Estelon Forza User manual

from Alfred & Partners
Designed
by Alfred Vassilkov
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___________________
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!!!!!!!!!Model Forza Serial Number __________

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Your ESTELON loudspeakers have passed our quality
control:
– Technical test passed.
Engineer, Estelon
– Listening test passed.
Alfred Vassilkov
Head of Research and Development, Estelon

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Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................4
1.1. ALFRED &PARTNERS OÜ...................................................................4
1.2. ESTELON FORZA .....................................................................................6
1.2.1. Cabinet Design..........................................................................7
1.2.2. Transducers.................................................................................8
1.2.3. Crossovers ..................................................................................10
1.2.4. Finish..............................................................................................10
2. SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................... 12
3. UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS........................................................ 13
4. SET-UP ........................................................................................................... 17
4.1. INITIAL POSITIONING IN THE ROOM .............................................. 17
4.2. INSTALLING THE BASES.....................................................................18
4.3. WIRING ................................................................................................... 22
4.4. BREAK-IN PERIOD ............................................................................. 23
4.5. SET-UP RECOMMENDATIONS BY ALFRED VASSILKOV...... 23
5. TAKING CARE OF YOUR ESTELON SPEAKERS.............24
6. ESTELON / ALFRED & PARTNERS OÜ – TECHNICAL
SERVICES..........................................................................................................26

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Alfred & Partners OÜ
Alfred & Partners, the Tallinn-based design studio, think-tank,
and owner of Estelon, is not simply a business but a passionate
dedication to a single, heartfelt idea: the development and
manufacturing of instruments capable of unveiling the rich, emotional
tapestry of music in a personally involving and captivating way.
For more than 35 years Electro-acoustics Engineer and
company founder, Alfred Vassilkov, has been relentlessly designing
loudspeakers. His designs have been awarded numerous patents while
also achieving much success in Europe. In 2010 a decision was made:
to establish his own brand based on his extensive experience,
knowledge, and relentless passion.
Alfred Vassilkov, the Designer and Founder of Estelon

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Such dedication carries the implicit responsibility of a wholly
uncompromising approach to audio design. Pride of craftsmanship
shares equal footing with sonic innovation. Alfred Vassilkov’s visionary
achievements along with his tireless drive and quest for musical truth
created an innovative brand of loudspeakers whose products offer
unrivalled musicality and incomparable beauty: Estelon. More
importantly, Estelon offers a distinctive key that assists listeners in
unlocking the vast structure of emotion through music.
For the Estelon brand, the visionary development started in
2006 when Alfred started analyzing materials and technologies for
producing cabinets with streamlined shapes that could not only
reproduce the best sound but also assimilate into home interiors with
an elegant, sculptured look. Years of research and development led
him to a proprietary, crushed marble-based composite. The material,
having excellent stiffness and anti-resonant attributes, as well as
various technical advantages, allows the creation of molded cabinets
with a purposeful design that enhances the sound quality of the entire
audio system. The unique cabinet shape of Estelon speakers create the
ideal conditions for sound reproduction. Its curved, smooth form
eliminates corner reflections. A sculpted narrowing of the area where
high frequency emanates helps achieve 0 degrees phase at the
listening position, while the cabinet’s larger radiuses create controlled
directivity of the propagating soundwaves. The cabinet then becomes
wider and deeper at its base for both stability and to allow effective low-
frequency reproduction.
Every loudspeaker produced must pass Alfred & Partners'
extreme level of quality control. Each pair of loudspeakers is completely
hand-built, painted, assembled, tuned, tested, and then listened to
individually. All Estelon products are meticulously handmade in
Estonia, to the company’s exacting standards.

