Sonance Debuts In-Wall Speakers, Subwoofers
By Staff -- TWICE, 1/8/2007
LAS VEGAS — Sonance is introducing new in-wall loudspeakers and subwoofers for home theaters during International CES.
The C4630SE home audio system allows homeowners to listen to any of four different audio sources in up to six rooms (zones) at the same time — all from a single component no larger than a conventional receiver or amplifier, the firm said.
The Sonance system incorporates 12 channels of power amplification at 30 watts RMS each, ready to motivate fully six rooms or zones of stereo loudspeakers, whether in-wall, ceiling, outdoor or conventional freestanding.
Speaker connection is via secure four-pin screw-in connectors, and each zone can individually engage the C4630SE's built-in BBE sound-enhancement processing for a richer, more-lifelike listening experience. There are also stereo line outputs for each individual zone, permitting expansion via more powerful outboard amplifiers on a room-by-room basis. Four stereo pairs of line-level inputs accept four source components, any or all of which are available for distribution simultaneously, the company said.
Sonance's advantage is the Control Manager software, a Windows-compatible application that allows installers to quickly, efficiently and easily program a C4630SE system to serve the layout, needs and preferences of the individual installation, and to integrate its source components, the firm said. Once programmed, the C4630SE delivers intuitive, flexible, powerful control of both the individual room and the audio sources, including the use of powerful yet user-transparent macros to accomplish complex multi-component sequences.
The latest Sonance multiroom solution is a fully expandable system. "Daisy-chain" outputs and inputs permit multiple C4630SE's to exist and share sources, while the system's internal logic supports up to 24 fully autonomous rooms or zones, each with keypad and/or IR remote control. Shipments begin this at a suggested retail of $2,000.
Sonance is also unveiling a trio of new freestanding subwoofers. Each of the new models (12-250, 10-150, 8-100) begin with a family of anodized-aluminum drivers in 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch dimensions.
All three drivers feature extra-long-throw voice coils for the linear, long-excursion motion required for high-output, ultra-low-frequency reproduction for room-shaking bass, the company said. Enclosures are also unusual: a unique laminate of half-inch MDF and 0.5-inch particle board yields one of the most rigid, non-resonant and thus coloration-free family of enclosures available, Sonance said.
New Sonance sub selections are positioned to complement a wide-range of systems. The model 12-250 combines a 12-inch aluminum-cone driver with 250 watts of built-in power to deliver bass extension to 22Hzs. The Sonance 10-150 design nearly equals this impressive performance, with 28Hz extension from a 10-inch driver/150 watts combination, while the 8-100 model's 8-inch transducer and 100-watt electronics combine for a still-impressive 35Hz figure.
Suggested retails are as follows: Model 12-250 cabinet subwoofer, $1,000; model 10-150 cabinet subwoofer, $750; and model 8-100 cabinet subwoofer, $600.
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