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Published on December 19, 2007

 The Gobel Detaille S, which employs a "bending wave" technology, comes with a subwoofer called the Gobel Detaille Sub.

Unlike other loudspeakers, which are box-shaped, the Detaille S is a flat panel. It can disperse the sound both front and back, featuring a wide broadband frequency, phase linearity and impulse fidelity without any sound-focusing effects. The heart of the loudspeaker is a nine-layered panel based on a tropical wood with special qualities. Among other things, it prevents the generation of any distinctive resonance.

Once more, unlike conventional loudspeakers, the Gobel Detaille S has a front-side dispersion of 150-29,000 hertz through the entire bandwidth. The backside dispersion is 150-4,000Hz, enabling a realistic sound stage. The amplitude of the Detaille S is very low, even in the middle-frequency range. Therefore, the sound reproduction is extremely dynamic, exact and genuine. The Gobel Detaille series consists of two main loudspeaker units, which are flat panels supported on stands, and the subwoofer Detaille Sub. In order to eliminate membrane resonance, the bass-reflex Gobel Detaille Sub is equipped with a five-layer sandwiched membrane with a frequency response of 50-250Hz. Like any other subwoofer, it can be connected via line-in from an amplifier or via subwoofer from a receiver.

A good recommendation from the manufacturer for left- and right-speaker placement is to place them at the base corners of an equilateral triangle, with the listener at the apex. This means the distance between the listener and the loudspeakers must be adjusted according to the distance between the speakers. However, speaker placement has much to do with individual satisfaction, which varies considerably.

The whole idea of bending-wave technology is to solve persistent problems that arise with conventional speakers and which can never be overcome with conventional technology. Acting like ripples caused by a stone thrown into a lake, waves are generated on the surface of the membrane, and the changes in air pressure resulting from the movement of the bending waves across the membrane mean an audible sound is produced. When the frequency rises, the phase velocity of the waves across the membrane also increases. The resulting sound reproduction features a broadband-frequency/phase linearity and impulse fidelity without any sound-focusing effects.

In my opinion, this loudspeaker delivers an outstanding and admirable middle range. Through the wide dispersion range of the Gobel bending-wave loudspeakers, a room is transformed into a broad acoustic environment in which even the most subtle details appear tangible. The bending-wave loudspeakers take backstage in the real sense of the phrase. I was surprised by the incredible subtleties. From the upper-bass through the middle to the high-frequency ranges, the sound detaches itself from the loudspeakers completely and emerges three-dimensionally and impressively, right up front. The character of the sound gives an "almost live" experience.

I am left hoping the Gobel bending-wave loudspeakers will someday be adapted for car audio. This is because the flat-panel design would fit perfectly with an in-car audio system. The only manufacturer that produces flat-panel loudspeakers for car audio at present is NXT. More about that soon.

By Wijit Boonchoo

The Nation

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