BLUMENHOFER ACOUSTICS Tempesta 20 Mk2

Blumenhofer Acoustics is a Bavarian manufactory that has been around for 30 years, and its models cover the range from "my first loudspeaker" to real high-end pieces. The Tempesta 20 (in the upgraded Mk2 version) is more of the former, and apart from pure stereo, the manufacturer conceived them as the main speakers suitable for home cinema applications. The baffles use birch plywood, and they are available in nicely finished veneers (walnut and cherry, with dark stained walnut and macassar available at extra cost). There are also several nice finishing touches, that elevate this speaker above the ordinary rectangular box. These include a slightly backward tilted baffle with engraved logos, nicely finished bi-wiring terminals (gold-plated copper!), elegantly designed feet easily adjustable from above, and a crossover assembly that resides in its own separate chamber.

In its standard version the Tempesta 20 uses 200mm paper composite woofer and a compression horn loaded mid-high driver. The latter consists of 44mm Mylar membrane loading a 1” oval waveguide. The whole system is supported by a bass reflex port that is firing to the floor. The crossover frequency is set to 1200Hz. The speaker uses an impedance linearization circuit that can be activated/deactivated by a bridge below the speaker terminals. The manufacturer recommends experimenting with it in case the amplifier has higher output impedance. This way the listener can change the voicing of the speaker to his or her preferences. The system´s sensitivity is specified at 92dB, the bottom end roll-off is 40Hz. The Tempesta 20 can also be had in a special version (SE) that features extended wooden horn and piano lacquer.