News

Atlantic Technology Puts Acclaimed Flagship Technology in Value-Priced System 4200 (8/1/2004)

THX-Select certified System 4200 features optional side panels and advanced room compensation controls for acoustic and aesthetic flexibility

Atlantic Technology, one of the first manufacturers of loudspeaker systems specifically designed for home theater, has introduced the THX Select certified System 4200 home theater speaker system, incorporating the C.O.R.E. (Custom Optimized, Room Enhanced) Technology flexibility developed for its award-winning flagship System 8200 and 6200 systems, at a much lower price point. The line consists of driver-matched front and center speakers, switchable dipole/bipole surrounds, and a powered box-type subwoofer.

"The response to the C.O.R.E. Technology behind our 8200 and 6200 systems has been overwhelming, both from consumers and installers " said Atlantic Technology CEO Oscar Ciornei. "The System 4200 makes the same design philosophy available at a much more affordable price point."

The 4200 speakers are all finished in Atlantic's DuraBlac(TM), an attractive utilitarian-style finish suitable for speakers that will be mounted in cabinets or behind screens. Through the use of optional accent panel kits, the front LR's, center channel, and subwoofer can be 'dressed up' in a variety of finishes suitable for display out in the room.

The 4200 LR speakers each feature a pair of 5.25-inch GLH (Graphite Loaded Homopolymer) woofers vertically flanking a single 1-inch silk dome tweeter. The drivers are arranged in a D'Appolito Array configuration for extremely linear horizontal dispersion, and controlled vertical dispersion to prevent unwanted reflections from the floor or ceiling. The 4200 C includes the same drivers oriented horizontally, but with the tweeter raised out of the vertical plane to avoid the narrow dispersion characteristics that plague many horizontal center channels. It also features Atlantic's exclusive tilting base design, to aim the speaker directly at the listeners for optimum dialogue reproduction.

The rear panel of each 4200 LR and C speaker includes a pair of controls for optimizing sound quality for individual rooms, and their location in the room. A three-position High Frequency Energy switch is used to adjust the tilt or roll-off slope of the tweeter to compensate for the acoustical reflection characteristics of the home theater environment. A Boundary Compensation toggle can be used to adjust the lower-midrange output to compensate for the sound colorations caused by placing a speaker close to a TV screen, or building it into a cabinet or shelving unit.

The 4200 SR dipole/bipole surround speakers use two pairs of the same drivers for tonal consistency. They are arranged in a classic dipole configuration, with one woofer and tweeter system angled toward the front of the room and another system angled toward the rear. While dipole surrounds are specified by THX and theater designers alike for producing the enveloping surround field that immerses the viewer in a movie, multichannel audio is often recorded assuming that all five full-range speakers will be direct-radiating type. For this reason, the 4200 SR includes a dipole/bipole select switch on the front panel, making it easy to change modes.

The 642 SB subwoofer features a long-throw 12-inch composite cone with a 2-inch, four layer vented aluminum voice coil. A powerful 300-watt internal amplifier drives the system to produce high bass levels from 25 Hz to 300 Hz (+/- 3 dB). It features low level stereo inputs, as well as low level outputs, a continuously variable crossover adjustment (40 - 140 Hz), 18 dB/ Octave low-pass output, and a phase inversion switch. It also incorporates Atlantic's exclusive Clear Filter Technology(TM), which actually eliminates the deleterious effects that the subwoofer's enclosure itself can have on the sound.

The Atlantic Technology System 4200 speakers are all currently available. Optional Accent kits for the 4200 LR, 4200 C, and 642 SB are available in maple, gloss black, or silver. Suggested retail price for a 5.1-channel system with Maple accent panel kits is $3500.00. Gloss Black or Silver accent kits are available at a very modest premium.

www.atlantictechnology.com