier power
> 10 Watt
Recommended room size
> 16 sqm
Coplanar driver alignment
yes
OmegaDrive
yes
AirGate
yes
NatureCap incl. PolarizationPlus circuitry
yes
Horn type
spherical horn
Horn aperture angle
180 degrees
Horn diameter midrange
500 mm
Horn diameter tweeter
160 mm
Diameter midrange
127 mm / 5 inches
Diameter tweeter
25 mm / 1 inch
Driver size
250 mm / 10 inches
Number of drivers
1x XB10
Voice coil diameter
153 mm
Flux density
1.15 Tesla / 480 mm
Pole plate
low carbon steel
Membrane material
Paper/carbon fiber compound
Output power (RMS)
1x 500 Watt
Digital crossover
DSP
Equalizer
8 Band EQ
Digital room adjustment
yes
Inputs
1 x SPKR + 1 x XLR
iTRON voltage/current converter technology
patented
Fully balanced circuit
yes
Single-ended circuit
yes
Zero feedback
yes
Without negative feedback
yes
Power
2 x 100 Watt
High Performance Multi Contact Connector
yes
Semi-active version
yes
Fully active version with iTRON amplifier
yes
Dimensions width
500 mm
Dimensions depth
615 mm
Dimensions height (+/- 10 mm)
1,355 mm
Weight
81.5 kg

