jean nouvel co-designs amadeus’ latest high-end philharmonia speakers
all images courtesy of amadeus

 

 

 

 

french manufacturer amadeus have announced their new ‘philharmonia’ speakers co-designed by architect jean nouvel. the high-end speakers have a definition monitoring system combining innovation and technology, with style and sonic character. the new speakers were designed by michel deluc, amadeus’ director of research and development along with the french architect who designed the new philharmonia de paris concert hall. 

 

imagine a reference sound system with exceptional design, ergonomics, and acoustics, as a kind of consecration,’ explains bernard byk co-founder and CEO of amadeus. ‘jean nouvel’s imagination, exuberance, and creative genius, combined with michel deluc’s engineering, brought a brilliant solution to life. amadeus especially praises tradition, and the new speakers combine innovation as well as timeless beauty; christened ‘philharmonia’, they embody the know-how, the creativity, and the values with which amadeus has been building its history for more than 35 years.’

amadeus-jean-nouvel-philarmonia-speakers-designboom-02the soft-domed tweeter and bass woofer

 

 

 

the ‘philharmonia’ features a simple curved structure consisting of 547 wood veneers accurately machined and assembled, offering a distinctive look and volume. it features a unique hybrid laminar port using progressive termination. they feature a 28 mm soft-domed tweeter and a custom eight-inch woofer inside a custom manufactured cabinet made from layered birch and stand 1.6 meters tall. the casing contains the electronics inside the lower part of the speaker enclosure. 

 

the distinctive construction technique of philharmonia helps neutralize standing waves affecting sonic clarity and low-frequency definition, through an extremely complex internal structure using a combination of interlocking panels arranged in two perpendicular planes, each hosting several tuned notch resonators,’ reveals amadeus co-designer michel deluc. ‘this allows a dramatic decrease in sound coloration through a crossed structure of longitudinal and trans-verse reinforcements. this proprietary technique is in part inspired by amadeus-designed professional mains monitoring systems used in large recording studios, the ‘crossed structure’ itself drawing on aircraft manufacturing processes, particularly wing design.’

amadeus-jean-nouvel-philarmonia-speakers-designboom-03the speakers stand 1.6 meters tall amadeus-jean-nouvel-philarmonia-speakers-designboom-04the speaker encloser  amadeus-jean-nouvel-philarmonia-speakers-designboom-05the top wood cabinet is made from 547 veneersamadeus-jean-nouvel-philarmonia-speakers-designboom-06each speaker is hand assembled