“In addition to its TV sound improvement capabilities, the new Max TV MT2 from Proficient Audio also includes Bluetooth wireless connectivity”
There are many reasons why the home audio market is experiencing a resurgence. In the home theater category or media system category, soundbar speaker products are as popular as they ever been and as the category matures it is also becoming more diversified.
Back in September, the California-based audio manufacturer Proficient Audio announced its latest speaker solution the new MaxTV MT2 which is designed for placement underneath a flat-panel television. When it introduced the MaxTV the company explained that a vast majority of flat-panel televisions are placed on stands and not mounted on a wall. Proficient theorizes the MaxTV provides the majority of users who are placing TVs on a stand with an audio upgrade that is easy to implement. “It’s rare to find a TV with good sound, and I’ve never heard one with great sound. It’s no wonder [why the sound from a TV is substandard] … the limited space available inside a TV cabinet has been a barrier to good on-board TV sound for years. Now with today’s flat- panels [TVs] it would be difficult for TV designers to even consider great sound in a TV as a goal,” says Loren Maldoon of Proficient Audio. “The only real way to get high quality TV sound today is with an outboard solution, but for many situations a full-blown home theater sound system isn’t practical. A lot of soundbars just don’t begin to make it to the level we would consider acceptable. So we approached the challenge from a whole new direction. We asked, what if we designed a sound system that was a platform for the display? The answer was Proficient Max TV. Our first TV speaker, the MT2 is perfect for people who want great sound but don’t want to fill their room with speakers and electronics.”
”The MaxTV MT2 is an expert when it comes to impressive sound in a tiny package. We loved some of the design touches, like the magnetic removable speaker grills”
The phrase “sound bar” has a mixed reputation. But it’s not a dirty word or a slur- in fact, though the category might not seem sexy, it’s improved remarkably over the past few years. Though still constrained by the laws of physics- booming sound usually requires bigger space- new materials and technologies continue to allow improvements. Just like your headphones and earbuds have gotten better and less expensive, so have sound bars, all-in-one solutions that make home theater-quality sound simple and easy.
The Proficient MaxTV MT2 is the latest and greatest model from an audio company that specializes in some pretty high-end audiophile-grade equipment. This cabinet combines two subwoofers, two tweeters and four mid-ranges in a package that is, remarkably, only four inches high. Wide enough to accomadate most televisions without looking too overwhelming or being dwarfed, it’s perfect for modern flat panel TVs. Many folks buy a nice television and rely on the built-in speakers, which always sound anemic. The difference is amazing, and well worth the price- we definitely recommend saving a bit of money or opting for a smaller screen- and putting some of the savings towards the audio. Your ears will thank you.
Each year, CustomRetailer invites nominations of products that stand out for being innovative, high-performing and solutions-oriented for the custom installation professional. This year’s winners stood out as particularly impressive, considering the unique challenges custom installers face every day on the job. The impact these products have on the industry is felt in the installers’ productivity, the dealers’ profitability, the clients’ satisfaction and the industry’s vitality. Congratulations to the winners!
Proficient Audio MaxTV MT2 Under-TV Soundbar
During the company’s CEDIA press conference, Proficient president Keith Marshall explained that approximately four out of five TVs installed in the home are placed on stands. Using this information as a starting point, Proficient designed its MT2 speaker that contains four 2.5-inch midrange drivers and two 1-inch soft-dome tweeters arranged in a left/right midrange tweeter configuration. Augmenting the speaker’s low end is a pair of 5.25-inch downward firing woofers that are set in their own sub-enclosures. Proficient adds the speaker system also includes Bluetooth to enable streaming wireless audio from mobile devices and the enclosure can support TVs weighing up to 160 pounds.
GadgetReview four star review.
