Technics SB-R1 loudspeakers

Point-Sound-Source Speaker System

For soundstage focus and precise imaging, the wave-fronts from a speaker’s drive units should ideally be aligned, arriving simultaneously at the listener’s ears regardless of the listening position. In other words, the speaker system should appear to have have only one point sound source. The newly developed flat coaxial two-way speaker unit, combining midrange and treble drivers, works with a virtual coaxial woofer to realise a point sound source, providing smooth directional characteristics over the entire frequency range, without peaks or dips

Phase Precision Driver (Flat Coaxial 2-Way Speaker Unit)

For faithful reproduction of mid-range and high-frequency sound, Technics has developed an all-new flat coaxial two-way drive. The flat mid-range diaphragm is of a sandwich construction, using lightweight, high-rigidity carbon cloth skins and aluminium honeycomb core.

It maintains a perfect pistonic motion over a frequency band extending beyond the crossover point with the tweeter, while eliminating the frequency distortions caused by the ‘cavity effect’ in conventional cone diaphragms. The magnetic circuit employs a large magnet, copper cap, copper shorting ring and short voice coil with high-density edgewise winding to achieve high drive power and low distortion, while the speaker chassis is die-cast aluminium, with a resonance-dispersing structure to eliminate even the smallest unwanted vibration.

Ultra Wide Range Reproduction

Thanks to a carbon graphite dome tweeter mounted at the centre of the flat mid-range drive unit, the SB-R1 is capable of reproducing frequencies all the way up to 100 kHz. And with bass extension down to 20 Hz, it’s ready to deliver the vast frequency spectrum offered by high-quality, high-resolution music sources.

High-Quality Network Circuit

The High-Quality Network Circuit was created as a result of extensive designing and listening, in order to maximise the performance of each speaker unit and achieve a balanced sound. To prevent interference between the drive units and minimise the effect of vibration, separate network boards for woofer, mid-range and tweeter are optimally arranged inside the cabinet.

High Rigidity Round Form Cabinet

A 50-mm-thick baffle used in the cabinet supports the speaker units rigidly and suppresses undesirable resonances, while side panels comprising eight layers of MDF give the cabinet a curved form, suppressing unwanted vibration and reducing internal and external diffraction and reflection.  

An internal partition divides the cabinet into upper and lower sections, and eliminates low-order standing waves in the vertical direction. The choice of absorbent acoustic material and its position were optimised based on the frequency band of each drive-unit as well as the cabinet volume, thus further suppressing standing waves inside the cabinet, and even the rings round each drive unit are made of a material with high internal loss to eliminate unwanted emitting from anywhere other than the speaker sound diaphragm.

The glossy finish on the cabinet is created through a series of processes including repeated coating, sanding, and polishing, the high degree of craftsmanship complementing the speakers’ high-quality sound. The finish even suppresses fine vibrations generated on the cabinet surface, thus contributing to the accuracy of the sound.

Low Distortion 16-cm Long Stroke Woofer

Technics has developed a long-throw woofer capable of reproducing super-low frequencies with dramatically reduced distortion, giving powerful, dynamic and responsive bass. A push-pull edge (Symmetrical Surround Technology, SST) design cancels secondary harmonic distortion in the low-frequency range.

1 - Flat coaxial 2-way speaker unit

The newly developed flat coaxial two way speaker unit features a dome tweeter capable of reproducing frequencies of up to 100 kHz, which incorporates a rigid and lightweight carbon graphite diaphragm. In addition, the speaker unit features a flat midrange diaphragm that eliminates the frequency characteristic disturbance due to the cavity effect caused by the cone diaphragm. The result is a point sound source that achieves superb sound localisation and provides smooth directional characteristics over the entire frequency range without peaks or dips.

2 - Low distortion long stroke woofer

The woofer offers low distortion and superb response in reproducing frequencies even with large amplitude, delivering bass sound with a wide dynamic range.

3 - High rigidity round form cabinet

Designed to eliminate unwanted vibration, diffraction reflection, and standing waves, the cabinet allows the reproduction of faithful and rich sound ambience.

[A]
Woofer 160 mm (for all 4 woofers)

Two layered cone and dust cap unified diaphragm

Low distortion SST (Symmetrical Surround Technology) edge

Opposed double damper

Low distortion magnetic circuit

[B]
Phase Precision Driver

Carbon Graphite dome diaphragm for up to 100khz Ultra-Wide range reproduction

Low distortion magnetic circuit

Three layered aluminium core flat diaphragm

Specifications

Type:  3,5-way 6 speakers, bass-reflex type (coaxial 2-way midrange/built-in tweeters)

Speaker Unit

Woofer :  16 cm (6-1/2") cone type x 4

Midrange/Tweeter :  Coaxial 16 cm (6-1/2") flat type x 1 / 2.5 cm (1") dome type x 1

Impedance:  4 Ω

Input Power (IEC):  300 W (MAX);  150 W (RATED)

Sound Pressure Level:  88 dB (2.83 V/m):  85 dB (W/m)

Frequency Range:   20 Hz to 100 kHz (-16 dB);  28 Hz to 90 kHz (-10 dB)

Crossover Frequency:  300 Hz, 3 kHz

Dimensions (W x H x D):  408 x 1260 x 522 mm (16-1/16" x  49-19/32" x 20-9/16")

Weight:  72 kg (159 lbs)