Vivid Audio
| Country | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Founder | Laurence Dickie and Philip Guttentag |
Vivid Audio is a loudspeaker company based in South Africa, with design work led by Laurence Dickie, the engineer famous for the Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus. Vivid's speakers are instantly recognisable by their flowing, organic shapes, moulded from composite materials, with tapered tubes behind the drive units that absorb sound from the back of the diaphragms, an idea related to Dickie's Nautilus work. Vivid makes its own drive units, using light, stiff metal diaphragms, and its cabinets are designed to minimise internal resonances and diffraction. The Giya series, with models such as the G1 and G2, established Vivid as a leading high-end brand, alongside the Oval and Kaya series and the enormous Moya. Vivid speakers are usually described as very clear, open and dynamic, with exceptional freedom from boxy colouration, and they are often used in reference systems. The company's engineering heritage and distinctive design have made it one of the most recognisable modern loudspeaker brands.
Notable Vivid Audio products
- Giya G1
- Giya G2
- Oval B1
- Oval K1
- Kaya series
- Moya M1
More about Vivid Audio
Since a young age, Laurence Dickie has been passionate about music and the sciences but his particular obsession has been with loudspeakers. With his insatiable zest for learning and discovering, he has been developing his passion from school days through University and beyond. Laurence (Dic) has honed his skills in the design of loudspeakers of extraordinary performance. His achievements to date are noteworthy, to say the least, and he commands a deep respect from his peers.
But, Dic does not simply design loudspeakers......... ...........he takes the proposed design concept and improves it beyond the point most designers are happy to "sign off". Joining forces with the South African contingent of Bruce and Deone Gessner and Philip Guttentag (forming Vivid Audio), was the ideal career move since he could now be involved in designing and engineering products in their entirety. It meant his having a say at every stage of development, from the acoustic performance to the aesthetic design of each product.
Dic's involvement in the Vivid Audio story is one that started approximately five years ago when he set out to create a range of drivers for professional monitors. He was introduced to the other members of Vivid two years later when it quickly became clear that these same drivers would be eminently suitable for a new range of groundbreaking designs they had been developing. They would need to refine acoustic performance to a new level which encourages the listener to want more, rather than tire and need a break. That's why they made considerable effort to extract the best performance imaginable from each component using customary materials wherever possible.
Which is why there are no standard parts to be found in any of their loudspeakers. Every component is made to their own exacting specification. Most hidden away but quietly delivering a listening experience not to be forgotten.