Sound bars make a lot of sense, especially now that TVs have gotten so thin. There’s no space for large speakers or heavy-duty audio amplification of them. So a stand-alone set of speakers that don’t take up the space of a traditional arrangement that requires speaker stands, strung out wiring and room, sounds good. And since more people than not have their TV on a cabinet, not wall-mounted, being able to put that sound bar right up against the TV makes sense too. But being able to put the sound bar beneath the TV makes even more sense, because it doesn’t take up any space to speak of (about all it doses is raise the TV a few inches higher than it was). Of course the TV’s pedestal shouldn’t exceed that of the top of the sound bar as that way lies madness (or a really bad accident).
Hence the mindset of Proficient Audio’s MaxTV MT2 TV Sound Speaker which, by the way, is 28-inches wide but only 4-inches high. Now while there are others that might look similar from the outside, what is found inside the MaxTV is pretty different. And it’s that difference that makes for some really good audio to accompany whatever you are watching.
“Proficient Audio launches MaxTV MT2 speaker box, soundbars start job hunt” Engadget
According to Proficient’s Loren Maldoon, “It’s rare to find a TV with good sound. And I’ve never heard one with great sound. It’s no wonder. The limited space available inside a TV cabinet has been a barrier to good on-board TV sound for years. Now with today’s flat panels, it would be difficult for TV designers to even consider great sound in a TV as a goal. The only real way to get high quality TV sound today is with an outboard solution. But, for many situations a full-blown home theater sound system isn’t practical. A lot of soundbars just don’t begin to make it to the level we would consider acceptable. So, we approached the challenge from a whole new direction. We asked, what if we designed a sound system that was a platform for the display? The answer was Proficient MaxTV. Our first TV Speaker, the MT2 is perfect for people who want great sound but don’t want to fill their room with speakers and electronics.”
“In creating Proficient MaxTV, our design and engineering team set up performance goals, focusing on voice intelligibility, dynamic range and tonal accuracy. This is important for movies and TV, and, is also essential for music listeners. Given this approach, the MT2 really sounds great with music program material too,” continued Maldoon. In addition, there is a selectable DSP to enhance the sound field.
MaxTV includes Bluetooth so end-users can stream music from their smartphones, tablets or computers. They can even up the experience of watching video or playing games on those devices by streaming the audio to the MT2.”
The Proficient MaxTV contains four 2½” midranges and two 1″ soft dome tweeters, front-mounted in a stereo Mid-Tweeter-Mid configuration. The left and right speaker systems are in their own internal enclosures. The powerful low end is produced by two 5¼” down-firing subwoofers, each in their own tuned and vented internal enclosures.
MaxTV uses four 20 Watt (RMS) digital amplifiers. The four amps are run in a 2 channel bi-amplified configuration. The two 5 ¼” low frequency drivers are each direct coupled to their own 20 Watt amp. The remaining two 20 Watt amps each drive the left and right front firing drivers. An on-board limiter protects the woofer’s driver being over-powered and maintains clean and undistorted sound, at any output level.
The Proficient MT2 TV Speaker works with TVs mounted on stands or wall mounted. Used as a TV platform, the MT2 can support up to 160 pounds.
The Big Red Button Demo Kit
Proficient believes that once someone hears the difference MaxTV makes, they will buy it. Given this, Proficient will have “The Big Red Button” a 4″ x 4″ button that will let dealers compare the TV sound system and then MaxTV. Proficient dealers should contact their local Proficient rep for details.
Proficient MaxTV is shipping now with an MSRP of $599.
New C600 offers high performance at a surprisingly affordable price.
Proficient Audio introduces the C600, a new in-ceiling speaker that delivers exceptional value in response to dealer installer demands.
“An inexpensive, entry-level 6½-inch ceiling speaker is important for our dealers. The everyday price means that a dealer can pick it up any day of the week and not have to wait for a sales promotion,” Proficient Audio president Keith Marshall said. “Dealers have been telling us that it’s difficult for them to sell a budget speaker that doesn’t have good sound quality. We challenged our guys to develop a speaker that sounded great, and we think they succeeded. This little guy punches above its weight class.”
