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News
12 August 2008
Introducing the DTTP.
10 July 2008
Introducing the SoundFilament interconnect.
5 June 2008
PHI opens a web based NOS valve shop.
1 May 2008
The downΦ® has just been released. Intended as a less expensive alternative to the Cyclops, this loudspeaker has surprised us with plentiful bass and refinement almost equalling its predecessor.
The Audio Video Magazine (AVSA) has published a review of the Cyclops loudspeaker in their May 2008 edition. Watch this space.
9 February 2007
Our first loudspeaker has been released: the Φ58.40b "Cyclops". Almost two years of development preceded this release and we are glad to say that we are very happy with the results.
Any loudspeaker designer is faced with challenges which lead to compromises. This is inevitable in a field where electromechanical means are employed to create an audible environment that attempts to be indistinguishable from an actual musical performance. One is almost put in a position of deciding whether one prefers accuracy to dynamics, tone to frequency extremes, character to precision, on- to off-axis response.
Bearing in mind that this is a 40 Watt loudspeaker, the Φ58.40b offers exceptional performance with all types of music. Where it really shines is with small ensemble (Jazz or Classical) music and percussion. The imaging is eerily holographic and has prompted many a puzzled question from listeners as to where and how the sounds are being generated.
In order to have a "point source" reproduction with wide dispersal, a small driver was chosen. Initially the decision was to proceed with a single forward firing driver, but the low frequency response and low power rating (20 Watt RMS) prompted us to consider a bi-polar design. This, however, presented a few problems, not least of which was the dilution of the directly radiated sound by the ambient reflected sound. Although many see this as an advantage (exploited to it's full in our omni-directional loudspeaker under development), we opted to "correct" this with an unique set of filters - with remarkable results. In keeping with our "less is more" philosophy, the filters were kept as simple as possible, avoiding the loss of advantages common to loudspeakers without crossovers (such as time-coherence, dynamics and efficiency).
This has worked so well that we have in fact decided to re-introduce the original single driver loudspeaker (the Φ58.20) to our development queue.
A lot of thought has gone into these little quarter wave pipes and the system is graced with looks to not only match the performance but any environment that they may be required to occupy.
Please contact us if you wish an audition of these loudspeakers; we'll be more than happy to comply. After all, your ears will have to do the deciding.
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