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McIntosh raids flagship tech for more accessible room-dominating speakers

Paul Ridden November 19, 2018

Late last year, high-end audio brand McIntosh revealed a new flagship loudspeaker, the XRT2.1.K, priced at US$130,000. Now the company has announced a slightly less powerful version that's also less than half the price.

Each XRT1.1K loudspeaker has 70 drivers, is shorter and lighter than the flagship model and has ...

Home Entertainment

McIntosh floorstanding speakers will dominate any room

Paul Ridden December 19, 2017

McIntosh says that it's tapped into over 45 years of loudspeaker manufacture know-how to create a pair of 7 ft high audiophile pleasers. The XRT2.1K full-range speakers feature a total of 81 drivers for the promise of "spacious sound reproduction with an unusually deep sound stage."

The McIntosh XRT2.1K loudspeakers cost $130,000 a pair

Home Entertainment

Stones Speakers put the rock in rock 'n' roll

Paul Ridden December 14, 2017

Speaker cabinets are usually made from wood or, for penny pinching, plastic – though we have seen speakers made using other materials like glass and concrete. Michele Gastaldello and Giacomo Munari mix Italian design with good old-fashioned stone masonry for their Stones Speakers line.

The Stones Speakers 482 Petrina, with a single 4-inch full-range driver

Home Entertainment

B&W's flagship audio tech trickles down into cheaper speaker series

Paul Ridden September 8, 2017

Many of the tech enhancements from B&W's top-of-the-line 800 Diamond Series have been handed down to a new, cheaper generation of speakers. But even the least expensive 700 series speaker will still set you back $1,200 a pair.

B&W's 700 Series loudspeakers replace the company's popular CM Series

Good Thinking

Audio-monitoring tech keeps announcements audible

Ben Coxworth February 3, 2016

Messages announced over train station loudspeakers are notorious for being unintelligible. Germany's Fraunhofer Institute is trying to do something about it, however. It's developed new audio-enhancement software, which might even find use in smartphones.

ADAPT DRC monitors ambient sound, and adjusts frequencies of spoken announcements accordingly

3D Printing

Researchers 3D print a working loudspeaker

Paul Ridden December 18, 2013

A research team from Cornell University's Creative Machines Lab has managed to 3D print the cone, coil and magnet of a loudspeaker, and then use it to throw out sounds from a digital audio player.

Home Entertainment

The party on the patio comes courtesy of B&W AM-1 weatherproof speakers

Paul Ridden March 14, 2013

Bowers & Wilkins has revealed a weatherproof loudspeaker named the AM-1 Architectural Monitor.

Home Entertainment

Marshall breaks into home audio with the Hanwell loudspeaker

Paul Ridden September 4, 2012

Marshall Headphones and Zound Industries have unveiled the Hanwell, a new Marshall-branded active loudspeaker headed for discerning living rooms in the near future.

Music

Let's twist again: The Teti Extreme Loudspeakers

Paul Ridden January 4, 2011

The Teti Extreme Louspeakers from Book of Music merge eye-catching design with high-end audio driver technology.