THIEL Audio Awarded Two Patents For SmartSub Design

31-Jan-05

U.S. loudspeaker manufacturer, THIEL Audio, has been awarded U.S. Patents for two of its SmartSubÆ design concepts-the ability to adjust the subwoofer's response to the characteristics of the main speakers and its ability to compensate for room boundary effects. The process has taken more than four years, but the patent coverage for both ideas is quite broad, covering the design concept and not just the circuitry. The integration patent covers the design concept of ""adjusting the subwoofer crossover response based on the low frequency characteristics of the main speakers."" The THIEL SmartSub SC1 Integrator contains circuitry that offers the ability to match a THIEL subwoofer with any speaker, regardless of brand, for seamless, coherent sound. The Integrator takes the guesswork out of subwoofer adjustments by automatically calculating the ideal subwoofer response from information the user enters about their main speakers. The result is balanced sonic performance equivalent to a full-range speaker with high output capability and deep bass. The room boundary compensation patent essentially covers any apparatus that ""modifies the electrical signal by a measure that is based upon a separation distance separating the speaker and a wall"". Like any speaker, a subwoofer placed near walls or in a corner will produce an uneven response, with some frequencies being overemphasized and others reduced. By utilizing this patented design concept the SmartSubs can be easily adjusted to compensate for wall interaction effects for any placement--without the use of equalizers, microphones or complicated measurements. The result is outstandingly balanced and smooth bass reproduction.