Tchilinguirian: It's not a DSP, but there will be a later DSP version of it. It's an analog device, and it allows the user to integrate the subwoofer and satellite, no matter what the satellite is. There are a number of adjustable controls: the crossover point, phase of the satellite, and the most important that I found in listening to and playing with it—the ability of adjusting the knee of both the low- and high-pass sections. The rate of rolloff is always 24dB/octave, but the Q of the knee just before the rolloff is adjustable, so you can tune the knee to get maximally flat rolloffs at the knee with a variety of satellites. I found this to be one of the most important things in integrating the two components.

Deutsch: So you don't hear the crossover point?

Tchilinguirian: You get that seamless crossover point. You have more adjustments that you can make to get a seamless crossover.

Deutsch: Would the controls be set by tweaking during a listening test?

Tchilinguirian: Yes. I've spent a great deal of time playing with it, and so has Ian. It was funny; I'd go in there and adjust it to what I thought was right, then I'd change all the adjustments and leave. Then Ian would come in and adjust it, and we'd compare what I'd done to what he'd done—they were very close. So were a number of other people's adjustments.

Deutsch: Have you generally found in your listening tests that people independently come to the same conclusions?

Tchilinguirian: Yes, exactly. You know, I think some people may not be as refined as others in terms of their listening, but most people have a sense of what sounds real.

Deutsch: Do you see further development for the speaker in the next year or two, or is this as good as you can make it?

Tchilinguirian: Having listened to a large variety of speakers out in the market, I think the Veritas is as good as or better than a lot of speakers twice its price. Is this the ultimate for Energy? Right now, yes. I think the only way we can take it further is by sacrificing space in a room and increasing the cost. Mainly I'm talking about even higher dynamic capabilities and bottom-end limits.

Deutsch: What would you say is the number-one fault in loudspeakers in general?

Tchilinguirian: The ability to do a lot of things well. Some speakers do one thing well but suffer in other areas: some are able to play equally well at low or high levels; some are phenomenal in the top range but suffer in the bottom; some have a great midrange—that's one of the first things I listen for—but lack upper and bottom definition, power handling, and transient response. The number-one thing would be a loudspeaker's ability to bring a lot of things together in proper balance.

Deutsch: And you obviously feel the Veritas does that.

Tchilinguirian: I do!