Test of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstanding speaker, a 2 and a half way model with two 5” bass and midrange drivers associated with a 1” diameter fabric dome tweeter. The Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna is the latest speaker from the French manufacturer. It is suitable for amplifiers delivering 40 to 160 watts of power per channel and has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms.
Marketed at €1,780 per pair, the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna is the most affordable floorstanding speaker from the Charente-based manufacturer. According to its designer, this loudspeaker “communicates rhythmic and melodic nuances with great agility” and is characterized by “an embodied, rich and very dynamic sound”.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: the brand
Jean-Marie Reynaud founded his eponymous company in 1967. Trained as a pianist, the music enthusiast aspired to design acoustic speakers capable of reproducing the “ultimate sound”, that of live music, which is extremely hard to recreate with simple speakers in a domestic setting.
Initially small-scale, Jean-Marie Reynaud’s loudspeaker design process was gradually able to benefit from increasingly efficient production and research methods. Constantly searching for technical solutions and always innovating, Jean-Marie Reynaud became an iconic figure in the exclusive circle of French loudspeaker manufacturers. The company made a name for itself in 1971 with the legendary Jean-Marie Reynaud Barcolle, a compact speaker that was popular with audiophiles for its ability to bring presence and vitality to music.
Each of Jean-Marie Reynaud’s speakers surprised and captivated listeners with their musical qualities: energy, faithfully reproduced tones, and spectral balance. With the constant determination to reproduce music as faithfully as possible, Jean-Marie Reynaud speakers continue to seduce audiophiles and the specialized press year after year.
Today, the traditional aspect of the French brand is maintained, with Jean-Claude Reynaud perpetuating the spirit of research and innovation established by his father. Based in Barbezieux in Charente, the family business continues to attract music lovers from around the world with speakers designed to ensure remarkable acoustic qualities. The brand’s latest creations include the 50th anniversary Jubilé speaker range, which is comprised of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Folia Jubilé and Jean-Marie Reynaud Bliss Jubilé compact speakers, the Jean-Marie Reynaud Euterpe Jubilé, the Jean-Marie Reynaud Cantabile Jubilé, Jean-Marie Reynaud Abscisse Jubilé and Jean-Marie Reynaud Orfeo Jubilé floorstanding speakers. More recently, Jean-Marie Reynaud has released the Jean-Marie Reynaud Voce Grande and the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstanding speaker, which we are reviewing today.
- Read the review of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Bliss Jubilé.
- Read the review of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Voce Grande.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: packaging & accessories
Each Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna loudspeaker is shipped in an individual box, protected by a white cloth cover and cardboard plates. It is also securely kept in place by foam blocks. They are delivered with a fabric grill and a set of individually wrapped spikes and counter spikes.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: presentation
The Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstanding speaker is a 2 and a half way model and the direct heir to the Jean-Marie Reynaud Emma floorstanding speaker launched in late 2017. It thus features two 5” drivers in charge of the midrange and bass registers.
The tweeter is a 1” fabric dome model. The Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna has an impedance of 4 ohms and a nominal power handling of 120 watts RMS. Its sensitivity rating is 91.6 dB. It is entirely made in France as the small information card on the back attests.
1” fabric dome tweeter
The fabric dome tweeter of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstanding speaker features a 25mm voice coil and a neodymium magnet. To avoid any risk of mechanical-acoustic intermodulation with the woofer and to guarantee a total inertia, the tweeter is mounted in an isolated acoustic chamber tuned for a low resonance frequency at 650 Hz.
The response curve of the tweeter is both very wide and very linear. Its directionality is not very pronounced and is very progressive off-axis. Because it is placed in the center of a partial horn injected with ABS, it benefits from an optimized efficiency and directivity. This tweeter enriches the listening experience with numerous details that it distils without dryness or harshness.
Dual 5” speaker drivers
The Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna loudspeaker features two 5” drivers manufactured under JMR’s specifications for the reproduction of the midrange and bass registers. They both feature a long-fiber paper cone with an optimized profile and an absorbing treatment on the back. This design improves the internal damping while retaining the sonic qualities of the paper.
These two loudspeakers have a 30mm diameter voice coil on a ventilated aluminium support. Its core uses a copper ring whose function is to linearize the impedance and to significantly decrease the total harmonic distortion. This loudspeaker combines very good power handling with intense and responsive lows.
The rubber surround of the Lunna’s 5” drivers features a damping treatment applied to the part which touches the cone. This improves the driver’s behavior in the midrange. Finally, this 5” speaker driver has an aluminum basket whose design leaves the back of the cone perfectly open, which facilitates the ventilation of the speeder.
Tuned triangular transmission line
The Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstander adopts a tuned triangular transmission line enclosure. Commonly used by the French manufacturer for many years, this design significantly improves the bass response by making the air pushed by the back of the drivers flow very quickly towards the port. The low frequency response of the speaker is greatly improved and the risk of dragging is greatly reduced. The port is located on the front of the cabinet, which allows the JMR Lunna floorstanding speaker to be placed close to the rear wall. However, the manufacturer recommends leaving at least 40cm of space behind the speaker.
