Revealed for the first time at the 2023 Paris Audio Video Show and recently exhibited at High End Munich 2024, the Elipson 402 Tribute speaker breathes new life into one of the French manufacturer’s most iconic models. A tribute edition that is entirely designed and manufactured in France by Elipson and Supravox.
An iconic speaker
Very few speakers have had such a lasting impact on the history of high fidelity as the Elipson 402. Released in the 60s by Elipson founder Joseph Léon, this speaker became an icon over the decades, used by professionals and individuals alike. It is part of the series of spherical speakers designed from the 1960s, with the Elipson 302, derived from the compact 1302 model, and the imposing Elipson 502 sphere. This round shape is now a distinctive feature of the brand, who uses it for its best-selling Elipson Planet L and Elipson Planet M series for its unique acoustic properties. It eliminates any standing waves to reduce distortion and provide a music reproduction that’s free from coloration.
Bygone charm
This isn’t the first time that the oldest French hi-fi brand has revived one of its successful models. For its 70th anniversary, the manufacturer paid tribute to the glorious BS50 of the 50s with the Elipson BS50 Tribute edition. The latter shares the iconic shape and solutions of its predecessor, which was initially designed for the first light and music shows at the Château de Chambord. Vintage style appears to be popular with the brand, whose Elipson Heritage range is a real success, with its speakers that feature all the hallmarks of 70s models: a walnut-finish cabinet, white-colored cones, adjustable gain and timeless charm. The new Elipson 402 Tribute continues in this historic vein.
A French collaboration
To pay tribute to the original 402, Elipson teamed up with driver specialist Supravox to design a midbass model capable of reproducing the sound signature and exceptional musicality that made this retro reference such a success. Consequently, the Elipson 402 Tribute features a 6.5” driver whose cellulose pulp cone scrupulously adheres to these criteria. It is mounted on a flexible surround and benefits from a bass-reflex enclosure with a rear-firing port to extend the bass response, which reaches 45Hz.
The tweeter is a dome model whose diameter of 1.1” ensures a wide diffusion area, providing a more extensive soundstage and better detail perception. It is entirely decoupled from the cabinet to reduce interference and benefits from a damped acoustic chamber. As a result, the Elipson 402 Tribute speaker ensures a perfect high frequency reproduction up to 25kHz.
A perfectly crafted work of art
The prowess of the Elipson 402 Tribute speaker is also due to the use of a very high quality crossover. It uses Jantzen Audio components, a Danish manufacturer specializing in passive crossovers. The various components are connected using point-to-point wiring and cables designed by French manufacturer Axon. All this is combined with a pair of metal terminals compatible with wide gauge cables, banana plugs and spade terminals.
With the Elipson 402 Tribute speaker, the French manufacturer has revived one of the most iconic models from its past and perpetuates the excellence of French hi-fi. This legendary model is currently available to preorder on Son-Vidéo.com for €4,449 with an included acrylic table stand. A taller stand should soon be available.
