The Leaning Tower of Pisa
These loudspeakers can be compared to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Let me explain: you are all familiar with column type
loudspeakers, and you all know the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Now imagine a tilted column and you get a leaning
tower! The Obbligato measures 120 cm high, 20 cm wide and 43 cm deep. It is tilted 7.8 degrees toward the back and
rests on a 1.9 cm thick board mounted on four spherical disks (spikes are also supplied). Each loudspeaker weights 39.5
kg. Aside from its slope there are no right angles inside the enclosure, thereby eliminating standing waves. The enclosure
is reinforced by two internal 1.9 cm MFD struts, and it consists of two separate chambers. The bottom of the enclosure
holds the woofer, while the top chamber holds all the other drivers. Each section is lined with a 2.4 cm thick layer of Roxul,
a material made of steel wool, that absorbs any internal waves within the enclosure. The builders take a “one plane
absorbed, one face reflected” approach for internal damping. The enclosure is made of 1.9 cm thick particle board, as well
as MDF. A 1.9 cm layer of Acoustic Roc™, a mixture of 70% cement and 30% cellulose fibres, has also been applied to the
front and top surfaces. According to Obbligato’s builders, this combination of particle board and Acoustic-Roc™ has
excellent acoustic properties. They have opposite resonance and therefore cancel each other. The substance used to bind
these two materials also has damping properties. The Obbligato is finished in cherry wood, and the front and top surface is
inlaid with strips of African Padouk and Ebony, adding a classic touch to the cabinets. In the rear, toward the bottom, we find
the crossover with four vertically mounted gold-plated binding posts. The crossover components are of disparate quality:
coils wrapped around iron cores lie next to high quality condensers. The internal wiring is standard and connected using
removable pins.
The Obbligato uses bipolar tweeters, and is located high on the back of the tower. It cuts off at 8,500 Hz. There is a rear vent
opening just above the crossover housing. The woofer is a 25.4 cm polypropylene code doped with mica and graphite, and
is located on one side of the enclosure. It is covered with a removable grill. On the top front are three drivers mounted in an
arrangement named Appolito. The two mid-range drivers are symmetrically arranged around the tweeter. All three drivers
are from Focal. The tweeter is an inverted dome, and the two mid-range drivers are 12.7 cm Kevlar cones in a cast
aluminum chassis. The crossovers have a slope of 12 dB per octave, and the cut-off frequencies are 2,200 Hertz for the
middle and 80 hertz for the bass. Also supplied with the speakers, in addition to the spikes already mentioned, are four
pieces of an absorbing material that can be used to reduce the energy output of the tweeter, if so desired. Two of these
have pre0defined locations while the two others are self-adhesive and located as desired.
The English instruction manual is well done and clearly explains how to properly place and experiment with the location of
these speakers. I cannot confirm, if a French version of the manual is currently available.
Angstrom and Co.
The listening session was conducted in your magazine’s new premises with its CD collection. Nevertheless I brought
some of my preferred disks so I could compare with music that I am used to listening to. First, I must confess that I spent a
fair amount of time experimenting with these loudspeakers before finding the location that I judged to be optimal: position,
distance from the walls, internal and external positioning of the subwoofers, just about everything I could think of.
Considering that these babies weigh just under 40 Kg each, you have to appreciate that this exercise took some time.
Finally I sat down, and began with some relaxing music: Clarika was there to bring a smile to my face! I ignored the
wording of the song, and all the sound effects were present. The low frequencies are deep and firm. You can clearly hear
the effects in the extreme low end, and even Mike Oldfield would not have cause to complain. The balance of these
speakers was confirmed with Amarock. The high frequencies, clear and precise, are pleasant to the ear, whatever your
musical preference. The mid-range is open and honest. The only fault I can find is in the mid-range definition where,
although the sound stage is good, it loses some of its precision. This is seen in a piece such as Lhassa, where the
orchestra is well defined, but less easy to place. However the Obbligatos perform well with impressive high and low
frequencies, free from aggressiveness and roundness.
