Duncan Billson, an engineering professor at the University of Warwick, co-developed the flat loudspeaker.
(Credit: University of Warwick)When I told CNET audio editor Donald Bell about the Flat, Flexible Loudspeaker out of the U.K.'s University of Warwick, he immediately imagined subway posters shouting at him. And he's probably not too far off.
The new loudspeakers are less than a quarter of a millimeter thick and can be hung on walls like pictures to make announcements in places such as passenger terminals.
They're so slim and flexible, engineers say the speakers could even be concealed inside ceiling tiles or car interiors, conceivably leading to talking roofs, wallpaper, or car seats.
The speakers were pioneered by Warwick Audio Technologies, a University of Warwick spin-out company. Engineers say the flat loudspeakers are ideal for public spaces because they deliver planar directional sound waves, which project further than sound from conventional speakers.
(Credit:
University of Warwick)
Speakers work by converting an electric signal into sound. Usually, the signal is used to generate a varying magnetic field, which in turn vibrates a mechanical cone, so producing the sound.
The technology behind the FFL assembles thin conducting and insulating materials, resulting in the development of a flexible laminate. When activated by an electrical signal, the laminate will vibrate and produce sound.
The developers say the speaker laminate operates as a perfect piston resonator. The entire diaphragm therefore radiates in phase, forming an area source. The wave front emitted by the vibrating surface is phase-coherent, producing a plane wave with very high directivity and very accurate sound imaging. Translation: crisp, clear sound in big, noisy spaces.
Warwick Audio Technologies is currently in negotiations with a number of commercial partners and expects to launch its first commercial product later this year.
(Credit:
NBS Audio Cables)
The sky's the limit when it comes to hi-fi, and if you have $200,000 of loose change, you might like to take a closer look at NBS Audio Cables' latest E.V.A. and Butter/fly speaker systems.
This kit has an exotic design that hardly resembles anything remotely similar to a conventional loudspeaker. Its most interesting feature is a pair of 48-inch-tall pyramids. These have a unique smooth, grille-free finish and are designed to reproduce music in a room via indirect sound radiation.
We figured it's pretty pointless to go further into the nitty-gritty bits for such a premium product since its buyers will probably care less about value. That said, if you need some nicely packaged speaker cables to go with the system, the price for its Black Label II series starts at a "bargain" $12,000 for a 4-foot pair. Click here for your local distributorship availability.
(Source: Crave Asia via Born Rich)
The ultimate PC speakers?
(Credit: Harman Kardon)Just came across this hot little number on Amazon: a set of Harman Kardon PC speakers made out of glass. They don't appear to be available quite yet, but Amazon is taking pre-orders at $999.99.
Harman's made other clear speakers in the past, including the well-received SoundSticks II system, but these are the first to use glass--and the GLA-55s really make a statement. From some angles they have a gem-like quality, from others--namely in profile--they look almost alien in nature.
While these speakers are obviously about design, Harman's also touting the GLA-55s' "impeccable" sound quality. (At $1,000, they better sound good, right?) In fact, Harman claims it's "arguably the best 2.0 speaker system ever engineered" with numerous proprietary technologies that empower the speakers to create "clear and accurate high-impact sound with a large soundstage."
_90x158.gif)
The side view has a more alien vibe.
(Credit: Harman Kardon)Whether glass is the best material from which to fashion speakers is debatable, but Harman says its glass enclosure material is "the same as what is used in bulletproof glass." The material is put through an "annealing" process, which "includes baking each enclosure at 80 degree C for 4 hours."
The company adds: "This process provides increased dimensional stability by realigning the molecular structure of the enclosure material. To further enhance performance, the GLA-55's enclosure has a variable wall thickness which creates a stiff and resonance free enclosure. The net result of the annealing process and variable wall thickness enclosure is increased bass performance and a reduction in unwanted distortions and resonances."
Needless to say, I'm excited to get my hands on a pair. But I'm not so sure that in this economy people are as excited to drop a grand on these guys. Comments?
(Credit:
Sony)
Given that concepts are a penny a dozen, it's no surprise that most never make it off the drawing board at most companies--and Sony is no exception. So it is with some surprise that the company has decided to take that rare step and make one of them a reality.
Sony's "Soutina" (purportedly a mashup of "sound" and "fountain") first made the rounds in draftboard form last year under a different name. But now the unusually designed acrylic speaker--which is described as "a transparent organic glass tube that vibrates and expands 360 degrees"--will be released June 20 in Japan.
