The Company’s philosophy
Each product that is to be developed needs a primary concept and a clear philosophy for being serious and innovative. Our company’s philosophy has now been existing for more than 30 years – but what are the main characteristics?
1. The basic direction
1.1 Which decision can I make?
The basic direction of Audio Exklusiv is first of all an uncompromising idea for a best possible music reproduction. Best possible for us means as lifelike as possible. We do not see soundmachines in our appliances: they will be developed in that kind that there will not be added something artificial to the signal on the sound storage medium. No coloration and no deformation, which are also often caused by resonances and vibrations.
Of course this is not quite easy especially after having seen how distinctly sound engineers treat an audio recording. Now one meaning can be that a lot of audio recordings do have no bearing on lifelike sound at all, and therefore it may be possible – within the group of the downstream chain – to influence the sound into that direction which is preferred. Of course a possibility, that does however not correspond with the philosophy of Audio Exklusiv (by the way: the simpliest way for a sound modification will be the use of an equalizer).
1.2 The reference basis – a technical point of view
Thank god there are still a lot of recordings that have been taped without any effects and that even in their further treatment will not be modified. Who ever could hear this with a neutral system, won’t forget it in his whole life. The reason is: there are remaining the most important factors such as emotion, reality and the musical pressure. So heard and seen by the “heads” of Audio Exklusiv.
Already in the year 1979, when Gerd Pütz founded the company, his wish was to find a solution apart from the typical “box sound” of traditional loudspeakers. Therefore his vision was an electrostatic loudspeaker. Liberated from all “box sounds”, free, breezy, with the fastest reaction on impulses and above all able to set the music into the room just like an instrument or an orchestra: detached and uncoupled.
This target could also be found later on with his conventional and dynamic loudspeakers, first of all the Tubular Bell.
After the realization of the electrostatic loudspeakers there was a need for an appropriate and payable electronic. In the 70th years there has been a great fetishism for measuring and data. Nowadays we know that measurement is not everything.
A real good electronic is not noticeable. It works like the famous piece of wire. The signal is being handed over, if necessary it will be converted and/or amplified and will be at the loudspeaker’s disposal. – That’s it!
That sounds quite easy – but the realization is extreme difficult. Most manufacturers avoid this effort – for reasons of time and expenses.
First of all there was the task to find an appropriate reference basis. At Audio Exklusiv unamplified instruments and vocals are recorded in a puristical way – these recordings now are the basis for all further sound checks and development steps. The simpliest way to find out the rightness is to close the eyes while hearing the music. If soon arises in the head a real illustration of that what has been heard - the aim has been reached.
1.3 The reference basis – a self-critical point of view
Most of all the “weak sex” can be a high quality judgment factor, because often they do not let themselves be dazzled by a would-be outfit or an impressive inner. Whereas for the male listener very often the rational factor such as technics but also the representation factor are in the foreground (e.g. a thick front plate, big transformers, etc.), for the female listener it’s more important what they are feeling while listening, it’s important whether the soul involved: the emotional factor overbalances. And that is the most important factor while listening music.
Luffing with the foot, fizzling or comments such as “Wow, it sounds like in a concert – I’ve just…” after a title has finished signalize clearly what has happened. Long-running compatibility and satisfaction are important signs for the rightness of what can be heard. Appliances which drift away from the original may be interesting and impressive at the beginning but after a while they make discontent or even are annoying.
If everything matches and fits there will come a great satisfaction and quietness which finally makes forgotten the technology but that allows to addict only the music – incidentally also new musical
directions. Therefore the most important thing will be: to take time and to listen a certain time.
II. Less sometimes is more
To make a comparison we’ll take an example from a different sector: who has ever met the Japanese or the original Italian cooking will have noticed that in fact only one best possible basic product will count which will lead – refined with only a few other things – to an unforgettable culinary adventure. It’s really not necessary to work with many different materials. This can also be applied for the consumer electronics. Most of the producers – mainly great companies – offer real material battles. Devices and devices, stabilizations, control switching, revision circuits…the operation field is manifold. We can get a lot of material for our money!
At first sight this might be rather impressive. But the truth is, that on one side circuits made on a drawing-board and realized with many devices are cheap and on the other side the sound can be satisfying, but very seldom it can be called good or even outstanding in the sense of lifelike and neutral. The most expensive part is – we all know it – the factor “working-time” which mainly incur during the phases of basis development and in the long lasting phases of testing, optimizing and listening. These costs will be saved – with pleasure.
A good friend is doing – among other things – tuning mass production products of the consumer electronics. One day I saw in his listening room an impressive CD-Player from a famous producer, which I knew very well. When he let me listen the final result I had no words: I’ve never heard this not really bad CD-Player in such a way. When I asked him what he had made he smiled whimsically and told me: “First of all I removed all needless devices and compensation circuits…”. In the end only experience, know-how and accurateness are important and essential: How to plan a circuit in order to be stable from the beginning, where malfunctions not will have to be eliminated by compensation circuits; where will a certain device have its best application, etc? As a real good example up to today the tube amplifier of the british producer LEAK: Only a few devices, clever circuits and transformer – even after 40 years these appliances convince from part of sound as well as measurement.