Aiming High
The Obbligatos are impressive loudspeakers, as much by their size as by their finish and their construction. These are
Angstrom Loudspeakers biggest speakers. With five drivers to power, this Ontario company has set itself quite a
challenge, all the more so as they wish to get a musical performance that lives up to their philosophy for a very competitive
price. From a construction view they selected good quality drivers and meticulously crafted cabinets. The damping design
for this loudspeaker shows serious research and particular attention to detail. The ensemble has been conceived with
great care. From the musical point of view, the Obbligato knows how to charm with clear and firm highs, as well as deep
and solid lows. Angstrom Loudspeaker addresses with certainty the home theatre field and this, their newest loudspeaker,
has certainly been conceived, in part, with this in mind.
Manufacturer Specifications:
• Power: 100 W RMS
• Sensitivity: 87dB @ 1W / 1m / 1kHz; 90dB / 1W ”broadband, white noise”, 20-20kHz
• Impedance: 4 ohms
• Warranty: 5 years 9transferable with proof of purchase
• Price: $3,200 a pair
• Distributor: Angstrom Loudspeakers
These loudspeakers can be compared to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Let me explain: you are all familiar with column type
loudspeakers, and you all know the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Now imagine a tilted column and you get a leaning
tower! The Obbligato measures 120 cm high, 20 cm wide and 43 cm deep. It is tilted 7.8 degrees toward the back and
rests on a 1.9 cm thick board mounted on four spherical disks (spikes are also supplied). Each loudspeaker weights 39.5
kg. Aside from its slope there are no right angles inside the enclosure, thereby eliminating standing waves. The enclosure
is reinforced by two internal 1.9 cm MFD struts, and it consists of two separate chambers. The bottom of the enclosure
holds the woofer, while the top chamber holds all the other drivers. Each section is lined with a 2.4 cm thick layer of Roxul,
a material made of steel wool, that absorbs any internal waves within the enclosure. The builders take a “one plane
absorbed, one face reflected” approach for internal damping. The enclosure is made of 1.9 cm thick particle board, as well
as MDF. A 1.9 cm layer of Acoustic Roc™, a mixture of 70% cement and 30% cellulose fibres, has also been applied to the
front and top surfaces. According to Obbligato’s builders, this combination of particle board and Acoustic-Roc™ has
excellent acoustic properties. They have opposite resonance and therefore cancel each other. The substance used to bind
these two materials also has damping properties. The Obbligato is finished in cherry wood, and the front and top surface is
inlaid with strips of African Padouk and Ebony, adding a classic touch to the cabinets. In the rear, toward the bottom, we find
the crossover with four vertically mounted gold-plated binding posts. The crossover components are of disparate quality:
coils wrapped around iron cores lie next to high quality condensers. The internal wiring is standard and connected using
removable pins.
The Obbligato uses bipolar tweeters, and is located high on the back of the tower. It cuts off at 8,500 Hz. There is a rear vent
opening just above the crossover housing. The woofer is a 25.4 cm polypropylene code doped with mica and graphite, and
is located on one side of the enclosure. It is covered with a removable grill. On the top front are three drivers mounted in an
arrangement named Appolito. The two mid-range drivers are symmetrically arranged around the tweeter. All three drivers
are from Focal. The tweeter is an inverted dome, and the two mid-range drivers are 12.7 cm Kevlar cones in a cast
aluminum chassis. The crossovers have a slope of 12 dB per octave, and the cut-off frequencies are 2,200 Hertz for the
middle and 80 hertz for the bass. Also supplied with the speakers, in addition to the spikes already mentioned, are four
pieces of an absorbing material that can be used to reduce the energy output of the tweeter, if so desired. Two of these
have pre0defined locations while the two others are self-adhesive and located as desired.
The English instruction manual is well done and clearly explains how to properly place and experiment with the location of
these speakers. I cannot confirm, if a French version of the manual is currently available.
Angstrom and Co.
The listening session was conducted in your magazine’s new premises with its CD collection. Nevertheless I brought
some of my preferred disks so I could compare with music that I am used to listening to. First, I must confess that I spent a
fair amount of time experimenting with these loudspeakers before finding the location that I judged to be optimal: position,
distance from the walls, internal and external positioning of the subwoofers, just about everything I could think of.
Considering that these babies weigh just under 40 Kg each, you have to appreciate that this exercise took some time.
