[Spatial Audio]

What a month! Hopefully, this newsletter finds you healthy and looking forward to a beautiful Spring. Now that the holidays are behind us we have been hard at work with some new products we are excited to share with the world. The past month reminds me of that classic song by The Beatles. Well, the title anyway. And some of the lyrics…But, don’t go digging too deep into the lyrics.

New Website

If you click over to www.spatialaudiolab.com you will notice a dramatic facelift initiated by our new Operations Manager and marketing lead, Tom Whitt. Let us know what you think as we continually expand and make improvements.

[You can also find this newsletter with photos over there!]

Southwest Audio Fest

It was good seeing some of you at the inaugural Southwest Audio Fest in Dallas a few weeks ago where we launched the new Spatial Audio Lab Q3 semi-open baffle speaker coupled with the production version of our Revelation Series Preamp (Raven) and Monoblock amplifiers (Blackbird). We had many attendees coming back for repeat listening sessions and taking their time to enjoy the experience.

Tom, Sam and Don Sachs absolutely nailed it at the show with setup, hospitality and getting it all back to Salt Lake safely. Event preparation, equipment testing and packing could not have happened on schedule without the assistance of Ryan Kimbrough and Cloud Sessions. I also want to thank the event organizers and some of the outstanding companies that supported us - Paul Speltz at AntiCables, Bill Parish at GTT Audio for providing the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC, Andrew Gillis at Small Green Computer for providing the ultraRendu streamer and the Roon server. Also, Rich Moore at Kimber Kable for providing a replacement cable that was needed the night before we went live.

Ken Redmond had a nice write up of the event highlighting our room  - https://trackingangle.com/features/southwest-audio-fest-2024

“The combination of the speaker and electronics produced excellent sound, and several people commented to me that it was the room to hear.”

Q3 Semi-Open Baffle Speaker

Just in time for the Dallas show, we released this beautiful all-Ultralam, 3-way hybrid-dipole speaker. The Q3 incorporates what will be a common component in the Q-Series line up (yes, there will be more!) - the Q150 tweeter/midrange enclosed drive unit. This duo is wave-guided, time aligned, and directivity matched to respond acoustically as if it were a single driver. The 15” woofers are incorporated for open baffle use where negative room interaction is minimized.

This is a large speaker (over 62” tall) designed for larger rooms. If you have the space, you will not be disappointed in the frequency response, soundstage and tone as well as the detail and texture presented. Available to order now.


Revelation Series Amplifiers

The 300B-based monoblock amplifiers and preamp are available to order and are available in either cherry or sapele (dark stain).

There have been a number of questions regarding standard tubes / options as well as the ability to run both XLR and RCA outputs.

Yes - the preamp does support both output connections. This would be helpful for anyone wanting to connect a subwoofer with the RCA connectors.

Standard tubes shipped are from Linlai:

Drive Tubes - KT88D
Output Tubes - E300B
Input Tube - E6SN7

The only option is that we could supply the Linlai WE300B in place of the E300B. Both are very good but we prefer the E300B sound over the WE replica with our speakers.

S6 (previously referred to as the Q6)

Our entry level offering features a textile dome tweeter and two 10-in woofers in a 2-way configuration, a sturdy aluminum base with an external “linear drive crossover”. This speaker stands 41-in tall and is 13.5-in wide. Finish quality equal to that of the X and Q-series. This design optimizes output impedance for tube amplifiers in order to provide predictable resistance across the frequency range of 35Hz - 25kH. Priced at $4,950+shipping. More details and photos will be on the website as soon as we have baffles back from the paint shop


Audio Component Plinths

In addition to the three speaker models available (X, Q and S) and the Revelation Amplifiers, we have added some rather attractive plinths made from the same Ultralam material used in our speakers with IsoAcoustic vibration-dampening feet. If you are interested, these can be made in custom sizes with different stains and even your own logo.

Thank you all again for your interest and support of Spatial Audio Lab as we bring together more possibilities to enhance your enjoyment of music.

- David Whitt, General Manager

[Daryl Zero]

Glad to see the Q6 (S6) isn't off the table.

[Bingenito]

The plinths are a great idea. Use the materials that you already have in inventory to generate revenue with low cost, high volume product. No different than Chefs that do not discard egg shells, ends of celery, etc. Just transform them into soup and sell it. Manufacturing efficiency.

My advice (not that you asked for it) is to do more like this as it will really drive consistent sales during volatile times. Get some threaded rod and nuts and sell kits for source stands that can be flanked by those amp stands. HiFi racks are absurdly expensive.

Contrary to what the media says... the economy is not strong and resilient. The more they say it the less true everyone should realize it is.

[Mr. Big]

Great idea to expand your products and services. Grow as a company. The high-end audio market is a small slice of the consumer electronic market, always was and always will be but with the prices being asked now it is becoming a 1-5% of income bracket. The stock market and economy are doing great to the point there are jobs not being filled but that makes no impact on the high-end audio market. We are in the ultra-niche market where you have to have income that you can raise your family, pay for college, and still be able to find a way to drop extra money on audio gear. My family is 125 in total and zero have an audio system as much as one of my power cords. SiriusXM Streaming or plain FM audio is good enough for them and not even thinking about them having a good collection of music to listen to. Glad I have what I have and will enjoy it.

[dls123]

Great idea to expand your products and services. Grow as a company. The high-end audio market is a small slice of the consumer electronic market, always was and always will be but with the prices being asked now it is becoming a 1-5% of income bracket. The stock market and economy are doing great to the point there are jobs not being filled but that makes no impact on the high-end audio market. We are in the ultra-niche market where you have to have income that you can raise your family, pay for college, and still be able to find a way to drop extra money on audio gear. My family is 125 in total and zero have an audio system as much as one of my power cords. SiriusXM Streaming or plain FM audio is good enough for them and not even thinking about them having a good collection of music to listen to. Glad I have what I have and will enjoy it.

Yes, good points.   Spatial will continue to produce speakers that are more affordable, and punch way above their price point.  The Q3 we had in Dallas compared favorably to many speakers there costing a LOT more, as in 2-5X the $12K price point.  I know the more affordable Spatial speakers are excellent, and people will be able to hear them soon.   The Revelation series is an attempt to make best sounding preamp and amplifiers possible and then price them according to build cost.  They represent tremendous value in that market segment, but of course that price point is out of reach for more budget audiophiles.  Fortunately, there are some excellent choices in more budget amplifiers, both tube and SS, including the Valhalla integrated that Cloud Sessions makes.  None of them can touch the sound quality of the Revelation series, but they cost a lot less and will make a very satisfying system. 

My kids love music, and they would love a great stereo if I built it for them, but they are not going to go out and spend lots of money for one.  They are saving for houses.  They are good with a blue tooth speaker on the kitchen counter or headphones.   So yes, the market for even more budget audiophile gear is somewhat limited, I agree.