RMAF 2009

Where, you may ask, are the speakers? All you see are light fixtures.

In fact, what for all intents and purposes looks like adjustable lighting is a novel speaker that actually does contain ambiance LED lights in its upper arms that are adjustable for color intensity or use in light therapy. But the fixture also contains a 3" Raal ribbon tweeter that feeds a waveguard secreted between its two halves, four 3" midranges that fire up and down, and in the black cylinder on the floor, two 6.5" woofers. At the demo, a pair of these omnidirectional speakers, positioned across the room from each other at equal height above the floor, were powered by the other half of the forthcoming Raal Solaja Audio Constellation, a 70W amp for the mids and highs, and 110W amp for the woofers. Complete with a four-channel active crossover, the entire constellation, manufactured in Serbia, will retail for $4000 and be distributed in the U.S. by Sam Laufer of Laufer-Teknik.

What will put this constellation over big-time is not only its looks, but also its fabulous sound. Aleksandar Radisavljevic's Raal ribbons are among the best in the world, and are sold out three to four months in advance. At least nine companies are now using them, including Kaiser (see the Kaiser Kawero blog farther down) and Sonics by Joachim Gerhard. Their sound is remarkably open and extended.

These diminutive speakers, which boast 87dB sensitivity and a frequency response of 45Hz–50kHz, are said capable of filling a large room with convincing sound. Playing the recently released Pentatone hybrid SACD of Schubert's Trout Quintet, the system captured by the acidity and sweetness of Christian Tetzlaff's violin with admirable clarity.

Thanks to Aleksandar for trying his best to explain everything after Lufthansa lost his luggage, which was filled with fully detailed literature about the Raal Solaja Audio Constellation. Folks attending the next Burning Amp DIY fete in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 18 can meet him in person.