Center speakers

ARIA

Characteristics and sound properties

The ARIA is a small-sized 2-band shelf-top speaker system that uses the TI 100 8 Ohm high-end mid-bass unit and the G 20 SC 8 Ohm dome tweeter. The unit is equally well suited to life as a satellite in a straightforward stereo system or for use in a multichannel set-up. It can be combined with larger speakers such as the VOX 200 where it takes over the centre or effect role or a full set of them can be used to cover all channels. The lower limiting frequency is at 75 Hz, i.e. deep-bass should be left to an active subwoofer and the satellites will need protecting with a high-pass section or, in multichannel systems, they should be run in small mode.

If the speakers are positioned right by the wall or in a shelving unit, the bass reflex tube will be partly damped or completely stifled, which can compensate for excessively boosted bass.

Art. No. 5945

ARIA 2

The ARIA 2 is a small-sized 2-band shelf-top speaker system that uses two TI 100 - 8 Ohm high-end mid-bass units and the G 20 SC - 8 Ohmdome tweeter. The unit is equally well suited to life as a satellite in a straightforward stereo system or for use in a multichannel set-up. It can be combined with larger speakers such as the VOX 200 where it takes over the centre or effect role or a full set of them can be used to cover all channels. The lower limiting frequency is at 75 Hz, i.e. deep-bass should be left to an active subwoofer and the satellites will need protecting with a high-pass section or, in multichannel systems, they should be run in small mode.

If the speakers are positioned right by the wall or in a shelving unit, the bass reflex tube will be partly damped or completely stifled, which can compensate for excessively boosted bass.

Art. No. 5946

ARIA 2 KE

This variant of the ARIA 2 has been fitted out with the KE 25 SC - 8 Ohmas an alternative and the crossover adapted accordingly.

A complete kit for this suggestion is available via www.vc-mailorderservice.de.

ARIA 2 MHT CENTER

The ARIA 2 MHT CENTER is equipped with the popular combination of drivers consisting of the TI 100 - 8 Ohm and the MHT 12 - 8 Ohm. As a result of this choice of drivers and the linear frequency response, it is ideally suited as a complementary centre speaker in conjunction with the VOX 253 MTI or TOPAS, for example, to produce a high-end home theatre system. As already seen in the ARIA 2, the magnetostat is positioned in the middle of the slim-line baffle and is flanked by the two titanium mid-bass units.

In contrast to centre speakers featuring a genuine D'Appolito arrangement, the ARIA 2 MHT CENTER is well suited to horizontal positioning e.g. above or below the television set, because it does not have anything like the same beaming effect. The sophisticated 2.5-band crossover circuitry is responsible for this feature. The crossover separates one of the two mid-bass units at 1800 Hz while the second is not separated until 4500 Hz is reached, to leave the higher frequencies to the magnetostat.
This deliberate individual treatment of the two TI 100 - 8 Ohm prevents noticeable directivity which, in a vertically placed D'Appolito arrangement, would be intentional but in a horizontally placed centre speaker must be avoided at all costs to ensure that all the seating positions in the home theatre are treated to the same volume levels.

Art. No. 5947

ARIA KE

This variant of the ARIA has been fitted out with the KE 25 SC - 8 Ohm as an alternative and the crossover adapted accordingly.

A complete kit for this suggestion is available via www.vc-mailorderservice.de.

ARIA MHT

The ARIA MHT is a variant of the popular smaller ARIA shelf-top speaker. Instead of being fitted with a fabric dome driver, the ARIA MHT has the excellent MHT 12 - 8 Ohm magnetostat. As a result, the crossover had to be tuned exactly to match the two drivers. Since magnetostats should not be separated at too low a frequency, the transfer frequency was set at 5000 Hz. This results in extremely clear high-frequency output even at high volumes. Getting the crossover to the right level to allow the TI 100 - 8 Ohm to operate up to 5000 Hz took some effort. This high-end mid-bass unit can produce unusually long cone excursion due to its long voice coil, which means it can generate a bass output level that is surprising considering the compact size. Thanks to the extremely rigid titanium diaphragm, the TI 100 - 8 Ohm stands out in the mid-range due to excellent overall presence and vocal clarity. In conjunction with the silky smooth treble range for which magnetostats are famous, this combination is a clear contender for the premium high-end loudspeaker league. Although the ARIA MHT produces powerful bass when used as a shelf speaker, it makes sense to add an active subwoofer if you need to emphasise the lowest frequencies.

