REVIEWS & LINKS
Etude 5 loudspeaker
"Everything I fed them with sounded like music, which put them
amongst some exalted company." - reviewed by Chris Ballie
Curvi BMR Mk2 loudspeaker
"Mesmerising. Absolutely mesmerising. No other description fits"
- reviewed by Chris Beeching
Curvi BMR Loudspeaker
"I initially found the Curvi-BMR very difficult to pigeonhole – indeed the only 'signal lock' I could get on my audiophile radar was that of the Quad ESL-63 electrostatic. Like this classic, it has a self-effacing presentation with an open, even and neutral sound. Indeed, you can distil this speaker's sound down to three standout characteristics – a highly open and fluid midband, excellent stereo imaging and accurate bass.
You don't see – or hear – loudspeakers like this every day, says David Price… "
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Audio Pro A10
"Audio Pro offers something new with its design, but the A10 has
all the sonic characteristics that have made the company a serial Award
winner. It has wide dispersion of sound, excellent timing and dynamics
gives versatile positioning."
Cambridge Audio YOYO-S review
"The Yoyo’s top end is as sweet as its lower end is melodious. Sharp treble is too common in portable Bluetooth speakers, but Cambridge Audio’s tuning team keeps things sounding pleasant with even dynamically challenged MP3s"
Cambridge Audio TV5 v2 review
"A sonically superb soundbase from the bass to the treble."
Cambridge Air200
review
"The Air 200 is bold, powerful and driven."
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Cambridge TVB2 review
"Easy on the ears, its clear, neutrally-balanced
presentation is one you can slip into (and hear the benefits of) right
away."
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more...
Cambridge Audio TVB2
"We asked our engineers to produce a premium soundbar that would be one of the most discreet available, but without giving anything away in terms of sound quality and power. The result is the Cambridge Audio TVB2; a soundbar and wireless subwoofer capable of extracting massive detail from all your music and movies and the ultimate upgrade for your TV."
Cambridge Audio AIR100
"The press loved our first version of the Air 100 and we’ve just made it even better, with Spotify Connect, improved sound, and all the features you loved from our first one including Apple Airplay, Bluetooth and Internet Radio. All your music, however you want to play it, will always sound amazing."
Cambridge Audio AIR200
"The press loved our first version of the Air 200 and we’ve just made it even better, with Spotify Connect, improved sound, and all the features you loved from our first one including Apple Airplay, Bluetooth and Internet Radio. All your music, however you want to play it, will always sound amazing."
Cambridge Audio Aero6
"If you’re looking in that range, and value imaging and soundstaging above all else, look no further: the Aeromax 6 is your answer. It’s pure gold"
Cambridge Audio Aero6
"The BMR driver fulfils its promise: treble is far-reaching, detailed and composed. Either side, vocals – be it Eva Cassidy’s angelic tones or Kanye West’s sharp tongue – are distinct and lifelike"
Cambridge Audio TV5
"The TV5’s flair for dynamics is the highlight: it laps up the soundtrack’s crescendo when our heroes prepare for war, and it ably communicates the drama and intensity of the battlefield."
Cambridge Audio Aeromax 2
"There’s a wonderful directness with vocals – we’ve noticed similar traits with other good speakers that have used BMRs."
Mission M3
"Detail definition is decent, and there’s a smooth quality to the Mission’s sound that’s comfortable to listen to. It’s a well-timed, agile performance, too."
Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1
"Best traditional package £1500-£2500"
- What Hi*Fi Awards 2014.
"Cambridge Audio has delivered an excellent 5.1 package that is
as exciting, informative and seamless as we've heard for the money."
Mission Aero
"Sound quality that emulates a fully featured stereo hi-fi system enclosed in a beautifully sleek aluminium shell. Hear all your favourite music on your device reproduced with stunning, 3D, room-filling sound"
Mission Aero
"BMR stands for Balanced Mode Radiator, which basically means the drivers will carry a much greater frequency response (read: sounds good) in room-filling style."
Cambridge C46 In-ceiling BMR
See in youtube: watch the video...
What Hi-Fi: read more...
