News

Canton Adds Vento AS 850 SC Subwoofer to its New Vento Speaker Line (21/10/2005)

Uses Canton's first aluminum-cone 12-inch woofer and new digital amplifier technology.

Canton has debuted a powerful, high performance subwoofer for its recently introduced Vento line of loudspeakers. The new Vento AS 850 SC subwoofer uses the company's first 12-inch woofer with an Aluminum diaphragm and a 350-watt ICEpower(r) digital amplifier to achieve very high output levels with exceptionally low distortion. With its gracefully-curved, pressure-laminated monocoque cabinet, the Canton Vento AS 850 SC is an ideal sonic and aesthetic match to the rest of the Vento line.

"With its new 12-inch aluminum driver, innovative suspension system, and ICEpower amplifier, this is an amazing subwoofer," said Paul Madsen, President of Canton USA. "It delivers powerful impact and breathless clarity, and it's a perfect companion to any of the Vento series loudspeakers."

The Vento AS 850 SC employs Canton's newly developed AW-310 driver, the largest aluminum woofer the company has ever designed. This 12-inch cone is capable of much higher output levels at lower distortion than the composite cones the company has previously used, thanks to its superior break-up resistance, improved stiffness, and light weight. It employs Canton's patented sinusoidal rubber surround and newly engineered spider assembly that allow for substantially increased excursion, and improved lateral displacement control. All of these improvements result in less distortion throughout the operating range, and a 6-9 dB increase in deep bass output compared to previous Canton subwoofers.

The AS 850 SC features the gracefully curved monocoque structure cabinet design that is the hallmark of Canton's Vento loudspeaker line. The subwoofer's vented enclosure is painstakingly assembled from six layers of specialized fiberboard, which is pressure-laminated in a process similar to those used in crafting fine musical instruments. Each layer of the cabinet is carefully formed, and then laminated to the next, creating an extremely stiff yet acoustically inert housing that is both sturdy and highly resistant to resonance and distortion. Because the shape of the enclosure minimizes parallel internal surfaces, the formation of internal standing waves is almost completely eliminated. The 805 SC also includes an additional base plate with integrated shock absorbers that decouples the speaker from the floor, minimizing the mechanical transfer of vibration.

To fully exploit the advancements in driver technology and enclosure design, Canton designers have adopted a 350 Watt ICEpower(r) amplification module to power the AS 850 SC. This remarkable amplifier delivers the extraordinary power output and efficiency of digital amplification, while eliminating the high distortion levels and sensitivity to power supply fluctuations that plague conventional Class D designs.

The Vento AS 850 SC also includes Canton's new Room Compensation control, which can be used to eliminate the deleterious effects of standing waves in the listening room. The circuit is controlled by a simple three-position switch that makes crucial but subtle adjustments to the subwoofer's transfer function in the deep bass range. The rear panel also includes variable crossover settings, level control, and switchable phase adjustment.

The Vento AS 850 SC subwoofer uses Canton's well-proven SC technology, which redefines the traditional relationship between enclosure size and operating bandwidth. This active electronic filter circuit was individually tailored to the 850 SC, and integrated in the amplification module to compensate for acoustic characteristics of the driver to maximize linearity and performance. This effectively blocks unwanted infrasonic signals, which can cause excessive driver excursion, and improves the speaker's response across the operating range.

The Vento AS 850 SC is currently available in attractive silver lacquer or cherry veneer finishes at a suggested retail price of $2,500.

www.cantonusa.com