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INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS A HIGH END IN-WALL?
The Snell IW series units bring a novel approach to the design and construction of in-wall
loudspeakers, expanding the boundaries of in-wall performance.
Our primary goal was to develop loudspeakers that delivered performance that was as close
as possible to that of our highly regarded in-room loudspeakers, like the B7 and C7 tower and
SR30 on-wall. To do this, several issues had to be addressed.
The bass performance of conventional loudspeakers mounted in wall cavities is very unpredict-
able. Cavity volume can be large, which should be good for bass performance. However, with
one very short dimension (approximately 4”) and one very long dimension (up to 8’), the wall
cavity takes on the characteristics of a closed-end organ pipe. This creates a strong resonance
that tends to null out the bass. Lining this cavity with fi berglass will reduce the “Q” of the
notch but not restore the bass. What is needed is a defi ned volume of a more regular size. This
is best done with fully enclosed in-wall speakers.
The Snell IW loudspeaker enclosure is a thin, but strong, aluminum tub. It is both damped and
braced. This largely contains the back radiated sound of the woofer within the enclosure. An
added benefi t of containing the woofer output is a reduced chance that resonances will be
excited in the house walls. Furthermore, sound “bleed through” to adjacent rooms is reduced.
To minimize resonances in the Snell enclosure, the speaker baffl e uses a technique fi rst
pioneered on our .5 and XA series loudspeakers. The baffl e is a three part composite with MDF
(fi berboard) outer layers around a thin, but highly effective, damping layer. This controls the
panel resonances of the baffl e that can obscure midrange clarity. As we have found with our
freestanding loudspeakers, a better loudspeaker cabinet means a better sounding loudspeaker.
Another unique feature of the IW-B7 and IW-C7 is their rotatable midrange/tweeter panel. The
entire center panel of the baffl e can be removed and rotated, making the speaker suitable for
horizontal installation. In this confi guration the IW-B7 or IW-C7 become the ultimate center
channel speaker. Note that in this confi guation the speaker cannot be installed between the
wall studs. Special, custom installation is required.
In addition to these unique solutions, all traditional Snell attributes are retained. Highly coher-
ent in-phase crossover networks ensure a seamless blend from driver to driver. Drivers are
designed for smooth, wide range response and low distortion. The IW-B7, IW-C7 and IW-SR30
meet the sonic requirements of digital 5.1 and 7.1 channel surround sound systems as well as
the demanding specifi cations of THX Ultra 2. Long sessions of listening and adjusting give each
system that special, characteristic Snell sound. Finally, that Snell sound is guaranteed in every
production pair by Snell’s proprietary 0.5dB production tuning techniques.
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