B&W Nautilus Loudspeaker Story Part 2

Part 2 of 2 The story on the invention of the Nautilus Loudspeaker, B&W's flagship monitor. This is the final version 3.
This Video, by Jake Purches and written by Roy Stannard was made in 1993 and shows the development of one of the most important advances in acoustic engineering. Nautilus is still B&W's flagship loudspeaker in 2010. Laurence Dickie has since taken the Nautilus concept further with his own Vivid Audio GIYA. www.fideliosound.com Video © Jake Purches 1993/2010.

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Entertainment

[weinerschnitzelboy]

The song that starts at 2:40 sounds like something from Saint Saens. What is it?!?!

[theprof291166]

@weinerschnitzelboy Yes its Saint Saens Organ symphony. Great stuff -especially on a Nautilus! The whole music sound track was designed to be played on Nautilus as part of its original demonstration using the 1991 prototypes.

[AlDiRoberto]

So can't be used FM Acoustics Amplifiers as they advice they amplifiers works as its best with his owns cables (Forcelines). That's not good.

Sir, do you think for example, the Stadivari Homage from Sonus Faber is maybe at the level of the Nautilus in Sound Reproduction?

[theprof291166]

@AlDiRoberto Can't see why the cables should be an issue. The Nautilus is a active speaker. Nautilus works by eliminating colouration from resonant enclosures by using tapered tubes (back to front horns) and are naturally a dipole hybrid. The rounded enclosures eliminate difraction. Take a look at a human cochlea and you will see why this shape works best. The Vivid Audio system takes this concept to a new level. Look that up on the web.

[AlDiRoberto]

Can be used any speaker cable with the Nautilus ? Or it has his own attached.

[theprof291166]

@AlDiRoberto Nautilus has its own speaker cable - as it requires 4 amplifiers - one for each driver. It also has its own electronic crossover. GIYA G1 on the other hand doesn't require this at all and only needs one amplifier.

[theprof291166]

@mimyaw It has happened - its called the Giya1 - two 11 inch bass drivers not just 1 12 inch. Twice the power handling. Better quality and more advanced drivers. More sensitive, much much louder, can operate on one amp not 4, Lower cost, but retains all the Nautilus features of exponential tapered horns on the drivers. Basically its a Nautilus with 20 years of evolution added.

[mimyaw]

i think nautilus with the body of a giya, plus more power, makes the best speaker. i wonder if it'll ever happen.

[theprof291166]

As for Giya - I can confirm they are the only dynamic speaker I have heard that sound as good as an electrostatic. And what is more they do so with a lot more power too. Transient response - dominated by the electrostatic - is extremely impressive on the Giya. I urge you all to audition it. I can arrange this if you contact me.

[theprof291166]

@telescopereplicator Quad ESL are easy to maintain - not true about the diaphrams - they can be easily rebuilt - even DIY. I have done some work on mine in the past. Don't be put off owning them. They are wonderful!!