The woofer in the C600 uses a polypropylene cone, well known for being stiff yet light for good bass with low distortion. The C600’s ½-inch fixed position polyethylene dome tweeter perfectly complements the polypropylene woofer – it’s light, fast and features wide dispersion.
The 8 Ohm C600 is rated to handle maximum power of 75 watts, and produces a frequency response of 55Hz to 20kHz with a high sensitivity of 89dB 1W/1m. Suggested retail price of the C600 is $130 per pair. It’s shipping and available now.
About Proficient Audio
Proficient is a leading brand in the dealer-installed home audio market, with single-brand system solutions and an extensive line of speakers for whole-house, home theater and outdoor audio systems. Proficient also offers receivers, amplifiers, multi-room audio controllers, control keypads and an extensive selection of accessories — everything needed to build high-quality home sound systems.
Proficient Audio is a division of SpeakerCraft LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. Since its founding in 2001, Proficient Audio has delivered top-notch product and industry-leading service. It is now known as one of the residential custom install industry’s most innovative brands. For more information, go to www.proficientaudio.com or write to us at Proficient Audio, 940 Columbia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507. Our toll-free phone number is (877) 888-9004 and we can be faxed at (951) 750-6304.
Flagship GL6 Cabinet Loudspeaker Designed for Two-Channel and High-End Cinema Systems
Proficient, best known for serious dedication to unsurpassed sonic quality, today introduced the Proficient Signature Series GL6 cabinet loudspeaker, a one-of-a-kind statement of power and performance designed for two-channel and larger home theater jobs.
The GL6 is the flagship of Proficient’s lineup of loudspeakers. The principal design is dual 6-1/2 inch woofers and a one-inch tweeter, housed in a cabinet with a luxurious 7-layer high-gloss piano black finish.
““We really owe our acoustics engineers for this one. Both are committed, career loudspeaker devotees who came up through the ranks in recording studios and tour sound. They took an aggressive set of performance criteria and turned it into a truly formidable loudspeaker. Their efforts are obvious and the results are outstanding. The GL6 loudspeaker will sit at the very top of our brand,” said Keith Marshall, President of Proficient.
The GL6 uses dual Injected Molded Graphite woofers in every cabinet. These provide a focused vertical output and wide horizontal dispersion pattern. The result is higher output and lower distortion over a single woofer system. Simply put, the woofers don’t work as hard and create less distortion, resulting in much cleaner and more detailed sound. The woofers produce solid, deep bass with a very natural, yet detailed, mid‐range. To enhance bass performance, the GL6 uses a bass‐reflex design with dual flared‐end port tubes. These tune the enclosure and minimize both air turbulence and port compression, providing maximum bass performance at roll‐off.
For high frequency reproduction, the GL6 uses a 1‐inch voice coil diameter silk dome tweeter. Silk is a great material for tweeters since it is lightweight and holds its shape, but remains flexible enough to produce high frequencies with good bandwidth and sensitivity. By nature of its dome shape, it provides excellent off‐axis response, working well in the Woofer – Tweeter – Woofer configuration. A second order crossover topology is used in the GL6 to provide optimum summing at the crossover frequency and protection to the high‐frequency driver components.
“Proficient has really taken to using Injected Molded Graphite woofers and silk dome tweeters over the last few years. This combination sounds awesome and they have become our drivers of choice,” Marshall said.
Aesthetics accompany high performance in the GL6 system loudspeaker. The enclosure has an environmentally friendly, seven-layer, high‐gloss black finish. The coating helps to acoustically seal and dampen the enclosure. An easy-to-remove treated wood frame cloth grille with Neo magnets completes the contemporary aesthetic of the GL6 system.
