Thorens SoundWall HP 600: The top loudspeaker that allies with the room acoustics
Over 40 years ago, Thorens achieved a stroke of genius with the SoundWall models HP 360 and HP 380: loudspeakers that emit the entire audio range as dipoles. Perhaps we were a bit ahead of our time back then. However, the SoundWalls fit perfectly with today's setups and listening habits. That's why we simply redeveloped them.
The new SoundWall HP 600, however, adopts the radical concept of its ancestors: it emits sound equally strongly to the back and front, while at the same time directing this sound much more precisely and evenly than conventional speakers. This brings tangible advantages, especially in larger listening rooms. Due to its dipole characteristic, the Thorens SoundWall HP 600 interacts with the acoustic conditions in the listening room in a more predictable and constructive manner across the entire frequency range. This is even more important in today's living style than it was 40 years ago: expansive rooms, hard floors, glass surfaces, and modern furnishings create a very unfavorable environment for conventionally wide-dispersing speakers. The SoundWall HP 600 allies with the same conditions. It brings perfectly three-dimensional, agile bass, and lively dynamics to your listening position - without compromise.
Open sound walls: Sound sails with many advantages
The SoundWall HP 600 is - like its historical predecessor - a three-way loudspeaker based on the open baffle principle. All low and midrange drivers are mounted freely swinging in their ultra-flat sound wall, so they have no enclosure or other damping material on their rear side. Such constructions are popular for their nimble, impulse-accurate playing style. Developer Joachim Gerhard has ensured that classic hi-fi virtues are not neglected. He is helped not only by the superb quality of modern loudspeaker drivers that simply did not exist 40 years ago. But also, by his decades of experience in building breathtaking high-end loudspeakers - such as for Audio Physic and Süsskind.
The "Dynamic Dozen" creates bass pressure
A challenge with open sound walls is always the bass. With the means and possibilities of the 80s, the original SoundWall delivered decent but not stunning bass - despite the combined forces of 15 low-frequency drivers per stereo channel. In the new SoundWall HP 600, there are "only" 12 slightly larger drivers per side. But thanks to clever wiring, this dynamic dozen achieves high efficiency and impressive deep bass that easily reaches down to 40 Hertz. The sound pressure level of the new construction is barely conceivable: the SoundWall HP 600 can create a "wall of sound" - confidently and with every music style.
"Dipole meets D’Appolito" in the mid-high range
In the upper part of the SoundWall HP 600's sound panel, two midrange drivers surround two tweeters. The tweeters work back-to-back to maintain the dipole character throughout the entire frequency range. The result is a free, open sound with exceptionally precise imaging. The tightly concentric arrangement of the drivers following the D’Appolito principle also provides additional symmetrical focusing of the mid-high frequency energy. To fine-tune the sound, the level of the rear tweeter is also adjustable.
Concentrated technology in a stylish design sound furniture
With twelve 15-centimeter woofers, two midrange drivers, and two tweeters per channel, the SoundWall HP 600 has a certain presence even visually. However, due to its very shallow depth, graceful wing profile, and fine materials such as solid aluminum and fine wood veneers, it integrates surprisingly effortlessly into various interior styles. But in terms of sound, it truly disappears: its subtle, yet wideband and dynamic sound seems to come from nowhere.
The combined surface area of the 24 woofers also allows for extremely high undistorted sound levels. Although not always necessary, they are essential for truly authentic sound. Huge amplifiers are not required for this: efficiency and impedance are amplifier-friendly high. Therefore, the SoundWall HP 600 can be convincingly driven by practically any transistor or tube amplifier.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Number of drivers: 12x bass, 2x midrange drivers, 2x tweeters
- Nominal power handling capacity (DIN): 300W
- Sound pressure level (SPL 1W/1m): 95dB Frequency response: 30 - 28,000 Hz
- Impedance (DIN): 8 Ohms
- Weight: 40 kg Dimensions (WxHxD): 60x125x16 cm
