Aspen FR5 Loudspeaker

By far the most important piece in the HiFi chain is the loudspeaker. If the speaker cannot reproduce what it is fed from the electronic chain, the missing musical information is forever lost. To achieve all that music demands, over the years, loudspeaker designers have tried to leverage every trick in the book: electrostats for details, conventional drivers for dynamics, planars for transparency, ribbons, domes, horns, open baffles, bipoles, dipoles. The list is endless and the choices and their inevitable sonic compromises daunting. With close to 50 years under our collective belts, we at PS Audio are committed to designing the perfect loudspeakers for every application, room size, and budgets. In the Aspen series we start with the FR30, then move to the FR20, the FR10, and finally the FR5. Each is a full range state-of-the-art loudspeaker that covers the range of possibilities from small to large rooms and to meet every budget need. The FR5 will fit into every small to medium sized room and provide potent bass output and extension for a stand mounted speaker. For the upper end, the FR5 employs the same Aspen planar tweeter as found in both the FR20 and FR30. Without question, the Aspen FR5 is the perfect loudspeaker for any small to medium-sized room and, certainly, any budget. Why compromise? Go for the best.

The heart and soul of any loudspeaker are its drivers, the transducers that, in response to the amplifier's demands, pressurize the air and generate the music. Each driver must be optimized for the task at hand. In the FR5, it quickly became apparent we could not source from even the most advanced driver manufacturers in the world the ultra-low-distortion high-dynamic output drivers we would need to build this remarkable 2-way stand mount speaker. We started with our planar magnetic tweeter. Moving air at high frequencies without coloration or distortion is a daunting task. On the FR5 we chose to go with a technology that has the speed of an electrostat with the dynamics of a cone. Planar Magnetics. This ultra-low distortion driver is equally driven with front and rear magnetic structures that offer inherent linearity through symmetrical “push-pull” neodymium motor structures and directly driven ultra-low mass diaphragms with none of the cone or dome breakup, inductance modulation, or hysteresis distortion that plagues traditional drivers. For the low end, we crafted a unique long-throw high-excursion 6.5" Curv woven Polypropylene woofer that matches the effortlessness and transparency of the planar magnetic tweeter. To lower distortion, we employed a unique split magnetic gap and a double copper Faraday ring for low, linear inductance and wide bandwidth, coupled with a single progressive Nomex spider with stitched-in lead wires. Lastly, to achieve maximum linearity and extended deep bass extension without the compression and distortion of ports, we implemented a rear-mounted high-compliance 6x9 inch passive radiator. Together, these elements create a stunning presentation of music in your home.

Loudspeakers have an honored place in our homes. They often are the focal point of our living rooms and, in that capacity, must proudly make a statement of fitting elegance. The Aspen FR5 enclosure design starts with the internal structure necessary for great sound and then lovingly sculpted into a work of art befitting our homes. With industrial design by famed Studio 63, the FR5's elegant look and smaller form factor complement every decor. Internally, the FR5 is an extensively braced enclosure designed to minimize external vibrations that have the potential to color the sound. Externally, the enclosures are lovingly finished with 7 coats of high-quality lacquer for a beautiful satin finish. While the main body and baffling structure are built with MDF, the sculpted front baffle is formed from a dense, rigid and well-damped high-tech thermoset fiberglass resin composite material with integrated high-frequency acoustic waveguides. The front baffle is moutned from the rear of the cabinet with 13” long shoulder screws, holding the cabinet in compression for superior stiffness and enclosure performance. A masterpiece of design and love, crafted by those of us that care deeply about music and its reproduction in the home.