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1.3 The Active Reference System
A definitive transducer project of this magnitude demands the holistic
integration of diverse design goals, including perfect phase response, critical
damping, and point source accuracy. In addition, horizontal dispersion must
be uniform across the frequency spectrum in order to generate a coherently
focused wavefront and minimize room interaction artifacts. The difficulty of
integrating all of these elements increases exponentially as the size of the
array grows larger. It is only through complex computer modeling, meticulous
physical and electrical alignment, and scores of hours of dedicated listening
that correct phase response, without restricting the frequency response, has
been achieved. The result is a transducer that is extremely revealing of
microphone placement and phasing techniques from the recording site. The
most subtle ambient information is clearly apparent. There is no exaggeration
of details over fundamental elements of the recording; context is always
clearly maintained.
These qualities are most apparent when using the Sentinel Active Reference
System as an evaluation tool. Amplifiers, for example, that were previously
thought to have similar sonic characteristics are now definitively separated by
their individual signatures. The system's smooth non-reactive impedance
response insures that the sound of an amplifier is not due to an interactive
effect, but is a true representation of its sonic fingerprint. By ameliorating
many of the technical shortcomings of all previous transducers, the music
lover moves closer to the performance and the intent of the artist. Similarly,
the critical evaluator now has a transparent window through which the
differences between the elements under test (e.g. amplifiers, cartridges, etc.)
can be clearly discerned.