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The Genesis of A2T
Did you ever wonder about the difference between the "real sound" (music you are listening at in the studio or concert hall) and what you hear on your reproduction system?
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This was studied scientifically. Things started in the middle of the 80's at the Electro-acoustic research laboratory of INA.
Patrick Thevenot, in charge of this lab, tells his management he wants to study and measure the listening phenomenon in the sound recording process.
He is soon joined by Bernard Torossian, whose 30 years experience as a top Hi-Fi specialist complete perfectly Patrick Thevenot theoretical skills. They immediately start new prototypes to supply INA with speakers responding to specifications that no other speakers on the market could fulfil. |
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Due to the success of their research and of the products resulting from it, Patrick Thévenot and Bernard Torossian to the setting up in the early 90's of a very neutral and accurate Monitoring Studio loudspeaker, the 5025. In 1992, this Professionnal Monitor being a rising demand outside of INA, the two designers founded their own company A2T (the logo is the result of the two T's of Thevenot and Torossian) in order to bring their products to the market.
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From the theory to the concept
This approach based upon unique scientific grounds led the two A2T founders to pioneer the integration of new factors in speaker design by taking into account a much larger range of parameters than previously:
The frequency range is obviously very important, but most fundamental are: |
- the phase response curve function of the directivity
- distortion
- acoustical energy flowing speed function of time
- The physical coupling of the loudspeaker with the listening room is a major problem for the designer.
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Two different cases may be considered: |
- below 200 Hertz, the room influence, due to the great wave lengths, doesn't allow to make any difference between the frequencies generated by the loudspeaker and those coming from the walls reflections. This physical coupling may cause a very linear loudspeaker to become totally unsteady in terms of frequency response curve, due to phase cancellations caused by walls reflections.
- Between 200 Hertz and 20 Khz, the sound generated by the loudspeaker will not vary, but the room will nevertheless change the global audible perception of it: this is the psycho-acoustical coupling. First listening room reflections (under the 10 milliseconds time limit) will merge with the direct sound coming from the loudspeaker.
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From the recording studios to the living rooms
Once again due to the success of A2T speakers in the professional environment but also outside as an increasing number of industry staff was buying the speakers for domestic use, the two designers launched in 2004 a series of Hi-Fi speakers directly derived from their professional line. Premium, Mezzo and more recently Maxium are consequently the Hi-Fi version of B3017, B4027 and M3117, now well spread in recording studios in Europe.
Subwoofers (Subpremium, Submezzo and Submaxium) were simultaneously developed to give even more power and precision, notably in the lower frequencies, especially for audio system configured in large rooms (All A2T subwoofers added to the speakers require a bi or multi-amplification system, expect Premium with its Subpremium which can be operated with only one stereo amplifier).
Encouraged by a strong reputation quickly gained in Europe, A2T introduced Premium and Mezzo, for the first time in Britain at the Hi-Fi & Home Entertainment Show at Heathrow in September 2005. During the show due to the warm welcoming of visitors and of the press, A2T took the decision to launch the Hi-Fi version of the monitor speakers M3117 under the name Maxium.
As a result of this permanent ubiquity between the professional and the Hi-fi worlds, A2T developed unique speakers that offer all music lovers a sound that is the closest to the music instruments, whatever the kind of music that is played. |
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