The SandTrap Audio Story
The SceneWe're engaged in the great American pastime of concocting new product ideas. Some have a thread of credibility. Then I offered, "Isolating baffles for custom-installed speakers." That comment produced baffled looks that asked, "What & why?"
What?
Consumers pay premium dollars for invisible speaker systems. Well, they're less visible. The audio industry promotes these speakers as custom installed architectural speaker systems. The good versions are not cheap. They range from about $600 to well over a $1000 per pair plus installation.
Why?
Custom speakers installed in drywall ceilings and walls
distort. Drywall, made of paper, glue, and chalk, is not a
good material for reproducing sound from any speaker. Mounting
a speaker in drywall is much as selecting a set of guitar strings
for their potential increased volume and sustain, and stringing them
on an acoustic guitar made of cardboard. Similarly, drywall
compromises the sound of custom-installed speaker systems.
Drywall mounted speakers generate muddy mid-bass, harsh vocals, and
forfeit decibel level.
The Proposal
OK Dad, they asked, what are you proposing? I propose to
add an isolating mounting surface between the drywall and
speaker. A surface that minimizes drywall induced distortion
by re-tuning the speaker system resonance. The result is
tighter mid-bass, warmer vocals, and increased volume. This
isolating surface is particularly well suited for the $600 to $800
per pair speaker category. My isolating sub-baffle will
squeeze enough improved performance to compete with much more
expensive custom installed speaker systems.
Then
To my surprise, they were still listening. So, I
continued. I would offer this solution at a price that will
make consumers and dealers smile, and it will be easy to
install. I then outlined how to do it.
They looked at me and said, "Dad, it's a no brainer .... do it". That's how I exited retirement and became the captain of SandTrap Audio
