AUDIOGRADE

Company Profile

AUDIOGRADE is a young German high-end manufacturer from Aachen, which produces a worldwide unique loudspeaker 'Aus Einem Guss' under uncompromising conditions using novel materials and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes. Under the leadership of visionary and chief developer Wolfram Szentiks, an active and a passive loudspeaker with the sonorous name ARDORA have been created in cooperation with internationally leading acoustic specialists. Thanks to intensive research and development, ARDORA embodies the central element of AUDIOGRADE's corporate philosophy: While conventional loudspeakers made of wood can, due to their material properties, impair the original music signal as a matter of principle and joints between the individual cabinet parts can cause sound losses, AUDIOGRADE relies on a seamless casting mould made of solid and highly compressed plastic to almost completely prevent disturbing cabinet vibrations and to provide the ceramic loudspeaker chassis from Thiel & Partner with an optimal basis for flawless reproduction qualities. This is because, unlike a musical instrument, a loudspeaker cabinet is required to prevent any sound leakage through the cabinet walls and to produce no disturbing natural vibrations whatsoever.

In all AUDIOGRADE loudspeakers, further innovations and technical refinements, such as the world's first waveguide sound distribution of the renowned ceramic drivers in the mid- and high-frequency range, guarantee particularly homogeneous dispersion characteristics and an expansion of the sweet spot, which significantly simplifies the placement of the ARDORA in a wide variety of rooms. In addition, a customised CNC machine park of the company's own design and, last but not least, an extensive electronics laboratory, in which all active electronics are developed, tested and adjusted to customer requirements together with the integrated loudspeaker management system of a renowned partner company in Aachen - room calibration and correction procedures included. Further customisation options such as the option of invisible installation of the connection panel on the underside, a wide variety of colour and surface treatments and a harmoniously curved cabinet shape round off the overall picture of the ARDORA, which can justifiably be described as one of the highest-quality and most advanced high-end loudspeakers of its guild.

The development of AUDIOGRADE's loudspeakers is the responsibility of visionary and chief developer Wolfram Szentiks, a long-time connoisseur and expert of the high-end world, who, due to his passion for the highest-quality audio components, has been developing and designing analogue and digital circuits and elaborate loudspeakers himself since his earliest youth. Thus, many years ago, the hard-earned earnings from shift work during school holidays at the local dealer were exchanged for noble components in order to continuously come closer to the one goal in life and desire for perfect music reproduction. The many efforts were worth it: After studying electrical engineering and gaining intensive professional experience as a software and hardware engineer in the field of CNC control and other branches of industry, Wolfram Szentiks realized his dream, bundled his own competencies and, with the support of a highly qualified team of experts, founded his own high-tech manufactory, which has since then not only been able to convince all along the line with its exceptional loudspeakers in terms of measurement technology, but above all has continued to captivate and inspire connoisseurs and connoisseurs with the highest demands with its musical qualities.

Products

Active floorstanding loudspeakers made of resonance-free PolyGrade™ polymer concrete.

• ARDORA Active
• CALORA Active

Passive floorstanding loudspeakers made of resonance-free PolyGrade™ polymer concrete.

• ARDORA Passive
• CALORA Passive

Reviews

• Fairaudo.de 05/2014 - Test Report ARDORA Passive
• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Marco Dettweiler, September 24, 2013 - Test Report ARDORA Active
• Hifi Einsnull 04/2013 - Test Report ARDORA Active
• Stereoplay 07/2013 - Test Report ARDORA Passive
• AUDIOphile 02/2013 - Review ARDORA Passive
• LP Magazin 01/2013 - Test Report ARDORA Passive
• Hifi Lautsprecher Test-Jahrbuch 2013 - Testbericht ARDORA Active
• 6moons.com 05/2014 - Test Report ARDORA Passive

Manufacturer portrait

• Manufacturer portrait by Rudolf Baldus, Aktives-hoeren.de
• AUDIOGRADE boss Wolfram Szentiks in HiFi Forum interview

Official Website

• www.audiograde.de