Scott Wilkerson writer AVs Forum USA
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.
Mark Henninger
Although I had never met Anthony Grimani in person prior to CEDIA 2015, his reputation as a world-class acoustician and home-theater designer preceded him. So, when I had an unexpected opportunity to meet Anthony and hear a demo of his company’s new speaker system, I accepted it right away.
I was wrapping up a day of covering CEDIA and met up with Scott Wilkinson on the show floor as the exhibits were closing. At that moment, Scott happened to run into Katye Bennett, the PR person for Grimani Systems. She invited us to check out Anthony’s demo, and after a brief phone call we were headed to a luxury suite in the Omni Hotel, which is connected to the convention center. Little did I know I was going to spend over two hours learning about a fascinating new speaker design, but I am glad I got the chance.
In the suite, Scott and I met Anthony and we saw his Beta speakers for the first time. In a show full of gigantic high-end speakers—as well as some very diminutive ones—these were something different. The Grimani Systems Beta is a surprisingly lightweight 2-way speaker that costs $20,000 (each) and possesses some rather remarkable qualities. A larger 3-way Alpha model costs $30,000 per speaker. The main difference between the two models is the Alpha plays louder than the Beta, so it can fill a larger space. There’s also a Gamma model that is just like the Beta in terms of cost and capability, except the waveguide is aimed at an angle so you can use it as a ceiling speaker.
Thanks to Anthony’s thorough and engaging presentation, I learned that Grimani Systems speakers possess a near-ideal dispersion pattern, largely thanks to the use of a CSA (conic-section array) waveguide. The CSA was created by inventor and acoustician Manny LaCarrubba, and it is an evolution of the waveguide design that Manny licensed to Bang & Olufsen for use in a number of its speakers, including the instantly recognizable Beolab 5.
In addition to the CSA waveguide, the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma speakers rely on high-quality drivers designed for professional use. The Beta has a 1″ BMS compression driver and twin BMS 6.5″ mid/woofers, while the larger Alpha uses a 1.3″ compression driver, twin 6.5″ mid/woofers, and a 12″ woofer. Notably, the compression drivers are not horn-loaded in this design; the CSA acts strictly as a waveguide.
If you attend a Grimani Systems demo and you let the (comparatively) small size of the Beta speakers fool you, you’re in for a huge surprise when Anthony turns up the volume and peels your face off in one second flat. Mind you, the sound is utterly clean, clear, dynamic, and focused—but it’s also ridiculously intense. It’s a short, shocking, and convincing way to show that the Grimani Systems Betas can provide clean, realistic, uncolored sound at ludicrous SPL levels without breaking a sweat. A life-size poster of the Alpha gave an idea of how much larger it is than the Beta, and considering the volume achieved by the Betas, I’d be scared to hear the Alphas going full blast.
Subsequent demo tracks were played at much more pleasing volume levels, allowing Scott and I to appreciate the fidelity of the Betas. Anthony invited us to get up and walk around the room, as well as to try different seats. Thanks to the ultra-wide dispersion of the CSA, I could hear a cohesive soundfield practically anywhere I stood or sat.
The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma speakers are actually components of complete speaker systems called the CinemaOne and CinemaTwo Audio Ensembles. The complete Beta-based CinemaTwo runs a cool $200,000, and the Alpha-based CinemaOne system costs $300,000. The systems are complete packages that include speakers, subwoofers, and amplification (built into the speakers), plus the company’s SA surround adapter that interfaces with third-party pre/pros. The packages also include acoustical treatments, consulting, and calibration. Next year, Grimani Systems will also debut its AC One pre/pro that directly interfaces with the speakers and subs.
Grimani’s CinemaOne Audio Ensemble includes 13 active speakers. The system, which is compatible with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D, is suitable for rooms up to 20,000 cubic feet. Total system power is 16,000 watts, and it uses 10 DSP units to feed audio to 29 separate amp channels.
