McIntosh Laboratory Showcases New Academy Series

Line Of Seven Loudspeaker Systems Can Be Configured For Audiophile-Quality Home Theatre Or Stereo Installations

31-May-01

McIntosh Laboratory, a world leader in home entertainment systems for over 50 years, introduced seven new Academy Series Loudspeakers at Home Entertainment 2001 at the Hilton New York Hotel. The Academy Series marks the first significant speaker introductions from McIntosh since 1995, and the largest number of models ever introduced by the company at one time. The Academy ConceptThe highly-differentiated Academy Loudspeakers were designed to meet four major criteria. First, they must equal the quality of McIntosh's legendary line of amplifiers, preamplifiers, signal processors, and signal sources, imparting no distortion or coloration of their own. This also means they must complement the high power capabilities of the vanishingly low distortion McIntosh power amplifiers. Second, they must be outstanding musical listening speakers: linear, detailed and highly musical sounding - virtues often lacking in today's home theatre speakers. Third, they must be versatile enough for today's home theatre and surround sound music systems with wide dynamic range, controlled dispersion, and a common sonic quality that permits any mix of models in the same system. Lastly, they must have the classic styling and dependability that defines McIntosh products. Seven models that meet these rigorous criteria emerged from an extensive research and design process that was at once academic and revolutionary. Over the next three years, McIntosh intends to bring forth additional loudspeaker models that are worthy of consideration by the Academy or by the most demanding listeners, the legions of McIntosh customers worldwide.""We are extremely pleased to be able to bring this new loudspeaker line to market at this time,"" says Graham Hallett, Company President. ""We felt it wasn't enough to deliver models that just sounded good. To succeed in the market today, you need great performance, great looks and a long-term commitment to the category. We've made that commitment and now our customers, arguably the most discriminating and demanding in the world, can have what they demand.""The Academy Series LineupThe Academy's flagship model is the LS360, a three-way, 50-inch high tower speaker comprised of eight McIntosh patented LD/HPô drivers, two 10-inch ported woofers, one 8-inch midrange, and five tweeters in a Bessel Function Array. Next in the line is the LS340, a three-way, 41-inch high tower speaker comprised of two LD/HP 8-inch ported woofers, one LD/HP 6.5-inch midrange and one 1-inch tweeter. Taking this design in another direction is the LS320, a full-range 8-inch, two-way bookshelf speaker that features an 8-inch LD/HP woofer and 1-inch LD/HP tweeter. The LS320 and all members of the LS family are capable of enormous power handling, making them an outstanding match to McIntosh's ample amplifier lineup.The three-way CS350 is designed as a front L/C/R model or as a center channel with any of the LS models. The CS350 contains two 6.5-inch LD/HP bass drivers, a 4-inch LD/HP midrange and the same five-tweeter array as the reference LS360. A stabilizer bar allows the CS350 to be mounted above a video screen and angled downward.The PS112 is an awesome powered subwoofer with a ported 12-inch long-throw driver and 400 watts of legendary McIntosh power and distortion protection. Crossover and level controls, along with user choice of triggered hardwired or music turn-on highlight this minimally-sized unit. The two-way WS320 high performance full-range in-wall speaker includes a unique, deep drawn aluminum back enclosure for exceptionally high power handling and high output. The enclosure also contains back wave energy, resulting in minimal sound transmission into adjoining rooms. The WS320 is comprised of a 1-inch LD/HP tweeter and 8-inch LD/HP woofer. Dimensions are 24 x 14 x 4 inches (HWD)The HT5 is an affordable L/C/R/S speaker system that performs equally well on a speaker stand, in a custom cabinet, or as a surround effects speaker mounted on the wall. The two-way sealed design has two 6.5-inch LD/HP bass drivers, one 1-inch black anodized aluminum dome tweeter, and is only 8.5 inches deep.Academy Cabinet DesignAll McIntosh Academy Series loudspeakers share a family industrial design that is both graceful and strong. The unique arched bridge cabinet design of the LS, CS, and PS models features rigid internal trusses and is inspired by one of the strongest geometric shapes, so strong it's employed by dams, bridges, cathedrals, and the like. The laminated cabinet sides allow large diameter drivers to be placed in cabinets that are at once large in volume and minimal in footprint and perceived size. The Academy cabinet is capable of handling the large power output of McIntosh amplifiers, and its nonparallel design eliminates standing wave resonance.An almost unheard of level of attention has been lavished on cabinet designs for the LS, CS, and HT speakers. This includes minimizing the edge hole-inch effect common in many speakers today. Edge hole effects are characterized by a dramatic dip in high frequency response as a result of a symmetrical mounting location for the tweeter. McIntosh guards against this by using a special tweeter mounting and crossover technique that does not affect the symmetrical appearance of the speaker. Additional high frequency improvements are achieved in the LS340 and LS320 through the use of a special beveled black glass tweeter baffle. The flagship LS360 and matching CS350 center channel speakers employ the unique five-tweeter Bessel Function Array. Through an innovative wiring and crossover scheme, the five tweeters' amplitude and phase relationships are adjusted so that the array acts as a single point source. One advantage of such an arrangement is a very smooth and even polar response. This allows the listener to move considerably off axis without suffering a change in high frequency level. The use of multiple tweeters, combined with a mechanical heat sink, also greatly reduces dynamic compression and greatly increases the power handling at all frequencies. Flared bass ports in the LS360 and LS340 and PS112 models reduce the normally noisy output inherent in competitive models. All McIntosh loudspeaker models have been specially designed for extremely low distortion, and all are magnetically shielded for placement near video monitors. A unique mounting foot system allows the tower models to be fitted with either extruded aluminum brackets that move the center of the feet outward for greater stability, or with provided 'tiptoes' that help decouple the speaker from the floor. All models include gold-plated binding posts, and the LS340 and 360 can be bi-wired and bi-amped for the ultimate in performance.FinishesCustomers may choose from three superb finishes for the LS, CS, and PS models: natural cherry, red cherry, or black ash. The HT5 is available in black ash, and the WS320 comes with a paintable primer white finish.LS360, three-way loudspeaker, $7,000 per pairLS340, three-way loudspeaker, $5,000 per pairLS320, two-way loudspeaker, $2,000 per pairWS320, In-wall two-way loudspeaker, $1,000 eachHT5, two-way loudspeaker, $800 eachCS350, three-way loudspeaker, $2,500 eachPS112, powered subwoofer, $2,500 eachFor more information about McIntosh Laboratory, visit www.mcintoshlabs.com.

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