CES 2017

Dragoslav Colich, designer and founding partner of Audeze headphones, has created a two-way, DSP-controlled planar-magnetic loudspeaker claimed to play flat down to 20Hz. Its working title is the Dark Lord—which will stick if they don't make it into a blood-drenched TV miniseries first—and its projected price is $30,000/pair. A brand name and marketing structure are TBD.

"The Dark Lord has the most advanced planar-magnetic transducer that can be designed and manufactured," claimed Colich, seen with his hand on His Lordship in the photo above. "The transducer's extremely thin film, also used by Audeze, was originally designed for NASA space applications. In addition, the speaker's fazors [acoustic structures attached to the front and rear of the transducer—JVS] are essential for its linear frequency response, linear phase, and precise sound dispersion in both vertical and horizontal planes." Other features include H-PAS low-frequency management by Solus Audio, Dirac room correction, PRA digital wireless signal transmission via a wireless receiver that sits atop the loudspeaker, and an 8" custom woofer.

Inside the Dark Lord's heart is a patented double-sided flexor magnet structure, with one side stronger than the other. "The strongest magnets ever created," says the company of the same technology used in Audeze headphones, but with a different diaphragm.

In my heart is eagerness to hear this most promising loudspeaker, even if its name is so sinister that it makes me want to change the channel. Will they eventually design an all-white companion model that they name the Sacred Sister?