Definitive To Show Off Near-Invisible Speakers

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 7/9/2008 2:09:00 PM

 Baltimore — Definitive Technology is developing its first line of custom installed architectural speakers promoted as being “near-invisible” speakers.

Definitive Technology plans custom installed speakers promoted as almost invisible because of their small diameters, hidden flanges, and low-profile micro-perf grilles.

The “Disappearing In-Wall” series will consist of six round in-ceiling speakers, two square in-wall models and one rectangular bipolar surround model, all said to offer near-invisibility because of their small diameters, hidden flanges, and low-profile micro-perf grilles.

Unlike some speakers promoted as being nearly invisible, the Definitive models “are as easy to install as traditional flanged flush-mount speakers and do not require custom sheetrock/spackle skills,” a spokesman said. “They do not need the highly skilled and time-consuming sheetrock labor of the ‘mud-in’ totally flush in-walls that started popping up on the market last year,” he continued. “Any installer can put these in without any special skills in no more time than it takes to put it a typical in-wall, yet it closely approaches the near invisibility of the flush no-flange designs.”

A flange is the portion of a speaker’s baffle that overlaps and grabs the front side of the sheetrock, and they’re typically 5/8-inch wide on custom-install speakers, the spokesman said. In Definitive’s series, the flange is hidden under the grille, and the visible edge around the grille is only 0.09-inch wide and 0.14-inch high. “While not totally flush, these speakers protrude no more than, and typically less than, conventional flange in-walls and have way less visible trim,” he said.

The near-invisible speakers will appear at the CEDIA Expo in September and will ship in the first quarter of 2009 at suggested retail prices expected to range from $179 to $379 each.

The series’ five round two-way models feature 3.5-, 4.5-, 5.25-, 6.5- and 8-inch woofers. The series also includes one round 6.5-inch single-speaker stereo model, two square two-way models with 5.25- and 6.5-inch woofers, and a rectangular bipolar model for surround-channel applications. Fire-rated preconstruction enclosures will be available as options to allow for installs in multifamily residences and commercial applications. Final suggested prices and specifications will be available the Expo.

The speakers feature such Definitive technologies as Balanced Dual Surround System (BDSS) driver technology and pure-aluminum-dome tweeters, which pivot to direct sound to the listening position. The BDSS technology, used in the company’s top-of-the-line Mythos ST floorstanding speaker, enables speakers to deliver more bass output and dynamic range than larger drivers, the company said. Near-invisible models based on a 4.5-inch driver, for example, delivers the bass and dynamics of a traditional 5.25-inch driver, and the 5.25-inch speaker performs like a traditional 6.5-inc h speaker, the company explained. The pivoting 1-inch pure-aluminum-dome tweeter uses a specially shaped housing to avoid the diffraction distortion created by post-mounted tweeters.