Philharmonitor

The New Philharmonitor is the finest 2-way loudspeaker we know how to build for a price that is still affordable. We naturally chose a RAAL tweeter, since most any other dome or ribbon unit would compromise the completely open and natural sound that is the hallmark of RAAL drivers. Although the new RAAL model used in the Philharmonitor requires a fairly high crossover point, and therefore a smaller woofer, the Scan Speak 5.5" Revelator easily mates with the RAAL while still providing bass extension you would normally expect only in a high quality 6.5" woofer. The -3dB point is 45 Hz even without the aid of room gain, and there is useful output down to 40 Hz.

The standard New Philharmonitor comes in a curve-sided or straight-sided prefabricated cabinet with a choice of cherry, maple, or piano black finish. The cabinet is heavily braced, and we add 3/4" acoustic damping material to further stiffen the sides. Grills are magnetically attached. This standard version is priced at $1,150, and shipping is capped at $75. A sealed version for use with a sub or as surrounds is available for $1,100/pr. You can also order a custom cabinet version built by Jim Salk for $1,450. Although there are no acoustic advantages to the custom cabinets, they are available in a wider assortment of standard veneers, and most any veneer you could desire is available for the difference in the veneer cost. Jim can also provide a slotted front port if a rear port is not practical in your installation.

Like all Philharmonic speakers that use a RAAL tweeter, the frequency response is exceptionally flat both on and off axis. The graphs below show the response on axis, and at varying degrees off axis all the way to 60 degrees.