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Loudspeaker Components -3
Cabinet
Functionally, any loudspeaker enclosure provides a mechanical placement
of each transducer, a method for suppressing acoustical radiations and a reso-
nant chamber to extend low frequency performance. The Palladium series is
an artistic blend of beauty and functional performance. Its industrial design
was guided by the global consultancy of BMW Group DesignworksUSA.
Enclosure resonances can be suppressed through the geometry of the enclo-
sure and mass of the panels. The Palladium series enclosures contain nonpar-
allel wall structures and thick, high mass walls. Nonparallel wall structures sig-
nificantly decrease standing waves. Cabinet wall
thicknesses are a minimum of 1-inch thick with
an even thicker front baffle. Custom inner and
outer laminated panels sandwich a middle layer of dissimilar material designed with a
different mechanical impedance to ensure the cabinet does not color the sound.
To further increase enclosure stiffness, “H” braces are strategically positioned in the
enclosure to reinforce the structure, control resonance and minimize modal stand-
ing waves. The massive front baffle design allows all woofers and the mid/high horn
structure to mount flush to the exterior edge. The width of the front baffle has also
been minimized to decrease the total area. A smaller front baffle directly correlates
to improved off-axis performance. The overall enclosure was designed to extend the
low frequency response of the woofers. This fourth-order, vented enclosure contains
tuned ports cleverly blended into the rear of the enclosure. Just below the ports on
the P-38F and P-37F , a high mass aluminum and steel base is integrated into the
bottom of the enclosure. The base contains four adjustable floor anchors, which
decouple the cabinet from the floor by supporting the cabinet at just four points.
Tractrix® Horn Design
Horn-loaded technology is the driving force behind the remark-
ably accurate Klipsch sound. Horns offer high efficiency, low
distortion, controlled directivity and flat frequency response,
allowing them to more closely reproduce the quality and tonal
characteristics of live sound. In the Palladium series, the high and
mid-frequency drivers both use the latest evolution of our Tractrix®
horn design, featuring a 90° x 60° coverage pattern and a lofted
throat design for exemplary on-axis response. These horns have
been molded as a single unit, using a proprietary, acoustically in-
ert, carbon-infused thermoset composite material. The high- and
mid-frequency drivers are connected to the horns via chamber-
dampened phase plugs that result in a 4:1 compression ratio,
delivering remarkable efficiency with astonishingly low distortion.
This arrangement allows the Palladium series to provide a unique
combination of precision, clarity and effortless power.