Manufacturer's Description — Avantgarde Acoustic

UNO SD We are simply fascinated by opposites: A compact horn loudspeaker with a great sound. A reduced, clear exterior with an almost lavishly engineered interior. This is the UNO SD. UNO SD OUR COMPACT G3 SYSTEM. The UNO is a scaled-down version of the classic DUO system. The aim was to achieve the clarity and performance of its ‘big’ brother in a much smaller package. The 500 mm spherical midrange horn covers a wide bandwidth up to 300 Hz. The midrange and tweeter drivers use Omega voice coils. This high-impedance technology improves the interaction between the cone movement and the amplifier signal. The result is an impedance of 18 ohms combined with a system sensitivity of 107 dB/W/m. The Evolution XM1 is a 127 mm midrange horn driver optimized for long, linear excursion. Its new ‘Soft Mesh Compound’ cone uses a rigid mesh shell as the supporting structure. The microscopic openings in the mesh are sealed with a synthetic elastomer coating. The combination of a stable mesh structure and a flexible coating effectively reduces partial resonances of the dome itself. We have completely redesigned the tweeter for the UNO SD. The lighter, ring-shaped diaphragm of the XT2 tweeter extends the frequency range up to 22,000 Hz with a sensitivity of 107dB/W/m, providing greater clarity, focus and a fuller, more natural sound. The UNO SD’s subwoofer module uses the new XB10 high performance driver in a bass-reflex configuration. We increased the voice coil diameter from 100mm to 153mm and this huge 6-inch motor structure achieves superior power factor and power handling. At the same time, thermal compression is significantly reduced. The G3-500 bass amplifier delivers 500 watts and features an advanced digital sound processor. The new user interface makes it easy to adjust the sound to suit individual preferences and to integrate the system seamlessly into a wide variety of rooms. 1234 In the G3 Series, we have taken the bionic horn principle to the extreme. Highly bred horn performance through unrestrained efficiency with a huge transmission range. New Evolution driver generation for enhanced dynamics and purer sound. Innovative XT2 tweeter with new long-throw horn and extended supertweeter frequency range with record-low distortion levels. New improved XM1 UNO Evolution driver with 107dB efficiency and 18 Ohm Omega technology. 1 x 10 inch XB10 driver with 153mm voice coil and 1.15 Tesla flux density on 480mm voice coil length. Diaphragm composite of long fiber paper and carbon fiber. New elegant color and design options for an even more customized configuration of your dream speaker. In the G3 Series, all drivers are on one axis. This means that the acoustic centers are all on the same plane. The distance of the acoustic centers of the drivers to the listener are therefore always identical. Accordingly, the signals from the respective sources (tweeter, midrange and woofer) arrive at the same time and thus correctly. All the electronics are housed in easily replaceable technology modules. So that you can easily expand or upgrade your system even after many years. Patented iTRON current fully active engine for perfect control of membrane vibrations and the ultimate sound. Integrated power amplifier with 500 watts of amplification power and processor-controlled active filters. New G3 user interface for programming. One speaker. Two versions. SEMI-ACTIVE VERSION. The semi-active version is designed to be used with external hi-fi amplifiers. With an efficiency of 107dB/W/m and an impedance of 18 ohms, the speaker is extremely easy to operate and ideal for low-power amplifiers. The ideal speaker for the world’s finest high-end amplifiers. iTRON VERSION. In the iTRON version, the amplifiers are built into the speaker, eliminating the need for external power amplifiers. To achieve this, we have developed an electronic system that is based on a fundamentally different operating principle to any of the conventional amplifiers on the market. We are the first manufacturer in the world to achieve what was previously thought to be an impossible technological feat. For a sound that is simply heavenly. 12 Modular technology for versatility & timelessness. Each model has a replaceable technology module that connects to the loudspeaker via a multi-pin power connector. This makes it easy to upgrade the semi-active speaker with iTRON technology at a later date. It can be upgraded to the most advanced digital technology available at the time, even after many years. This ensures the sustainability of your investment for generations to come. Coplanar alignment of the drivers. In the speaker, all the drivers are on the same axis. This means that the acoustic centres are all in the same plane. The distance between the acoustic centres of the drivers and the listener is therefore always identical. Driver technology We have spent over five years refining, experimenting, improving, measuring, and listening to the new G3 Evolution driver series. The horn and driver have been so perfectly matched that the Evolution Series is a sound-coherent unit of superior quality. We have been working exclusively and intensively with horn technology for over 30 years. This has given our company a unique wealth of experience and enabled many fundamental innovations. We use only the best materials. We follow the principles of German quality engineering in development and production. The perfect crossover. With our SphericLowCut filter, Airgate technology and PolarizationPlus circuit, we have developed the most innovative technological concepts in our passive crossover. These are completed with the highest quality components available. Our new NatureCap is an extremely complex capacitor, handmade in Germany. The electrodes are made from precision-rolled aluminium foil, rather than ultra-thin plastic film vaporized with aluminium. The dielectric is a cellulose fibre compound impregnated with organic oils. The NatureCap is approximately 25 times larger than the previous XD series capacitors and is securely mounted to the circuit board using specially manufactured brackets.. 12 XB10 bass driver RADICAL BASS. RADICAL DRIVE. For the UNO SD we have developed a completely new driver. Compared to the previous model, we increased the voice coil diameter from 100mm to 153mm. With this gigantic 6-inch motor structure, we achieve absolute top values for power factor and power handling, while at the same time reducing power compression. The motor structure consists of two High Grade magnets magnetised in Europe’s largest 200,000-volt facility. The huge voice coil transfers the power of the permanent magnet with 1.15 Tesla flux density to a voice coil circumference of 480mm. This is an increase of over 50% compared to the previous model! We use low carbon steel for the pole plates, which are specially designed for the XB10. To ensure high linearity even at maximum diaphragm excursion, the spider has a patented dynamic profile with a progressive surround design. The surround is made of low-loss NBR (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber) for fast and clean transient response. The diaphragm is made from a composite of long-fibre paper and carbon fibre – extremely strong and torsion resistant for precise pistonic excursion of the diaphragm during transients and decay. TThe XB10’s new SingleFrame chassis features robust die-cast aluminium cantilevers, which also enclose the magnet, providing a totally rigid material bond around the moving parts of the motor structure. XB10 is a benchmark for 10″ bass. A statement that underlines the uncompromising and unique nature of the G3 Series. 1234 Bass amplifier STRENGTH IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. The UNO SD’s active subwoofer is powered by the G3-500 power module. This integrated power amplifier consists of a 500-watt amplifier that provides ample headroom for complex EQ settings. The subwoofer can be switched on remotely via a 12-volt switching input. Direct connection to integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers or receivers is via speaker-level input terminals. Alternatively, line level inputs are available via XLR connectors. The signal tap is not only high impedance, but also balanced and transformer-coupled. This keeps the circuit ground floating, eliminating hum and making it easy to connect to balanced and bridged amplifier designs. All electronics are fused via a state-of-the-art E-Fuse circuit. Not only is this much faster and safer than conventional fuses, but it is also ideal in terms of sound. 12 Digital crossover. EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL. The bass power amplifier is equipped with an advanced digital sound processor. The digital crossover eliminates all passive filter elements in the signal path with a precision and bit accuracy that cannot be achieved with analogue technology. The volume of the subwoofer can be adjusted using the two buttons on the DSP display. The Avantgarde Control Software allows a wide range of additional settings (e.g. high and low pass filters, equalisers, etc.) to be programmed. The DSP has 2 x LAN sockets, allowing multiple subwoofers to be daisy-chained for simultaneous programming. A USB connection is optionally available. The user interface has been completely redesigned and is now very easy and intuitive to use. All parameters can be easily adjusted to suit the room acoustics or listening habits. The BASS-BOOST control can be used to boost the low-frequency response below 45 Hz, allowing the bass response to be adjusted from ‘linear’ to ‘rich’. The DSP has an 8-band equaliser for individual frequency adjustment. Each of the 8 bands can be raised or reduced by up to 4 dB. This can be used to adjust the bass response to suit a particular sound (linear, techno, pop, rock, classical, etc.) or to reduce certain broadband room resonances. The LPF-RANGE slider adjusts the upper crossover frequency of the subwoofer and thus the “tonal balance” of the system. At higher frequency settings, the subwoofer partially overlaps with the midrange horn’s frequency response. This makes vocals/instruments sound ‘warmer’ and ‘fuller’. When the crossover frequency is set lower, there is a small gap between the subwoofer and midrange frequency response. The tonal balance of the system shifts towards a more ‘dynamic & punchy’ sound. FILTER 1 & 2 are narrow band ‘notch’ filters with a level cut of -3dB or -6dB. These filters can be used to eliminate/reduce unwanted narrowband room resonance frequencies. 12345
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Authorized dealers for Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD

  • The ASOC Gallery of Fine Audio — in-store — Stratford, Ontario, Canada (website)
  • Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
  • American Sound — in-store — Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (website)
  • Audio Concept - Luxembourg — in-store — Gare, Luxembourg, Luxembourg (website)
  • Audio Gallery — online and in-store — Las Rozas de Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain (website)
  • Audio Revolutions — in-store — Khwaeng Thung Phaya Thai, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (website)
  • Audiogears — in-store — Casalecchio di Reno, Emilia-Romaña (website)
  • Auditorium — in-store — Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg, Germany (website)
  • Aug & Ohr — in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Germany (website)
  • AURA HIFI — in-store — Stadtbezirke II, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)

and 30 more verified dealers