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INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS A HIGH END IN-WALL?
The new Snell AMC series units bring a novel approach to the design and construction of
in-wall loudspeakers, expanding the boundaries of in-wall performance.
Our primary goal was to develop loudspeakers that delivered performance that was as close as
possible to that of our highly regarded freestanding loudspeakers, like the K7 and LCR7. To do
this several issues had to be addressed.
The bass performance of conventional loudspeakers mounted in wall cavities is very unpredict-
able. Cavity volume can be large, which should be good for bass performance. However, with
one very short dimension (approximately 4”) and one very long dimension (up to 8’), the wall
cavity takes on the characteristics of a closed-end organ pipe. This creates a strong resonance
that tends to null out the bass. Lining this cavity with fiberglass will reduce the “Q” of the
notch but not restore the bass. What is needed is a defined volume of a more regular size. This
is best done with fully enclosed in-wall speakers.
The Snell AMC loudspeaker enclosure is a thin, but strong, aluminum tub. It is both damped
and braced. This largely contains the back radiated sound of the woofer within the enclosure.
An added benefit of containing the woofer output is a reduced chance that resonances will be
excited in the house walls. Furthermore, sound “bleed through” to adjacent rooms is reduced.
To minimize resonances in the Snell enclosure, the speaker baffle uses a technique first
pioneered on our .5 and XA series loudspeakers. The baffle is a three part composite with MDF
(fiberboard) outer layers around a thin, but highly effective, damping layer. This controls the
panel resonances of the baffle that can obscure midrange clarity. As we have found with our
freestanding loudspeakers, a better loudspeaker cabinet means a better sounding loudspeaker.
In addition to these unique solutions, all traditional Snell attributes are retained. Highly coher-
ent in-phase crossover networks ensure a seamless blend from driver to driver. Drivers are
designed for smooth, wide range response and low distortion. Long sessions of listening and
adjusting give each system that special, characteristic Snell sound. Finally, that Snell sound is
guaranteed in every production pair by Snell’s proprietary 0.5dB production tuning techniques.