- In the years since the
reproduction of sound advanced beyond the cylinder/gramophone
stage to using a
Transducer (magnet/voice coil) assembly and
various designs of diaphragms, cones, horns,
enclosures, etc.; the size, cost, and appearance
of the speaker itself has often been it's own
worst enemy. Big speakers sound great but cost
allot of money and take up space. Smaller
varieties cost less (usually) but just don't
create the sensation of "being there"!
Expensive designs often incorporate
multiple drivers in large or tall cabinets of a
"free standing" type. Less expensive
varieties offer smaller enclosures or "in
wall" designs. Both types often do nothing
to foster an esthetic appearance despite claims
to the contrary. Sound is invisible to the eye
yet the methods we use to create sound are
anything but. Forward thinking companies and
designers try to disguise or conceal speakers or
create bizarre cabinet designs to make them
(speakers) a work of art worthy of exhibition. At
the price your going to pay for such innovative
thinking, you should be able to drive them
to work!
And of course, there arises
the problem of acoustics. Both speaker and room
come into play here. Large rooms mean big
speakers, standing waves, reverberation, and
usually Big Bucks! Small rooms offer less space
for placement, poor separation and imaging, and
therefore some compromise in performance quality.
Ideally, audio purists seek speakers with a flat freq.
response, non-directionality, and an efficient
"dB to watt" level. Very few speakers have it all
together and the ones that do are usually out of
reach for most mortals; space and budget
concerns put a brake on a lot of dreams.
Today, with the enormous
upsurge of awareness and demand for Home Theater
encompassing the entire spectrum of humanity,
there comes a need for the proverbial
"chicken in every pot" speaker system.
A system that can offer quality at an affordable
price for the "every man", yet have
almost unlimited design and performance potential
for the "high end enthusiast"!
Unfortunately though, all of the above is in
conflict with todays' prevailing marketing
concepts and the reality of todays' current
speaker designs. Excepting, of course, a product
that has been hanging
around for 85 years or so................,
The Rolen Star Audio
Transducer
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