Finally I sat down, and began with some relaxing music: Clarika was there to bring a smile to my face! I ignored the
wording of the song, and all the sound effects were present. The low frequencies are deep and firm. You can clearly hear
the effects in the extreme low end, and even Mike Oldfield would not have cause to complain. The balance of these
speakers was confirmed with Amarock. The high frequencies, clear and precise, are pleasant to the ear, whatever your
musical preference. The mid-range is open and honest. The only fault I can find is in the mid-range definition where,
although the sound stage is good, it loses some of its precision. This is seen in a piece such as Lhassa, where the
orchestra is well defined, but less easy to place. However the Obbligatos perform well with impressive high and low
frequencies, free from aggressiveness and roundness.
Aiming High
The Obbligatos are impressive loudspeakers, as much by their size as by their finish and their construction. These are
Angstrom Loudspeakers biggest speakers. With five drivers to power, this Ontario company has set itself quite a
challenge, all the more so as they wish to get a musical performance that lives up to their philosophy for a very competitive
price. From a construction view they selected good quality drivers and meticulously crafted cabinets. The damping design
for this loudspeaker shows serious research and particular attention to detail. The ensemble has been conceived with
great care. From the musical point of view, the Obbligato knows how to charm with clear and firm highs, as well as deep
and solid lows. Angstrom Loudspeaker addresses with certainty the home theatre field and this, their newest loudspeaker,
has certainly been conceived, in part, with this in mind.
Manufacturer Specifications:
• Power: 100 W RMS
• Sensitivity: 87dB @ 1W / 1m / 1kHz; 90dB / 1W ”broadband, white noise”, 20-20kHz
• Impedance: 4 ohms
• Warranty: 5 years 9transferable with proof of purchase
• Price: $3,200 a pair
• Distributor: Angstrom Loudspeakers
Product Review
Since the Angstrom Loudspeakers company went to the trouble of
elaborating a loudspeaker design philosophy, I will provide a brief
interpretation here. Their first objective is to achieve sound realism by
balancing the tone of the loudspeakers. To that end Angstrom pays
particular attention to optimizing the axial frequency response, as well as
the power response. Also, when they build these speakers, the company
places a strong emphasis on the DI (directivity index), that is the relation of
the on-axis power versus the total power radiated in all directions. The
elements taken into consideration when optimizing the DI are the location,
the type and the construction of the drivers, as well as the crossover
parameters, and the design and construction of the enclosure. They aim to
maximize sound dispersion while keeping power requirements as low as
possible. Angstrom required light and rigid cones in order to minimize
sound colouration caused by the low frequency drivers. They also needed a
4th. order low-pass filter and a rigid and thoughtfully designed enclosure,
and finally carefully selected damping material that is strategically
positioned to achieve the desired effect. Angstrom uses only the best
components for its crossovers and binding posts. Allow me to paraphrase
their closing slogan “There is no sound barrier”. In designing the Obbligato,
a three-way system with five drivers, Angstrom didn’t follow the path of least
resistance to live up to their philosophy!
elaborating a loudspeaker design philosophy, I will provide a brief
interpretation here. Their first objective is to achieve sound realism by
balancing the tone of the loudspeakers. To that end Angstrom pays
particular attention to optimizing the axial frequency response, as well as
the power response. Also, when they build these speakers, the company
places a strong emphasis on the DI (directivity index), that is the relation of
the on-axis power versus the total power radiated in all directions. The
elements taken into consideration when optimizing the DI are the location,
the type and the construction of the drivers, as well as the crossover
parameters, and the design and construction of the enclosure. They aim to
maximize sound dispersion while keeping power requirements as low as
possible. Angstrom required light and rigid cones in order to minimize
sound colouration caused by the low frequency drivers. They also needed a
4th. order low-pass filter and a rigid and thoughtfully designed enclosure,
and finally carefully selected damping material that is strategically
positioned to achieve the desired effect. Angstrom uses only the best
components for its crossovers and binding posts. Allow me to paraphrase
their closing slogan “There is no sound barrier”. In designing the Obbligato,
a three-way system with five drivers, Angstrom didn’t follow the path of least
resistance to live up to their philosophy!
Angstrom Obbligato Review
Click here to download original review
"The Obbligatos know how to
charm with clear and firm highs,
as well as deep and solid lows"
charm with clear and firm highs,
as well as deep and solid lows"
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