Magic in the Middle

APERION AUDIO NOVUS 5.0.2 SPEAKER SYSTEM

- Thomas J. Norton

APERION AUDIO had a dilemma. Its flagship speaker line, the Aperion Verus III, costs considerably more than its entry-level Intimus range, with the $2,500 flagship Verus III Grand tower selling for nearly three times the price of the $800/ pair Intimus 5t tower. Both are bargains in high-end audio’s accelerating race to the top, but buyers who might spend more than $800 aren’t always keen about making a $2,500 commitment, not to mention the added outlay needed for a full home theater speaker setup. Enter the company’s new Novus range, which at $1,400/pair for the Novus towers neatly splits the difference between the two existing ranges.

The single Novus tower is relatively short for a floorstander and is available in two satin finishes: Pure White or Stealth Black. It comes with small outrigger feet already attached—no assembly required. Floor spikes are included. At a light 27 pounds, the tower is easy to carry around, but sturdier than this weight might suggest.

The tower’s front baffle has a subtle backward slope. Two 5.25-inch aramid-fiber cone woofers and a single 1-inch silk-dome tweeter, plus a long, vertical slotted bass port, occupy most of baffle’s real estate. The woofers and tweeter are arrayed in a vertical woofer-tweeter-woofer layout, often called (though not always correctly) a D’Appolito configuration. The tweeter has a non-removable perforated grille to protect it from small, curious fingers. A removeable, magnetically attached grille is also included to conceal all three drivers if desired.