In his column this month, Residential Systems contributor Tony Grimani, of PMI, writes about his rewarding work on the CinemaPlus demo theater on the show floor at CEDIA EXPO last month. To explain what that project was showcasing, we asked his technology partner Triad to offer a little more detail. According to Triad, CinemaPlus is a series of three packages (small, medium and large rooms) developed conjointly with PMI, consisting of engineered construction plans, speakers, acoustic treatments, and support that enable Triad dealers to sell world-class home theaters.
The medium and large packages now include Triad’s new CinemaPlus version of its Platinum LCR and its associated BaffleWall (which was demo’d at CEDIA EXPO). Effective immediately the new CinemaPlus package pricing is $46,550, $88,650, and $105,350 MSRP. Previously Triad provided only included plans for the fabrication of the baffle wall, which had to be fabricated by the dealer or contractor.
There are many reasons for the development of the BaffleWall for the CinemaPlus version of Triad’s Platinum LCR. This version of the venerable Platinum LCR is shallower (less than nine inches), to fit unobtrusively behind the new fabric-walls that have become so popular for dedicated, high-end home theaters these days. The speaker is also taller, to make up for internal volume that would have been lost by making the speaker shallower. It is actually large enough to create its own acoustic environment, minimizing acoustic problems from the room and its placement within the room.
In a typical scenario where the front speaker (LCR) is freestanding close to the front wall, frequencies that have a hemispherical radiating pattern, (from the lower midrange and lower), bounce off the wall behind the speaker, and arrive at the listening position later in time. The ensuing peaks and nulls are easily seen when analyzing frequency response. If the speaker is in a proper baffle, this effect is greatly mitigated resulting in more accurate in-room frequency response and time behavior.
Another important feature is the deeper the speaker goes in response, the more gain is evident from the BaffleWall. This greatly enhances output, handling capacity, and reduces amplifier output; all good things. If the response is then too elevated in the lower midrange or upper bass, it is easily flattened out with digital EQ. On a related note, the dispersion control lens for the Platinum LCR’s high performance tweeter increases gain as the response gets closer to the crossover point to the midrange drivers. This reduces the tweeter’s needed excursion for a cleaner sound with less distortion, and, again, less amplifier power is used. It also enhances the tweeter’s handling capacity.
The slight curve in the baffle further minimizes diffraction, and the one-inch fiberglass material damps the surface and effectively kills most spurious reflections.
Triad believes that this is the first consumer product using this curved baffle technology and represents a breakthrough for products of this type and application.
