A sixteen-centimetre sphere, a single driver that combines mid-bass and treble on the same axis, and a magnetic base that lets you adjust its orientation with a single movement: the iO3 succeeds the iO2 and carries on the spherical satellite formula from Cabasse. Placed on furniture or mounted on the wall, it fits into a 2.1 stereo system just as easily as a 5.1 or 7.1 home cinema system, always accompanied by a subwoofer that handles the low end of the spectrum.
In a conventional two-way speaker, the tweeter and woofer are mounted one above the other on the front baffle: the sound from each starts from a different point, and the two only combine correctly at a certain distance and along a certain axis. The iO3 places the tweeter at the centre of the mid-bass driver, so that all frequencies originate from the same point. Cabasse calls this principle SCS, for spatially coherent source. The brand developed it in 1992 for its triaxial drivers and uses it in its high-end ARTIS range. The benefit is most noticeable in the stability of the sound image: voices and instruments stay in place even when you are not directly facing the speaker, which matters in a living room where listeners are rarely seated in the ideal spot.
The 13 cm mid-bass driver uses a lightweight, rigid Duocell diaphragm. This rigidity limits cone deformation at high volumes, which adds unwanted colouration to the sound. At the centre, a 2.7 cm Kaladex dome tweeter takes over from 2,700 Hz.
The iO3’s shape has an acoustic purpose. A rectangular cabinet has parallel walls between which the driver’s rear wave bounces and creates resonances, while its sharp edges reflect some of the sound radiated from the front. A sphere has neither opposing walls nor edges: sound propagates more cleanly around the speaker, and the enclosure adds almost no colouration to what the driver produces. A port at the rear of the sphere completes the acoustic loading.
The sphere is held on its base simply by magnetic attraction. It can therefore be freely directed towards the listening area without tools, and positioned horizontally or vertically. The same base can sit on a shelf, a TV stand or a television, or be mounted on the wall with a single screw. The binding posts are located in the base, and the cables can exit through the centre or either end: the bottom of the base is reversible and, together with the Cabasse logo, can be turned around to suit the chosen cable route.
Two precautions apply to installation. The base must only be mounted on the wall in the intended orientation, not upside down or on the ceiling, and the rear port must remain clear: the sphere must not rest on it or be pressed against the back of a recess.
The iO3’s frequency response extends from 150 Hz to 22 kHz. Below 150 Hz, the subwoofer takes over, and this division is precisely what makes its compact size possible: a sphere of this size cannot produce deep bass, and it does not have to. In return, the iO3 is never used on its own in hi-fi; the pair of satellites and the subwoofer form a complete system.
This same division makes multichannel systems highly consistent. In 5.1 or 7.1 systems with iO3 speakers on every channel, each channel uses the same driver: a sound moving from front to rear or from the left to the centre retains the same timbre throughout its movement. Cabasse also allows for mixed use, with two large speakers at the front and iO3 speakers for the centre and rear channels.
Set all iO3 speakers to “Small” (small speaker) in the setup menu and set the crossover frequency to the subwoofer to 125 Hz, or the closest available value. If you use two large front speakers, set them to “Large” and leave the center and rear-channel iO3 speakers set to “Small”. Connect the amplifier’s subwoofer output to the subwoofer’s line input.
Cabasse pairs the iO3 with its Santorin range of subwoofers. Another subwoofer is suitable if it meets two conditions: a filter adjustable up to 150 Hz and a steep roll-off (24 dB per octave) from 200 Hz, so that the subwoofer stops playing where the sphere takes over. In a setup with more than two channels, choose a subwoofer with high power handling.
No. With a sensitivity of 93 dB, the iO3 produces high sound levels with just a few watts, and a standard home theater receiver is sufficient. Its nominal impedance is 8 Ω but drops to 3.8 Ω at certain frequencies: an amplifier that is stable into low-impedance loads is still preferable. It handles 80 W continuously and peaks of 580 W.
The terminal blocks can be accessed by removing the bottom plate of the base. When wall-mounted, the cable running up to the sphere must be secured in the cable clamp located between the two gold terminals, then routed through the upper outlet so that it does not pull on the connections. Observe the correct polarity: red terminal on the amplifier to red terminal on the speaker, black to black.
Yes. The base cannot be mounted on the ceiling, but Cabasse offers an in-ceiling version of the iO3: 26 cm overall diameter with a 21.4 cm cutout and a depth of 9.5 cm. This allows you, for example, to keep base-mounted iO3 speakers at the front and use in-ceiling models for the rear channels, with the same tonal character throughout.
Cabasse also offers the iO3 on a stand, with a 112 cm tall column fitted with adjustable spikes that ensure stability on uneven floors. This version positions the sphere at ear level when seated where no suitable furniture is available, behind a sofa for example.
Arnaud
Top-notch, perfect in my living room.
Excellent sound—powerful and smooth.
Pairs perfectly with my SVC subwoofer.
Comment from 22 September 2025 — Experience from 11 September 2025
Joel
Those speakers are absolutely awesome, especially in contrast to their size. In my place, they fill up a living room of 50m² easily together with the pearl sub using them in a 2.1 and 5.1 system..
There is nothing to complain about.
Ces haut-parleurs sont absolument géniaux, surtout comparés à leur taille. Chez moi, ils remplissent facilement un salon de 50 m² avec le Pearl sub en les utilisant dans un système 2.1 et 5.1.
Il n'y a rien à redire.
Comment from 19 December 2024 — Experience from 8 October 2024
