loudspeaker
Latest
Nucleus Reference 5LS Loudspeaker is 6.5-feet tall
Trust us, we've seen tall speakers, but Anthony Gallo Acoustics' Nucleus Reference 5LS is downright towering. These floor standing loudspeakers measure in at 7-inches wide, 11-inches deep and a staggering 78-inches high, and each one manages to boast twelve aluminum, rear-firing 4-inch subwoofers, eight 4-inch carbon fiber midrange drivers and seven CDT II tweeters. Interestingly, the firm doesn't get specific with regard to power handling and frequency response, but we are told that a high-powered amplifier isn't required to fill a room with sound. No word on a price just yet, but look for these skyscrapers to get all up in your ceiling fan's business real soon.[Thanks, Micah]
Grundig readies spherical Audiorama speakers
We'll admit, we're suckers for just about anything retro, and Grundig has certainly won us over with its forthcoming Audiorama speakers. These spherical gems can be placed on narrow stands, hung around, or sat on an end table, as the 360-degree sound emissions should cover the space adequately. Unfortunately, details concerning the power handling, frequency range, etc. are still under wraps, but those feelin' the vintage vibe can check out a four pack out next February for around €600 ($826).[Via I4U]
Panasonic's Nano Bass Exciter adds thump to compact speakers
We've long since wondered how laptop manufacturers got away with claiming that a bonafide "subwoofer" was somehow crammed within those tight confines, but if Panasonic has anything to do with it, true low-range may soon fit within such an enclosure. The patent-pending Nano Bass Exciter reportedly enables compact equipment to "reproduce high fidelity low-range sounds," and while specifics have yet to be divulged, this technology can supposedly "reproduce low-end sound equivalent to that emitted by conventional speakers with larger cabinet volume." Furthermore, Panny even goes so far as to claim that this new sound reproduction method allows "ultra-compact speakers used for mobile terminals to produce a sound effect closer to that of home AV equipment speakers." Unfortunately, there's no word on exactly when the firm plans on implementing this into any future products, but until we get a listen in, color us cautiously skeptical.[Via Japan Today]
Kohler, Polk team up on SoundTile in-shower speakers
It appears that the art of singing in the shower is full comeback mode, as not only do you have the option of picking up a speaker-infused shower or bathtub, but now you can retrofit your current one with SoundTiles. Co-developed by Kohler and Polk Audio, these music makers are designed to "perfectly match the shape, profile and finish of the WaterTile bodysprays and showerheads," but we don't see any reason why a slimmed down, waterproof speaker won't work just fine in your current arrangement. The device sports a "marine certified" coaxial speaker in a four- x four- inch escutcheon, a stainless steel front grill, and can be controlled by Kohler's DTV II or wired into any vanilla sound system. The SoundTiles will only be sold in pairs, but should be offered in a variety of finishes for $295 when they land in May.[Via ElectronicHouse]
Spherical speaker array provides blaring ball of sound
Granted, we've seen some oddities in our day when it comes to creating music makers, but the Spherical Speaker Array ranks pretty high up there in terms of sheer peculiarity. The overriding goal of this DIY project was to keep costs at a minimum regardless of quality, which means that the creator opted for speakers that would probably make even a casual audiophile weep. Nevertheless, taking a dremel tool to a number of IKEA bowls, wiring up a multitude of speakers, and finding an amplifier to power your new dangling ball of sound just about takes care of it. So if you're anxious to one-up the almighty 7.1-channel surround sound smartphone, or you just need a sufficient (and noisy) replacement to the dusty disco ball hanging in your pool hall, be sure to tag the links below to get to rockin' (but mostly rolling).[Via HackNMod]
Ferguson Hill's FH008 designer subwoofer shipping soon
Our adoration for earth-moving drivers should already be quite apparent, and considering that Ferguson Hill's forthcoming FH008 was designed specifically to complement the highly-regarded (and highly priced) FH007 mini-system, it's probably worth a listen. The admittedly Apple-centric attitude lends itself to being quite the eye-catching piece of kit, and while we doubt it'll deliver on the same level as a 20,000-watt snow horn, the cutely boxed woofer should certainly fill in the lows to your subwoofer-less system. Packaged in a container which will likely be proudly displayed rather than hastily recycled, the bass machine within will sport a front-firing design, but sadly, the finalized specifications are still under wraps. Still, this thumper is slated to start shipping sometime in April, and even though we've no idea how much coinage will be required to claim one of your own, that little unknown shouldn't bother those who can actually afford it.[Via AudioJunkies]
Austrians build concrete cast 5.1 speaker set
We've seen a bevy of interestingly designed speaker systems come our way, and we've even caught a few glimpses of concrete-based gizmos, but a few crafty Austrians decided to create their own nearly immovable 5.1 surround set by casting each speaker in pure cement. By measuring out the dimensions and constructing molds using wood and wax, the speaker enclosures were then placed in a wire cage and doused with concrete. After solidifying, the internal molds were removed and a custom etched logo was carved on the side, only to be further decorated with a few dashes of paint. Eventually, the electronics and drivers were all installed and sealed up, leaving a surround system that would be quite a burden if any thieves tried to relocate them. While there's no specific step-be-step guide available, the entire process was fairly well captured in photographs, so be sure and hit the read link if you're interesting in killing gobs of time creating a very bizarre set of speakers, or click on through for a few more snapshots.[Via HackADay]
