Cabasse
Amplifiers
Soundbars
Speakers
Subwoofers
Best Known For
Speakers
/
Used Products
11
 Available
Average Price
$1,001-$2,500
Brand Popularity
134
 of 900+
Products Listed
51
Review Count
74
Founding Year
1950
Headquarters
France
Cabasse
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What's unique about the brand

Cabasse, a French hifi brand with roots dating back to 1742 in musical instrument making, is renowned for its unique coaxial speaker design where all sound waves emanate from a single point. Their flagship product, La Sphère, features a distinctive four-way coaxial drive unit array, while their patented HELD technology uses multiband dynamic signal processing to enhance bass dynamics without distortion.

What reviewers are saying

We read all the reviews. Here's what reviewers feel most strongly about:

  • Coaxial driver design is a core element, used even in their more affordable models, enhancing spatial coherence and minimizing diffraction, a design choice they heavily promote for its acoustic benefits.
  • Cabasse often incorporates DSP technology for room correction (ARCS) and sound signature adjustments (DEAP), enabling their speakers to adapt to different listening environments.
  • While known for hifi audio, they also offer integrated streaming options, exemplified by their StreamControl app, compatible with various music services and DLNA playback.
  • Their signature design is spherical enclosures, minimizing cabinet-induced diffraction and enabling wide sound dispersion, and they are found throughout their product lines, from the entry level to reference models.

Our favorite reviewer quotes:

  • "Its ability to truly embody the music makes the sound incredibly realistic. The vibrations and resonance of the percussions were tangible, the nuances of the saxophonist's breath in the mouthpiece were perfectly perceptible, the vocals were beautifully rendered." (https://blog.son-video.com/en/2021/03/cabasse-pearl-sub-and-cabasse-io3-riga-and-baltic-systems-review)
  • "There was so much meat on the bone without it sounding dominant or overbearing. These speakers hold their own with tight distortion-free bass well down to the advertised roll off at 30 hz." (https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/best-stereo-under-5k-series-cabasse-rialto-bookshelf-hifi-system)
  • "The RIALTOs' rendering of low-level detail combined with the pitch-black background offered up the snare in such a realistic fashion. The snare's wires were palpable as they playfully interacted with the bottom head." (https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/best-stereo-under-5k-series-cabasse-rialto-bookshelf-hifi-system)
  • "The Cabasse Rialto wireless speaker surprised us with its ability to generate colossal power in such a small package. The bass was deep, energetic and remarkably intense." (https://blog.son-video.com/en/2023/06/cabasse-rialto-colossal-power)
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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

I think there are four pillars, but they’re all intertwined. The first is the 75 years of acoustics and R&D. We were one of the first companies to create the coaxial driver itself. Today, a lot of companies use coaxial or geo concentric designs, but we were one of the first in 1958 to develop it. You’ll find this in 90% of our lineup. The second is the connectivity aspect. More than 10 years ago, we were acquired by a company whose specialty was connectivity (UPNP, DLNA, and other connectivity protocols). The CEO saw Cabasse as an amazing brand, and he recognized that the audio market was shifting; similar to how Sonos pioneered multi-room wireless audio in the mid-market in the early 2000s. The same shift started happening in the high-end hi-fi industry, but very few companies had the expertise. So he purchased Cabasse, and now we have acoustics, coaxial driver design, high-excursion woofer technology, and robust connectivity; plus DSP and active filtering. These are things we’ve been doing for a while. And I’d also say the design makes us stand out.

What's your approach to customer support?

Now that we’re basically our own distributor in the U.S., we work directly with dealers. We offer warranties on drivers; ranging from 3 to 5 years, or lifetime depending on the product. We just launched a new product in Munich, and it comes with a lifetime driver warranty. If a customer buys a product and a driver fails, the dealer comes to us and says, “Hey, can you help my client?” Then we either get in touch with the customer directly, if the dealer agrees, or the dealer takes care of it. Not every dealer has the ability to repair, especially since many of our products are heavily electronics-based. In some cases, we’ll just replace the entire unit. We also have a policy where, within a certain period, if the electronics fail, we’ll replace the unit for free. Generally, it’s 3 to 5 years for drivers, and 2 years for electronics.

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

We actually have a playlist on Qobuz with all of our demo tracks. Off the top of my head, for precision and showcasing microdetails, I really like the track called “Soft Landing” by Hadouk Trio. It’s a very clean and amazingly recorded track. I also like “Magnetic Lies” by Malia to show the low end and precision. and fact that our woofer technology provides a lot of dispersion without distortion. The coil never leaves the magnetic field, so you get a lot of excursion. Plus, our DSP helps a lot. We want people to experience that at a given price and speaker size; they have a lot to play with.

What other products pair best with yours?

From Julian's interview with
Alexandre Paul
.

Products

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Lineup comparison

We think it's helpful to understand how their products compare. To learn more about each, scroll to the section above to click through to individual product pages.

Jersey MC170

  • Positioning: The entry-level floorstanding speaker in the Cabasse lineup.
  • Description: Offers a rich and dynamic sound with its coaxial midrange-tweeter, providing a wide and stable soundstage. Compared to the Java MC40, it is more affordable and suitable for those seeking a balanced sound in medium-sized rooms.

Java MC40

  • Positioning: A mid-range floorstanding speaker offering high-fidelity sound at a competitive price.
  • Description: Stands out with its SCS technology and BC10 coaxial unit, delivering precise and realistic sound. It provides a more immersive experience than the Jersey MC170.

Bora

  • Positioning: A high-performance bookshelf speaker designed for audiophiles seeking compact yet powerful sound.
  • Description: Features a BC13 coaxial midrange-tweeter and a 21 cm Duocell woofer, offering analytical precision and dynamic capability. It surpasses the Antigua MC170 in sound depth.

Murano Alto

  • Positioning: A high-end floorstanding speaker, representing the pinnacle of Cabasse's lineup.
  • Description: Excels with its 3-way triaxial TC23 and BC13 drivers, delivering exceptional soundstage and tonal balance.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer

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What other products pair best with yours?

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