B&W Debuts High-Performance In-Wall Speakers

13-Nov-02

B&W Loudspeakers has introduced a new architectural in-wall model, incorporating its Nautilus technology. The new Signature 8NT model is part of B&W's Signature series.""The Signature 8NT delivers genuine state-of-the-art sound reproduction,"" says Chris Browder, B&W Loudspeakers Executive Vice President, ""with sonics and imaging that would be notable from any free-standing loudspeaker. Yet in the hands of a skilled system designer the 8NT can become a perfectly unobtrusive element of a sophisticated custom-installed system. Achieving this kind of 'Signature-level' sound from an in-wall was no small challenge, but with the 8NT...B&W meets it and more."" The B&W Signature 8NT begins with an adapted version of the Nautilus tweeter. Derived from the tweeter assembly utilized by B&W's Nautilus freestanding speakers, this 1-inch aluminum dome driver is designed with a tapered tube-loading system. The Nautilus tube is designed to absorb the tweeter's acoustical back waves without inhibiting accurate response or otherwise inducing colorations. This driver is said to extend its response to 50 kHz (-6 dB).The Signature 8NT's high-frequency system is housed in a dedicated sub-enclosure, along with a newly developed, 6-inch ""surround-less"" FST midrange driver, composed of B&W's square weave KevlarÆ fibers, a material that boasts a combination of stiffness, low mass, and inherent freedom from internal vibrations and resonance.The 8NT's mid/tweeter assembly can be reoriented in the frame by 90 degrees, allowing for horizontal or vertical installation.A pair of specially designed 8-inch woofers flank the midrange/tweeter array, delivering the low-end down to a rated 28 Hz. These bass units incorporate a redesigned basket structure configured for the rigors (and restricted depth) of in-wall application, as well as a suspension system that is tuned to the acoustics of in-wall use.The new B&W in-wall design incorporates a rigid, vibration-damping baffle and frame structure. An optional ""back box"" enclosure is available for greater isolation from one room to another (back wall bleed-through) and improve overall performance. The Signature 8NT is hand-assembled by B&W using premium mechanical and electrical components throughout, and is finished in rugged, paintable matte white.The B&W Signature 8NT has a manufacturer's suggested price of $1,700 each. An optional pre-construction bracket, the PMK 8NT, and Signature 8NT back box are also offered at manufacturer's suggested prices of $50 and $250, respectively.For more information, visit www.bwspeakers.com.

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