ava Focused energy
The “Bookshelf” version of the revolutionary floor-standing loudspeaker neo by genuin audio. This compact DSP-controlled active box is based on the same principles, but more suitable for smaller spaces or interior designs where a high-end loudspeaker should appear less dominant.
Like neo, ava has a quality level which conventional passive systems can no longer reach. Using complex digital signal processing, the built-in chassis are permanently monitored and accurately driven for them to interact optimally. That way, ava achieves brilliantly the central goal of all genuin audio components with a cabinet half the size of that for neo: a genuinely dynamic, transparent and natural music reproduction.
Perfection through DSP
The heart of this fully active 3-way speaker beats digitally. A 32-bit digital processor handles all control tasks. It assigns the woofer, midrange and tweeter their respective work and makes an analogue crossover obsolete. In addition, the DSP tunes the entire speaker system perfectly in terms of its time and frequency response.
In addition to IIR filtering, there is linear-phase FIR filtering. This specific technology has been gradually perfected by the renowned ava development team since the eighties. Each individual chassis is tested for FIR filtering. Based on these individual results, tailored programming will be carried out in the DSP. This process leads to the perfect signal processing of the specific speaker. The temporal behavior of the overall system can therefore be designed with the aim of keeping the propagation speed of all frequency components in the music signal constant. The time-coherence achieved is crucial for a convincingly authentic music reproduction.
Time Coherence
In the spectrogram we recognize the excellent decay behavior of the genuin ava over the time axis (X-axis) as a function of the frequency (Y-axis).
Holography of hearing
Through the ava you can experience music in a holographic way: a voice is no longer restricted between the speakers, but flows freely in the room directly in front of you. Each instrument is individually tangible, all facets can be heard precisely – and yet the holistic experience remains in an absolutely organic sound panorama. A decisive factor for this quality is the conscious decision by the developers to use a coaxial chassis for the midrange / tweeter. The frequency range relevant for the spatial hearing is reproduced by a single, time-coherent loudspeaker unit.
200mm bass
The coaxial speaker at the front is accompanied by a side-mounted woofer. This very long-excursion 200 mm bass driver with extra-large voice coil acoustically couples below 170 hertz and frees the coax from the demanding bass processing. This allows it to focus on its core tasks in the mid / high range: building a wide stage and presenting the smallest details – always ensuring a comprehensive homogeneity.
Despite the compact cabinet format of the box, the digitally controlled woofer plays as low as 33 Hz (-6 dB) and thus almost reaches the level of the much larger floor-standing speaker neo. Even though ava is only half as voluminous in appearance, the musical experience remains excellent in every respect.
Extreme dynamics
Both speaker drivers of the ava come from the professional sector. Two aspects were pivotal here: high efficiency and maximum load capacity. The coax convinces with a sensitivity of 93 dB / m – and the bass chassis withstands up to 700 watts with very low distortion figures. These features lay the foundation for an exceptionally dynamic reproduction, which has been perfected through meticulous DSP tuning.
Intelligent digital control also ensures operational reliability: through a developer-programmed “Look-Ahead” analysis, the DSP ensures that neither speakers nor amplifiers can be overloaded.
2 x 1,000 watts
The compact ava box is supplied with the same four-channel power amplifier from Pascal Audio as the floor-standing speaker neo. That means performance in abundance. Thanks to a potent power supply, this UMAC® amplifier unit is capable of delivering 1,000 watts to each individual ava. And without a disturbing fan! Two channels of this Class D module jumper the woofer in bridge mode, while the tweeter and midrange units of the coaxial chassis are driven separately by their respective single channel.
This extraordinary combination of high acoustic sensitivity of the drivers, rich amplifier performance and optimized DSP control is responsible for the extreme dynamics, the convincing live impression and the accompanying authenticity of music reproduction by the ava of genuin audio.
Linear amplitude and phase
Amplitude frequency response (blue): The complete audio spectrum is shown with extremely low ripple. The lower cut-off frequency is 33 Hz (-6 dB).
Phase response (green): The linear progression of the phase over almost the entire frequency range (60-20,000 Hz) is the result of the linear phase FIR equalization. The slope of the phase is a measure of the group delay and the criterion for the dispersion of one frequency group (pulse signal).
Balanced sound everywhere
The genuin audio ava is preset in such a fashion that it can deliver an absolutely neutral frequency response – always starting from an optimal listening environment. But such an ideal is rare under ordinary living conditions. That is why the control software of the loudspeaker offers various options for spatial correction. In this way perfect sound outcomes can be achieved even in acoustically unprepared listening rooms.
Genuin audio supplies this DSP-controlled speaker ava with three presets. They can be selected on the rear touch panel and cover common senarios: neutral, wall position and hi-fi. For further adaptation to individual room conditions, we offer an on-site service where a trained acoustician will optimize the speaker to the respective listening situation.
