The Directorate™ Reference Loudspeaker System

It's 1973. Bill Roberts begins building loudspeakers. He becomes a consultant to major speaker companies. Three years later, his recording studio Bill Roberts Balanced Mastering launches. It remains active until today. In 1988, he performs research at Eglin Air Force Base in their large chamber. He earns enough free time to use the facility and build a benchmark quality four-piece loudspeaker system. F3 is 11Hz, sensitivity 96dB and the size remains manageable. This project takes about 1000 man hours and 8 months. The result is +/- 0.5dB linear bandwidth at 3 meters. Serial # 1 went to a $17 Million home on Destin Beach, Florida. The curtains closed.

Fast forward to 2006. Bill Roberts teams up with James 'Jimmy' Carnes of OnTrack Audio to turn the dream commercial reality. Serial numbers 2 and 3 have been produced. CES 2007 will tell the tale.

Consider what it takes to build them:

  • 600 hours of labor on the enclosures alone

  • 135 hrs on the dual mono analogue outboard crossovers

  • 25 hrs on the analog phase compensators

  • Exotic composite Eastern block materials

  • Machining of key parts by a specialty shop that makes compressor faces for Rolls Royce Turbofan engines

The Directorate™ six-piece Stereo Reference Loudspeaker System

  • Compound system

  • Two low frequency stereo projectors

  • Two full range stereo propagators

  • Dual outboard system controllers

The Directorate systems frequency response is 14Hz to 27kHz. The lowest frequencies from 14Hz-90Hz are covered by a pair of hybrid compound transmission-line projectors. 90Hz to inaudibility is handled by the two full range stereo propagators. The dual outboard controllers marry all components into a system directorate device. The System can be used with: One stereo amplifier, Two monaural amplifiers, Four monaural amplifiers or Six monaural amplifiers. Unique user calibration points are provided for in room correction.

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