There is the small matter of its price, however: $9,600, according to the Associated Press, which estimates the 3.3-foot Soutina to be "slightly thicker than a baseball bat." But hey, you can always pretend it's a giant Lightsaber.
(Credit:
Klipsch)
It's one thing for automakers to focus so much on technology inside the car, but sometimes it seems that they're spending an inordinate amount of time putting their nameplates on products that have nothing to do with the road. The latest example is BMW's co-branding of the Klipsch "Palladium P-39F," marking its entry into the high-end home speaker market.
These monsters stand 5 feet tall and sport a zebra-grain veneer, finished with a brushed-aluminum base. They have an exceptionally sleek appearance thanks to their flush-mounted horns and cones, according to Luxurylaunches. True to its namesake, the BMW loudspeakers come at a premium price as well: $15,000 a pair. And why not? Ferrari has put its logo on a tower system that goes for $20,000. Even at those price levels, they make more sense to us than a $600 BMW coffee maker.
(Credit:
Home Cinema Choice)
The lads over at Home Cinema Choice recently got a sweet surprise from British loudspeaker manufacturer KEF. It came in the form of an impeccable replica of the company's popular 3000-series KHT home theater speakers, affectionately known as the "KEF Egg" among enthusiasts. Rather than the usual boring showpiece, it was a yummy dark chocolate treat that they mercilessly smashed apart and devoured. I wonder if any of our TV vendors will ever send us something similar, molded in the form of an oversized 42-inch flat panel, of course.
(Source: Crave Asia)
(Credit:
Crave Asia)
What do you get when you mix a Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus (left) with the lovable Scandyna Minipod (center)? The Symbio Alpha (right), of course. It combines the snail-like contours of the former with the signature spike stand of the latter, winning hands-down both in form and aesthetics. It also comes in striking black and yellow, crafted using laminated composite baffle and solid aluminum materials.
Looking beyond its funky design, it has a ported two-way configuration that delivers a pretty good 40-25Khz frequency response. This pretty much covers the extreme ends of the spectrum, though it doesn't hurt to throw in a dedicated subwoofer. Speaking of which, you can pair the Alpha with the EggO, an egg-shaped (what else?) passive subwoofer, for added oomph.
And if you want a 5.1 home theater setup, Symbio has that covered too. Just add another Alpha pair and the matching Beta center speakers, and you're all set.
(Source: Crave Asia)
(Credit:
Morel)
The "Fatman" has competition, at least in name and girth. Loudspeaker maker Morel is releasing a new model affectionately dubbed the "Fat Lady."
Luxist says the speakers owe their name to a "zaftig shape" produced by more than two years at the drawing board, something of a pear-shaped design that supposedly offers evenly dispersed sound without deflection or distortion. Finished with a carbon-fiber composite over a fiberglass layer, the speakers house two 9-inch woofers, a 6-inch midrange, and a 1.1-inch "hand-coated, soft dome tweeter." But at $20,000 a pair, the Fat Lady should come with a personal trainer too.
(Credit:
Luxist)
If you've ever wondered what a loudspeaker would look like if it were designed by a company that makes pens, look no further. And if you do happen to fall into this category of curiosity, you have way too much time on your hands.
That aside, the rather odd-looking object pictured here is the product of one Lominichay, better known for its fine writing instruments. Why it's decided to make speakers is anyone's guess, but the company appears to be applying the esoteric sensibilities of its pens to this new line of business.
The "Degas" model shown at left atop its cylindrical stand is one of three speakers named after master painters, made from heavily lacquered birchwood and "promises excellent bass down to 35Hz in moderate- to large-sized listening rooms of about 50 to 500 square feet," according to Luxist, with a "6.5-inch ceramic midrange driver and a sparkling 1-inch diamond tweeter."
All for a mere $30,000, that is, or $32,500 if you splurge for the piano lacquer version. But don't squawk--the Degas is the cheapest of Loiminchay Audio's three debut offerings, with the other two tagged at $45,000 and $75,000 a pair.
At first we were curious about the price of its pens, but now we're too scared to ask.
Venus
(Credit: Audio Junkies)As if there aren't already enough alien eyeball speakers to keep us awake at night, now they're descending from the ceiling to prey upon us as well.
Sputnik
The pair of "Venus" speakers shown on the left can be stacked and suspended with a built-in cable system, housing both woofer and tweeter in their evil orbs. It's one of two ceiling-hanging systems just released by Everything But The Box, according to AudioJunkies, the other being the "Sputnik 12S" subwoofer pictured at right.
It's only a matter of time before the invasion begins. You've been warned.
