about ultimate
sound...
There was a time when achieving utterly realistic music
reproduction was a singular goal. The advent of home theater has changed the
landscape dramatically. Unless you can afford separate high-end systems for
music and home theater, you need a system that can handle both with ease.
For home theater today, engaging sound is an important
cinematic element. Have you noticed the technical advances promoted in the last
few years by high-end cineplexes? They have generally centered around
audio-related names like Dolby and DTS. (When was the last time your cineplex
touted visual quality improvements?)
High quality sound is critical to creating the ultimate
cinematic experience and speakers are the weak link in the chain. So where does
the quest for high quality audio begin?
sound familiar?
Perhaps this process may sound familiar: When I began my
quest for perfect sound (admittedly years ago in the days of stereo), I
conducted extensive research, visiting every audio store within reasonable
driving distance.
When I found the "speakers of my dreams," I saved for
months until I could afford them. I couldn't wait to get home and unpack them.
Of course, that initial thrill lasted only a day or so until I noticed sounds
in my headphones that were not evident with my speakers. Disillusioned, I was
forced to begin the process all over again.
the challenge
Today, assembling a dream sound system is an even more
daunting task. The predominance of spoken word in cinema means accurate and
detailed midrange reproduction is critical. (The human voice, especially
female, is among the most difficult sounds for a speaker to voice properly.)
Add the often explosive levels of low bass energy in today's movie sound tracks
and you face a dilemma.
Optimizing a speaker for human voice reproduction
generally requires utilizing smaller diameter mid-woofers that are physically
incapable of generating much in the way of low bass energy. On the other hand,
using larger woofers extends bass response but compromises delicate midrange
voicing.
That is why most home theater speakers reproduce music
poorly. Conversely, it is also why typical stereo speakers are not ideal for
home theater use. What's more, both can be a source of listener fatigue.
It would appear to be a no-win situation. Is it possible
to design a system that excels at both music and film-based sound? Yes - while
it may be difficult, it is possible.
requirements
To meet the requirements of both, a speaker system
should exhibit these minimum characteristics:
- Flat response across the entire audio spectrum
- Fast response times to effectively handle
instantaneous transients
- Wide dispersion to extend the soundstage far beyond
the dimensions of the speakers
- An "airy," transparent, but never harsh, high end
- A highly articulate, detailed, warm and musical
midrange
- Low bass extension to provide flat response down to
at least 30Hz (something, by the way, only a few of the very best subwoofers
are capable of providing)
- A design capable of being driven by Class-A solid
state or tube amplifiers
- Matched drivers to create a smooth, seamless
soundstage with no audible anomalies as sound moves from speaker to
speaker
- Wide dynamic capabilities to accurately and
effortlessly handle elevated sound pressure levels (often found in contemporary
film sound tracks) without losing the ability to image extremely soft and
delicate passages.
The resulting system will produce sound that is nothing
short of stunning when driven by any quality solid state or tube amplifier. But
when married to Class-A amplification, the music will magically open up and the
speakers themselves disappear. The only thing that remains is music itself at a
level of detail you have never before experienced.
the problem
The problem is, speaker systems that meet these
requirements will set you back from $5,000 to $75,000 at retail. And even then,
there may be compromises.
Is there a solution? Yes - a custom-crafted speaker
system designed to both meet your technical specifications and perfectly match
your acoustic environment, listening tastes and décor.
custom speaker systems
Many of our custom-crafted
speaker systems start with intricate cabinet designs that are often far too
labor intensive for most retail speaker manufacturers to consider. Precision
cabinet parts are hand-assembled and finished in your choice of woods and
stains.
Choices include standard oak, maple, cherry, mahogany
and walnut. They also include rosewood, bubinga, lacewood and even more exotic
burled woods and veneers.
The staining options include virtually every color of
the rainbow. Imagine, for example, a birds-eye maple speaker with a translucent
plum-colored stain.
Final finish options include satin or high-gloss,
hand-rubbed lacquer, at your option.
Once the custom cabinets are complete, they are fitted
with the world's highest quality drivers and premium crossover components (some
of which are built by hand), all individually selected and matched for sonic
uniformity.
Finally, the speakers are broken in until they exhibit
near-perfect musicality.
the result
The result is a one-of-a-kind sound system that is
stunning in every respect - musically and visually.
Are they expensive? That depends on your perspective.
With our custom systems, you deal direct and avoid the keystone markup required
in normal retail channels. So even though our speaker systems equal or
outperform their stratospherically-priced counterparts, you can expect to save
30 - 50%.
your last purchase
No longer will you focus on how good your speakers
sound. Your dreams realized, you are finally free to explore musical detail you
never imagine existed. And you will never need to save for new speakers. These
are the very last you will likely ever purchase.
To see samples of our current speaker product line,
see our gallery.
For further information, call (248) 814-8062 or email us
at info@salksound.com.
* salk sound - home
|