Speaking of interfaces, I forgot to mention that Grimani Systems speakers connect to the system using Cat-5 or Cat-6 Ethernet cables—signal flow throughout the entire networked system is digital. Because the amplifiers are contained within the speakers themselves, you don’t need a closet full of amps—you only need the SA adapter, which takes up a mere two rack units (2U) of space, and the forthcoming AC One pre/pro will fit in a five rack-unit (5U) space.
Easy installation and setup is part of the system’s appeal. By applying what he has learned over decades in the business, Anthony methodically eliminated many of the failure points found in typical sound systems.
Grimani Systems offers subwoofers as well as speakers in its systems. There’s the Delta sub, which features an 18″ long-throw driver with acoustic servo feedback powered by a 4000-watt amp. Four of these subs are used in the CinemaOne package to achieve greater than 115 dB SPL all the way down to 18 Hz. The Delta’s enclosure is made of MDF and measures 21″ (W) x 37″ (H) x 13″ (D).
The Epsilon sub is spec’d with the CinemaTwo system, and it has dual 13.5″ woofers powered by a 2000-watt amp. The CinemaTwo package uses four Epsilon subs to achieve greater than 110 dB of output down to 18 Hz. Unlike the cube-shaped Delta sub and its MDF enclosure, the Epsilon’s enclosure closely resembles the Alpha and Beta. The Epsilon measures 21″ (W) x 52.5″ (H) x 10.5″ (D) and weighs only 55 pounds.
It’s worth noting that the 2-channel Beta rig Anthony demonstrated at CEDIA did not utilize Grimani Systems subwoofers. Instead, he relied on a pair of JL Audio e112 subs. I currently use e112s as reference subs in my system, so I was glad to see that Anthony was willing to rely on a pair of them in his demonstration. The reason for the subwoofer substitution was simple—Anthony ran out of room when packing the gear to go to Dallas.
The Alpha and Beta are not weighty speakers, and this is a deliberate feature of their design—shipping and installing heavy speakers is no fun. The 16″ (W) x 57.75″ (H) x 11″ (D) Alpha tips the scales at 65 pounds, while the 12″ (W) x 37″ (H) x 8″ (D) weighs a mere 40 pounds. Tungsten-impregnated urethane was chosen for the cabinet material, thanks to its excellent strength-to-weight ratio. A clever design for the cabinet interior creates discrete chambers for each driver while integrated internal ribbing provides additional rigidity without significantly reducing the interior volume. This is not furniture, it is a loudspeaker, and its design reflects the pursuit of performance as the primary goal.
These new Grimani Systems speakers approach an acoustical ideal by playing loudly enough to fully saturate your hearing and delivering that dynamic range with ultra-wide dispersion that fills the room with accurate sound while retaining pinpoint imaging accuracy. I certainly would love to hear a full-on surround system, be it the CinemaOne or CinemaTwo.
Strata-Gee.com
You take a dream team of engineers & systems designers and challenge them to create a new kind of system that would earn the undisputed title of the ultimate home theater system and what do you get? You get Grimani Systems – an all-new company comprised of well-known industry personality Anthony Grimani, engineer Manny LaCarrubba, and business entrepreneur David Steel.
And to create the ultimate system there was only one place to start – with a clean sheet of paper (actually probably a large, clean whiteboard.) From there, the CinemaOne Audio Ensemble was born.
Launched at last month’s CEDIA, the CinemaOne is an all-new system design, the likes of which does not exist from any other manufacturer. Grimani Systems built the entire system from scratch with an all-new innovative speaker design, an unusual system architecture, a custom-created surround processor and even – eventually – a custom video projector.
Building audiophile-grade speakers for a home theater system…
They started by designing a pair of audiophile speakers that would earn recognition and respect by audiophiles everywhere.
“Partially because Manny comes from a recording studio background, and because I happen to like music, is that it had to be an audiophile system first and foremost,” Grimani told us. “So the first four months of development were around creating a pair of left and right speakers that sounded every bit as good as anything else you can throw at it in a blind A/B comparison.”
Grimani wouldn’t say just exactly who the other brands were that they compared against – apparently a Who’s Who list of high-end audiophile speakers – but he did say that their mission was accomplished. Then matching center, surround, subwoofer, and overhead speakers were developed to fill out the system for theater use.