“The GL6 is a superb match to all of the high-end 7.1 receivers and high-current 2-channel amps on the market today. We’ve also been playing the GL6’s with our new Proficient ZEROTM wireless 35W x 2 digital receiver and they sound awesome, the GL6 just won’t fold up,” Marshall noted. “We’re getting stunning results because the Texas Instruments EquibitTM chipset which pushes digital sound reproduction to the highest level of fidelity available today. The GL6 sounds incredible when coupled with the new Proficient Zero new digital receiver.”
“Our dealers will now have a top-notch, drop-dead gorgeous product in the Proficient Signature Series GL6, a loudspeaker that will more than satisfy any of the demanding situations that they encounter.
The GL6 has an MSRP of $750 each. It is backed by a 10-year full warranty and begins shipping in Q3 2012.
About Proficient Audio
Proficient is a leading brand in the dealer-installed home audio market, with single-brand system solutions and an extensive line of speakers for whole-house, home theater and outdoor audio systems. Proficient also offers receivers, amplifiers, multi-room audio controllers, control keypads and an extensive selection of accessories — everything needed to build high-quality home sound systems.
Proficient Audio is a division of SpeakerCraft LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. Since its founding in 2001, Proficient Audio has delivered top-notch product and industry-leading service. It is now known as one of the residential custom install industry’s most innovative brands. For more information, go to www.proficientaudio.com or write to us at Proficient Audio, 940 Columbia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507. Our toll-free phone number is (877) 888-9004 and we can be faxed at (951) 750-6304.
GS10 Performance and Aesthetics Designed to Mate With New GL6
Consumer Electronic Week 2012
New York City, New York
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Proficient Audio today augmented its subwoofer line with the GS10, their new top-of-the line, floor-standing sub. The 10” sub has a long-excursion, treated paper cone woofer coupled with a 250-watt Class D amplifier. With a frequency response of 28 Hz to 200 Hz, the GS10 can deliver high output, low distortion and excellent resolution of bass detail.
“When we release a new subwoofer, all our dealers expect exceptional performance and the kind of reliability that they have come to expect from all of our other powered subs.” said Keith Marshall, President of Proficient. “With its elegant 7 layer black gloss finish, one might be tempted to dismiss its performance, but don’t. There is power and agility hiding under all that gloss.” Marshall continued.
To achieve fast and accurate low frequency response, the 10” GS10 woofer cone is formulated with a blend of paper-pulp and a mixture of strengthening materials. The voice-coil is constructed with high temperature fiberglass and SV wire that maximize durability and improve power handling. A large-radius surround controls excursion demands and voice-coil alignment at all drive levels to minimize distortion and maximize power handling.
A phase switch provides phase adjustment to ensure optimum coherence with the main speakers. Inputs provided are Left and Right, summed internally and LFE inputs, using filter settings from sources that provide LFE output.
“The GS10 sub was developed in parallel with our new GL6 dual-woofer cabinet loudspeaker. If you pair a couple of GS10 with two of our GL6, it makes for a potent combination, delivering high performance and stunning aesthetics. The Proficient Signature System is designed to be used in a 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1 home theater. These are Proficient’s highest-performance products, They’re fast and detailed and have the power to reproduce the most demanding music and movie soundtracks.” said Marshall.
“The Proficient Signature System gives our dealers an excellent choice for their more discriminating clients where top-end performance and great cosmetics are all important, and, when isn’t it anyway?” concludes Marshall.
The GS10 subwoofer has an MSRP of $900. The Proficient Signature System MSRP is $3,300 for two GS10 subs and two GL6 loudspeakers. Product ships in Q3 2012.
About Proficient Audio
Proficient is a leading brand in the dealer-installed home audio market, with single-brand system solutions and an extensive line of speakers for whole-house, home theater and outdoor audio systems. Proficient also offers receivers, amplifiers, multi-room audio controllers, control keypads and an extensive selection of accessories — everything needed to build high-quality home sound systems.
Proficient Audio is a division of SpeakerCraft LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. Since its founding in 2001, Proficient Audio has delivered top-notch product and industry-leading service. It is now known as one of the residential custom install industry’s most innovative brands. For more information, go to www.proficientaudio.com or write to us at Proficient Audio, 940 Columbia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507. Our toll-free phone number is (877) 888-9004 and we can be faxed at (951) 750-6304.
