ILLUMINATION by Mosaic Acoustics

The Pedestal: The Illumination rests on an internally-cast platform assembly with 5 – 1” diameter Brass thru-assemblies. Interfaced internally with each of these shafts are mechanical loads for the termination of vibrational energy. A pocket at the rear of the pedestal allows for the inset of the external filter housing below the speaker. The 30 pounds of reactive-mass on the interior the pedestal provides for bass isolation from the floor and considerable energy projection into the listening environment.

The External Filter Assembly: The Filter topology of the Illumination is a 1st order Butterworth. The external housing is cast in Quartz aggregate and contains the 3 terminal blocks and the electrical componentry. It is set on 3 Brass feet. The capacitor is a proprietary design assembled by Mosaic Acoustics. The non-conventional topology allows for extremely fast and symmetrical rise and settling times without the overhang of internal electrical energy storage.

The Bass Housing: The Bass Housing is cast from a mineral filled “plasticized” cement. The casting defines the acoustical paths. The acoustical load is an integrated hybrid design: Laminar-Flow Transmission Line, Exponential Horn and Aperiodic topologies are used in both parallel and series configurations throughout the acoustical load. More about this singular acoustic load topology is found in the “Design Overview section”. All internal damping is with long hair wool and acoustical wool felt. Exterior wall construction is a seven layer constrained-layer damping configuration, culminating in .5” thick granite on the exterior surface.

The Vibration Isolation Platform: This provides for two primary functions – isolation of the tweeter housing from modulated bass cabinet vibrations (isolated silent mechanical ground) and a mechanical load termination to dissipate any vibration from the tweeter housing (exclusion of Doppler issues).

The Tweeter Housing: The Tweeter Housing features a 1.125” silk dome tweeter which couples into an internal quartz aggregate load.
• Efficiency: 92.6 dB
• Frequency response : 55kHz to 35Hz.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

ACOUSTICAL PROPAGATION: The Illumination loudspeaker is configured to emulate a point-source. Transducers are vertically aligned. A set of charts and a protractor system is provided with the speaker system. The listening distance and ear height at the listening position correspond to chart information which gives transducer housing offsets. The protractor system allows the user to easily position the lateral displacement of the tweeter housing. With this alignment, the arrival times of each transducer at the ear is the same.

REAR WAVE LOAD TERMINATION: Several key areas are addressed by the design topology and the execution of the rear-wave loading in the cast bass cabinet. These include: internal resonant modes, turbulence, linear load progression and linear (face and load) throat air-flow patterns.The Bass Cabinet housing for the Illumination was designed by Dale Pitcher over a three-year period. This singular internal acoustical load configuration is the subject of several patents in process.The Illumination Bass Cabinet pioneers a new direction in dynamic transducer housings. It combines Laminar-Flow Transmission Line, Exponential Horn and Aperiodic Load topologies in both parallel and series configurations throughout the progression of the acoustical load. Great effort has been placed in eliminating all internal turbulence patterns and resonances within the enclosure, and providing for a completely linear load progression. The result is bass energy freed from the constraints of compression, resonances and time overhangs – bass energy capable of startling dynamics on micro and macro levels.

SIGNAL PATH INTEGRITY: Considerable attention is paid to maintaining the integrity of the electrical signal path to the transducers. All connections are made with modified Cardas CPBP Binding Posts. Filter capacitors are made in-house and have extremely fast rise and settling times. The internal wiring harness is Mosaic Sigma Speaker Cable (which retails at $2000 for the 8’ pair). All signal path componentry is deep-cycle Cryogenically treated.

VIBRATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS / MECHANICAL ENERGY LOAD TERMINATION: The Illumination addresses the issues of spurious vibrations more than any other dynamic loudspeaker. Unaddressed vibration issues re-emerge as a modulated haze. The Illumination suspends music on a totally silent background that is alive with unmodulated ambient information.