Today we’ve got something unique from a very niche French company, Davis Acoustics. I could not find a review of them, so it was even more interesting to discover how they perform by myself. Most importantly, they belong to entry-level class that I already explored quite a bit.
Build quality and design
Upon unboxing, the experience is rather good; while the packaging itself is usual, the inclusion of colorful, catalog-like manuals adds a nice touch. It’s a departure from the typical monochrome leaflets often found in, frankly, even pricier speaker sets. Nice.
Visually, the Ariane 2 has standard dimensions, diverging from the trend of overly wide or towering designs often associated with French speakers (Triangle, Focal). The yellow fiberglass mid-woofer, reminiscent of Kevlar one from Bowers and Wilkins, immediately catches the eye, alongside the intriguing tweeter with its unique light-reflecting, foil-like material.
However, there are some aspects of the construction that could use a modernization, such as the visible screws and hook grille attachment. While the vinyl wrap exudes quality, the front plate and driver bezels appear somewhat plasticky in comparison. Nevertheless, the speakers are solidly built, with relative attention to detail on the back (labeling and terminal connections). It’s just that competitors like the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2, Evo 4.1, or Triangle Borea BR03 are slightly ahead of this, and at slightly lower price points as well.
Sound quality
Upon initial playback, the Ariane 2 impresses with its expansive soundstage and imaging. Instruments and nuances are discernible within a wide sonic panorama, presenting rather a lively performance contrary to the stated neutral characteristics on the Davis Acoustics website. With that, this liveliness leans towards a somewhat artificial tonality, particularly in the treble which tends to feel overly pronounced and dry.
Despite this, the midrange holds its ground with a neutral, linear delivery. Vocals and instruments retain an airy quality, although measurements reveal minor dip in 1-1.8 KHz range.
The bass, however, falls short of delivering the desired depth and impact, leaving the overall balance somewhat lacking.
Comparatively, speakers like the Elac Debut Reference B6 offer a slightly more accurate rendition, albeit at a better price-to-value ratio.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the Ariane 2 performs great in stereophony and midrange, it falls short in bass reproduction and overall tonal balance (mostly treble). To me, competitors like the Diamond 12.2, Q Acoustics 3030i, Kef Q150, or Triangle Borea BR03 offer better performance and value.
Considering these factors, coupled with its price point, the Ariane 2 doesn’t quite stand out enough to warrant a higher rating. At €600, it faces stiff competition especially from the KEF Q150, Triangle Borea BR03 or Magnat Signature 503. I would also add B&W 685 to this list – though, it is much older, second-hand proposition.
The rating of 3.5/5 is fair given the speaker’s strengths and weaknesses.
