The man behind much of the research and
development at active monitor manufacture Genelec discusses
the domestic reference, low end, the pitfalls of digital filters
and control, and everything being there for a good reason. -
ZENON SCHOEPE
A SELF – DECLARED
AUDIO hobbyist from the age of 14, Ari Varla studied
for a masters degree at Tampere Technical University before
joining Genelec in 1980. He has worked on every Genelec monitor
apart from the first version of the S30 from 1978. Now Chief
R&D engineer, acoustics, his research has contributed to
the application of wave guides in combination with direct radiators.
He points out that in the early 80s they simply called them
short or semi homs instead of wave guides and adds that wave
guides have since been adopted by several competitors but, in
many cases still with ‘a lack of deeper understanding
of their desirable operation’.
He has alos investigated the impedance behaviour of loudspeakers
(starting in the 1980s with Finish amp guru Matti Otala )
and their interaction with the feeding amlifier – the
8040A and 8050A models use this type of related technology
for distortion reduction. With Genelec’s latest model,
the LSE-subs and the 8000- series 2-ways, the main research
has gone ino’ minimising systematically all kinds of
nonlinearities and aberrations that we know will eventually
limit the perceived sound quality’.
He holds two international patents and number guitar playing,
vintage tube amp repair, amateur telescope making, fishing,
vintage fishing gear, motorcycling, and playing ice hockey
among his interests.
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Ari Varla - A SELF – DECLARED AUDIO
hobbyist
What’s special about Genelec’s
approach to monitor manufacture?
Are we restricted in monitor design by
the industry’s conservatism?
Cabinet, crossover, driver or amplifier-
where are the limitations?
Are end-user expectations of low-end
unrealistic for the small sizes of cabinet that most are actually
listening on?
The digital monitor is as much of a misnomer
as the digital microphone, but what are the real advantages
and where could it lead?
In an ideal world, should monitors that
are used in a multichannel configuration be similar to from
those used for stereo? |
