Speaker Porn

[Dusty Chalk]

Did you know it took a speaker manufacturer to produce the best amplifier in the world?

Originally, we developed the Arbiter for internal use only; however, the interest was overwhelming for this magnificent amplifier, and because of this, we decided to produce a limited batch of 50 complete sets.

The Arbiter was, and still is, unlike anything else on the market. With its battery-powered design, over 1.000-watt output power, a bandwidth from nearly DC to 300 kHz, and probably the most elaborate volume control ever created, the Arbiter still ranks among the very best even 20 years after its birth.

[luvdunhill]

1.000 or 1,000? Just saying.

[grawk]

guess that depends on the location

[luvdunhill]

kW works everywhere (ish), but I guess more zeros wins over precise zeros

[Grahame]

Guitarist Dream System

Audiophile prior art

 

Because ....

 

 

[skullguise]

A "desktop" powered speaker, available in Sterling Silver or Gold.  €4,665,000 for the pure 24K gold version.....

 

[Craig Sawyers]

I'm speechless.  Who would?  Why?

Back on planet earth, ML recently introduced the Neolith; the design brief was anything goes with the only requirement that it fits though a standard domestic door.  At around $100k you could buy 50 of them for the solid gold microsystem above.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

28 minutes ago, Craig Sawyers said:

I'm speechless.  Who would?  Why?

Back on planet earth, ML recently introduced the Neolith; the design brief was anything goes with the only requirement that it fits though a standard domestic door.  At around $100k you could buy 50 of them for the solid gold microsystem above.

 

More cents than sense?

Mmm...line array electrostatics...(and by that I mean the 50 Neoliths)...

[Craig Sawyers]

Now you're hitting my buttons.  A Quad-like array of Neoliths.......

[Dusty Chalk]

I was just trying to figure out what you were going to do them once you got them through said domicile sized door.  You certainly weren't going to arrange them back to front -- that might cancel each other out....er, no, it would generate some very nasty comb filtering.

[Dusty Chalk]

...and some non-speaker porn, also from the recently passed Munich show:

I don't even know what this is:

[Grahame]

Lots more Bavarian pr0n in high def here

http://www.my-hiend.com/vbb/showthread.php?10531-2016%E5%B9%B4%E5%BE%B7%E5%9C%8B%E6%85%95%E5%B0%BC%E9%BB%91High-End%E9%9F%B3%E9%9F%BF%E5%B1%95%E5%AF%A6%E6%B3%81%E5%A0%B1%E5%B0%8E-Munich-High-End-Show

e.g.

 

as for what this is ...

 

google image search came up a blank ....

but it was here with some friends

But  at the apatura-audio display

http://www.apertura-audio.com/EN/index.html

not one of their products cable / speakers 

but their blog http://blog.apertura-audio.com/

said they they had a guest ...

And for this 2016 edition we won’t be alone ! Kostas Metaxas fromMetaxas & Sins will join us for unforgetable listening sessions.

He will present his brand new line of audio products: Ikarus, Solitaire and Opus. And more surprises also…

                                                                    

 

 

 

 

 

OK lets look at http://metaxas.com/

 

Bingo !

 

 

 

[spritzer]

I'd love to hear some of the speakers some day. 

[Dusty Chalk]

Thanks for your Google-fu, Graham, I was too lazy to look. 

The reason image-search came up blank is because an imaginary friend* of mine who went to the show took the picture, and took it at an angle to downplay its anthropomorphic qualities, I suspect on purpose.

33 minutes ago, spritzer said:

I'd love to hear some speakers some day. 

Yeah, you should, speakers are cool.  Not as nice as headphones, but they're useful when you don't want to be tethered, or are moving around a lot, or have wet hair, or are dirty, or...

*Imaginary friend == anyone I've met online, but not necessarily in real life...

...wait, does that mean Jacob is my imaginary friend?

[RudeWolf]

Yesterday finally acquired a pair of Equator audio Q12's. Yeah, I know - they're hardly audiophile with all their internal DSP trickery and 12'' drivers with compression horn tweeters are hardly appropriate for near field...

 

[Dusty Chalk]

So black

Much black

Can't even see the coaxial speakers

I only have the mild-mannered D5s, would love to hear the Q12s.

[RudeWolf]

The Q12's are anything but mild mannered. Stock they go down to low forties/thirties and with my SB-2000 sub it's pretty much 20-20k coverage. And 500+200W continuos power is something to behold. Fortunately DSP tames the horn driver, so there's not really a hint of harshness.

Interestingly enough my SVS 12" sub has a hard time keeping up with the mains at high SPL's. The frenchman who sold me the Q12's has made me an extremely nice deal for the Equator Q18S sub. Think - 18", 1000W continuos and 16Hz -6dB point for a 160lb sealed box. On top of that I can daisy chain the sub to mains with a CAT5 cable and control all speakers via software.

And yeah - the photo is super dark, because that made my room look less untidy.

[Dusty Chalk]

16Hz?!?!?  Unholy carp...

[RudeWolf]

The info on the sub is scarce. At first I thought that Equator guys were crazy enough to devise 18" coax main monitors. Here's the skinny - 

Frequency Response (-6dB): 15Hz - 180Hz

Recommended Line Level Input: 10mV-2V

Amplifier Power (LF): 1000W

Amplifier Peak Power (LF): 2000W

Sensitivity: 1w/1m output, 103dB

Max SPL: ≥129

Input Impedance: 10kΩ

L.F. Driver VC Size: 4”

L.F. Driver (4- ohm): 18”

Crossover Frquency: Software Configurable

Inputs: XLR, USB, RS485 in/thru, ¼” phone jack

Protection: Compression (LF), thermal, short circuit, under voltage

Magnetic Shielding: No

Enclosure alignment: Bass-reflex

Enclosure Construction: 1” HDF baffle & 3/4” 13 layer Baltic Birch

Finish: Black/Micro-Metallic Gray

Dimensions H x W x D (in.): 29 x 25 x 25

Shipping Weight (lbs.): 160

 

Originally these sold for around 5k$, but now I'm able to get one for 800EUR shipped.

[skullguise]

So I sold a small Chipamp to a nice gent on Audio Asylum.  He was using it for (one of) his horn systems, and he said it worked out real well.  He sent me some pics of two of his other speaker systems:

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by skullguise

[Dusty Chalk]

Oh fuck yeah, external supertweeters FTW!  And the first pair are gorgeous, too!  A flower?

[chinsettawong]

Wow!  I really like the big wood horn speakers.

 

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by chinsettawong

[Craig Sawyers]

For those with a home cinema

[Hopstretch]

Parp. Parp.

[Dusty Chalk]

Those screens are way too tiny for home theater.

Oh, and:  (squints)