Art. No. 5948

BIJOU 170

The BIJOU 170 is a compact shelf-top speaker with high-end drivers as the original BIJOU. The AL 170 - 8 Ohm woofer in the closed 10.5 l case provides for a kick and exact bass which works well and without booming by mounting on a wall. This was reached by a slightly rising frequency response to about 1000 Hz, so that the BIJOU 170 should be used preferentially as a wall or shelf-mounted speaker.

In this duet the high tone reproduction takes over the also well known ceramic tweeter KE 25 SC - 8 Ohm which is extremely rich in detail and exact in work.

The BIJOU 170 is available as single version and can be used therefore e.g. as a centre speaker, but, of course, also as a front and effect loudspeaker in home cinema systems, supported by an additional subwoofer.

Art. No. 5889

CT CENTER 81

The CT CENTER 81 is a compact, enclosed 3-way system with well-balanced sound quality and complete magnetic shielding, as required for example if positioned close to a TV or PC. Inside the cabinet, we use magnetically shielded speakers, types F 8 SC - 8 Ohm (8 cm full-range) and SC 5 - 8 Ohm (10 mm tweeter) and the complete speaker then meets the shielding requirements of the THX® regulations (3-Gaussian curve). The asymmetric design of the front baffle and of the crossover unit provide good omnidirectional sound distribution both vertically and horizontally. It is possible to install the speakers in the upright position, as is usual for multimedia systems, or lying down on top of a TV, as is usual with surround systems.

In terms of sound quality, the CT CENTER 81 produces clear-cut sound, well removed from the speakers, but with remarkably well-formed bass reproduction for a system of this size.

FONTANA

The 2-way FONTANA system is a 360° omnidirectional speaker with a highly attractive appearance and is particularly well suited as an effect speaker. The speakers are arranged so that they point upwards and reflect the sound output by means of two specially shaped cones. This results in a uniformly distributed frequency response, that matches your hearing expectations in the room.

The best sound quality is achieved if these omnidirectional speakers are positioned about 50 cm to 1 m from a wall. This produces spatial sound of such tangible quality that it is perceived at any position in the room. Virtual sound sources, such as instruments or voices perceived to be between the speakers, can be clearly located from any seating position in the room, which gives listeners a freedom of movement in the room they have never had before and this holds true even in acoustically difficult rooms. This results in extraordinary diffusion fields for the effects channels in Dolby® Surround and multi-channel systems.

The DT 94 - 8 Ohm tweeters, ideal for this type of system, working in conjunction with the mid-bass AL 170 - 8 Ohm and the carefully tuned crossover unit, ensure balanced, neutral sound reproduction. Low-range bass frequencies are boosted by the BR 15.34 tube, which is situated in the bottom of the bass chamber and guarantees clear, powerful bass reproduction.

The omnidirectional FONTANA, tested in an anechoic chamber, achieved a maximum volume of 98 dB. If positioned, as recommended, near a wall, however, the system produces + 6 dB or, in a corner of the room, + 9 dB, making this omnidirectional speaker ideally suited even for larger rooms. If required, two FONTANA's can be installed on each side to produce a full surround field. To do so, position one omnidirectional speaker to the side of the seating arrangement and a second one behind that. The same applies to the other side.

The FONTANA is ideal as a fullrange effects speaker system for high-quality surround sound systems for movies and music, but can just as well be used as the main loudspeaker for hi-fi stereo systems to give you excellent spatial listening pleasure for your favourite music.

Art. No. 5974

LA BELLE CENTER

The objective during the development of the La Belle center speaker was to convey the outstanding sound quality requirements achieved in the La Belle column speaker to a horizontal center speaker. A key aim of the project was for the center speaker to emulate its big sister’s abilities in every discipline and enable perfect integration in a high-quality surroundsystem at benchmark level. To achieve this high standard, the configuration and volume of the housing were retained and any changes to the crossover were kept to an absolute minimum.

