Norway’s Ø Audio has unveiled its latest statement loudspeaker, the Ymir, a floorstanding design that signals a bold step forward for the brand. For those familiar with the acclaimed Icon 12 and Verdande, the Ymir is not a continuation, it is a complete reinvention.
Named after Ymir, the primordial giant of Norse mythology, the speaker reflects its namesake in both scale and ambition. Ø Audio describes Ymir as a “clean-sheet design,” engineered from the ground up to redefine what a reference-grade loudspeaker can achieve in real-world listening environments.
A New Structural Philosophy
Visually, the Ymir carries the unmistakable DNA of Ø Audio’s recent designs, yet introduces a more industrial and purposeful aesthetic. The most striking addition is a 10 mm thick stainless steel front baffle, a feature that is as functional as it is dramatic.
This ultra-rigid front plate significantly reduces cabinet resonance and energy storage, providing a stable, inert platform for the drivers. The result is improved transient precision and reduced coloration, key factors in achieving true high-end performance.
Driver Technology
At the heart of the Ymir lies a newly developed 12-inch carbon fiber composite woofer, featuring an extended linear excursion design and a damping core. This driver is engineered to maintain composure across a wide dynamic range, delivering both authority at low volumes and control under high-output conditions.
Handling the upper frequencies is a 76 mm carbon diaphragm compression driver, integrated into Ø Audio’s proprietary Quad Vertex Soundfield (QVST) waveguide. This system is designed to ensure:
- Controlled directivity
- Smooth off-axis response
- Consistent tonal balance throughout the room
The pairing aims to create a seamless transition between drivers, preserving coherence while offering scale and impact.
Signal distribution is managed by an assisted first-order crossover network, built with custom copper-foil capacitors and resin-cast inductors. Ø Audio continues its philosophy of using minimal crossover components, reducing phase distortion and preserving the purity of the signal path.
The technical specifications underline the Ymir’s ambitions:
- Frequency response: 26 Hz – 22 kHz
- Sensitivity: 93.5 dB
- Impedance: 8 ohms
This combination suggests a speaker that is both revealing and relatively amplifier-friendly, an uncommon but welcome balance in the high-end segment.
Cabinet Engineering and Room Integration
The Ymir’s enclosure is as carefully considered as its driver array. Its tapered rear profile is designed to minimize internal reflections and standing waves, contributing to a cleaner and more controlled soundstage.
Each speaker measures 114.5 × 38.2 × 52.9 cm and weighs a substantial 120 kg, underscoring its serious intent.
Stability is ensured by massive stainless steel outriggers, while Ø Audio’s height-adjustable feet incorporate a two-stage tungsten-ball decoupling system. This advanced isolation approach minimizes energy transfer to the floor, improving bass definition, imaging, and overall clarity.
Further enhancing room adaptability are three bass-reflex ports per speaker, arranged in a mirror-symmetrical configuration to aid placement and integration.
Details That Matter
Attention to detail extends to every element of the Ymir. Around the rear, Ø Audio has implemented proprietary speaker terminals with a built-in torque limiter, ensuring optimal connection pressure without risk of overtightening, a small but thoughtful touch that reflects the brand’s engineering mindset.
The speakers will be offered in two finishes and shipped in dedicated protective cases, reinforcing their positioning as a true high-end product.
While official pricing has yet to be confirmed, reports suggest the Ø Audio Ymir will land around $65,000 per pair, placing it firmly in the upper tier of the high-end loudspeaker market.