Going conic for better performance…
The fact that Grimani Systems CinemaOne is unique is immediately visible upon a casual glance at the system. The reason for this is two-fold. First, the fundamental design innovation for the CinemaOne speakers was the LaCarrubba-designed Conic Section Array (CSA) which is a rounded “wave guide” that looks a little like a classic horn-loaded speaker.
Grimani tells us the secret sauce to the incredible sound of the CinemaOne is the CSV technology which helps provide constant sound power throughout the entire room. CSV, Grimani tells us, has four key advantages: 1) True constant directivity; 2) Wide horizontal dispersion (“From 1kHz to 20kHz” Grimani claims); 3) Audiophile performance; and 4) It’s a proven technology (B&O has been using an earlier design that they’ve marketed for 12-years.)
What the world doesn’t need…
Of the CSV’s constant directivity and wide horizontal dispersion, Grimani tells us: “That is the Holy Grail in electro-acoustics loudspeaker design.”
But Grimani Systems didn’t stop there. The cylindrical shape of the CSV inspired them to design the entire speaker is a half-cylindrical design. It is a unique – and impressive – look. But why chose such a radical departure?
“Well, everybody else is making rectangular boxes out of MDF [ed. note: medium-density fiberboard] and putting drivers in there. We were like, ‘Why would we do that?’” Grimani said. “Why would we do a ‘me-too’ product? The world does not need another one doing that. The world needs something that’s easier to set-up, sounds better more of the time, is reliable, and is monitorable. And that’s basically what we decided we wanted to do.”
Semi-cylindrical…
So all speakers have a family look – Grimani describes it as a semi-cylinder – that is no more than 12″ deep, making it easy to sit behind a screen or fabric. They are designed to be hung on a special wall bracket in what the company says is an incredibly easy installation.
The company offers two series of main speakers – Alpha and Beta – the selection of which is largely based on room size. The Alpha series main speakers are just under 58″ tall and include 1-12″ woofer, 2-6½″ mids, and the CSA tweeter. AND a 1,000 watt amp, a 500 watt amp, a 250 watt amp and a DSP module to provide 3-way crossover, EQ, and an I.P. address. Plug in a power cord and a CAT5 cable and you’re ready to go, Grimani tells us.
Best Home Cinema Level 3 Cedia USA Global Winner KA Theater
Our teams at Performance Media Industries, Grimani Systems, & Sonitus USA congratulate our partner, Audio Images (Tustin, CA) on their CEDIA Award.
Audio Images worked with Anthony Grimani of Performance Media Industries to create this masterful cinema, and CEDIA’s judges were impressed, noting the thorough work from everyone involved. The judges’ comments include these notes: “This is exceptional work — this is a great example of a reference-grade theater — documentation and racks are first rate — power management is superb — I’ll take it!”
Audio Images worked with Anthony Grimani’s PMI (Performance Media Industries) to create this masterful cinema, and CEDIA’s judges were impressed, noting the thorough work from everyone involved. The judges’ comments include these notes: “This is exceptional work – this is a great example of a reference-grade theater — documentation and racks are first rate — power management is superb — I’ll take it!”
As the judges tallied their scores for this project, they noted that many of them had given this room perfect or near-perfect marks, hence the Global win in addition to a trophy for Best Home Cinema Level III (Americas). One challenge: There’s a hidden bank-vault door here. The motors for that door got in the way of perfect speaker placement for a proper 11.4.4 immersive audio experience, since the left front of the room is unavailable for hiding speakers. The PMI team was up to the challenge — Grimani, after all, is a sound pioneer, having developed the Surround EX 6.1 format that first appeared in the Star Wars films. A Barco 4K projector and a 138-inch screen round out this beauty.
Audio Images notes that the shape of the room was odd for a cinema – it’s a bit too long, so the team added a false wall at the front of the cinema. Another issue that came with this remodeling job was an HVAC system that needed an upgrade, as did the sound isolation solutions. The challenges were met, and this room can get downright loud. “With that in mind, the client is very happy,” says the Audio Images team. “Performance is amazing in stereo and in multichannel, with startling bass — and high sound pressure capability.”