One particular new feature that has been incorporated is a regulator allowing the bass level to be adjusted by very fine degrees over a broad level range. This takes account of the fact that centre speakers are often mounted close to a wall and this often leads to unpleasant over-emphasis of bass frequencies. To achieve even better freedom as regards the distance above the floor, the control is deigned to be infinitely variable. This enables this center speaker to be adapted for mounting at any desired point - whether free-standing or close to a wall or corner - without restriction.

The result is, in every respect, a complete success. Once correctly set up, the La Belle centre produces the same spatially separated, taught, dynamic and accurate results as we are already accustomed to from the La Belle column speaker. It is perfectly and harmoniously integrated in the system as a whole, enables a firm volume level and yet produces such an utterly clean-sounding surround system that the limits are defined only by the quality of the source and the ears of those listening. Both the quiet passages and louder sections are reproduced accurately and with attention to detail. No audible weaknesses are detectable and compression distortion is a term that is simply not used in connection with this speaker. The sum of these characteristics qualifies the La BelleCentre as a realistic alternative to the column speakers. This remarkable speaker, designed for everyday enjoyment but by no means mundane, is ideally suited as a powerful rear speaker. To ensure you make full use of the speaker’s capabilities (especially in the bass department), it is recommended that you do not use a high-pass filter in conjunction with your surround amplifier.

LA BELLE CR

As the most compact member of the La Belle family, the La Belle CR is equipped with the same tweeter and mid-range drivers as its bigger sisters La Belle and La Belle Center, but does without the woofers found in those larger arrangements. As regards its appearance, the La Belle CR is obviously based on the La Belle. The objective of the development was to produce rear speaker that can also be used as a smaller centre speaker.

In order to achieve a reasonable lower limiting frequency for use with a surround system, the cabinet was designed to be just big enough to house the B 200 - 6 Ohm above 67 Hz while keeping the loudspeaker cabinet as compact as possible. Although this may appear to be a contradiction in terms, the parameters of the B 200 - 6 Ohm allow this idea to be put into practice, which enables the La Belle CR to be easily integrated in a surround system in conjunction with large main speakers and subwoofers. Even if used as a simple pair of stereo speakers, they will cut a good figure.

The low-frequency range is subjected to linearising and high-pass filtering by the serial capacitor. Nevertheless, we recommend including a high-pass filter on the surround amp (small mode), which will enable much improved bass management. Since it does not have to cope with the lower frequencies, the La Belle CR is well able to keep up with the larger family members at the top end of the volume scale.

At the same time, it has been possible to retain the inimitable soundquality and range of detail found throughout the La Belle family, which allows the harmonious surround effect to be achieved through all the speakers at the highest level. The challenge of reproducing the finest acoustic details provided by the source of the sound at the volume levels typically encountered in film environments is met with remarkable accuracy, which results in many an astonished listener in the auditorium. This speaker is quite simply able to amaze.

Art. No. 5882

STUDIO 1

The naming of the Studio 1 was very easy due to the optics, which are reminiscent of typical studio monitors. This does not mean that the Studio 1 is solely a studio monitor. This speaker can also be used in larger home theater systems and, of course, as a pure stereo system, supported by a powered subwoofer if necessary.

By using the Waveguide WG 220x150, coupled with the excellent properties of the well known G 25 FFL - 8 Ohm tweeter, and the two AL 130 - 8 Ohm woofers, an interesting and extraordinary construction speaker kit came into being, which can be described as extremely rich in detail and lifelike in terms of precise focus and soundstage.

During the development of the STUDIO 1, some tricks had to be employed to achieve the above mentioned properties. The bassreflex port is installed at an angle of 45° upwards, which eliminates the well known problem of standing waves in the channel itself.

Additionally, the Waveguide WG 220x150 adds substantial improvements to the qualities of the G 25 FFL - 8 Ohm: On the one hand, the height of the waveguide brings the sound generation zone of the tweeter and the woofers into line, as on the other hand the exponentially expanding shape of the waveguide optimizes the radiation pattern and puts less strain on the tweeter in the lower frequency range. An optimized radiation pattern in this context means that the width of the acoustical beam of the tweeter is adapted to the beamwidth of the woofers in the region of the transition. Thereby, a homogeneous sound also arises in rooms with unequal reverberation times.

