ART Loudspeakers
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Derek and Ramsay Dunlop |
ART Loudspeakers is a small Scottish loudspeaker maker based in Troon, founded in 1998 and run by Derek and Ramsay Dunlop. The Dunlop name was already familiar to British audiophiles through the Systemdek turntables of the 1980s. ART builds its speakers from birch plywood rather than MDF, believing the material produces a more natural, less boxy sound, and it hand-finishes its cabinets. The range has included the Stiletto, a compact vented two-way at the entry point, as well as the Impression and larger models. The Impression 2 used modular construction that allowed the tweeter module to be adjusted for the listening position. ART speakers were praised for their natural tonal balance and openness, and the company exhibited in the United States in the late 2000s. Its current status is unclear, and its speakers are now mostly found on the second-hand market. Its use of plywood cabinets was an unusual choice that set it apart from most other speaker makers of its time.
Notable ART Loudspeakers products
- Stiletto
- Impression
- Emotion
- Expression
More about ART Loudspeakers
ART Loudspeakers A.R.T. was founded in 1998 by Derek and Ramsay Dunlop, the brothers, having spent their working lives in audio technology prior to establishing their own company, bring long experience, master craftsmanship and high degree of musical appreciation to the industry. They worked in the family business of Systemdek, which over three decades earned an enviable international reputation for its specialist turntables. With the development of digitisation in recent years, the market focus moved to the loudspeaker end of the reproduction chain.
The Dunlops felt, and indeed have demonstrated through the excellence of their products, that loudspeaker technology has not yet reached its zenith - the flagship Impression2, and its smaller version's the Expression, V8 & V6 prove conclusively that the march of progress in audio reproduction has not abated. There existed the potential for improvement, and ART has taken the initiative in forging ahead, pushing the bounds of the possible. The belief in the power of innovation motivated the company to surpass both itself and the industry as a whole; while much acoustic research takes place; ensuing improvements in the quality of the musical experience are sadly few and far between. Clever technology is only a means to an end; too often in the current industry climate, heavily marketed science is seen as a substitute for quality music.
The key ART has found is in applying the fruits of research; the ultimate aim is reproduction perfection, and technology alone cannot provide this. A musical understanding must be coupled with a "feel" for the situation. No matter how appealing products appear on paper, or on the Internet, within the obvious limitations of such media, a loudspeaker cannot be fully appreciated. They really are an experience to behold.
Sources: stereophile.com, forums.whathifi.com