Davis Acoustics Krypton 3 V2 Nordik (white) (pack of 2)

The compact speaker in the Krypton range

In the Krypton range from Davis Acoustics, floorstanding speakers make up most of the catalogue, with just one compact speaker that can sit on a shelf or stand. This second version follows the formula of the first model released in 2021: a Kevlar driver and a textile dome tweeter in a cabinet 35 cm tall. The port moves to the rear and the bass extends lower.

A seventh-generation Kevlar driver

Bass and midrange are handled by a 13 cm driver with a Kevlar cone. Davis Acoustics has worked with this fibre for many years, and this cone is its seventh generation. Kevlar is a synthetic fibre that is both lightweight and very rigid. The cone therefore flexes very little when moving quickly and forcefully, allowing the driver to reproduce the signal it receives more faithfully. The cone is yellow or black depending on the finish, with the same material used in both cases.

At the centre of the cone, a machined metal phase plug replaces the usual dust cap. This fixed component guides the waves coming from the centre of the driver and prevents them from interfering with one another, making the midrange clearer. A foam ring also surrounds the driver to absorb reflections that form on the front baffle, right beside the cone, before they mix with the direct sound.

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A 28 mm tweeter that takes over at 4,000 Hz

High frequencies are handled by a 28 mm impregnated textile dome, slightly larger than the 25 mm commonly found on speakers of this size. Behind the dome, a damping chamber absorbs the rearward sound wave so that it does not return and interfere with the diaphragm. The high-flux magnet system provides better control over the dome’s movements, which matters for fast attacks such as plucked strings or percussion.

The crossover frequency of 4,000 Hz is fairly high. The Kevlar driver therefore covers the entire range up to this point on its own, so much of the vocals and instruments comes from a single sound source rather than being split between two drivers.

A rear-mounted port and deeper bass

On the first Krypton 3, a front-mounted slot port provided bass loading. The V2 replaces it with a circular port at the rear of the cabinet. This port extends the driver’s bass response, and the stated frequency range starts at 47 Hz, compared with 55 Hz for the previous version. For a speaker of this size, the difference is audible on bass lines and sustained organ or synthesizer chords.

With a rear port, however, the speaker needs room to breathe. Placed right against a wall, it produces thicker, less controlled bass. A few tens of centimetres of clearance is generally enough, and this distance can then be adjusted to fine-tune the amount of bass in the room.

The rigid MDF cabinet is reinforced with internal bracing that limits vibrations, while its rounded edges reduce reflections at the edges of the front baffle. It rests on an integrated wooden plinth, separated from it by the small rubber pads supplied. These pads decouple the speaker from its support and prevent cabinet vibrations from passing into the furniture or stand.

Which amplifier to pair with the Krypton 3 V2

With a sensitivity of 90 dB, the Krypton 3 V2 does not need much power to play at a good level in a living room. Its impedance varies between 4 and 8 Ω depending on frequency, and it handles 80 W continuously and 120 W peak. It needs an amplifier that is stable into 4 Ω and capable of delivering current when the impedance drops. Most solid-state integrated amplifiers on the market can do this, as can tube amplifiers equipped with a 4 Ω tap.

The terminals are mounted on an aluminium plate and accept banana plugs, spade connectors and bare wire. In stereo, the pair covers a medium-sized living room. In a home cinema system, they can serve as front or rear speakers, with the Krypton C from the same range as the centre speaker.

Three finishes with bold contrasts

The Nordik finish pairs a light wood cabinet with a white front baffle, grey grilles and a black Kevlar cone. The Classik combines dark wood, a grey front baffle and darker grilles. The Technik goes for black, with an ebony cabinet, a black front baffle and black grilles, and is the only version where the yellow Kevlar cone remains visible. The plinth is black on all three versions. The grilles in mottled fabric attach magnetically, leaving no visible pegs on the front baffle when removed.

Technical specifications

Overview

• Type: compact passive bookshelf speaker
• Number of ways: 2
• Number of drivers: 2
• Acoustic loading: bass-reflex with rear circular port

Drivers and crossover

• Tweeter:
  • 28 mm impregnated fabric dome
  • Rear decompression chamber
  • Strong magnetic field
• Mid-bass driver:
  • Diameter: 13 cm
  • 7th-generation Kevlar cone, yellow or black depending on the version
  • Foam ring around the driver to prevent wave reflections near the cone
• Dispersion phase plug: machined metal
• Crossover frequency: 4000 Hz

Acoustic and electrical performance

• Frequency response: 47 Hz to 21 kHz
• Sensitivity: 90 dB
• Impedance: 4 to 8 Ω
• Rated power: 80 W
• Maximum power: 120 W

Design, connectivity and finishes

• Cabinet: rigid medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panels, internal partition bracing, rounded edges
• Grille: magnetic attachment, heathered fabric covering
• Plinth: wooden support integrated into the base
• Speaker terminals: mounted on an aluminum plate, accept all types of connectors
• Finishes: Classik, Nordik, Technik

Included accessories

• Isolation: small rubber pads

Dimensions and weight

• Dimensions (height × width × depth): 35 × 19 × 27 cm
• Weight: 16 kg per pair, 8 kg per speaker