Stenheim Alumine Three
The made-in-Switzerland Stenheim Alumine Three floorstanding loudspeakers sell for $32,900/pair. They are not only the most expensive component I’ve reviewed for Stereophile; they cost more than 10 times (!) as much as my $3000/pair reference Falcon Acoustics Gold Badge LS3/5a speakers. So naturally I wondered: Will they sound 10 times better? And if they do sound 10 times better, what might the nature of the improvements be?
The Alumine Three are slender, floorstanding speakers measuring 41.3" high, 9.8" wide, and just 13" deep. Because they contain four sturdy drivers bolted to a thick, bottom-ported aluminum cabinet, they weigh 154lb each. Importer-dealer Walter Swanbon dragged them in on a hand truck with fancy pneumatic tires and set them on my floor in the exact spots I pointed to.
He said, “Herb, I promise you’ll like these speakers. They’re a serious, top-end design. With paper cones. Voices sound human. Instruments sound natural. They are designed to compete with speakers like Magico and Wilson, but they are easier to drive. You can use all your low-powered amps.” He added, “And they fit in nicely in regular people’s living rooms. They’re not as fat as the wide Harbeths or as tall as the tall Wilsons.” As Walter pitched the Stenheims, I kept nodding and repeating, “Wow, that’s cool.”
I was skeptical. I seriously doubted they’d play well with 25 watts. I was however surprised and impressed by how tastefully tailored
