Artison Portrait Speaker Line
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Artison's Portrait speakers set themselves apart by attaching directly to either side of a plasma's frame, via brackets and a custom grille kit that is specifically designed for each display model. Once mounted, these speakers are almost as seamless a part of the plasma as the $0.50 paper drivers in most CRT sets. The spatial and aesthetic benefits of this approach are obvious, but don't underestimate the major logistical benefits of not having to cut holes in your walls or install brackets just to have convenient speakers—and then doing it all over again when you move the display. Convenience and aesthetics don't often work hand in hand, but they clearly do here.

The Portrait Series currently consists of two models: an LCR and a surround. The LCR ($1,500/pair) is particularly interesting in its handling of the center channel, which is usually a major logistical headache in a plasma system. Rather than forcing an awkward mounting above or below the screen, Artison has eliminated the physical center-speaker cabinet altogether and incorporated a dual-mono center-channel design into the LCR models. This means that each LCR has two independent driver complements, each of which consists of a 4.5-inch Kevlar midbass driver and a 1-inch soft-dome Vifa tweeter. One driver complement handles front-channel duties, while the other handles center-channel duties. Each has its own binding posts and requires its own input. Supplied cables link the center-channel posts on the two LCRs so that only one center-channel signal is required from the amp.

Each LCR has a side-mounted tweeter that's designed to expand the soundstage beyond the speakers' physical location (which is obviously somewhat close together), as well as a center-channel presence control that allows you to adjust its output based on the room's relative reflectivity. Rear-panel switches control both. The LCR's aluminum cabinet measures a svelte 24 inches high by 6 wide by 3.5 deep. Optional stands to mount the LCRs as tower speakers are available.

The LRS surround ($500/pair) uses one 4.5-inch midbass driver and two 1-inch Vifa tweeters in a hybrid monopole/dipole design. Above 3 kilohertz, the speaker operates as a dipole for better diffusion of easily localized high-frequency elements. Under 3 kHz, it acts as a monopole. The surround is easily wall-mounted, comes in a black or white finish, and measures 9 inches high by 9.5 wide by 3 deep.

Artison has teamed up with Velodyne to offer a sub that's tailor-made for the Portrait speakers. The DD-12 sub ($2,999) uses a 12-inch driver backed by a massive 1,250 watts of RMS power. RS-232 ports are supplied, as are balanced, single-ended, and speaker-level inputs and single-ended outputs. The DD-12 is from Velodyne's Digital Drive Series, which stands out not only for being the first microprocessor-controlled, high-gain servo subwoofer system but also for offering a built-in equalization system complete with its own onscreen interface and calibration microphone. Visit Velodyne's Website for the full rundown, as I can hardly do it justice here. Trust me, though, it's impressive. The interface makes flattening in-room response as easy as adjusting a real-time frequency-response curve onscreen, and several presets and custom modes allow you considerable flexibility in adjusting parameters like low-pass crossover frequency and slope, subsonic frequency and slope, phase, polarity, and gain. A supplied remote navigates the onscreen system and makes quick adjustments a snap while listening. The system is highly intuitive—and highly effective.

 

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