„With the ava, we have proven that sound limitations are no longer inevitable in a compact cabinet. The speaker can play extremely loudly with deep bass reproduction at the same time and forms an extraordinarily dynamic spectrum, which is essential for an authentic music experience.“
Purely Digital
Due to its DSP-dominated mode of operation, it makes even more sense to combine this active speaker with a source device that outputs its signal digitally – for example, the music server tars from genuin audio. In this configuration, the data remains constant at the digital level and is only converted in the last step – the allocation to the individual amplifier channels. It is much more efficient for digital sources to convert a digital signal after the DSP than before a passive crossover – as is the case with conventional loudspeakers. In addition, the DAC section of ava is perfectly adapted to its built-in amplifiers for bass, midrange and treble to maximize their potential dynamic range.
Coexistence
Despite the digital focus, a genuin audio ava can also be used purposefully in an analog-dominated context. There the analog signals are digitized via the premium AD converter module. To ensure a loss-free, true-to-original digitization of analog sources, two 24-bit converters in a special circuitry function as dual-range AD converters with 128 dB dynamic range. As a result, high-level sources (mixing consoles, studio equipment) as well as hi-fi components such as a stereo preamplifier can be connected via the symmetrical XLR ports.
Factor shape
ava is available in six finishes: black and white in satin matt or sapelli, oak, smoked oak and ash black as a veneer version. The basic dimension equals the width and depth of neo’s cabinet, only half as tall. The front section remains identical – so the same special features apply: Due to a three-dimensional edge geometry, the mid-high range is diffraction-optimized. This avoidance of edge dispersions play a part in the exceptional spatial representation – the music dissolves completely from the speaker.
In order to control the woofer chassis’ tendency to swing tremendously, the cabinet is made of MDF boards up to 54 mm thick, grooved and internally ribbed. The very generously dimensioned, flow-optimized reflex tunnel on the back supports the bass range and plays an important role in the effortless reproduction of the lowest frequencies – even at the highest volumes.
Technical specifications
| Construction principle | 3-Way Digitally controlled active speaker |
|---|---|
| DSP 32 Bit | Linear phase FIR-filterdesign |
| Amplifier | 4-channel UMAC®-Class D-module |
| Power max. | 1.000 watts |
| Control | Touch Display |
| AD and DA Converter bit depth | 24 bit |
| AD conversion dynamics | 128 dB |
| Analog input | 1 x XLR balanced |
| Digital input | 1 x XLR AES/EBU |
| Pre-Sets | 3: Neutral, Wall, HiFi |
| Speaker driver tweeter / midrange | Coaxial Speakers (16.5 cm) midrange/ (25 mm) tweeter |
| Speaker driver woofer | Woofer (20 cm) long-excursion chassis, 50 mm voice coil |
| Crossover frequency | 170 Hz / 2000 Hz as well as 35 Hz high pass |
| Spikes | adjustable height |
| Cabinet | MDF (19-54 mm) satin matt black, white or oak, Sapelli, smoked oak, ash black veneer |
| Dimensions (height x width x depth) | 557 x 256 x 437 (without spikes) |
| Weight | 26.6 kg |
| Special Feature | Digital room correction, on-site measurement service |
The inside matters
The motto of genuin audio is perfectly reflected in this compact loudspeaker. Although moderate in size, it amazes with power, dynamism, and authority combined with extreme transparency, accuracy, and spatiality. Its internal engineering makes it a superior product.
The optimized down to the last detail DSP control of the drivers used, the precisely allotted power supply via the four internal amplifier channels plus the adaptation to room conditions lead to a listening experience traditional passive-constructed loudspeakers can no longer offer. Especially not in the living-room-friendly compact dimension of ava.
The neo-initiated generational change in loudspeaker construction is going to the next level with the ava: a better sonic fulfillment in this size will not be found elsewhere. Save yourself the search – get to know ava …
Press comments on the genuin ava
„Genuin Audio is to be congratulated on having created a loudspeaker with the Ava that, for all its linearity and neutrality, does not ignore the emotional factor. […] The best of studio and hi-fi technology. […] Pure madness! […] Ava is a keeper!“
Amré Ibrahim, in image hifi, 05/2022
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„This loudspeaker is simply the most precise and high-resolution audio analytics device I have ever had in my listening room. […] I am sure ava could single-handedly upstage a combination of mile-high passive speakers, amplifiers that weigh a ton and the finest cables many times more expensive than her. […]
This inconspicuous active speaker can lead to a feeling of arrival for all those that have been hunting for vast spatiality, acoustic holography, dynamics and resolution for years, if not decades. […] I am very impressed indeed.“
Michael Vrzal in FIDELITY MAGAZIN, 03/2020
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