Frequently Asked Questions

• •   Why do planar-ribbon loudspeakers sound louder than ordinary loudspeakers of the same sensitivity? 
 

They sound louder because the attenuation of the sound wave during its travel through the air is smaller, due to the greater dimensions of the planar loudspeaker drivers (membranes and ribbons).

Theory stipulates that, with the exception of a small area close to the sound source called "near field", the sound wave experiences a drop of its amplitude by 6 dB for any doubling of distance.
In the near field, the attenuation is only 3 dB.

The near field extends to roughly 3 times the dimension of a loudspeaker.
Although this is negligible for an ordinary tweeter (a few centimetres), the near field for a 2-meter tall ribbon tweeter reaches about 6 meters.

A comparison of the loudness for two different loudspeakers of the same sensitivity according to the distance from a listener is presented in the following table.

Distance:                             1m       2m       4m
Ordinary tweeter:                86dB    80dB    74dB
2 meter long ribbon:            86dB    83dB    80dB

This means that although at a 1-meter distance both loudspeakers sound the same, at 4 meters the planar loudspeaker sounds twice louder.
 
 

• •   How should I place my planar loudspeakers?
 

Planar loudspeakers should be clear from the furniture and the wall behind them.

These loudspeakers sound best by keeping the rule of:
" minimal absorption/diffusion at the back of the loudspeakers wall
and more absorption/diffusion (like a bookcase or a curtain) at the back of the audience wall"

If the room is narrow, the loudspeakers could be brought close to the side walls to about a distance of 20 cm.

They should be placed at the same level turned slightly towards the listener and with the tweeters in the "inside" part of the loudspeakers.
This arrangement, usually, broadens the sound stage while maintains focus.

In any case, please feel free to experiment with the positioning.
 
 

• •   What is the recommended power of the amplifier?
 

100 watts are in many cases enough. This much depends on your room, specific listening tastes, as well as the loudspeaker model used.
The power limits of the loudspeakers are much higher than this minimum. <Synopsis>
With a good quality and powerful amplifier you could have high levels even at a big room.
This kind of amplifier will also show the ability of the loudspeaker for low and unusually clear bass.