A I R L A Y E R
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airLayer Option
As of this writing, this option is not yet available on the zA1.1, but will be eventually. It is
available on the zA2.1.
The zA1.1 speakers are very directive in the vertical, and rather directive in the
horizontal. This serves to minimize the involvement of the room, thereby making setup
easier, and maximally conserving the recorded ambiance and the precision of the image.
With recordings that do not have realistically recorded ambiance with well conserved
phase information, a potential drawback is the perception of a closed in soundstage,
extending only from one speaker to the other.
The airLayer option comprises a high grade dome tweeter mounted on one side of each
speaker, restricted to about a 2 kHz to 6 kHz frequency range, firing sideways toward its
near side wall. The purpose of bouncing some sound off the side walls is to widen the
soundstage, more or less simulating the side walls in a performance venue, and provide a
sense of spaciousness that can be missing from directive speakers such as the zA1.1 when
the recording does not contain accurately recorded ambience.