Audio Physic Step

The strong reception of these loudspeakers among music lovers, as well as numerous national and international awards, confirms the high quality of these drivers. With the current STEP series, the most sophisticated STEP loudspeakers ever take center stage, giving the term “compact loudspeaker” a new dimension.

Rooms don’t always have enough space to accommodate floorstanding speakers. Placed close to a wall or even crammed into a corner, they usually perform far below their sonic potential. On the other hand, large speakers aren’t always advisable in small rooms, as they tend to excite room modes at low frequencies—more so than bookshelf speakers—leading to extremely disruptive resonances that can manifest as booming or booming sounds. Furthermore, many music lovers with a purist approach appreciate bookshelf speakers not only for their compact size.

In terms of styling, the STEP series remains true to its predecessors, while we have reworked its internal components with the same passion we apply to Audio Physic’s top-of-the-line models. Technologically, the STEP series benefits from the knowledge we gained during the development of our flagship models. For example, it features the exclusive HHC-III tweeters and the equally exclusive HHCM III mid-bass drivers.

The driver system and chassis basket are radically mechanically decoupled from each other in the Hyper-Holographic-Cone chassis. This effectively combats and reduces sound-degrading resonances caused by micro-vibrations. The result is a dramatic increase in precision and detail. The finest oscillations in a vibrato or the gentle shimmer of a decaying harp string pose a real challenge for any loudspeaker. The STEP speakers effortlessly extract the smallest details from the dense tapestry of music without sounding technically cold. They reproduce complex musical material with clarity and uncompressed detail – acoustic magnifying glasses in the truest sense.

The unique cabinet design not only gives the STEP speakers a modern, timeless look, but also reduces standing waves inside the speakers. These waves are particularly detrimental to clean midrange reproduction. Furthermore, ceramic foam inside the STEP reduces harmful resonances. This extremely rigid and open-pored material acts, figuratively speaking, like a labyrinth. The sound inevitably radiated into the cabinet by the drivers becomes trapped within the pores, losing significant energy and thus no longer affecting the sound reproduction. Conventional damping materials do not come close to achieving this effect.

The slight backward tilt of the cabinet compensates for phase differences between the midrange and treble frequencies. The mid-woofer and tweeter are flush with the front of the speaker. This prevents diffraction effects, which can lead to a harsh or jittery sound.

Another significant contribution to the natural sound reproduction comes from the redesigned crossover network with its meticulously selected components. The internal wiring and the film capacitors specially manufactured for Audio Physic also contribute to the tonal tuning.

The newly implemented VCT Vibration Control Terminal connection panel of the STEP is equipped with high-quality WBT nextgen™ PlasmaProtect™ terminals. These are connected to the resonance-damping aluminum base plate via special structure-borne noise dampers. Here, too, micro-vibrations are effectively dampened.

The sum of all these details results in a striking level of detail and homogeneity that will delight discerning audiophiles. Thanks in no small part to their tonal balance and impressive dynamic capabilities, the STEP speakers also integrate seamlessly into an Audio Physic surround system as rear speakers.