DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
The CS3.6 is a precision instrument designed to very accurately translate electronic information into musical sound. All our efforts have
been directed toward achieving extremely faithful translation of all tonal, spatial and dynamic information supplied by the amplifier.
The CS3.6 is not intended to mask or mitigate shortcomings of the recording or other components in the music playback system.
We believe this approach is the only way to provide the potential of experiencing all the subtle aspects that help make reproduced music
a most enjoyable human experience.
PERFORMANCE GOALS
Since quality of musical performance is a very complex issue it is helpful to objectively identify the aspects involved. We believe
musical performance can be described, with not much oversimplification, as performance in four areas.
Tonal fidelity includes overall octave-to-octave balance, the fidelity of timbres, absence of vowel-like colorations, and bass extension.
Spatial fidelity includes how wide and deep the performing space seems, how convincingly instruments are placed from the center to
laterally beyond the speakers, how realistic the depth perspective is, how little the speakers’ positions seem to be the source of the sound,
and how large the listening area is.
Transient fidelity includes how convincingly realistic is the reproduction of the initial or ‘attack’ portions of sounds and how clearly
reproduced is musically subtle low–level information.
Dynamic fidelity includes how well the speaker maintains the contrasts between loud and soft and how unstrained and effortless is the
reproduction of loud passages.
FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
In our opinion, natural spatial reproduction requires creating a realistic sound field within the listening room by mimicking the properties
of natural sound sources. These properties include wide area radiation and the absence of out-of-phase energy. To meet these requirements
the CS3.6 employs dynamic drivers. Dynamic drivers have the advantages of providing a point source radiation pattern with good dispersion
of sound over a wide area, great dynamic capability, good bass capability and a lack of rearward out-of-phase energy. Another advantage of
dynamic drivers is their small size which allows the multiple drivers to be arranged in one vertical line. This alignment avoids the problem
of line source designs which must place their different drivers side-by-side, causing the distances from each driver to the listener to change
with different listener positions.
The major potential disadvantages of dynamic speakers are diaphragm resonances (“cone break-up”), time errors, phase errors, cabinet
resonance, and cabinet diffraction. None of these problems is a fundamental limit and all can be minimized or eliminated by thorough and
innovative engineering, resulting in a speaker system without significant fundamental limitations.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The task of engineering a speaker system requires the translation of the musical performance goals into technical goals. Although there
are also many minor design considerations, the following are what we believe to be the major technical requirements that contribute to each
of the musical goals.
1
CS3.6 DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
• Extremely accurate frequency response:
29 Hz - 20 KHz
±
1
1
/
2
dB
• Coherent Source design: complete phase and time coherence
• Point source radiation pattern
• Very low energy storage
• Very high quality, innovative driver design
Crossover
The CS3.6 crossover incorporates 25 elements implemented
with 38 components. Most of the components are used to provide a
high degree of response shaping, correcting even small
imperfections that are usually ignored. Very high quality
components are used to ensure very low distortion levels. For
example, polypropylene capacitors are used extensively and all
capacitors are bypassed with custom–made polystyrene and foil
units. Also, all inductors are air-cored types wound with low
oxygen wire.
Specifications:
Bandwidth (-3dB)
27 - 22 KHz
Frequency response
29 - 20 KHz
±
1
1
/
2
dB
Phase response
minimum
±
5
°
Time response
150
µ
s -20 dB
Sensitivity
86 dB @ 2.8v-1m
Impedance
4
Ω
(2.5
Ω
minimum)
Recommended power
100 - 500 watts
Size
48
1
/
2
h x 12
1
/
2
w x 17 d inches
Weight
107 pounds
Driver Complement:
• 10" very long excursion woofer with advanced magnet system
and aluminum diaphragm operates up to 500 Hz.
• 4" mid-range with two–layer, air-core diaphragm and long-
gap/short coil motor system operates from 500 to 3000 Hz.
• 1" high output metal dome tweeter operates above 3 KHz.
• 10" passive bass radiator
Tonal fidelity:
• Accurate frequency response so as to not over or under
emphasize any portion of the sound spectrum
• Absence of resonances in the drivers or cabinet so as not to
introduce tonal colorations
Spatial fidelity:
• Point-source, uni-polar radiation
• Time response accuracy to preserve natural spatial cues
• Lack of cabinet diffraction
Transient fidelity:
• Phase coherence to provide realistic reproduction of attack
transients
• Very low energy storage to provide clarity of musical detail
Dynamic fidelity:
• High output capability
• Low distortion