Hi-Fi Enthusiast: read
more...
"With BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) technology, the Cambridge C46
performs superbly and covers an exceptionally large sound footprint, meaning
that compared to conventional speakers you need to install less of them
to get the same even sound level over a wide area"
Mission returns with Aero wireless music system
"Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) drivers are used, which aims to help sound dispersion, so it's clear Mission wants the Aero to really fill a room"
Cambridge Audio Aero 6
"You get into a zone, where you can enjoy their natural musicality and effortless ease. It's actually rather hard to describe, because so few speakers do this - possibly Quad electrostatics and Martin Logan hybrids at the top end of the market, but not many others."
Cambridge Audio Minx TV
"The Cambridge Audio Minx TV gets it right in its first try. It’s
an utterly engaging listen, delivering enthusiasm and subtlety in the
same breath – you will definitely want this soundbase in your living
room."
Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1, Best Traditional Speaker Package in the 2013
What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Awards!
"An excellent 5.1 package that is as exciting, informative and seamless
as we've heard for the money."
Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1
"The package’s BMR drivers produce a stunningly direct sound that
excels in focus, and makes most conventional alternatives sound a little
soft and blurred in comparison. There’s no shortage of attack, and we
were often surprised by the punch on offer..."
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more...
"Little minx, big noise: Looking for wi-fi hi-fi? This is the
closest thing to separates you'll hear..."
"Cambridge Audio Minx Air 200
....it sounds wonderfully dynamic and open, thriving on operating at high volumes...."
"Cambridge Audio Minx Air 100
.... it’s a big sound from a small speaker ..."
"Minx Air 100. The wireless system that plays all your music, anywhere, beautifully…"
"Marantz claims it creates a very wide stereo image, while the BMR drivers offer a 180º sound dispersion, which should give the same sound quality wherever you stand."
"We have to give a fair amount of credit for the impressive scale
to the BMR drivers - as we saw when we reviewed the SoundScience Frankenspiel
FS-1, their output far belies their size."
"Cambridge Audio Minx S215 (New). Where space is tight, the miniscule Minx fits the bill and sounds fabulous."
"The RS-10 loudspeaker uses a BMR (Balance Mode Radiator) to handle the majority of the audible music spectrum."
"The Qb-mito packs an impressive 25 watts of power, with 30 hours of continuous wireless playback on a single charge."
"SoundScience Frankenspiel FS-1 review: These are a huge upgrade over built-in speakers of laptops, and they can compete with decent powered PC speakers too."
"Following hot on the heels of the Bluetooth-enabled QB MITO portable speakers, the FS-100 Panettone (get it?) is a 2.1 system with left and right drivers and a forward-firing subwoofer".
"Look out for the Frankenspiel FS100 Panettone by SoundScience Corp”.
"SoundScience QB MITO adds Bluetooth to compact portable speakers".
"A SONIC grenade of atomic fury, the Qb-Mito delivers wireless explosive sound on-the-go for just over £50. Incredible."
Stars of CES 2012: The winners revealed
"Rega RS10 loudspeakers. For a fine combination of beautiful aesthetics with their BMR drivers and transmission line design, the Rega RS10 speakers are worthy winners."
"Designed to go anywhere your MacBook can, the Frankenspiel FS1 powerplay Speakers feature 40W stereo sound in a compact, highly portable design. Power and connectivity are both provided via USB, so no more batteries or power cables, while the latest in amp technology means you can enjoy high-end sound wherever you go."
"When we visited the exhibition organized by the magazine High Fidelity, last weekend in Paris, we were surprised to find and fun to listen to new speakers of English manufacturer Rega RS10. The sound quality was a beautiful fluidity and ease with an innate sense of musicality, gentle and friendly while maintaining a certain lightness." (translated from the original French)
"There are a number of challenges in designing loudspeakers for in-wall or in-ceiling installation. The main one is that most of the time they are pointing the wrong way. Enter a new loudspeaker design – the Balanced Mode Radiator – to overcome this defect."
"Sonically, the Frankenspiels are impressive performers. They are able to fill a room with clean, detailed sound. There’s taut, solid bass here, while the top end is smooth and detailed, without hints of stridency."
