TIW 300 - 8 Ohm

It is well-known that there are two types of loudspeakers: hi-fi speakers that produce the most accurate, unaltered sound possible, and disco or musician's speakers, where the top volume level is of the utmost importance. These volume levels are normally only possible with horns but these often cause coloration of the sound. The MONITOR 890 MK IIIwas designed specifically to combine the best of both worlds. In the mid-range, we use a driver & horn unit which is so dynamic and produces such undistorted music, that many a horn-disparager has had to admit that this is simply unbelievably "different". Two excellent quality woofers, TIW 300 - 8 Ohm, mounted in the 180 litre vented cabinet, generate a bass sound pressure that is physically tangible, as you have experienced with concert speakers. Combined with the first-rate TL 16 H - 8 Ohm high-range horn, we have created a loudspeaker system that breaks down the previously unbridgeable barrier between the hi-fi and the professional speaker.

The output levels of the mid-range driver and tweeter can be adjusted to the requirements of the locale using output controls. We recommend, initially at least, the following level settings: tweeter: -4 dB; mid-range: -4 dB. These can, of course, be adapted to suit the specific acoustics in the room and personal preferences.

Thanks to the added impedance linearising unit in the crossover unit, the Monitor 890 MK III is now even better suited to use with critical amplifiers (e.g. tube amplifiers).

The VOX 301 extends the high-end VOX series upwards. While the mid-to-high-range is the same as in the VOX 253, the TIW 300 - 8 Ohm has been chosen as the woofer for this model. As a result, while the excellent characteristics experienced in the mid-to-high range remain the same, the level accuracy and dynamics in the bass department have been increased and the lower limiting frequency reduced to a remarkable 23 Hz. The VOX 301 can, therefore, be seen as the VOX variant for high-volume aficionados who like to hear concerts at close to the original sound levels in large rooms.

The SUB T-30.60 has been developed as a support for high-performance systems. The TIW 300 - 8 Ohm woofer used here with its large, multi-vented voice coil, is of a design which enables it to work at high output levels and still maintain clear, precise sound. In the recommended cabinet, it manages a very impressive sound pressure of 89 dB (1 W/1 m) at 30 Hz lower limiting frequency.

The recommended cabinet has 60 litres net volume and is still compact enough to integrate easily in most living rooms. The large-format bass reflex tube effectively suppresses flow losses and flow noise. To guarantee the rigidity of the cabinet, the floor and front panel are double and with additional strengthening struts.

A complete kit for this suggestion is available via www.vc-mailorderservice.de.

The subwoofer TL-SUB 30 is suitable for highly accurate soundreproduction of the deepest bass in the subsonic zone. If you are prepared and able to give up about half a cubic metre of sitting-room space and are even thinking of rearranging the furniture, the TL-SUB 30with its ultra-low bass is just what you are looking for. One thing has to be said right from the start: the bass churned out by this system at the lowest octave level is by no means the thumping disco bass that hits you right in the stomach, but is, on the contrary, as smooth as cream. It is not locatable in the room and is felt as a sort of air movement that makes your trouser legs move. The ultra-low bass give you a fascinating feeling of being there live - provided, of course, the software has the channel programmed into it.

As regards the speaker construction, we have a double transmission line equipped with two a TIW 300 - 8 Ohm. By not damping the cabinets, tremendous efficiency has been achieved, which, if the speakers are positioned in the corners, will attain levels of 114 dB at 20 Hz and a maximum sound pressure of 121 dB from 30 Hz. The output level is restricted by the mechanical construction of the speakers, to prevent the mechanical load from exceeding 200 W. We recommend combining the system with an active subwoofer module with a cut-off frequency of 50 Hz and, preferably with a subsonic filter in the pre-amp to protect the loudspeakers against mechanical overloading below 15 Hz.

This definitive lowest-range subwoofer is also suitable for supplementing larger home video applications for large rooms and small cinemas. The subwoofer can equally well be positioned upright in a corner of the room or lying in front of a wall of the room. It might be said that the reproduction of that last octave of bass sound is something of a luxury, considering the expense, but real music and home video aficionados will welcome the uncompromising approach of this system. The TL-SUB 30 generates "deep black" bass that will set the house rocking on its foundations and turns films that use this technology into unforgettable experiences.

The 5th generation of VISATON's classic ATLAS COMPACT is positioned in the mid- and high-ranges and compares with the systems mentioned at the beginning of the series. Once again, we have the DSM 25 FFL - 8 Ohm and DSM 50 FFL - 8 Ohm dome loudspeakers. The low- to mid-range is covered by the AL 170 - 8 Ohm. What is new in this version is the TIW 300 - 8 Ohm as the woofer.

The crossover, too, has been thoroughly reviewed. The separating frequency between the woofer and low- to mid-range unit has been set at 220 Hz. Thanks to this relatively low separating frequency, the bass is particularly powerful between 50 and 100 Hz. This is accompanied, however, by a reduction in impedance in this range of frequencies. There is compensation for the increased impedance in the woofer (KN 27 mH, 330 µF) which prevents this low impedance curve, but this also reduces the bass output level at 80 Hz by around 3 dB (red line below 100 Hz). This can be a great advantage in rooms where the bass output level is boosted excessively by resonance. Where the output level is more important and a reduction in nominal impedance at 80 Hz to 4 ohms is acceptable, the impedance compensation is simply deactivated to produce the higher frequency graph. In this way, the ATLAS COMPACT MK V offers a tangible advantage in that the bass output level can be trimmed to suit the listening room.

The broad chamfers in the upper part of the baffle give the cabinet a slimmer appearance while, at the same time, avoiding the build-up of corner reflection in the sensitive mid- and high-ranges.

The ATLAS COMPACT MK V is a very dynamic speaker with powerful bass reproduction but without getting woolly in the bass department. Additional features are absolutely neutral voice reproduction and crystal-clear high-frequency sounds without sharp edges.