April 1, 2008 The new Kappa® loudspeakers from high-performance audio specialist Infinity incorporate several new technologies designed to bring the best of home theater sound to the car. These include reduced impedance to maximize the power available from all amplifiers and head units, plus an in-built distortion-reducing motor that promises clean, crisp bass at all power levels.
Designed for simple installation, the speakers require no special tools for wiring via a new crossover dongle that is permanently connected to the terminals at the factory. The speakers also include frames designed to fit most factory speaker locations without modification.
The new Kappa line ranges from the USD$119.95 per pair 42.9i model (4-Inch, 93dB, peak 150 watts) to the USD$249.95 per pair 680.9cs (6-Inch x 8-inch/5-inch x 7-inch two-way component system, 93dB, peak 270 watts).
“For years, the design of upscale car audio speakers has been loosely based on the design of speaker systems for use at home, where amplifiers are big and power is plentiful,” said Michael W. Silber, director of product development, Harman Mobile, Portable, and Companion Products Division. “The audio systems in new cars are different. Almost all new systems include two-ohm speakers and small, efficient amplifiers or head units designed to drive them. Replacing those two-ohm factory speakers with four-ohm models cuts the available power in half, and that’s no upgrade. Kappa speakers are optimized for these new systems and work beautifully with old-school aftermarket gear, too.”
