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List price (MSRP): $2,199.00 (each)
M&K S-150P THX ULTRA
180 Watt Self-Powered Speaker
With an internal amplifier design based on M&K Professional's reference 2510P powered monitor, the S-150P brings to consumers the enormous benefits of active biamplification with two internal amplifiers - one driving only the tweeters, and the second driving only the woofers.
These benefits include a wider dynamic range and greater output capability, thanks to the elimination of the standard speaker's passive crossover network and the losses due to long speaker wire runs from the amplifier to the loudspeaker. Most importantly, the audible benefits of biamplification also include a significant increase in clarity and detail due to lower distortion, as well as an improved amplifier damping factor.
COMPLETELY NEW AMPLIFIER DESIGN
With two completely new M&K-designed power amplifiers located in the same physical cabinet as the speaker, its total continuous output capability is over 180 watts. The amplifiers are fully discrete symmetrical balanced bipolar designs with very low negative feedback. They use a large number of output devices relative to their power rating to insure a conservative operating margin, which is further enhanced by the oversized heatsink.
Unlike many other biamplified powered speaker designs where a smaller power amplifier is used for the tweeters, the S-150P has identical power amps for both the woofers and tweeters to maximize the peak performance of the system. Its unique design allows it to respond to the dynamic requirements of the input signal by delivering output up to its full rating to the drivers as required. For example, the amplifier can deliver essentially its entire 180 watt capability to the woofer drivers if no high frequencies are present in the signal.
INPUTS & CONTROLS
Both balanced (XLR or 1/4") and unbalanced (RCA jack) inputs are provided, as well as a pass-through for feeding additional speakers or a subwoofer. Other features include a switchable electronic 80 Hz 2nd order Linkwitz-Riley High-Pass Filter (which forms a 4th order filter in combination with the speaker's acoustic rolloff) and a selectable level control with both a variable and a fixed (to THX specs) setting.
M&K ACTIVE PHASE-FOCUSED CROSSOVER
M&K's exclusive Active Phase-Focused crossover, developed specifically for this speaker, further improves its performance by also optimizing more than just the speaker's on-axis response to give a very smooth response over a wide horizontal and vertical listening window.
While other crossover designers consider just frequency response on one axis (the sweet spot), we consider the speaker's response in both the time and frequency domains, at a very wide range of angles in both the vertical and horizontal planes-thus optimizing the speaker's three-dimensional response and improving its on-axis sound. This uniquely sophisticated crossover is critically tuned through both psychoacoustic listening analysis and complex computer analysis.
The benefits of the Active Phase-Focused Crossover are particularly important for multichannel playback systems, where listeners may not always be directly on the main axis of a given speaker. Our design means that regardless of where the speaker is located in the room, listeners will hear superior imaging and sound quality, with remarkable clarity both on and off axis.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPEAKER DRIVERS
The S-150P's exceptionally smooth high frequencies come from M&K's 1" fabric-dome Transmission Line tweeter, which utilizes Ferrofluid for maximum power handling and dynamic range. The woofer is M&K's reference-quality 5.25" polypropylene driver, which has exceptionally low distortion characteristics and an extraordinary dynamic range and output capability. All drivers are fully magnetically shielded to allow their use in proximity to television monitors.
To accommodate the internal amplifiers, the cabinet of the S-150P is slightly larger than the cabinet of the passive S-150. To mount the speaker to M&K's ST Series of stands, an M&K ST Universal Bracket is required, as the entire back baffle of the speaker is taken by heat sink and operating controls.
SPECIFICATIONS
Drivers: (3) 1" soft-dome Transmission Line; (2) 5.25" polypropylene
Amplifier Power: 180 watts continuous at less than 0.01% THD + Noise
Frequency Response: 80 Hz - 20 KHz ± 2 dB
Finish: Black, Black Grille
Dimensions (H x W x D): 12 1/2" H x 10 1/2" W x 16" D
Weight: 45 lbs.
For a matching companion surround speaker, see the SURROUND-250 speaker
| First, read Colin Miller's article for Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity... then Read the review at Home Theater Magazine! Read the review at Audio Revolution Read the British review by Stuart M. Robinson! |
Drivers: (3) 1" soft-dome Transmission Line; (2) 5.25" polypropylene
Amplifier Power: 180 watts total continuous at less than 0.01% THD + Noise
Frequency Response: 80 Hz - 20 KHz ± 2 dB
Weight: 45 lbs.
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