Audio Images also picked up the Best Dressed Racks (Americas) prize for their work here.
Level 3 Highly Commended CEDia USA To Theater
In the annual CEDIA Awards, “Highly Commended” honors mean that a project was very close to achieving a top prize in its category. The judges were impressed by the attention to detail and audio performance that this room can deliver.
As Audio Images explains, “The sound system is an 11.4.6 immersive audio package carefully laid out to exacting industry standards. It is capable of cinematic reference sound pressure levels. [In layman’s terms, it can get as loud as the director would’ve wanted, while maintaining absolute clarity.] In addition to the standard seven main channels, there are six ceiling speakers for immersive top outputs and two speakers for the all-important “wide” channels.
“Four custom cabinets, each with two of the shallow (but mighty) JL Audio subwoofers are installed close to the four corners of the room, with two high up front and two low in the back. They belt out deep and powerful bass.” The system was created and tuned with the assistance of PMI’s Anthony Grimani, who has extensive experience creating audio magic for Hollywood blockbusters.
“The video system is comprised of an acoustically transparent 175-inch wide screen, 2.37:1 ratio, along with a Barco Balder Cinemascope 4K projector,” notes the team.
“The theater will be called upon for activities ranging from rock concerts to cinematic adventures to karaoke extravaganzas,” says Audio Images. “This project was a huge collaborative effort that took tons of creativity, engineering, careful equipment selection, tuning, and project management to work out the details. We keep hearing that the room by far exceeds the clients’ expectations, and that’s about all we can ask!”
Grimani Systems Best New Product award at CEDIA 2016
Grimani Systems’ CinemaOne audio ensemble, which won a Best New Product award at CEDIA 2016, is now shipping, as is the company’s newest addition, the Omega ceiling speaker.
Grimani Systems’ CinemaOne audio ensemble, which won a Best New Product award at CEDIA 2016, is now shipping, as is the company’s newest addition, the Omega ceiling speaker.
The CinemaOne Audio Ensemble is the brainchild of Anthony Grimani and Manny LaCarrubba. It delivers exceptional sound quality and coverage thanks to LaCarrubba’s breakthrough development of the Conic Section Array (CSA) waveguide, which is designed to ensure that everyone in the room experiences the same sound, and delivers very high power and musicality in one integrated enclosure.
“I’ve been in the audio industry for over 30 years and have worked on literally hundreds of products,” Grimani said. “But it’s Manny’s compelling new technology that motivated the creation of Grimani Systems and the CinemaOne ensemble. I am thrilled to deliver these revolutionary products thanks to the powerful platform of CSA.”
For integrators, CinemaOne is a turnkey IoT solution designed to reduce installation time by as much as 70 percent. Simple and elegant in design, it blends seamlessly with private screening room architecture. Following installation, Grimani Systems’ experts will configure and calibrate onsite.
CinemaOne consists of three Alpha front speakers, six Beta surround speakers, four Delta subwoofers, and a DAI1 digital audio injector. Also included are an engineered room plan, a suite of acoustical tuning modules, and a calibration service. An upgrade for Dolby Atmos is also available now, consisting of four added Omega ceiling-mounted top speakers, and two added Beta wall speakers for the wide channels.
Omega, which just began shipping, is a powered, two-way concentric speaker with angled baffle and DSP tuning for precise aiming of sound dispersion to the audience area of a home cinema. Its superb sound quality, wide dynamic range, and consistent directivity make it well suited for Atmos top-channel applications, as well as any home cinema requiring high-performance ceiling-mounted speakers.
“After surveying the full gamut of available ceiling speakers, it became obvious that we needed a better match for the products in our CinemaOne and CinemaTwo home cinema lines,” Grimani said. “We created the Omega speaker to complement our high dynamics ensembles, and fit the tight spaces available in ceilings.”
“By using the same high-frequency driver technology, and the same overall system architecture as in the rest of our products, the Omega has outstanding sonic performance,” LaCarrubba said. “Four of these units will easily light up the top quadrant of rooms with immersive audio, without excessive bulk or complex mechanical integration.”