GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm

The first thing one notices about the CASABLANCA III cabinet is its striking design. This cabinet shape, however, has more than just eye-catching qualities, its acoustic qualities have to be heard to be believed.
The speaker consists of a large lower chamber and a top-mounted upper chamber and the two are interconnected through an opening that has been exactly calculated. This is, in fact, a twin-chamber vented cabinet. As a result of the twin-chamber arrangement, it is possible, in comparison with a conventional vented cabinet, to extend the range downwards by a considerable amount. The Helmholtz resonance of the upper chamber is around 90 Hz, that of the lower chamber around 33 Hz.
The fibre glass high-end GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm woofer has been used in the CASABLANCA III and helps achieve unbelievably low-range bass levels and, at the same time, producing remarkable maximum volume levels for a speaker of this size. The two tried-and-tested "softening" textile dome units G 50 FFL - 8 Ohm and G 25 FFL - 8 Ohm guarantee transparent, rounded sound qualities across the entire mid- and high-range. The convex cones also blend in well with the overall design of the CASABLANCA III model. The result is an unusual speaker both as regards its design and its construction principles with excellent low-range bass reproduction coupled with tremendous signal fidelity.

Not available as a complete kit.

Visaton's CLASSIC 200 GF offers an interesting way to enter the world of high-end music pleasure. The high-quality components have been selected with an eye on optimising value-for-money but without losing sight (or rather, sound) of the key quality requirements.

Supported by the front bass reflex vent, the GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohmgenerates low-frequency sound in a classic 3-band combination. Thanks to the extremely rigid fibre-glass diaphragm and long cone-displacement properties, level accuracy is perfectly maintained even when coneexcursion is considerable.

In the mid-range, the TI 100 - 8 Ohm, one of the best Visaton drivers available, takes control. This very light, rigid titanium driver has become a reference point in terms of distortion free, well-detailed music reproduction.

Above 2200 Hz, the G 20 SC - 8 Ohm fabric dome driver cuts in and does not stop until well above the frequencies considered to be audible (30 kHz).

The overall result is a very high-quality, perfectly balanced speaker whose moderate size makes it an excellent candidate for enjoying high-end music in the sitting-room.

This designer speaker cabinet is a challenge for any experienced craftsman who is looking for a speaker that stands out from the crowd. The excellent design means that the shape is not just a designer's whim but a technically thought-out reality. The front baffle has been kept as narrow as possible all the way along. This projects the sound away from the speakers into the room, in such a way that the instruments and voices are perfectly positioned and - provided the speakers are positioned away from the walls - the listener is treated to excellent spatial sound. The curved shape of the side panels has a stiffening effect and reduces resonance dramatically. In this way, the conventional reinforcements are not required.
In the bass department, we have the GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm with its high level accuracy, which can really make the most of its long-stroke voice coil and fibre-glass reinforced cone. The bass driver is positioned very close to the floor of the cabinet, and requires a low cross-over frequencyup to the mid-range. In order to maintain the excellent level accuracy here, a speaker with a large cone surface area has been chosen. In this combination, the AL 170 - 8 Ohm demonstrates its remarkable mid-range characteristics that guarantee exceptional transparency and clarity of sound. The tried-and-tested G 25 FFL - 8 Ohm textile dome unit adds depth and vitality to the high-range.
Not available as a complete kit.

The FONTANELLA subwoofer satellite system is both visually and accoustically a completely new experience. The drivers in the satellitesare arranged to project the sound upwards. Two specially shaped cones reflect the sound according to specific patterns to ensure that the sound is distributed horizontally and uniformly in all directions.

The mid-bass unit is the AL 130 M - 8 Ohm, and the tweeter range is covered by the DT 94 - 8 Ohm.

This diffused sound distribution means that the impressive spatial effect is virtually uniform all round the room. Virtual sound sources, for example the voices or instruments that appear between the speakers, can be clearly and precisely located. The depth of colour of the sound remains the same at any seating position in the whole room. Ideally, the satellitesshould be positioned 0.5 m to 1 m away from a wall and on a base or stand. The cones should then be at ear level or slightly below.

The passive subwoofer cabinet has been designed to match the satellitesand is fitted with the GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm double voice-coil woofer; resulting in powerful, highly dynamic bass reproduction from this high-end driver.

The FONTANELLA system provides a high level of listening pleasure as a hifi stereo system but is also extremely well suited to use as the rear effect channel in home-video systems. In such cases, the subwoofer is not required and the two satellites are used alone.

If you combine the NANO SAT MK II with the NANO SUB PR, you get a speaker system that is totally living-room friendly consisting of tiny satellites and a compact subwoofer which, all-in-all, sounds like a far larger, uncompromising column speaker set-up.

The BR 25.50 bass reflex tube with its flow-optimised, curved trumpet vent, contributes to the good overall sound of the subwoofer. The subwoofer cannot be located due to its 18 dB filter and separation at 150 Hz. A high-pass system and reflex balance enable the two tiny, magnetically screen satellites to produce remarkably dynamic sound. They can, therefore, also be used as centre or surround speakers for Surround systems at home.

The SOLITUDE set-up combines the direct, highly precise soundreproduction of the B 200 - 6 Ohm wide-range speaker with the dynamic bass of two GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm. The B 200 - 6 Ohm is fitted in a completely enclosed, heavily damped compartment. The two GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm woofers are mounted in a voluminous cabinet with a generously dimensioned bass reflex tube. Owing to the very low-frequency separation, SOLITUDE is, in effect, a wide-range speaker with a subwoofer.

First impressions: fantastic sound! A synthesis of the precision localisation, clarity and analytical precision of the SOLO 100 or SOLO 50(straight down the axis) and the level accuracy of the CONCORDE MK III. The bass is deep but not heavy, the medium range clearly evident, with no fuzzy fringes. We could not detect a break between the bass and the rest - the sound was more homogeneous and pure than we had ever heard from any other wide-range speakers.

The two sections have to be reverse connected. In so doing, it does not matter whether the bass is connected correctly or not as long as the SOLITUDE is playing on its own. In conjunction with other speakers (e.g. in a multichannel system) the bass must, of course be in sync.

The VIB 2000 GF is the logical development of one of the most popular column cabinets in the field of D.I.Y. speakers - the VISATON VIB. The concept of the 2-way enclosure in a 45 litre vented cabinet has been retained, but the drivers used are different, and the crossover unit has been reappraised to suit. In the low- to mid-range we have the GF 200 - 2 x 4 Ohm, whose fibre glass cone can produce a big stroke and thus is good for powerful low-range bass even at higher volume levels. The parallel resonant circuit before the low pass unit compensates for the rise in the mid-range of the 200 mm cone drive and guarantees a linear and coloration-free frequency response until the tweeter takes over at around 2.5 KHz. The 18 dB high-pass section links in the 25 mm G 25 FFL - 8 Ohm textile dome unit.

The VIB 2000 GF produces remarkably vivid, precise bass output at the lowest frequencies, linear mid-range sound, spatially separated from the speakers themselves and a smooth, finely sketched high-frequency range.