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1.2. Estelon Forza
Estelon Forza: Standing at nearly 1.7 metres (66 inches) in height, the
elegant design of the Forza features the very best of what Estelon has
to offer. As the name suggests, the Forza is full of unimaginable refined
power.
Paramount among the physical design elements continues
to be the use of the Estelon unique cabinet shape form. This form has
been developed and perfected over a five-year period. Its design and
construction allow it to easily couple with non-acoustically treated
listening areas (i.e. normal living spaces). Premium quality
components in separate chambers, state-of-the-art carbon-fiber
resonant control, and applied isolation technology along with top-
quality dampening materials, are all contributing factors to an
exhilarating audio experience.
Many years have passed since the genesis of the Estelon, and
much has been learned while embodying all achievements. The roots
and choices have evolved into the Estelon sound. The refined
combination of the selected drivers and the acoustical attributes of the
enclosure has allowed Estelon to achieve their signature sound along
with enhanced performance qualities.
The Forza is a speaker designed for larger listening rooms
[suggested room size 40-125 m²(430-1345 square feet)] and provides
exceptionally wide imaging, deep sound stage, and thrilling life-like
dynamics. It is far more than speaker drivers in a cabinet. It is a genuine
musical instrument in its own right, and when carefully integrated into
a system and listening space, it is capable of connecting the listener to
the music in a most profound and transcending way. Everything is
expressed naturally, balanced, and emotionally engaging. The Forza
possesses an eminently musical temperament that is immediately

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evident upon your first audition and every subsequent listening
experience.
The Forza provides extremely defined and deep bass, clear
and articulate mid-range, and musically detailed and dynamic high
frequencies. The Forza is capable of reproducing the finest nuances of
music.
1.2.1. Cabinet Design
The cabinet form has been developed and honed over many
years of research and testing in order to find the right material that
would allow the highest quality of cabinet and construction for the
loudspeaker’s acoustically engineered shape. The cabinet is extremely
rigid, highly dense, resonant-free, and with exceptional internal
dampening and acoustical control. This is the result of time-honoured
construction techniques, a special casting process, the use of a
proprietary marble-based composite along with the extensive use of
sub-structural stiffening spars that break up resonance nodes and
create an internal acoustic chamber of non-parallel sidewalls that is all
but immune to unwanted standing waves that can cause a coloured
sound. This is why the Estelon speakers reproduce a very natural and
balanced sound.
During the final hand-assembly process each speaker is
individually tuned to maintain uniformity from unit to unit. Unusual in
its defined form, the result of this cabinet construction allows the bass
to roll effortlessly into the listening space.

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1.2.2. Transducers
Each speaker has two woofers, one mid-woofer, one
midrange and one tweeter. For the speaker to reproduce the full
spectrum of sound with the absolute highest quality, a combination of
four different driver types has been carefully chosen. These high-quality
drivers are designed and produced by German driver manufacturer
Thiel & Partner GmbH under the brand name Accuton and are revered
globally as the best.
The two 250 mm (11-inch) aluminium sandwich woofers have
been designed together with the Accuton engineers, especially for the
Estelon flagship loudspeakers. These drivers have an extremely stiff
and lightweight membrane and very long linear excursion. In
combination with the Cell concept motor system, where the voice coil
is almost the same diameter as the whole membrane, these drivers in
the Forza cabinet can reproduce a truly deep, accurate, and effortless
bass. The Forza’s bass has been said to sound like “live bass” This is a
result of meticulous engineering.
The 190 mm (8 inches) aluminium sandwich mid-woofer has
also been co-developed together with the Accuton engineering team,
with a unique motor system employing neodymium magnets to have
higher sensitivity and suitable parameters for the Forza. Much like the
250 mm woofers, this mid-woofer also has an extremely stiff and
lightweight membrane that works in a high degree of piston-like
behaviour well into the midrange. These characteristics enable it to
produce accurate, free of colouration, and effortless explosive high
bass.
The 168 mm (7 inches) ceramic membrane midrange driver
from Accuton employs a lightweight, extremely rigid, alpha-corundum
membrane. In combination with the powerful, highly optimized Cell
concept motor system, with neodymium magnet ring, the result is a

