Denver — Speakercraft came to the 2006 CEDIA Expo with 46 new products, including an expanded AIM series of aimable architectural speakers, its first enclosed architectural speakers, and a tweaked series of motorized in-ceiling speakers.
The AIM series, which features pivoting tweeters and pivoting baffles, expands from about a half dozen SKUs to about 20. The new models include the series’ first in-wall home theater models, including switchable bipole/dipole models for surround applications. The series also adds in-ceiling round bipole/dipole models and single-speaker stereo models. Prices range from $299 to $1,599/pair.
The company’s first enclosed in-ceiling and in-wall speakers feature metal back boxes that attach to a standard bracketing system, offer 2.75-inch mounting depth and include in-ceiling and in-wall models.
The motorized in-ceiling speakers, called TIME, are intended to compensate for less-than-ideal mounting locations by aiming the sound toward listeners. Each round speaker’s cylindrical enclosure extends from the ceiling, and their baffles angle up at 15, 30 or 45 degrees. The baffles also rotate up to 260 degrees. The speakers can be programmed to move into three preset positions via a $400 controller, which controls up to eight speakers. Though they were unveiled last year, the models have since been tweaked to improve voicing and operate quietly. Three models are priced at $350, $650 and $850 each and ship in six weeks.
Also new, a $1,300 six-source, four-zone multi-room audio controller, joining step-up models at $2,400 and $4,800. They’re compatible with the new $400 MODE in-wall keypad with volume-control knob, click wheel, and scrolling menu appearing on a 3.5-inch color display. MODE is intended to offer touch panel simplicity at lower prices.
