test_new_mac.pdf

CFX 2.16

Best Product of the entry level

price/performance „excellent!“

Best Product of the entry level

Mac Audio CFX 2.16 - Noble components at entry-level prices

One system stands out in the

range of new Mac Audio

loudspeakers: the CFX 2.16.

It just doesn't look like an

entry-level product, it appe-

ars much too noble for that.

Let's take a closer look.

Well, you actually can't complain, is

what we think, as we encounter nice

grid screens, well-matching loudspea-

ker stands and a tidy 1.5 metres of

cable when unpacking the boxes.

And then the crossover filter with lid

made from solid brushed aluminium

and chassis that are also encased in

aluminium. Also the bass midrange

speaker's die-cast basket with a dia-

mond-cut design which also includes

very well fitting pole plates. Wow! The

cone suspension possesses sufficient

space in the basket to allow the Mac-

16 to be fitted with a wide spider that

is able to work properly over wide ran-

ges. The bead has been embedded in

a groove along the basket edge so that

it can't be harmed by the screw heads

during assembly - just a detail, but an

important one. The cone is made from

a very strong composite consisting of

two layers of

glass fibre with an

airy honeycomb between

them which creates an ultra-stable but

relatively light "board". All this is roun-

ded off with a matching dust cap that

doesn't have to fulfil a stabilizing

function but which like the bead is

made from thin rubber that enables it

to suppress cone resonances.

rope. The

fabric cone is

so thin that the

damping felt that kills hard reflecti-

ons on the pole plate beneath is easily

visible.

The crossover filter is also special. It

comes with an extremely practical

goodie - a pole reversal switch - so

that determining the tweeter's correct

polarity in cars is just a matter of

seconds. The filter circuit is also much

more than just run-of-the-mill: to make

the tweeter absolutely clean at around

three kilohertz, it was given a stop filter

for its resonance frequency which tar-

gets this range to make it quieter. A

12-dB filter is also responsible for

separation.

Tweeter and filter

The Mac-Audio tweeter presents itself

in a nobly turned metal case and is

protected by a grid screen which pro-

bably doesn't incidentally put you in

mind of certain high-end Scandinavian

tweeters. The dome cone has benefi-

ted from a great deal of development

work. Its profile, for instance, doesn't

possess any parabolic curves but a

catenary that looks like a sagging

ced so realistically and capti-

vatingly that you

begin to think

you are liste-

ning to a

much more

e x p e n s i v e

l o u d s p e a k e r

system. Cymbals shine

as do the harmonics of natural

instruments in fine unobtrusive

brilliance. The excellent dyna-

mics that make the air shake

when abrupt changes in volu-

me occur extend right through

the full frequency band. Which

makes listening to music great

fun particularly with well-recor-

ded pieces. The Mac also

counts among the best where

accuracy is concerned. Steve

Strauss' voice growls nicely

and particularly naturally out of

the boxes and what you hear

conforms to what you had in

your mind - even with female

vocalists. Norah Jones stands

very firmly and above the loud-

speakers while she murmurs

into the microphone in the fami-

liar way. Goose pimple alarm is

probably the best proof that a

In principle, the tweeter looks

like a filter of the second order

consisting of a series coil and

parallel capacitor whereby a

small resistor is responsible for

capacitor attenuation so that

the circuit puts you in mind of

an impedance equalizer. A

second coil has been switched

in parallel to the first and is also

equipped with a resistor to atte-

nuate its effect. All in all, great

efforts usually only associated

with high-end components and

not with a set for well below

200 euros are apparent here.

Laboratory

The measurements for the Mac

Audio chassis also do not dis-

appoint. We easily measured a

cut-off frequency of 25 kHz for

the tweeter, which means that it

is well above average. The dis-

tortions, on the other hand,

were very restrained.

Even at massive levels, neither

of the two individual loudspea-

kers could be made to produce

any distortions - which speaks

for very careful design work.

The CFX chassis therefore pre-

sent themselves not only as

visual titbits, but also as techni-

cal ones.

Sound

The next wow factor occurs

when the CFX is connected to a

power amplifier. Things start

very powerfully whereby the

bass range draws particular

attention to itself. Incre d i b l e

volumes are possible when

electronic beats fiercely impact

the cones. Low and clear

attacks are produced in such a

way that leaves only one thing

to be said: hats off! In regard to

beat, the large drum is reprodu-

loudspeaker system can make

music.

Conclusion

Mac Audio has produced a real

peach with the CFX. The

system and its components

make an incredibly expensive

impression for the price. The

very powerful and very good

sound does the rest to make

the system the best you could

wish for in this range

Entry-level class

Price/performance: excellent

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