Cabinet
The cabinet of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstanding speaker is made of 19mm thick MDF. It is assembled under a press to guarantee good rigidity. The vertical edges of the front panel are rounded to limit the edge effects. The adhesive felt that surrounds the drivers minimizes the first reflections of the signal on the cabinet. The directivity is thus better controlled. The absence of internal parallel walls also greatly reduces the formation of standing waves and limits the need for absorbers, thus optimizing the airflow inside the cabinet.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: key specs
Design
- 2.5 way speaker
- Load: tuned triangular transmission line, front-firing port
Speaker drivers
- 2 x 5” midbass drivers
- 1 x 1” fabric dome tweeter
Crossover filter
- 6 – 12/12dB/octave
- Crossover frequencies at 300 and 2800Hz
- Carefully selected audiophile grade components
Measurements
- Nominal impedance: 4 ohms (4.5 ohms minimum)
- Frequency response: 40 to 25000Hz
- Power handling: 120W
- Peak power: 200W
- Operating power: 40 to 160W
- Sensitivity: 91.6dB (2.83V) – 89 (2V)
- Distortion: less than 0.5% (level 84dB)
Connectors
- Mono wiring
- Screw terminals compatible with forks and banana plugs
General
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 186 x 850 x 308mm
- Unit weight: 18kg
Accessories
- Decoupling spikes and counter spikes in chromed steel
- M6 standard inserts on the cabinet
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: testing conditions
For this review of the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna floorstanders, we connected them to the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 connected amplifier using a pair of NorStone Arran MC cables with banana plugs.
We did not use the spikes that come with the speakers because of the tiled floor. Instead, we placed the speakers on NorStone Damp 50 pads.
Thanks to the amp’s built-in Chromecast, we were able to take advantage of our Qobuz Studio subscription to listen to our playlists in high resolution. The amp’s network connectivity also allowed us to access our Hi-Res audio files stored on a computer and shared on the local network.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: listening impressions
From the very first notes, what stood out was the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna’s liveliness and engaging character. The music unfolded with remarkable ease and clarity. The sound was smooth, realistic and despite its rather small drivers, this floorstanding speaker proved that it was able to give substance to the music in a remarkable way.
The fabric dome tweeter provides smoothness and precision. Whether it’s the subtle caresses of the drum brushes or the little hits of the sticks on the cymbals, we were able to easily perceive the differences in intensity in the drummer’s playing. The tweeter brought a multitude of micro details that enriched the listening experience.
In the lows, the Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna is responsive and even shows an intensity that one would not suspect with a speaker equipped with only 5” drivers. The principle of the tuned triangular transmission line is particularly effective in providing extra energy and substance to the lower end of the spectrum. You only need to put your ear close to the front-firing port to be convinced.
The lows are also very clean and do not drag. This contributes to the reactive character of the speaker, which is quick to respond to the slightest requests from the amp. This register is also fluid and nuanced, making it easy to follow an electric bass or a double bass in the background. We noted that even at low volume, the bass remained legible and well articulated.
The midrange is reproduced with accuracy and shows softness and delicacy. It is perfectly integrated: the voices never seemed to be projected or artificially emphasized. On the contrary, a natural and fresh impression prevailed throughout our listening sessions. Smoothness and liveliness were also present in this register, with a deep respect for the timbres.
More globally, the width and depth of the soundstage were very appreciable and contributed to the realism of the sound. The rigorous placement of the various instruments and vocals is also to be highlighted. Each instrument was clearly identifiable in the space, making for a very immersive experience.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: compared to…
Monitor Audio Silver 200
This British speaker adopts a configuration comparable to that of the Lunna. However, it uses a C-CAM Gold tweeter and RST mid-bass drivers. The Monitor Audio speaker boasts a rather incisive behavior and has a more extended response in the high frequency range, which gives it a slightly more analytical character, especially considering the material used for the tweeter. The Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna is smoother and more balanced due to its soft dome tweeter and its paper cone drivers. The Lunna won us over with its sound signature that is both lively and nuanced.
Elipson Prestige Facet 24F
More imposing and equipped with two 8” woofers, the Elipson speaker has a more extensive bass response which benefits from more substance and amplitude than the Lunna. But it is at the cost of a larger footprint and a less graceful esthetic. However, the Lunna’s bass response is still great considering the size of the cabinet and drivers. On the midrange and high registers, the JMR Lunna speaker does well with a more detailed and subtle sound than the Elipson speaker.
Jean-Marie Reynaud Emma
When we reviewed the first small floorstander developed by Jean-Claude Reynaud, we were absolutely under its spell with its warm and precise sound, and well timed and dynamic character.
The Lunna takes all these qualities into account to magnify them and offer a listening experience even closer to the manufacturer’s standards of excellence. It is livelier, even better in the bass which is very reactive, well defined and has a surprising impact for 5” drivers.
The organic character of the midrange of its predecessor is present but has more substance, which results in an even more realistic delivery of this register. The high frequencies gain extension and clarity without losing any smoothness. The spatialization of the sound stage seemed even wider and extended largely beyond the speakers without having to move them too far from the wall (about 50cm are enough). What progress has been made between the two!
Jean-Marie Reynaud Lunna: conclusion
Although it is the entry ticket in the French manufacturer’s range of floorstanding speakers, the Lunna has everything of a Jean-Marie Reynaud speaker: the elegant silhouette and this subtle balance between softness and vitality that makes the sound so natural and lively.
Its power supply presents no difficulty thanks to its high sensitivity and linearity. It can be driven by the vast majority of hi-fi amplifiers on the market with a power equal to or greater than 40 watts per channel to play music in a room of up to 30m² or larger.
Anyone who wants to build up an evolutive hi-fi system with good small floorstanders should seriously consider the JMR Lunna loudspeakers. They can be associated with an entry-level hi-fi amplifier like the Rega IO or the Marantz PM6007 and offer very nice musical sensations. You can then upgrade your system by investing in a higher range amp with which the Lunnas will be able to express themselves even better, as was the case with the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 during this test. A subwoofer can also be added for a great 2.1 system if your system is in a room measuring more than 30m².
What we liked
- The design and the quality of the finish
- The speaker’s energy and the vitality
- The accuracy and the naturalness of the timbres
- The reactivity and richness in the low and midrange
We would have liked
- To keep them after this test!
