Text: Olaf Adam; Photos: Architettura Sonora
This article originally appeared in 0dB - The Magazine of Passion N ° 3
ARS VIVENDI - Hardly any other area is so associated with the proverbial Italian way of life as Tuscany. The landscape! The wine! The food! The people! And now also: the speakers!
Identifying the loudspeakers at issue here is not that easy. You have to look very, very carefully, and even then the uninitiated should not see that the shapely works of art made of concrete and stone not only look beautiful, but also fulfill an acoustic function. But that's exactly the idea behind Architettura Sonora - the makers of the Italian brand want the music to speak for itself. Depending on the situation, it should accompany, touch or inspire. Without visible technology distracting or even disturbing.
In order for this to work at all, however, it first needs technology, and very excellent technology. In this case, these are the specially developed drivers from the parent company B&C Speakers, one of the largest manufacturers of loudspeaker chassis worldwide. B&C products can be found in professional sound systems all over the world, and many well-known brand names rely on B&C Speakers as a supplier. What is done with the chassis in the case of Architettura Sonora, however, has little to do with traditional loudspeaker construction. It starts with the materials used - right up to different types of granite and the famous Carrara marble, which Michelangelo already appreciated and which is extracted just under an hour's drive from the company headquarters. But even plain concrete is transformed into a resounding work of art in the hands of skilled Italian craftsmen. Enriched with different pigments, in the form of a sphere, a cube or a cylinder. With a uniquely uniform all-round sound that seems to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.
The robust models made of concrete or stone are also often used indoors because of their unique look, but they are particularly recommended for outdoor use, i.e. in the garden, by the pool or on the terrace. There they defy wind and weather all year round and even wrest additional beauty from the elements that affect them - over time they develop an authentic patina and thus perfect their camouflage as a garden ornament.
The actual transducer is mounted on the underside of all stone or concrete forms. This protects the chassis from the elements. Above all, this construction enables the characteristic all-round sound of the speakers from Architettura Sonora. Because a conventionally radiating loudspeaker, no matter how well hidden, can always be located acoustically. Here, however, a cone made of the same material as the upper body distributes the sound evenly in all directions. A single loudspeaker already fills a considerably large area; if you combine two or more, the acoustic illusion is perfect even in the largest garden. Without a recognizable source, you will be accompanied by music everywhere - unobtrusively, but always present.
The loudspeakers, artfully formed from natural materials, are largely handcrafted by Architettura Sonora. Each specimen is a truly unique piece, shaped by the millions of years it took nature to create the raw material, and more experienced by passion
Craftsman. Machines and modern manufacturing techniques are also used, but there are things that a skilled human hand can do better than a machine. Because every piece of marble, every block of granite, every form cast out of concrete has its own peculiarities and peculiarities that have to be addressed during production. Time and costs are irrelevant. What counts is only the best possible end result.
Form, function, craftsmanship and, of course, the sound - Architettura Sonora considers all these aspects equally and combines them in a unique way. And this explains the name of the brand - the sound system as an integral part of the architecture, not as a foreign body added afterwards. Architettura Sonora creates a beauty that is much more than a pretty exterior. A beauty that ultimately finds its fulfillment in the application, for example when the guests at a garden party enjoy the music but do not see a single loudspeaker. Though they might be right there all evening.
