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Neat Acoustics launches Ultimatum XL10

Uncategorised By Sep 15, 2011

15th September 2011 Top Audio Show, Milan Italy. Twelve years after the launch of the MF9 it is replaced as the Ultimatum flagship by the XL10. The Neat Acoustics Ultimatum XL10 will be available in November .

The XL10 is the result of a complete revision of the flagship MF9 model, building upon that model’s strengths in order to deliver a world-class full range performance.

The ULTIMATUM XL10 loudspeaker adheres to all the principles that have ensured the ULTIMATUM series such enduring success.

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Primary improvements over the MF9 include: refinements to the cabinet; bracing and acoustic damping; a new HF unit and substantial revisions and improvements to the crossover.

The ultra-rigid birch-plywood enclosure, unique baffle-coupling technology, isobaric bass loading and twin EMIT ribbon-type super-tweeters are just some of the other elements of the design that delivers the ULTIMATUM promise of a lifetime of musical enjoyment.

The enclosure comprises eight discrete internal cavities each optimised for purpose. The bass volumes and mid/bass volumes are larger to suit the tuning while the main HF cavity is small to increase rigidity and to stop back pressure from the mid/bass driver adversely affecting the rear chamber of the tweeter. The two EMIT super tweeters are similarly isolated.

The main structure is damped 18mm Birch Plywood sourced from Scandinavian slow-growing forests as this ensures the, most dense, most consistent material. The drive unit baffles are constructed from a 45mm thick ‘sandwich’ of Birch Plywood, Polyethylene and MDF. This provides a rigid non-resonant platform, which is ideal for optimal performance of the drive units.

There are two separate isobaric loaded sub-bass sections, each with its own enclosure volume and tuning. These use the latest version of Neat’s 168mm drive unit, which has been developed and refined over a twenty-year period.

The two sub-bass sections are critically tuned independently to maximize room location flexibility.

The main mid/bass drivers are special versions of this unit, with an aluminium phase plug to aid dispersion and reduce dynamic compression. Again the volumes are of different sizes to reduce any possible resonant character.

A sealed sub-cavity contains the main HF drive unit. This is a modified SEAS XL SONOMEX domed XL unit with additional damping and support.

A separate sub-cavity at the top of the enclosure contains two EMIT type super-tweeter drive units.

The crossover is a minimalist 5-element type (plus damping & attenuating resistors) employing precise-tolerance, low-loss air-cored inductors and newly developed polypropylene film & foil capacitors. The speaker exploits predominantly first-order crossover slopes and mechanical roll-offs for a natural, uninhibited performance.

Specifications

HF Unit: 26mm SONOMEX Domed XL

Super HF Units: 2* EMIT 25mm planar/ribbon

Bass / Midrange Units: 2* 168mm NEAT Bass/Mid Unit with Aluminium Phase Plug

Bass Units: 4* 168mm NEAT Bass Units

Dimensions (hwd): 150x22x37cm.

Footprint (wd): 35x51cm

Enclosure type: Multi-chamber, multi-driver array, incorporating isobaric internal cavity, plus upward firing super-tweeters.

Sensitivity: 89db/1 watt.

Recommended amplifier power: 25 – 300 watts.

Impedance: 8 ohms average. Minimum 5 ohms.

Weight: 60Kg.

Shipping weight: 140Kg. per pair

Standard finishes: figured birch, black ash, natural ash, oak, cherry, walnut, rosenut.

Premium high-gloss finishes: piano black, piano white, velvet cloud, red velvet cloud


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