“On paper (literally, as this ported 3 1/2-way speaker’s two 8” bass drivers and 5 1/4” midrange use coated paper diaphragms), the Swiss Stenheim Alumine Three is just another very well built, reasonably small and attractive, expensive loudspeaker. Only it isn’t.
The Alumine Three is a musical launch pad that explodes with life. Its ability to create a giant, engaging, yet stable sonic picture makes every listening session memorable. Little far-off instruments sparkle with energy. The overall musical experience is electric. The artistic message is delivered with emphasis, and the bass performance out of those two “little” 8” drivers is astonishing. The takeaway is that the heart of a large, horn-based system is beating within a loudspeaker that fits in (and compliments!) your living space.
So, if you’re not ready for an alarm clock that wakes your musical sense, by all means looks elsewhere. But if you’re searching to break free of the common, spoon-fed list of “mart” candidates for your musical dollars, you might want to seek you an audition to hear if you agree with AM’s 10-year-old son, who instantly observed, “They project better. They sound purer. It’s like you’re right there.”
The Absolute Sound Editor, December 2020