Already Gerd Pütz chose this elementary beginning and today we continue this philosophy consistently.
The result can be reproduced immediately by every one.
III. What disturbs and does not suit
A lot of streets will lead to Rome – this wisdom can also be applied in the field of consumer electronics. There are only a few real bad ground circuits and even the negative afflicted ICs or digital amplifiers could during the past few years – under the right application – convince the greatest disbeliever. Some few producers take them for manufacturing appliances which are, without any doubt, really good.
May be there are other parameters which influence the sound more than the circuit does? We think: Yes! And in fact: the mechanics.
So for nearly all problems of music reproduction such as impureness, fizzling, lacking reproduction stability or even bad spatiality, bad reproduction of impulses and lacking reproduction of details the mechanics can be made responsible. And: in most cases the malefactor mustn’t be a cheerfully resonant chassis. Even a simple volume-bottom, mounted on a potentiometer, may avoid a “Wow-feeling”. Who has ever tried that will see the subject “mechanics” with other eyes.
For several years there are – concerning this matter – a lot of approaches such as connection and disconnection with the help of spikes, conceptions with strings and/or bases conceived in various ways, damping or even the sealing of whole circuits, the bedding of the circuit board on springs or rubber-elements, tranquillization of chassis etc. Even things so called resonance optimizer (e.g. violin bridges) can be found – they are to move the resonances into acceptable ranges.
Most of these things have a more or less comprehensible effect on the sound. But unfortunately the illustrations and statements often are a bit strange and the malefactor will be brightened instead of being deleted.
For several years we have now been working on the subjects “external influences” and “vibrations and resonances”. We are not the only ones, but the cognition we got is a new one.
In the years 2008/2009 two real interesting materials, which correspond to our ground-philosophy, were found by accident. AIM: everything that is not on the sound storage medium and that is able to influence the sound has to be eliminated (of course not everything can be eliminated, but the progress is mighty). One of these materials we use in order to disconnect from the underground. This task this material does better than others we have ever heard in comparison. The reason can be seen in its conception not to move vibrations – and therewith resonances – in acceptable frequency ranges, no: we can really talk about disconnection.
The other material we found together with a partner absorbs resonances and vibrations and kills them, without a disadvantage for the dynamic. With the help of all other things we could see and test we had to notice that an efficient damping of resonances or vibrations always leads to a lacking of dynamics.
The material we use in cooperation with our partner takes away the resonances, by this eliminates the distortions coming out of vibrations and so arranges for a stable sound ranging and spatiality. The impulse reproduction as well as the detailed reproduction are considerably improved. Now the microinformation has the chance to reach – without an obstable – the listener.
As already mentioned: we do not adjudge neither the one nor the other idea. But for our target – not to add and not to take away things not being or being on the sound storage medium, our conception is the only to choose.
Finally we want to say that there are of course a lot of – sometimes extremely expensive – “magic bullets”. A very simple recommendation is: to hear and to listen, and if a modification can be noticed by a “blind-test” please form an own view and make your own decision. There are really a few things that cannot be explained
IV. Of course the eye will hear, too
– we cannot (and we won’t) deny that also appearance matters
This can be applied for many things in our life. Even for technical things and appliances. And that is good so, because every one has got his own taste and liking.
We see our appliances not only as simple technical and sound-reproducing appliances – they shall also be pieces of jewellery in every livingroom.
No, we are not interested in innumberable aluminium-versions, no matter whether in silver, champagne or black. Ever since the foundation the unique and non-reversible design of the Audio Exklusiv appliances with their front plate in granite and marble with distinctive control elements has been formed.
Thanks to the various number of possible design these hifi components can be integrated perfectly in nearly every listening room and living room. That means of course that every music-enthusiast has the possibility to create his own model.
For us on one side it will be extensive but on the other side this is a part of our company’s philosophy. And so music will not only be a musical experience but also an optical and visual emotion.
V. Continuity and worthiness stability
There is nothing that can be more angry to discover, that several years after the purchase of an appliance in case of a service or if an upgrade has to be made: the manufacturer does not exist any more! With a lot of luck some one can be found to repair the “treasure” – but otherwise it has to be devastated.
In moments like this a so called bargain buy may become an expensive and frustrated matter. In 2009 Audio Exklusiv celebrates its 30. anniversary – a reason for you to have confidence in this trademark and an evidence that we are serious about it.
Numerous model changes help to grow old the appliances and will lead to an enormous loss in value.
Something you will not find in our philosophy: Our appliances are made to delight you a long time on a high level.