"Frankenspiel’s FS1 renders your digital
music in a compact, uncluttered, and ultimately magnificent way.
Listen, and ask yourself- “how can such a small speaker set deliver
such awesome room filling sound ?"
"By virtue of recently introduced balanced mode radiator (BMR) full range drive units, together with careful cabinet design and painstaking voicing, it has an exceptionally high audio performance in relation to its retail price."
Last year Chris Liauw debuted with the distinctive Curvi horn speaker. This time around he brought along a rare example of a speaker that uses BMR or balanced mode radiator drivers. These were developed by NXT and have only previously been seen on the Naim Ovator, this is a different unit used full range with a second one added to improve power handling."
"The Etude 1 loudspeaker from CML Audio is a state-of-the-art, free-space located,stand mounted loudspeaker with a 10 litre cabinet.By virtue of recentlyintroduced balanced mode radiator (BMR) full range drive units, together withcareful cabinet design and painstaking voicing, it has an exceptionally high audioperformance in relation to its retail price of £995 per pair."
"While the Cotswold BMR is not the smoothest measuring of drivers it does sound coherent and well integrated the trend can be coaxed into shape for a relatively neutral tonal balance and pleasing sound stage perspectives.
A rewarding feature is the seamless crossover transition at the now defined 310Hz frequency, matched for the floor and wall boundary, delivering robust bass transients and fine bass tune playing."
"AKOUSTIKS has engineered the CEAD BMR to deliver the full range of operational frequencies across a wide range of power settings. Even at low volume settings the speaker’s high quality efficiencies ensure the ultimate listening experience. Background music and speech re-inforcement at normal to low power settings has never sounded so good. The CEAD BMR 4.5 is a revolutionary new concept in high quality sound."
“AKOUSTIKS has specifically engineered the CEAD BMR to deliver the full range of operational frequencies across a wide range of power settings.”
"Until now, there’s been a stark choice of opting for great sounding but relatively large speakers or choosing a stylish mini speaker system that looks the part, but fails to stir your soul when the music starts.
But now thanks to Minx, for the very first time, you can experience extraordinary levels of power and refinement from staggeringly small speakers. Minx brings all your favourite music, movies, sports and TV shows to life in a way you’d never imagine.
Such advances are made possible by fundamental developments in acoustic science enabling Minx to deliver a quality and depth of sound which has previously been the preserve of much larger speakers."
“ the Minx S315 is a staggeringly good system, boasting exemplary build quality and a surprisingly powerful yet composed sound that’s dripping with detail”
“Cambridge Audio Minx mini speaker system. They’re smaller and sound infinitely better than their more famous rival”
“Cambridge Audio debuted a stunning—and stunningly affordable—new Sat/Sub-type loudspeaker system called Minx. Many of us had seen or heard this script before: "Small sat/sub systems make big sounds…" blah, blah, blah. But frankly, all it takes is one listen to know that the Minx system is considerably different and better than others of its ilk. In fact, when The Perfect Vision Editor Chris Martens heard the Minx rig at CEDIA, he found it sounded almost shockingly good.”
"Balanced Mode Radiator – super wide full frequency coverage eliminates the “sweet spot” and fills every corner of the room for the same rich listening experience for everyone."
- L R Baggs
"The HOLY GRAIL for most loudspeaker designers
is the single full-range driver that does it all. BMR may be the solution
to the quandry ... make BMR the most exciting advance in loudspeaker technology
in decades, I feel ... the superior timing, and the splendid neutrality,
coherence and transparency ... had an almost electrostatic quality ...
an exceptionally elegant and effective development that has the potential
to turn the world of hi-fi speakers on its head."
- Paul Messenger - December 2005
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more...
"The BMR looks set to change the way speakers
are designed in the future ... sounded quite extraordinary ... the treble
extension was impressive ... What really set the BMR speaker apart, however,
was its extraordinary stereo imagery. Image depth was equally extraordinary,
the soundstage stretching from well in front to way behind the speaker
plane, and the compexity of the image that the speakers presented was
equally stunning and clearly ahead of anything a conventional speaker
can do..."
