INNOVATIVE TECH The Cloak of Invisibility
transducers for mid- and, especially, highfrequency
production. Whereas a typical
in-room or in-wall speaker might have a
relatively uniform high-frequency dispersion of
around 30 to 45 degrees off-axis, invisible
architectural speakers are often rated in the 80
to 90 degrees off-axis range. This is especially
helpful in expanding the sweet spot to
encompass more listeners as well as extending
the coverage area in large rooms.
There are a couple of other issues to be aware
of regarding invisible architectural speakers.
Perhaps the most important is build quality and
overall reliability. Just as an invisible speaker
doesn’t go into a wall without a lot of effort, it
doesn’t come out easily if it needs to be repaired
or replaced –and, of course, the entire install
process has to be repeated with the repaired or
replaced unit. As a result, many companies
incorporate built-in, self-resetting circuits, and/
or high-pass filters to help prevent overloading
the drivers to the point of failure. Furthermore,
invisible speakers, like most architectural
speakers, don’t offer the amount of bass output
that many people look for when putting
together a high-performance home theater or
dedicated two-channel music system.
Fortunately, there are also invisible subwoofers
for folks who want the ultimate in stealthy
sound.
Stealth Acoustics
Considering the company’s name, it shouldn’t
be a surprise to anyone that Stealth Acoustics
50 Residential Tech Today | Jan/Feb 2020
offers one of the most extensive selections of
“totally invisible audio solutions” available
today, including two models of invisible
subwoofer systems (the single-panel, 8-inch
driver B22G and the single-panel with dual
8-inch drivers B30G).
The most impressive full-range invisible
speaker system in the Stealth Acoustic’s lineup is
the LRX-85, a three-way, two-panel system that
the company says requires “no special basslimiting
filters, ancillary protection circuits or
external subwoofers.” (If that’s not enough for
you, there’s also an active, bi-amplified version,
called the LRX-85ACT.) Because the bassproducing
panel is separate from the mid/
high-frequency panel, there is much more
flexibility in terms of installation placement in a
room. (The company suggests placing the two
panels within one meter of each other.) Stealth
Acoustics says that the LRX-85’s 300-watt
power handling enables the speaker
configuration to generate up to 105 dB of
output with low-frequency response down to an
impressive (for an invisible speaker, anyway) 35
Hz. Finish options include latex paint, flat finish,
orange peel texture, light plaster, light wallpaper,
light fabric, wood veneer, and other selected
finishes.
Sonance
In 1983, Sonance became one of the very first
companies to make speakers specifically
designed for architectural use. In the intervening
years, the company’s product assortment
expanded, and, as you would expect, it includes
several models of invisible speakers. The twoway
IS2 is “designed for tight installations or
very small spaces,” while the larger, three-way
IS4 is engineered for higher performance in
larger spaces. The IS4 SST is a single-stereo
speaker version of the basic IS4, while the IS4 C
is one of the few invisible speakers on the
market engineered specifically for use in 70- or
100-volt systems.
Sonance rates the IS2 and IS4 down to 50 Hz
and 40 Hz, respectively, but the bass response
can be reinforced invisibly with the company’s
ISW dedicated subwoofer panel. The ISW uses
two 2-inch voice coils to drive a 170 sq. inch
planar diaphragm that Sonance says can reach
frequencies as low as 35 Hz. Every IS-series
speaker includes built-in, independent, selfresetting
gel switches (for low, mid, and high,
depending upon the driver configuration); and
the planar paper surfaces can be used with up to
1/8-inch of flexible material – such as joint
compound, plaster, or wallpaper – or paint.
Amina Technologies
Amina Technologies describes its invisible
architectural offerings as “part loudspeaker and
part construction material…designed to be just
as much a rugged building material as they are a
precise acoustic device.” The company’s Edgeseries
invisible speakers are meant specifically
for applications in walls and ceilings constructed
with drywall. During installation, the perimeter
around the company’s Edge-series invisible
speakers is filled, taped, and feathered before the
surface is painted; but, since the Amina speakers
in this series attach solely to the drywall, the
company says that no special framing is
required. Stylish interior décor often involves
more than the standard skim-coat and paint,
however. Amina’s Mobius-series speakers are
engineered for installation in walls that don’t use
drywall construction or situations where a
specialist covering material is required.
The amazing variety of potential covering
options includes wood, leather, natural stone
veneer, wet plaster skim (up to 2 mm thick),
acoustic or polished plaster, as well as composite
material skins in various finishes, as well as a
mirror finish. The Mobius-series speakers are so
versatile in terms of installation and covering
capabilities that they can even be integrated
directly into furniture.
Amina Technologies CEO Richard Newlove explains the benefits of his company’s invisible speakers to a
professional integrator at CEDIA Expo 2019. Elsewhere in the booth, VP Keith Vanderkley showed how the product
looks in the wall before drywall joint compound is applied.