Sonance Invisible Speakers

The new Invisible Speaker Series from Sonance exploits the company's flat-panel driver technology so it might lay flat against a wall, blending into its surroundings, without sacrificing audio quality. "The series gives interior designers what they've been demanding–preservation of the aesthetics of interior design, while freeing the audio system designer to choose speaker locations based on performance," says Ari Supran, chief operating officer for Sonance.

The series includes two full-range loudspeakers and a subwoofer. When installed, the 16x24-inch model SA3, with 48-square-inch planar-diaphragm driver and 8-inch cone woofer, and the 16x12-inch SA1.5, with 6.5-inch woofer, radiate sound omnidirectionally over 140 degrees and up to 10 kHz. The SAW subwoofer has the same dimensions at the SA3 and SA1.5, and features conventional dual 8-inch low-frequency drivers.

At 3.9 inches deep, Invisible Speakers can be installed in conventional 2x4-studded construction. They include metal back-boxes that Sonance says ensures low-frequency performance and reduces spillover into adjacent rooms. The SA3, SA1.5, and SAW Invisible Series speakers are shipping with suggested retail prices of $1,400/pair, $1,000/pair, and $1,000 each, respectively.