On the 22nd, 23rd and 24th November, at the Roman dealer Ethos of Silvano Dal Basso, took place the official introduction of the French loudspeakers Davis. I have had the opportunity of listening to this high efficiency system during the kermess Sintonie in Lanciano. The first impression has been completely positive and I have noticed a very present sound but absolutely balanced, never screeching or too loud notwithstanding the compression horn loaded tweeter.
ReMusic has taken the opportunity of making a more deepened test thanks to the audio systems available at Ethos’.
The two listening rooms had in one an Italo-french system with Dufy HD loudspeakers driven by an integrated amplifier with Vela Audio digital source: 1,497.00 euro for a system with a clean and dynamic sound together with absolutely convincing tone aspects.
The second and more demanding system had as absolute protagonists the Monitor ONE driven by the Audio Note OTO integrated amplifier and the Van Medevoort CD350 CD player. The sound was particularly striking with a deep and controlled low range, a transparent and present mid range, as customary for a first rate high efficiency speaker.
Francesco Mattioli of Audio Mondo is the Italian distributor of the Davis loudspeakers. His presence at Ethos’ has been an invitation to an interview.
Question: Francesco would you tell us something about this company, the French Davis Acoustics?
Mattioli: Davis started in 1986 as manufacturer of loudspeakers and still today, their core business is the realization of first-rate loudspeakers on behalf of a third party. For fifteen years, Davis has also been proposing a loudspeakers line and currently in their catalogue, there are about twenty models distributed on four production lines. The less expensive is the Easy line, with the EVA basic model at 229.00 euro per pair, then the LIFESTYLE, starting from 499.00 per pair, and the OLYMPIA line, born to celebrate the 25° anniversary of the company, whose model ONE costs 1,350.00 euro per pair. Besides these traditional speakers, there is the high efficiency line, the POWER, whose MONITOR ONE model costs 4,590.00 per pair. It is a floorstanding two-way type with a 31 cm woofer in cellulose and graphite while the 25 mm compression tweeter, with a titanium diaphragm, is horn loaded. The sensitivity is 97 dB. In addition to the MONITOR ONE, there are two budget models, always with high efficiency and suitable for video although provided of an excellent linearity.
Question: Which models have you imported in Italy?
Mattioli: Currently the entire range except the top one that I have not mentioned before named CARLA, a very particular product that costs 25,000.00 euro per pair. It is a floorstanding three-way with a weight of 160 kg per speaker. For the time being, we have decided to keep it in stand-by.
Question: We have mentioned the high efficiency, but also the smallest model has this kind of typology?
Mattioli: Davis intends to make loudspeakers with direct radiation because easier to drive. Also the Dufy model has a mid high efficiency of 90 dB. This because the users could use in any case any kind of amplification, considering the moderate prices made by Davis.
Question: Well, Francesco, if I am not mistaken, Davis makes everything by its own. Therefore, it does not turn to the East market, does it?
Mattioli: Absolutely. Davis designs and realizes in France the entire production.
Question: Is it the first time that Davis is distributed in Italy?
Mattioli: It is quite surprising that, notwithstanding twenty-five years of experience, Davis has not been distributed in Italy before. Just a negligible distribution of DIY components. I have resolved myself to import the Davis products for their "quality/price" ratio, really high within the range from five hundred to three thousand euro. I point out that the Italian price list is perfectly aligned with the French one and this although the different VAT in the two countries.
Question: A last question. Which kind of amplification do you suggest to drive the Davis loudspeakers?
Mattioli: I personally prefer transistor amplifications, but as you could see and hear, also the tube amps that Ethos has made available for this presentation, by the way I thank them a lot, can fully satisfy the exigency of quality of the performance.
For further info: to AudioMondo website
