I first met Ymir at Axpona 2026.
Here’s some of what I said about that encounter:
The new Ymir ($67,000/pair) have moved into the flagship position at Ø Audio in a kinda unusual manner seeing as they are roughly the size of the Icon 12 not the larger Verdande and I’d imagine many a hifi shopper equate bigger with better when it comes to loudspeakers. But that’s only a guess seeing as I’ve never worked on the sales side of hifi and it’s important to know what you don’t know.
Essentially every aspect of the Ymir’s design from the ground on up has been refined and improved upon from the footers, to the robust cabinet construction including a 10mm stainless steel front baffle, the drivers, crossovers, and materials. I attended the press event and went get back for a longer listen and you can color me intrigued.
And here we are and there they, the Ymir, are standing proud on the Barn’s A-Side. You’re looking at Ymir’s horn-loaded tweeter and hiding in the darkness lies a proprietary compression driver with a 7.6 cm carbon diaphragm paired with a 12″ carbon fiber woofer together producing a claimed 26 Hz – 22 kHz frequency response while offering the accompanying amp a friendly 93.5 sensitivity and steady 8 Ohm impedance.
The Ymir weigh in at 264 lbs a piece and part of that weight is embodied by the 10mm stainless steel front baffle and matching beefy stainless base and footers and trio of ‘mirror-symmetrical’ bass ports that can sit on the inside or outside—your room and taste will dictate what works best.
As you can see, the Ymir’s cabinet is tapered with more angles than a cubist painting to “cut internal reflections and standing waves” according to the company.
The review pair are finished in light oak with dark walnut being the other option. According to Norse Mythology, “Ymir (pronounced roughly “EE-mir;” Old Norse Ymir, “Screamer”) is a hermaphroditic giant and the first creature to come into being in the Norse creation myth.”
I reviewed the Ø Audio Verdande last August and concluded:
The Ø Audio Verdande are an anomaly of sorts as they offer what one hopes to get from a horn speaker combined with refinement and grace. Offering stunning immediacy, real life dynamic speed and impact, full range reach, and a rich live-like voice, the Verdande are one of a very few I can recommend without hesitation for anyone in search of their last speaker.
Let’s see what the company’s flagship can add. Stay tuned.
Ø Audio Ymir Loudspeakers
Price: $65,000/pair
Company Website: Ø Audio
US Distributor Website: Harmonia Distribution
Specifications
Construction: 2-way, horn-loaded
Sensitivity: 93.5 dB
Frequency range: 26 Hz – 22 kHz
Impedance: 8 Ω (minimum 8 Ω)
Horn: Q.V.S.T. constant-directivity waveguide
Tweeter: 7.6 cm carbon diaphragm
Woofer: 30.5 cm (12″) carbon-fiber composite
Feet: Polished stainless steel with tungsten resonance damping
Dimensions: 114.5 × 38.2 × 52.9 cm (excl. feet)
Width incl. feet: 62.6 cm
Weight: 120 kg
Transport: Flight case