Tech Talk: Paul Schenkel of Davone

BLOG
hi-fi+ Staff
Mar 30, 2026

At the age of 14, Davone founder Paul Schenkel set out to improve the sound of his clock radio. He did so by connecting it to four homemade loudspeakers with 8” Philips wideband drivers, arranged in a quadraphonic setting. From then on, Paul was hooked on audio, and his loudspeakers quickly became more serious. Besides designing the occasional amplifier, Paul wrote his own MLS-based software to enable more accurate loudspeaker measurements, all while completing his studies in Aeronautics and Physics. After conducting vibro-acoustic analyses at Philips, Paul started Davone in 2007, a natural progression from a lifelong journey in high-end audio.

What drives you?

The quest for the best sound quality is endless. We continuously explore new ideas with dedication and passion. Since founding the company in 2007, Davone has crafted high-quality loudspeakers supported by advanced technology. Prioritising quality over quantity, we turn our ideas into hand-crafted loudspeakers made in Denmark.

The Reference series is not your first flagship line.

No. Between 2012 and 2014, we completed our first full product line. We had five unique models in production, and Davone had to find a new location to manage the rapid expansion. The new location was found in Værløse, about 30 km north of Copenhagen. We’re still there today.

After two years of development, the flagship model, Grande, was ready and quickly found its first owners. With its strong bent wooden panels and complex internal construction, Grande’s stiff cabinet featured rounded corners to reduce diffraction and enable the high-quality drivers to deliver a detailed, open sound.

About 10 years after launching the Grande, the new Reference One was introduced in January 2023, showcasing all we have learned since the early days. Awarded by hi-fi+ and The Absolute Sound, the Reference One was followed by the Reference Two in May 2024 and the Reference Three in August 2025, completing the development of the reference line.

What motivated the creation of the Reference Three?

We aimed to capture the essence of our renowned Reference series in a more straightforward, elegant form. The Reference Three was designed from the outset to combine clarity and openness with a spacious sense of atmosphere. Music is revealed with subtlety and ease, making each performance both captivating and welcoming.

Why opt for beryllium in the tweeter?

Due to its exceptional rigidity, Beryllium is the ultimate material for a tweeter dome. Whereas soft domes turn choirs into grain and hard rock into noise, Beryllium can distinguish complex harmonics with ease, keeping the music clean and precise even at high listening levels. But we do not stop there. Choosing an unconventional approach, we mount the dome flush with the baffle instead of the typical recessed placement, allowing it to unleash its wide off-axis response without obstruction—crucial for achieving an expansive, open sound.

This unusual dome placement is uncommon, requiring careful baffle rounding to prevent diffraction and a more intricate crossover design. However, the advantages greatly surpass the difficulties. Supporting this design, we employ an exceptionally narrow surround to eliminate any remaining “soft dome” coloration. With a mere 0.1-gram moving mass and a magnetic flux density of 2.0 Tesla, our high frequencies attain reference-level quality.

The tweeter is paired with a composite mid/woofer. Why?

By combining cellulose with fine glass fibres, this cone material blends the best of two worlds. Cellulose offers damping qualities and a warm, natural tone, while glass fibres provide stiffness and control, reducing unwanted resonances. The coating process further stabilises the cone and ensures consistent performance across the audible spectrum. Where traditional paper membranes can cause coloration at higher levels, the cellulose-glass composite remains neutral and detailed, even under demanding dynamics.

Supporting this cone is a balanced drive motor design that diminishes distortion by maintaining symmetrical voice-coil movement, ensuring clarity and accuracy throughout the entire range. This careful balance enables the woofer to produce a smooth, natural midrange alongside articulate and well-controlled bass. The outcome is a driver that is both musical and precise—an ideal foundation for the Reference Three, delivering an engaging, open sound with remarkable ease.

Davone is perhaps best known for its cabinets. What’s the secret to the Reference Three’s enclosure?

When the drive units vibrate, the cabinet also responds by vibrating. However, these cabinet vibrations show a slight delay relative to the music, causing perceptible blurring and a reduction in sound clarity. Our cabinet construction is designed to thoroughly address this problem. Made from 25mm thick, form-pressed wood, it features a curved shape, enhanced by a high-pressure and heat bending process that significantly increases its stiffness. Internally, we reinforce the cabinet with a network of extensive bracing, using 18mm and 22mm thick plywood arranged strategically for optimal structural strength.

Internal resonances can be heard through the speaker membranes, and various effective measures have been implemented in the Reference Three. The baffle edge behind the mid-range driver is chamfered to reduce the potential cavity resonance within the speaker cutout. Additionally, two internal Helmholtz absorbers have been strategically incorporated: one absorbs the standing wave between the cabinet’s top and bottom, while the other addresses the bass reflex port resonance.

The placement of the bass reflex port inlet has been carefully selected to ensure it functions where internal resonances are minimised. Additionally, the top opening is designed to prevent the activation of listening room resonances that typically occur between the floor and ceiling.

This simple yet effective measure greatly improves sound quality in various listening environments, as these resonances are often difficult to control. Finally, the bass port’s design is corner-free and covers a significant area, accounting for 30% of the woofer membrane. This helps to reduce port turbulence and maintain linear output even at high levels.

What’s next for Davone?

The quest for the best sound is never-ending. Exploring new ideas with great determination and passion is our routine. And with our small-scale and flexible production in Denmark, we always find a way to turn our usually challenging ideas into actual products.