These important points allow for the excellent sound of the Studio 1, which can be described in summary by the word "directly".

Art. No. 5890

STUDIO 2

When development on the STUDIO 2 started, there were key questions posed: is it possible to improve on a 2-band shelf-top speaker and is a new version necessary in the first place? To be clear from the start: the answer to both questions is "yes".

The introduction of waveguide technology made it possible to optimise acoustic characteristics not only along the axis, but also to perfect the lateral radiation pattern. This enhancement has been implemented here.

The STUDIO 2 speaker brings together the two high-end AL 130 – 8 Ohm and G 25 FFL – 8 Ohm drivers in a harmonious marriage, in the same way as in the larger sister, the STUDIO 1. This combination of a 13-cm mid-bass unit and a 25-mm tweeter has already proved its worth in that speaker.

The tweeter is also supported by a waveguide in the STUDIO 2, the WG 148 R. This round version of the waveguide WG 220x150 has exactly the same acoustic characteristics and ensures optimised beaming between the G 25 FFL – 8 Ohm dome tweeter, which normally radiates its output quite noticeably and the AL 130 – 8 Ohm mid-bass unit, which tends to bundle its output more around the higher frequencies. In this way, the result is a completely homogeneous, seamless whole, characterised by uniform focus.

The drivers, all tuned to be as lossless as possible, ensure accurate, finely resolved sound quality, which rounds off the holistic character of the speaker.

As a result of these finely balanced acoustic characteristics, the STUDIO 2 is well suited to use as a monitor in sound studios, which is why it was given that name during the development stage. As is usual for loudspeakers of this genre, sound reproduction has been kept as neutral as possible so as not to taint the sound recording.

As well as these professional applications, the speaker can equally well be used for normal stereo or multi-channel systems. If used in connection with a home theatre system, we recommend configuring the loudspeakers as "small" in the receiver set-up. This will filter out the really deep frequencies, which will enable the STUDIO 2 to generate unbelievable sound pressure levels. Despite the compact dimensions, if these speakers are supported by a subwoofer, even much larger systems can be elbowed aside.

So the STUDIO 2 is not merely a small-format 2-band shelf-top speaker, it is a small, universally talented speaker with a sound quality you simply would not expect.

Art. No. 5881

TABULA

Tabula is a stereo loudspeaker cabinet designed to look like a shelf that is extremely versatile. It can be used as a bookshelf, TV stand, worktop or hifi rack and integrated invisibly into the room as a loudspeaker.

The main drivers are the miniature fullrange BF 32 - 8 Ohm speakers which, despite their modest size, sound remarkably grown-up and incorporate such technical details as aluminium diaphragms and neodymium magnets.

The bass department of the Tabula system is provided by the W 100 S - 8 Ohm, an excellent value-for-money bass driver that has been popular for decades for that very reason. In the correspondingly designed bass reflexcabinet, this driver generates excellent low-frequency bass that is remarkably firm despite the size of the speaker.

The combination of these three components, coupled with a sophisticated crossover and the design of the system details produces a powerful stereo sound system which can be invisibly integrated into the room. Supplemented with a miniature amp (such as the VISATON AMP 2.2) and a simple MP3 player, the Tabula becomes a full-scale Hifi system.

Art. No. 5887

VOX 253-CENTER

The VOX 253-CENTER is the corresponding centre speaker to match the VOX 253. This is a horizontal speaker equipped with identical drivers. The TIW 250 XS - 8 OHM bass speaker and a bass reflex tube tube are positioned to left and right of the mid- to high-range unit, which is arranged vertically, behind a fabric-covered frame. If required, the drivers in the speaker can be fitted with compensating magnets to shield them magnetically. The VOX 253-CENTER has the same excellent soundproperties as the VOX 253. The reproduction of the unbelievably sonorous low-range bass and, at the same time, extremely clear-cut mid- and high-range reproduction, is mastered effortlessly by the VOX 253-CENTER.

This centre speaker is the ideal choice if you want to build up a multi-channel system around the VOX 253, that will appeal to both seasoned music lovers and aficionados of the cinema.