Krix ESOTERIX ALTUM
The Krix Esoterix Altum makes a compact standmount sound gloriously expansive, pairing floorstander-scale imaging with deep, articulate bass and a transparent, natural midrange. What Hi-Fi highlights its room-friendly placement and crystalline top end, while Peter Familari applauds its dynamic composure, tonal neutrality and emotionally engaging musicality.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
95/100
Value for Money
92/100
Pros
Expansive, precise soundstage with cabinet-disappearing imaging and a notably forgiving listening area.
Deep, clear and impactful bass for a compact two-way, with strong dynamic headroom at high levels.
Natural, highly transparent midrange and extended, detailed treble reveal fine vocal and instrumental texture.
Luxurious, inert cabinet construction and high-grade drivers/crossover components rival premium standmounts.
Cons
Its revealing neutrality can make weak recordings, particularly their upper frequencies, sound brash or truncated.
The distinctive waveguide styling may not appeal to every listener.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviewers describe an unusually complete, high-end sound from this compact two-way, combining deep and controlled low frequencies with natural midrange timbre, exceptional spatial presentation and substantial dynamic reach. Its revealing balance can expose an edgy or limited recording, particularly at the top end, but it is consistently praised as engaging, neutral and emotionally communicative.
Bass
94/100
For a 165mm-driver standmount, the Altum delivers exceptionally deep, powerful bass with body, information and strong impact. Australian Hi-Fi found the low end remarkably deep yet notably clear, while StereoNET heard a huge bottom end and genuine low-frequency depth from this compact enclosure.
Mid
95/100
The midrange is repeatedly described as clear, open and convincingly natural. Vocals hang freely between the cabinets, instruments are said to resemble their real-world counterparts, and reviewers praise the speaker's neutrality, transparency and sense of musical soul.
Treble
92/100
The Revelator ring-radiator tweeter earns especially strong praise for its extension, fine detail and realistic rendering of high harmonics. One reviewer found that the speaker's neutrality could reveal a poor recording as brash and truncated on CD, although the same review found the treble sweet and free of harshness with better source material.
Soundstage Imaging
96/100
Spatial performance is a major strength. Reviewers report a wide, high and deep stage that makes the cabinets disappear, with exceptionally precise image placement and a scale that can make the Altums seem more like floorstanders. The waveguide is also said to provide a comfortable listening area rather than a narrow, head-in-a-vice sweet spot.
Dynamics
94/100
The Altum is reported to play very loudly for its size while retaining composure and avoiding the dynamic compression often associated with compact two-ways. StereoNET also praised its extensive working range, microdynamic expression and firm grip on demanding rock material.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
95/100
Reviews point to a thoroughly engineered and luxurious construction, including fully mitred cabinetry, high-grade drivers, audiophile-grade crossover parts and substantial terminals. One reviewer found the cabinet barely vibrated even at very high playback levels and judged the overall execution at least the equal of similarly priced rivals.
Value for Money
92/100
Across its listed 1795-8995 price range, this is positioned as a premium compact speaker rather than a budget option, but reviewers consider the execution competitive with similarly priced rivals. StereoNET called its value "inestimable" and placed it among an elite handful of compact speakers, while its unusually large-scale sound is presented as a meaningful alternative to a larger-footprint system.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- Frequency range
- 40Hz-40kHz in room response
- Power handling
- 20 – 200 Watts RMS recommended amplifier power
- Sensitivity
- 89dB for 2.83 volts at 1 metre
- Impedance
- Nominally 4 Ohms (minimum 3.2 Ohms)
- Configuration
- 2-way
- Enclosure type
- Bass reflex, bottom vented
- Low frequency driver
- 165mm (6 ¾½) natural wood fiber cone, innovative cast aluminium basket with 38mm (1 ¾½) voice coil and large neodymium-iron-boron-magnet
- High frequency driver
- 26mm (1´) revelator ring radiator design with patented phase plug and large neodymium magnet
- Input terminals
- Gold plated binding posts
- Dimensions
- 390mm high x 260mm wide x 380mm deep
- Weight
- 11kg each
Manufacturer's Description — Krix
This revolutionary new bookshelf speaker presents a delightfully detailed, open soundstage with a tight and punchy bottom end. Designed for two channel stereo listening, this speaker will surprise and excite those looking for the next wave in high fidelity audio performance.
The ultimate bookshelf speaker for esoteric audiophiles. The Esoterix Altum is a refined speaker, designed to truly enhance the full two channel listening experience, whether playing old favourites on vinyl, or enjoying the definition and detail of the latest high resolution digital tracks.
In developing this revolutionary speaker, the Krix engineering team paid particular attention to imaging – the meticulously engineered waveguide controls the directivity to present a soundstage much larger than expected. Paired with the renowned Scanspeak Revelator tweeter, the result is an accurate and detailed stereo image, delivering extreme definition with a very smooth response.
The bass and midrange are superbly handled by a 165mm driver incorporating leading edge transducer technology, highlighted by an innovative cast aluminium basket and a large neodymium-iron-boron magnet for increased power handling. Perfectly tuned with the cabinet and sizable double-flared vent, the Esoterix Altum is able to produce bass much larger than its size would suggest.
Detail isn’t only in the sound. The distinctive fully-mitred cabinets provide a seamless look with no visible joins, while the striking prismatic geometry and optional matching stands ensure these bookshelf speakers will look stunning in any environment.
For the ultimate sound experience at home, play it through Krix.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Krix ESOTERIX ALTUM
- Anquan — online and in-store — Glika Nera, Greece (website)
- Apollo HiFi — online and in-store — Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia (website)
- AV Intelligence - Singapore — in-store — Singapore, Singapore (website)
- AVNUE — in-store — Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (website)
- BK — online and in-store — Konolfingen, Bern, Switzerland (website)
- Blackwood Sound — online and in-store — Marion, South Australia, Australia (website)
- Carlton Audio Visual — in-store — Carlton, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Fairland Studio — online and in-store — Bochum Ost, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
- Living Entertainment — online and in-store — South Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia (website)
- Prime Solution — in-store — Sankt-Peterburg, Sankt-Peterburg, Russia (website)
and 3 more verified dealers