Peak Speaker Modules

Technology

We have long known that the mechanical transfer of energy is more efficient through solid conductors than through air. This principle has driven us to find ways of preventing the vibration from being directly transferred into the amplifier and subsequently into other sensitive electronics. This vibration is one of the driving forces behind microphonic generated signals that lead to the perception of distortion or harshness in the music.

Specifications

Technology

Loudspeaker manufacturers have spent considerable time and effort in ensuring that the vibration from the driver units is channelled forward to the listener and not propagated through the speaker cabinet, where is lost or transferred to sensitive crossover electronics. Despite their best efforts, one path of mechanical energy transfer still exists in the form of wiring from the drive units to the crossover boards, which, in turn, is transmitted down the speaker cables into the power amplifiers. This vibration agitates the internal electronics to produce microphonic noise modulated with the musical signal we want to hear.

We have long known that the mechanical transfer of energy is more efficient through solid conductors than through air. It is this principle that has driven us to find ways of preventing the vibration from being transferred directly into the amplifier and subsequently into other sensitive electronics. Our Vertex Moncayo was the first product to address this problem, and it and its derivatives have received many plaudits and are installed in many systems around the world.

Whilst the Moncayo cables with associated absorption modules are very good at the task they were designed for, there were three main issues we felt we needed to solve. The first of these was supportability. The Moncayo is an integrated speaker cable product where the absorption modules are hard-wired and need to be built to custom-order speaker cable lengths. This led to customers waiting for their cables to be built, often leading to delays due to high demand. The second issue was flexibility. We received many customer enquiries asking whether we could produce a custom order using their preferred speaker cables. Additionally, our dealers would receive enquiries from owners of the Moncayo requesting cable length changes due to relocation of their audio systems or upgrades. Lastly, some customers had difficulty deploying multiple cable runs in bi-wired or tri-wired speaker systems.

To address these issues, we developed the Peak Speaker Connection System, which uses a modular solution to solve the issues. They can be used with your existing or our speaker cables. Should a system re-configuration or relocation be required, only the cable requires adjustment, with the Peak Speaker Module requiring no changes. The modules can be neatly stacked on top of each for bi-wire or tri-wire systems, allowing for a much tidier arrangement than the Moncayo.

Of course, we believe the Moncayo should be replaced with a product that significantly improves performance. As well as vibration, the speaker cable is a perfect transmission path for unwanted EMI and RFI energy, and our breakthrough has been absorbing more of this inside the module using our patented technology developed for all our new products. Using a complex high carbon polymer absorption matrix, the module is a highly efficient grounding device that absorbs the high frequency mechanical and RFI energy. These standing waves amplify the signal being received by the loudspeakers at certain frequencies, leading to harshness or exaggeration of certain instrumental sounds. The module prevents these waves from reflecting backwards and forward along the cable because the Peak has an exceptional return loss across a wideband in the high-frequency domain. This results in a significant reduction in noise being modulated with the musical signal.

A pair of modules directly connected to your loudspeakers will transform your audio experience into something that feels much more like the artist intended. The modular approach is also key to finding upgrade paths. By separating the high-frequency from mid and low-frequency signal paths and using a pair of speaker links on the Peak’s binding posts, the modules act as intervention devices preventing cross-pollution between the drivers.

So, for a loudspeaker with two or three sets of input terminals, these modules are stacked by the loudspeaker using the unique stacking system and connected directly to each terminal, isolating the low, medium, and high-frequency drivers on the signal line. Placing another set directly behind the amplifier is the ultimate in the Peak Speaker Connection System configuration, allowing the speakers and electronics to do what their designers had intended: uninterrupted, flowing and truly realistic reproduction of the music where it is possible to perceive where the performers are not only left and right but also high/low and front/back in the imaging. This is thanks to the restoration of vital phase information that is usually the first part of the musical signal lost when standing wave modulation occurs.

The module’s MK-I version has been highly praised, achieving the Audio Excellence status from HiFi Critic. The MK-II is an impressive technology leap forward and will leave you reaching for music in your collection that had been previously discarded because it seemingly sounded poorly recorded.

Specifications

Casework

Absorption Technology

Connections

Cable