Consumer Electronics Week 2012
New York City, New York
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Since its introduction to the marketplace at last year’s CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) Show, the Proficient ZERO Wireless Music System has left a significant footprint on the Wireless Whole House Audio market. The basic system consists of two components: the Proficient ZERO transmitter and an amplified receiver which features onboard Bluetooth® technology, and greatly expanded functionality.
According to Proficient’s Keith Marshall, “The Proficient ZERO Wireless Music System is our purpose-built solution for homeowners who want a whole-house sound system but don’t want the expense of hard-wired multi-room systems.” Designed primarily for retrofit solutions, the Proficient ZERO Wireless Music System will transmit high-quality stereo sound over a distance of up to 90 feet for up to eight rooms, reducing labor charges for speaker wire and cable runs through walls in existing homes and buildings.
According to a 2011 CEDIA Member Benchmarking survey, 63% of revenue for 2010 came from retrofit and remodel installs. People aren’t doing as much house-hopping and permanent upgrades as was the case a few years ago. The Proficient Wireless Music System addresses this significant trend head-on.
To assist system integrators with their home or office demonstrations, Proficient developed a unique kit specifically designed to present the benefits of the new product in the field. “Proficient wanted to make sure that our integrators could demonstrate the Proficient Wireless Music System wherever they are. By using our Music in Minutes™ demo kit, they will be able to have a valuable tool that will produce an active in-home demonstration”, added Marshall.
Features include the capability to expand to as many as eight receivers per transmitter. The transmitter itself includes three stereo analog audio inputs plus a switchable analog/optical PCM audio. It transmits them simultaneously creating a four source by eight-zone multi-room system.
The Proficient ZERO amplified receiver utilizes a high-quality 35 watt x 2 channel built-in digital amplifier featuring Texas Instruments’ Equibit™ technology. With the TI Equibit, PZ can drive a wide range of loudspeakers to high levels with sonic clarity that rivals full-sized audio receivers.
Since music streaming from a Bluetooth® wireless technology device such as a smartphone, tablet or computer is now becoming popular, the Proficient ZERO amplified receiver has the capability for receiving high quality streaming music via Bluetooth®. The Proficient engineers chose a high speed DSP processor that is optimized for enhanced signal-noise-ratio and high data bit rate.
The amplified receiver also features stereo speaker outputs, 3.5mm stereo line out, 3.5mm L/R sum out, optical line in, 3.5mm stereo line input for local source and front LED display. In addition, transmitted sources, as well as a local source inputs, can be selected from the included Infrared remote control.
For added flexibility, the Proficient ZERO receiver can be installed behind a wall-mounted TV and used as a utility amplifier to get better quality sound from a TV. It will also run any powered subwoofer wirelessly.
Applications include wireless multi-room/multi-zone audio; wireless stereo speakers; wireless surround speakers; flat panel TV audio amp; wireless subwoofer for home theater; and computer/video game/mp3 players.
The Proficient ZERO Transmitter and Amplified Receiver with supplied remote will be available to ship in Q4 2012.
About Proficient Audio
Proficient is a leading brand in the dealer-installed home audio market, with single-brand system solutions and an extensive line of speakers for whole-house, home theater and outdoor audio systems. Proficient also offers receivers, amplifiers, multi-room audio controllers, control keypads and an extensive selection of accessories — everything needed to build high-quality home sound systems.
Proficient Audio is a division of SpeakerCraft LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. Since its founding in 2001, Proficient Audio has delivered top-notch product and industry-leading service. It is now known as one of the residential custom install industry’s most innovative brands. For more information, go to www.proficientaudio.com or write to us at Proficient Audio, 940 Columbia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507. Our toll-free phone number is (877) 888-9004 and we can be faxed at (951) 750-6304.
