Energy analysis revealed that specific areas of the cabinet are under differing stress, and stimuli of differing frequencies. The main cabinet construction, therefore, needed to be broken up into a matrix of energy specific quadrants, each with its own unique criteria. A skeleton of steel tubes was designed as a “backbone” for the main structure. The secret is what goes inside each of the tubes!
A stainless steel skeleton forms the backbone of the cabinet structure.
Each tube has a vertical and horizontal designation and is unique to its place within the matrix. A specific tube may be filled with CTG ballistic ceramic (rigid) for the bottom ten inches and filled the remainder vertically with a reactive ballistic ceramic fluid (also a proprietary CTG material) which reacts to actively eliminate vibration. Indeed the density, rigidity, and energy loss characteristics of the CTG ceramics are virtually infinitely variable, and can be controlled during the injection sequence. Each tube has the ability to alter characteristics controlled in 10 mm increments. The focus of this design strategy is a smoothing effect and the elimination of boundary interface distortions. In simple terms the design goal is to “spread out” the energy dissipation surface area, maximizing total energy capabilities.

Every audiophile has performed the “rap” test, where you tap on an enclosure to check to see how “dead” it is. As you get closer to a supporting structure, such as where two panels are glued together, the cabinet will sound more “dead”. As you move towards the center of an unsupported panel, the panel will become unstable and will vibrate more easily. The matrix is designed to create even vibration spectra across each span, so the energy per surface area is greatly diminished. This is known as the “snowshoe effect”, spreading out stress to larger surface areas thus reducing resonance amplitudes.

The steel skeleton is covered with a proprietary combination of Kevlar, carbon fiber and CTG ballistic ceramic. Four different adhesives are used, each with specific criteria of structural rigidity versus damping. When the main composite sides are intact, the void around the steel tubes is filled with a high loss CTG synthetic ceramic, a material so high in energy loss capabilities a 3/8 inch thick plate of this material will stop a 9 mm bullet fired from three feet with no loss of integrity. Additionally steel rods are placed connecting the front and rear baffles, forcing them into severe stress increasing their rigidity by a factor of 200%.

Next the solid hardwood faces, backs and tops are fastened to the main cabinet. You can think of this as 1 inch thick wood veneer. This, however, creates a problem. A cabinet must never be allowed to react as separate “panels” glued to each other. Other manufacturers of carbon fiber enclosures mold separate panels of carbon fiber and glue them to wood panels. This interface will never behave as an integral unit, because the impedance path of the glue joint will have separate and unique energy transmission characteristics differing from the panels themselves. To address this, another layer of carbon fiber is hand applied over the entire side panel covering the steel tube structure and the hardwood to tie the entire enclosure to a continuous structural element. It also leaves a striking visual contrast between the natural beauty of the hardwood and the deep finish of the carbon fiber.
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