Why our Speaker Cloth can now even be found in a royal palace.
Satellites of the HornAudio SoRi 2 system with front covering from Akustikstoff.com
The story of the system's origins begins with the coronavirus pandemic: the almost complete collapse of the event business initially heralded difficult economic times for the Dutch band Rapalje. However, founding member Maceál, also a manufacturer and distributor of professional PA systems in his hometown of Groningen and far beyond with his company HornAudio, as well as a sought-after expert for all questions relating to sound reinforcement technology, used the time productively and pushed his loudspeaker developments in a completely different direction: He used his knowledge and experience in the field of PA technology to develop extremely compact systems that offer real high-end sound with minimal space requirements. With a combination of a Class D power amplifier, a surprisingly compact subwoofer and the "PiXi" satellites equipped with flat cone speakers, he broke completely new ground. He paid particular attention to avoiding partial vibrations on the one hand, and on the other to the sophisticated design of the speaker housing and front grille in order to prevent destructive interference (phase cancellations).
The scalability of the HornAudio system is a feature taken directly from the PA sector and an absolute speciality in the hi-fi segment. While array configurations that can be customised to the respective power requirements and on-site conditions are state of the art in professional sound reinforcement technology, similar flexibility has been rare in the hi-fi and high-end loudspeaker market segment. However, the "PiXies" can be configured as an array like a large PA if, for example, more power and an extended dispersion angle adapted to the spatial conditions are required for larger living rooms or a restaurant. For example, arrays with four or eight "PiXi" satellites per side can be easily realised. Thanks to the delay-corrected design, the audio image remains linear even with these arrays. The dreaded phase cancellations are avoided, meaning that the sound is not distorted regardless of the listener's position.
The Dutch folk band Rapalje wows audiences with a fascinating stage show and outstanding sound from HornAudio loudspeakers.
For the aesthetic design of the speaker fronts, Maceál chose the speaker fabrics from Akustikstoff.com. Despite their good visual opacity, these high-quality fabrics offer maximum acoustic transparency, so they do not detract from the excellent sound quality of the speaker system. In addition, the extensive range of available colours enables the speaker system to be harmoniously visually adapted to almost any conceivable interior design environment and to any customer request.
The result of the elaborate development work is impressive across the board: even in the smallest configuration of two weatherproof "PiXies" measuring just 7 x 7 x 7 cm and a subwoofer measuring just 28 x 28 x 16.4 cm, which also houses the amplifier, the system produces a surprisingly voluminous and detailed sound. With an almost linear frequency response from 38 to 21,000 Hz and excellent spatialisation, it raises the bar for small speakers with big sound, a bar that was previously set primarily by Sonos systems.
Powerful little thing: HornAudio PiXi, covered with speaker fabric from Akustikstoff.com
Array configurations consisting of four or eight satellites per side together with a correspondingly powerful subwoofer deliver even more sound pressure and sound volume in addition to an extended frequency response, and they impress with outstanding fine detail regardless of the volume. In fact, the linear reproduction behaviour of such an array puts many established studio monitors in the shade in a direct listening comparison. In acoustic terms, it is certainly on a par with high-end loudspeakers for which five-figure sums change hands.
The wide range of connection options also leaves nothing to be desired. In keeping with the times, the system can be controlled directly via Bluetooth or integrated into a multi-room system via WLAN. A wired connection to a LAN is also possible and, of course, a 3.5 mm jack socket is available for connecting an analogue audio signal. A further slot offers the option of playing audio content directly from USB data carriers.
The HornAudio system in its smallest configuration as the pre-production model "Rapalje Sound System".
A first series of the described configuration was launched in 2022 as a special "Rapalje Sound System" and could be ordered from Rapalje's online shop together with a USB stick containing the band's complete repertoire. Thanks to its outstanding sound transparency, the speaker fabric from Akustikstoff.com was also included in this pre-series. Fans even had a choice of five different colours. The fabric is available in neutral black as well as in the four typical band colours green, red, blue and brown.
The HornAudio system is now available in various configurations, including the SoRi 2 Sound Set with elegant real wood panelling and matching front covers from Akustikstoff.com, both online and from various stationary dealers in the Netherlands. As a permanent installation, it now also provides good sound at numerous locations, such as the Museum Café Het Pomphuis and the Grand Theatre in Groningen and, last but not least, the family meeting place of the Dutch royal family in the junior palace of the famous baroque palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn.