When I first heard Grimani Systems' Alpha speaker at CEDIA 2015, I was totally blown away by its dynamics, clarity, and tonal neutrality. Now, the company has released a smaller model, the Grimani Systems Delta, which is designed for smaller rooms (200-400 square feet).
The Delta employs much of the same technology as the larger Alpha and Beta, including a 1" annular-diaphragm compression tweeter in a Conic-Section Array (CSA) waveguide to achieve wide, uniform dispersion throughout the listening area. Two 6.5" cone mid/woofers join the party, resulting in a frequency range from 80 Hz to 20 kHz. Two onboard switch-mode amplifiers provide 600 watts to the tweeter and another 600W to the woofers, and sophisticated 28-bit DSP (digital signal processing) provides an active crossover as well as driver time-alignment delay and room-compensation EQ.
This speaker is named for the shape of its cabinet, which looks like the Greek letter delta. In this case, form follows function; the unique shape was designed to optimize cabinet volume, depth, and amplifier hardware. The sealed MDF enclosure is only 5.5 inches deep, which makes it easy to conceal behind an acoustically transparent projection screen or wall fabric.
Grimani Systems offers several complete system packages, including the new CinemaThree, which provides three Deltas for the LCR positions, four more Deltas for the side and rear surrounds, and four Zeta subwoofers, along with all mounting hardware and cabling. (The Zeta sub is quite impressive in its own right: 13" cone driver, 1000W amp, 28-bit DSP, frequency extension down to 22 Hz, 5.5" deep, sealed cabinet.) You can also opt for an immersive-audio configuration with two more Deltas in the front-wide positions and four Omicron in-ceiling speakers for the overheads. With this system—or any of Grimani's packages—all you need is a preamp/processor, and your sound system is good to go.
The Grimani Systems Delta isn't inexpensive at $6400 each, but it's way less than the Alpha ($28,100 each) or Beta ($18,400 each). And the CinemaThree package is a hefty $60,000 for the 7.4 surround system or $82,000 for the 9.4.4 immersive system. But again, that's way less than the CinemaOne and CinemaTwo packages, which are designed for much larger rooms—with more and larger speakers—and cost well into six figures. And according to Grimani, if you were to buy comparably performing passive speakers, power amps, cabling, and mounting hardware, you'd be in the same price ballpark—and it would take a whole lot more work to install.
I can't wait to hear the Delta for myself. I'm glad to see that Grimani Systems is introducing lower-cost products that incorporate so much of what makes its speakers sound so exceptional. Granted, we're still not talking about the mass market here, but for those with moderately high means and discriminating ears, I doubt you can do better for the money.
The Delta employs much of the same technology as the larger Alpha and Beta, including a 1" annular-diaphragm compression tweeter in a Conic-Section Array (CSA) waveguide to achieve wide, uniform dispersion throughout the listening area. Two 6.5" cone mid/woofers join the party, resulting in a frequency range from 80 Hz to 20 kHz. Two onboard switch-mode amplifiers provide 600 watts to the tweeter and another 600W to the woofers, and sophisticated 28-bit DSP (digital signal processing) provides an active crossover as well as driver time-alignment delay and room-compensation EQ.
This speaker is named for the shape of its cabinet, which looks like the Greek letter delta. In this case, form follows function; the unique shape was designed to optimize cabinet volume, depth, and amplifier hardware. The sealed MDF enclosure is only 5.5 inches deep, which makes it easy to conceal behind an acoustically transparent projection screen or wall fabric.
Grimani Systems offers several complete system packages, including the new CinemaThree, which provides three Deltas for the LCR positions, four more Deltas for the side and rear surrounds, and four Zeta subwoofers, along with all mounting hardware and cabling. (The Zeta sub is quite impressive in its own right: 13" cone driver, 1000W amp, 28-bit DSP, frequency extension down to 22 Hz, 5.5" deep, sealed cabinet.) You can also opt for an immersive-audio configuration with two more Deltas in the front-wide positions and four Omicron in-ceiling speakers for the overheads. With this system—or any of Grimani's packages—all you need is a preamp/processor, and your sound system is good to go.
The Grimani Systems Delta isn't inexpensive at $6400 each, but it's way less than the Alpha ($28,100 each) or Beta ($18,400 each). And the CinemaThree package is a hefty $60,000 for the 7.4 surround system or $82,000 for the 9.4.4 immersive system. But again, that's way less than the CinemaOne and CinemaTwo packages, which are designed for much larger rooms—with more and larger speakers—and cost well into six figures. And according to Grimani, if you were to buy comparably performing passive speakers, power amps, cabling, and mounting hardware, you'd be in the same price ballpark—and it would take a whole lot more work to install.
I can't wait to hear the Delta for myself. I'm glad to see that Grimani Systems is introducing lower-cost products that incorporate so much of what makes its speakers sound so exceptional. Granted, we're still not talking about the mass market here, but for those with moderately high means and discriminating ears, I doubt you can do better for the money.