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highly efficient and transparent sounding midrange driver. Everything
from vocals to piano, strings, horns, and cymbals sound natural,
accurate, fast and dynamic.
The 25 mm (1 inch) chemical vapor-deposited diamond
membrane tweeter from Accuton can reproduce sounds at the
highest frequencies, up to 60 kHz, with no distortions in the human
hearing range. Diamond is the hardest known material, with the
highest speed of sound in any known material. This results in a perfect
step response, while the first breakup modes occur way out of the
human hearing range. The imaging precision, instrument spatiality,
contours in 3D space and microdetail clarity produced by this tweeter
is unmatched.
The sonic character of the Estelon loudspeakers that feature
diamond tweeters is not what you would expect: an overly “brilliant” or
“hard-as-diamond” sound, which in most cases is caused by a high
amount of harmonic distortion. In our loudspeakers, through the
properly designed crossover, the diamond tweeters simply disappear,
and only the music remains. It is like being present at a live concert
where one can hear the instruments but not the speakers reproducing
the sound. The Estelon Diamond loudspeakers offer a new way of
relaxed listening, and you get to sense all the details that you have
never heard before on your old records and digital music. You will be
immersed in acoustical spaces with a “live” 3D presence that was never
there before.
Each drive unit is “broken-in” by running an audio signal
through them for several hours before selecting matching drivers for
each pair of speakers. When the drivers are in matching pairs, another
“break-in” with an audio signal is conducted. Finally, drivers are fitted
into the finished cabinet for individual tuning.

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1.2.3. Crossovers
We use specifically engineered and highly precise third-order
crossovers for the woofers and second-order networks for the mid-
woofer, midrange and tweeter. Countless hours of R&D and real-world
listening test have been conducted of each crossover design and
related parts, right down to the physical placement of each part and
positioning within the cabinet. The crossover components have been
chosen from among the absolute best available, with the synergy of
the end result as a significant factor. All filter components are pre-
measured and sorted to extremely tight tolerances before used in the
crossover production. To maintain the smallest of details in the audio
signal we use direct wire connection between the components and
point-to-point techniques. Everything is hand-soldered with high-
quality solder, and with the shortest possible cable runs between
drivers, crossover and binding posts. The internal cabling is of the
highest quality and from the renowned cable manufacturer Kubala-
Sosna.
The crossovers are in their own isolated chamber to reduce
the microphonic effects and vibration influence. Each crossover
construction process involves careful attention from our engineers and
designers, and each component is carefully tested to make sure that
the final result is impeccable. There is also an extensive critical listening
and evaluation process done by our highly experienced engineers.

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1.2.4. Finish
Just as in the making of a great musical instrument, the finish
has also an influence on the outcome. Because of the highly
sophisticated cabinet shape, all the processes in the finishing stage are
hand-made with extreme care by highly experienced specialists using
the best technology and procedures. After casting the proprietary
marble-based composite, it is allowed to age. Then the preparation of
the surface of the cabinet commences by hand sanding and by sealing
layer upon layer through an elaborate and time-consuming procedure.
Finally, the multiple coats of the lacquer finish are applied along with
the final polishing to a mirror-like finish. The Estelon Forza is offered in
a choice of liquid gloss, matte, or the optional premium finishes.

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2. SPECIFICATIONS
TYPE:
DRIVERS:
2 x Woofer:
Mid-woofer:
Mid-range:
Tweeter:
INTERNAL WIRING:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE:
POWER RATING:
NOMINAL IMPEDANCE:
SENSITIVITY:
MINIMAL AMPLIFIER POWER:
DIMENSIONS:
NET WEIGHT:
SHIPPING WEIGHT:
4-way passive loudspeaker,
sealed box
250 mm (11 inch) Accuton,
CELL aluminum sandwich
(custom design)
190 mm (8 inches) Accuton,
CELL aluminum sandwich
(custom design)
168 mm (7 inches) Accuton,
CELL ceramic membrane
25 mm (1 inch) Accuton,
diamond inverted dome
Kubala-Sosna
25-60 000 Hz
400 Watts
3 ohms (min 2.0 Ohms at 42
and 110 Hz)
88 dB / 2.83 V
20 Watts
Height: 1675 mm (66 inches)
Width: 617 mm (24 inches)
Depth: 682 mm (27 inches)
150 kg (330 lbs.) per piece
211 kg (465 lbs.) per piece

