We first reviewed Elipson's very stylish and very distinctive globe-shaped Planet L speakers back in 2012; more than a decade later, the brand has now revealed the Planet L Performance speakers with upgrades throughout for an elevated performance.
The new Planet L Performance speakers retain the original model's unique design, with a spherical cabinet atop a circular pedestal. Elipson – the oldest French hi-fi manufacturer, founded in 1938 – says that this 'Performance' version features "acoustic improvements for even more precise and immersive sound reproduction" thanks to new driver technology and the use of high-quality components in the crossover.
The Planet L Performance remains a two-way coaxial driver design with a reflex port at the back. New elements include a 25mm silk-treated dome tweeter with a horn cone and neodymium magnet, and a new 16.5cm mid/bass driver with a cellulose pulp cone. The cone has damping treatment and a new dual asymmetric rubber aims to deliver a "perfect" pistonic effect.
Together, the new speaker promises to deliver greater detail, faster and more controlled bass frequencies, and a wider soundstage. In the Planet L review, we praised the transparent midrange, broad soundstage and the excellent imaging and focus, but they struggled with deep bass and higher volumes – so here's hoping the Performance edition improves in those areas.
The Planet L Performance's power handling is now increased to 100W RMS (up from 60W on the standard Planet L) and can be paired with more powerful amplifiers (up to 120W rather than 80W) while the sensitivity (90 dB / 1W / 1m) remains the same.
It's not just the speakers' internals that have been given an extensive upgrade; there are even more finishes to choose from now too. You get three types of finishes: a matt satin finish in four colours (black, white, blue, beige), a glossy finish in three colours (black, white, red) and a Planet L Performance Gold Edition that's available in four colours (white, black, burgundy or dark green).
As before, these Elipson speakers are compatible with existing accessories that include a wall bracket, a dedicated stand and even a ceiling suspension mount that means you can hang these beautiful speakers in more versatile ways than conventionally designed rivals.
The Elipson Planet L Performance speakers cost £1200 per pair, and are available to buy in all colours from 24th March.
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