In this case the bass section is also a dipole consisting of two mighty Monacor 38 cm drivers. A low frequency dipole neutralises the sound radiating to front and rear. On the other hand this type of speaker is said to generate no standing waves in the room.
The same here: the two enormous bass drivers don't exaggerate bass too much, but they are - due to the acoustic compensation (some refer to it as acoustic short circuit) - really loud. The level upper bass is then adjusted by the crossover.
The frequency response is certainly no marvel (at 1.5 kH there is a dip of more than 10 dB - which is less annoying than an exaggeration); but then, this is the fascination of a dipole that makes is so attractive.
Review of the CT 229 by Klang+Ton : ... "Although the tonal balance is absolute normal a full range dipole sounds completely different to a cabinet loudspeaker. Those who expect the CT 229 to have a blown up sound and exaggerated imaging due to front and rear radiation will be pleasantly surprised. This speaker can also produce a sound that is delicate and tight when the recording requires it. When placed correctly the dipole delivers realistic imaging. When the distance to the rear walls is not correct, then the sound become mushy due to early reflection or lack of thereof. The CT 229 is not without coloration, but considering the principle quite acceptable. Tops and bass are quite punchy and even at lower volumes it's a lot of fun to listen. Especially the bass is another story. Bass reproduction is unusually differentiated, tight and punchy regardless of music type. The lack of a cabinet is clearly apparent, there is no boom whatsoever. Also the full range driver enjoys to be at work both ways. The sound is extremely open and detached from the speaker, very concise (not least due to the midrange dip) and dynamic. This leads to our next question: what about power handling? The full range driver with its steep high pass and relatively high crossover frequency is doing quite well; despite a limited linear excursion of the 19 mm voice coil the driver doesn't bottom. At low bass where a long throw is required the four 38 cm bass drivers are the culprits when reaching their mechanical limitation. But it's sufficiently high to ensure normal operation. This limitation is caused by considerably lower efficiency of the dipole due to fact that the air is not braking the diaphragm adequately. You just have to live with that. In addition, the placement and angling of the speakers is more important than usual. Especially the distance to the rear wall is most important. However, considering the characteristics of a dipole, excellent results can be achieved." ... Our kit consists of:
Price per CT 229 kit without cabinet per unit: - not available
Upon request a 220 x 155 mm universal PCB is available for mounting the crossover components. Price per PCB EUR 11,80 excl. VAT: € 9.92 / $ 10.71
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