An Overview of the Gauder Capello Center DV
The Gauder Capello Center DV is a passive center channel loudspeaker built in Germany by Roland Gauder and his team. It sits within the Capello Double Vision line, which means it carries the finely selected Mundorf crossover components, higher quality internal wiring and top WBT terminals that define the DV designation. To be clear from the outset, DV stands for Double Vision. It is not a diamond tweeter, and no Capello model uses one.
If you love the way Gauder handles voices, space and detail, and you want a center channel that speaks the same sonic language as your Capello front pair, this is the model designed to do exactly that.
The Gauder Design Philosophy
Every Gauder loudspeaker is built around one central idea, a phase accurate presentation of the music. The Capello Center DV uses an ultra steep symmetrical crossover, a signature of the brand, so the transition between drivers is handled cleanly and the drivers behave as a coherent whole rather than competing in the overlap region. This is a passive loudspeaker, so there are no internal amplifiers or processing, just carefully engineered filtering feeding the drive units.
The Capello line adds Time Delay Control to the crossover, a feature that aligns the arrival of sound from each driver so the acoustic output stays time coherent at the listening position. In a center channel, where dialogue intelligibility and precise imaging matter enormously, this kind of coherence pays real dividends.
Drivers and Terminals
The Capello Center DV is fitted with XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers and an aluminum tweeter. That tweeter is upgradeable to beryllium if you want to push resolution and top end air even further down the road. The DV package brings finely selected Mundorf crossover parts, upgraded internal wiring and the excellent WBT terminals, all of which contribute to the transparency and low level detail this speaker is capable of.
Sound Character
The character here is what you would expect from a well executed Gauder design, clean, fast and phase honest, with a strong emphasis on articulate midrange and natural voice reproduction. The aluminum tweeter delivers a crisp, detailed top end, and the XPulse cone drivers keep dialogue focused and present. Because the crossover is so steep and the design is time aligned, the center image locks in place and stays intelligible even during complex, layered scenes.
This is a center channel voiced for realism rather than exaggeration. It aims to disappear and simply present the sound as recorded, which is exactly what you want anchoring a serious home theater or multichannel music system.
Timbre Matching Within the Capello Range
The single most important reason to choose the Capello Center DV is timbre matching. It is voiced to blend seamlessly with the Capello stereo speakers, so a sound panning across the front stage keeps a consistent tonal signature. If your front pair are Capello DV models, this center is the natural partner.
For context on the wider line, the Gauder Capello 40 DV is the compact floorstander in the family, while the Gauder Capello 80 DV and the larger Gauder Capello 100 DV step up in scale and low end authority. Within the same Capello range, the higher models legitimately deliver more bass extension and output, so choose your front pair to suit your room and then let the Capello Center DV tie the front stage together.
The Ideal Room
The Capello Center DV rewards a considered installation. It performs best in a dedicated or well treated theater space where you can position it close to the screen and at a sensible height relative to the listening seats. Its clarity and resolution mean it will reveal the quality of your room and setup, so time spent on placement and acoustics is time well spent. In more modest rooms it will still shine, simply pair it with appropriately scaled Capello front speakers so the balance across the stage stays even.
Amplifier Matching
Because Gauder makes no amplifiers, the Capello Center DV needs a separate amplifier or a receiver channel scaled to its level. This is a high end passive speaker, so it deserves quality amplification rather than the bare minimum. Give it clean power and it responds with control and finesse.
For a refined, musical integrated that will drive the center channel with authority, consider the Accuphase E-3000 Stereo Integrated Amplifier or the Luxman L-507Z Integrated Amplifier. The Yamaha A-S3200 Integrated Amplifier is another strong, well built option.
If you prefer dedicated power amplification within a larger multichannel setup, the Matrix Audio MA-1 Flagship Class AB Power Amplifier is a natural fit, and for those chasing maximum grip and headroom the Parasound JC1+ Monoblock amplifiers bring serious muscle. To feed the system, the Matrix Audio MS-1 Flagship Music Streamer and DAC or the Luxman NT-07B Black Centennial Edition make excellent sources.
How It Compares to Other Center Channels
If you are weighing options, the MoFi Electronics SourcePoint 10 Master Edition Center Channel Speaker and the MoFi Electronics SourcePoint 8 Center Channel Speaker take a different design approach and are voiced to their own family of speakers. They are a fine choice for someone building around MoFi front speakers or who prefers that concentric driver presentation. The Capello Center DV, by contrast, is the right answer when your priority is Gauder phase accuracy, Time Delay Control and a seamless match to a Capello front stage. It comes down to which design goal and which family of speakers you are building around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gauder Capello Center DV?
The Gauder Capello Center DV is a passive center channel loudspeaker built in Germany by Roland Gauder and his team. It sits within the Capello Double Vision line, which means it carries the finely selected Mundorf crossover components, higher quality internal wiring and top WBT terminals that define the DV designation. To be clear from the outset, DV stands for Double Vision. It is not a diamond tweeter, and no Capello model uses one.
What does the Gauder Capello Center DV sound like?
The aluminum tweeter delivers a crisp, detailed top end, and the XPulse cone drivers keep dialogue focused and present. This is a center channel voiced for realism rather than exaggeration. It aims to disappear and simply present the sound as recorded, which is exactly what you want anchoring a serious home theater or multichannel music system.
What amplifier should I use with the Gauder Capello Center DV?
Because Gauder makes no amplifiers, the Capello Center DV needs a separate amplifier or a receiver channel scaled to its level. This is a high end passive speaker, so it deserves quality amplification rather than the bare minimum. Give it clean power and it responds with control and finesse.
How does the Gauder Capello Center DV compare to the alternatives?
If you are weighing options, the MoFi Electronics SourcePoint 10 Master Edition Center Channel Speaker and the MoFi Electronics SourcePoint 8 Center Channel Speaker take a different design approach and are voiced to their own family of speakers. They are a fine choice for someone building around MoFi front speakers or who prefers that concentric driver presentation.
Let AEA Help You Match It
All Elite Audio is an authorized Gauder Akustik dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate, so reach out to us and we will help you match the right amplifier and room to the Capello Center DV and build a front stage that sings together.