Vienna Acoustics - The LISZT Reference Loudspeakers

Perhaps the most technically advanced pianist of his era, Franz Liszt was noted for astounding improvisations and innovating new forms of music. Like its namesake, LISZT REFERENCE is a marvel of technical command – the latest improvisation upon a revolutionary Vienna Acoustics design that sets a new standard in sound.

LISZT REFERENCE features a top section which is a completely independent module which allows us to control and carefully position the critical Music Center. To eliminate the potential for extraneous mechanical information to reach up from the bass cabinet, the Music Center is similarly attached through one centered high grade aluminium turning mechanism. The overall goal with this sophisticated design is to allow the entire Music Center to be positioned at its optimal angle towards the chosen listening position while also being completely isolated mechanically from the bass cabinet.

The heart of its design is an all-new version of our patented 15cm Flat-Spider-Cone coincident driver; the result of an intensive development project conducted over the course of many years to further advance our patented system. This second-to-none driver assembly perfectly marries an astonishing new midrange flat-spidercone with an equally remarkable tweeter in a revolutionary ring radiator design, carefully manufactured in Scandinavia.

While the Music Center handles high and middle frequencies, three 7 inch Flat X4P Spidercone-woofers with recessed fabric center-cone perform in a separate and elaborately devised enclosure.

The bass cabinet housing the drivers utilizes seven braces that divide the cabinet into two different chambers, one with a single woofer and the other with two woofers, each vented and uniquely tuned. The two lower units produce the lowest bass, working in parallel, while the single driver provides ideal transition to the midrange driver. This configuration results in tremendous bass extension with speed and liquidity.

Vienna Acoustics' Composite Cone

The plane surface of the spidercone offers the advantage of precise, piston-like movement. Any diaphragm should move in and out as one unit, not as a quivering mass of uncorrelated vibrations. It should move as a perfectly-solid piston. The flat cone is extremely stiff, with bracings of a height of 18 mm (bass) and 14 mm (mid), yet light, respectively, further reinforced by glasfibers in our new X4P™ mixture.

The rearside bracings are constructed in a way that the whole impulse energy is allocated evenly via the whole surface of the flat cone. Every square centimeter delivers the same impulse as its neighbours, which results in revolutionary impulse response control. As our cone/diaphragm-construction builds upon a very large voice coil, the radiating surface in its middle is large, thereby making it an significant sound determinant.

The countless listening testings brought forth such an unexpected unique combination the we gave it a new name, the Composite Cone. The 5cm area of LISZT REFERENCE’s bass drivers is now an inverted dome made of woven fabric, double-coated on its rearside. Perfection was achieved by listening to various axial positions, with extraordinary homogenous results by employing a recessing of 8mm. The sum total of the features of the Composite Cone is a peerless symbiosis. Furthermore, one of the reasons why the woven fabric center cone interacts so nicely, is its affinity to the fabric material of our silk dome tweeter.

LISZT REFERENCE’s new tweeter is a coaxial adaption of the super-tweeter employed in our flagship „The Music“. The careful adjustment of the general construction applied to a coaxial arrangement has fantastic advantages, in addition to the obvious ideal of performing in the center of the midrange – the point source. This provides for uncanny precision in spaciousness, while the ring radiator tweeter construction results in breathtaking resolution, but maintaining heartwarming naturalness.

Not apparent to the eye is the artfully articulated bracing structure, as well as the carefully chosen separate enclosures for the individual drivers. What is apparent to the eye is the warmth of the handselected veneers, as well as the depth and pureness of the true piano lacquer.

Great engineering demands the angularity; great design achieves an artful form that confers quality and substance.