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3. UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS
The packaging is precisely thought-through so despite the
weight of 150 kg (330 lbs.) of each speaker, they can be quickly and
safely transported to their final position in the room. The transport
cases (industrial grade custom flight-cases) and the speakers
themselves are equipped with wheels to ease the transportation and
setup. The speaker wheels can be easily replaced by the designated
special floor spikes or flat bases once the ideal placement and
positioning have been determined.
Your Estelon loudspeakers come packaged individually in 2
separate flight cases. We recommend keeping these cases for possible
future transportation. Due to the substantial weight and slippery
surface of the loudspeakers, we suggest that two able-bodied
individuals assist in the unpacking and positioning process.
Contents of the two flight cases:
• 2 loudspeakers
• 1 Accessories box:
o 2 sets of isolation feet (8 pieces)
o 2 sets of spikes with locking rings (8 pieces)
o 2 sets of floor plates (8 pieces)
o 1 user’s manual
o 2 pairs of gloves
o 1 polishing cloth
For unpacking, please follow the instructions described below
and as shown in the drawings.

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1. Unlock/open all four locks of the flight case cover while the
speaker/flight case is in a horizontal position. (drawing 1)
2. Carefully lift and remove the cover from the flight case. (drawing 2)
1
2
3. Mind the warning signs on the drivers - excessive pressure on the
driver elements might cause damage. Remove the foam plate from
the speaker's bottom as shown in drawing 3.

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3
4. Lift gently the flight case as shown in drawing 4 while the other
person supports the speaker from the other side till it is in a vertical
position as shown in drawing 5.
4

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5
5. When in an upright position, support the speaker while rolling it out
of the case slowly. Please use the provided gloves that are included
in the accessories box inside the flight case.
6. Now, with the speaker upright and out of the flight case, roll it to
the desired position in your room and then carefully remove the
cloth bag. We recommend keeping the speakers on wheels during
the initial set-up.

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4. SET-UP
4.1. Initial positioning in the room
Model Forza – Suggested room size 40-125 m²(430-1345 square feet)
When positioning the speakers in your room, it is advised to
allow enough ”free” space around the speakers to minimize sound
reflections from walls, furniture, etc. This will contribute to achieving
correct tonality, realistic imaging, focus, and dynamics. The
recommended minimum distance between the speaker and the
nearest reflection point is 1.2 m (3.6 ft). The distance between the front
wall and the speaker should be no less than 0.6 m (1.8 ft). The distance
of the tweeter to the front and side walls should not be the same.
Listening point: the distance between the floor and your ears
should be approx. 1 m (3 ft), while the distance between the listener and
the speakers should be similar to the distance between the two
speakers.
The positioning of the speakers in the room must be
symmetrical for achieving a balanced sound stage. This is particularly
important in a narrow space. The distance between the speakers
should be approx. 2.5 – 4 m (8.2 – 13 ft), depending on the size of the
room and its reverberation characteristics. The recommended
speaker’s direction is approx. 7°, off-axis, towards the listening position
(depending on the room acoustics).
Please contact your dealer for consultation on how to improve
your room acoustics.

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4.2. Installing the bases
The bases consist of four parts as shown in drawing 6. Before
replacing the transport wheels of the speakers with the bases, please
screw the spikes with the locking rings into the bottom of each
isolation foot (drawing 7).
6
7
Once you have assembled the bases and the final position of
the speakers has been located, it is time to replace the transport
wheels.

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Please
replace the wheels on one side of each loudspeaker at
a time
. One person should carefully tilt the speaker against
himself/herself and hold it in this position (drawing 9), while the other
person removes the two accessible wheels as shown in drawing 10.
Please
make sure the edge of the speaker's bottom does not touch the
floor
during this process.
9
10

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After the 2 wheels are removed, please
locate the isolation
feet holes
on the base of the speaker, that are next to the holes of the
wheels (drawing 11).
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Then screw the isolation feet into the specific holes as shown
in drawing 12.
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