- Alvin Gold - December 2005
"THE HOLY GRAIL for loudspeaker designers has always been to produce a single drive unit that would reproduce the entire frequency range properly. Up until now that hasn't been possible, thats why the vast majority of speakers out there use at least two drivers linked by an electronic crossover in order to do the job.
NXT's new invention, the Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR), is set to change all that. It looks similar to a conventional speaker driver unit, but uses lessons learned from NXT's flat-panel technology to produce a driver with an extended bandwidth and wide dispersion characteristics, even at high frequencies.
It can be mounted in a standard speaker cabinet,
and tuned in the bass just like a conventional driver."
- February 2006
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more...
Key features of the Sixth Edition include:
- Radically new chapter on acoustic theory, developments in home theatre and surround systems, in speaker system design. Also crossover networks with new digital synthesis methods, and extensive reporting on CAD software
- New measurement systems and techniques are complemented by recent psychoacoustic research data
- Expanded material on sub-sat design, 2pi and boundary speaker design, further work on optimum low frequency synthesis for improved group delay.
- New materials technology including ceramic and diamond diaphragms, plus first publication of the theory of the BMR, a fascinating hybrid driver technology employing a synthesis of bending wave and pistonic action and which can approach the directivity of a point source.
- Glossary; a valuable view of electroacoustic terms and definitions to guide all readers.
Acknowledged industry-wide as the definitive work
on speaker design and analysis, this book is essential reading for audio
engineers, speaker designers, equipment designers and students of acoustic
engineering, electronics and electro-acoustics. It will also prove invaluable
to students of electronics, broadcasting and recording techniques, and
be of interest to amateur loudspeaker builders, authors and journalists
in audio".
- October 2005
"It's not often that loudspeaker technology throws up something genuinely radical.
BMR theory provides a general solution that allows any number of modes to be "fixed", or rebalanced, typically (for a circular disc diaphragm) by adding small strategically placed annular 'ring' masses. And although some rebalancing is necessary when a voice coil is added, the voice coil is not only the source of the problem, it can also form part of the solution, because its mass and diameter (in relation to the size, mass and stiffness of the diaphragm), is easily calculated as part of the solution set.
While bass was necessarily limited, the demonstration was very impressive, with good timing, fine neutrality and superior coherence and transparency. And there was no tendency to "beam" high frequencies in the manner of a conventional 4in driver. Graham Bank quoted the "five Cs" - co-planar, coincident, concentric, coherent and correlated - as major advantages of the BMR approach.
BMR has the potential to turn the world of hi-fi speakers on its head, through the latter's notorious conservatism makes its impact difficult to predict.
A single drive unit that covers the whole audio
band without significant compromise has long been a Holy Grail for speaker
designers, and BMR could well supply just that".
- December 2005
"The BMR techology makes the most of such expertise in bending wave physics techniques. BMR's low frequency performance is "equivalent" to conventional drive units of similar size". High frequencies is extended with the characteristics wide directivity (hearing the same sound wherever you stand in the room, which is one strong point of these techniques). The result is that increasing the bandwidth allows to reduce the number of drivers required to cover a given frequency range. In addition, the technology is "scalable", i.e. full range drivers are feasible, "potentially eliminating any requirement for low frequency-specific loudspeakers".Technological advantages:
- BMR technology - Flat on-axis frequency response, Wide directivity even at high frequencies, Extended bandwidth, Room filling sound, Full range drivers are possible
- Single diaghragm - Approximates point source radiation, correct timing across the frequency range, No crossover components
- Flat diaphragm - Shallow profile, flexibility of mounting location, no acoustic cavity inherent in cones
- Modular design - Low cost manufacture"
- December 2005
"The launch of their Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) technology
works on the principle of bending wave physics by using a unique balancing
technique, which allows flat panels to be used in wide bandwidth drive
units. The panels, which can be either circular or rectangular, are mounted
in a chassis much like a conventional drive unit. BMR low frequency performance
is equivalent to conventional drive units of the same size, with high
frequency range extended for wide directivity".
- January 2006