Adding to its range of solutions designed to meet the demands of the installation market, at ISE 2022 L-Acoustics introduced Soka and its companion subwoofer SB6i. The enclosures join recent products like Syva, X4i, and the SB10i subwoofer to offer a complete range of solutions tailored to the unique needs of installation applications. Soka and SB6i offer exciting new creative possibilities for sound designers, interior designers, and architects to shape sound and space to their needs.
L-Acoustics has managed to successfully expand its range of professional loudspeakers solutions also into commercial installation and more recently residential and luxury audio, leveraging the R&D and industrial capabilities that enabled it to lead the global touring and live performance markets at a massive scale. Even during the two years of pandemic that practically brought live entertainment to a halt, the French company didn’t slow down its ongoing efforts to create a new range of loudspeaker solutions that would enable the transition from conventional sound reinforcement into immersive audio installations. And during the pandemic, it even reinforced its range of luxury audio solutions that leverage the dynamics of a high quality but large power sound system, in products that appeal directly at premium installations of all types.
Essential to those efforts was L-Acoustics Syva colinear source speaker system and the Syva Low and Syva Sub extensions, creating a design that could fit many different applications, from large corporate events to luxury home audio systems. The Syva was also designed as a sleek, plug-and-play system, featuring a new patent pending transducer arrangement called segment source, producing an ultra-wide directivity pattern, and offering 35 meters of throw capability with 142 dB max SPL.
Inheriting the same principles of the extremely successful Syva colinear source loudspeaker design, and going beyond conventional column speakers, L-Acoustics now designed Soka as a new wall or flush mountable option for projects in residential, marine and hospitality applications. Combining line source technology with an even slimmer cabinet, the new model is discrete, powerful and designed with integration in mind whether it be for indoor or outdoor use.
Soka also integrates nine 3.5” MF drivers and three 1” HF transducers to impart a wide 140-degree horizontal coupled with a highly controlled 26-degree vertical directivity. Both Soka and the matching SB6i subwoofer are an ultra-shallow 3.9″/99mm, designed to be easily enclosed in-wall or discreetly mounted on-wall, yet capable of astounding power and bandwidth.
As L-Acoustics details, despite its diminutive size, Soka delivers 124dB over a wide bandwidth that extends down to 70Hz when used with the full-range preset. Using the SPL preset, Soka offers an even higher 130dB down to 100Hz, while its companion SB6i subwoofer extends the system response to 33Hz.
“Colinear source technology gives Soka all the benefits of line source technology: high output, extended throw, razor-sharp control, and elevated coherence,” explains Germain Simon, Head of Product and Technology Marketing at L-Acoustics. “Soka will be prized for its ability to provide astonishing sound levels in spaces that require ultimate discretion to allow the design to shine. And with two state-of-the-art 6.5-inch neodymium LF drivers and the L-Acoustics Laminar vent technology found in our concert-grade reference subwoofers, SB6i is one of the most powerful ultra-compact subwoofers on the market.”
Soka and SB6i combine format and performance. Soka alone is ideal for vocal performances or as a spatial sound system. When combined with SB6i or SB10i, it will find a comfortable home as a main music system in residential, commercial, luxury, and hospitality spaces. The 4-ohm SB6i enclosure can operate down to 29Hz and produce as much as 114dB, again via two presets, matching coupled or decoupled configuration with the main system.
The system’s discreet, elegant form and concert-grade performance are particularly well adapted to vocal and music reinforcement in architectural settings, corporate spaces, churches, museums, or artistic performances. And the ultra-wide horizontal directivity and throw capacity of up to 35 meters make Soka also a perfect solution for L-ISA immersive deployments.
Like all recent installation products from L-Acoustics, Soka hides its technical features from sight. The rear face holds all the mounting points and speaker connectors, leaving the visible face sleek and elegant. All mounting gear is located at the back of the loudspeaker to allow it to be mounted on a wall in any orientation with Pan, Tilt, and PanTilt accessories. Likewise, Soka can be flush mounted in the wall.
Soka and SB6i come in the L-Acoustics signature traditional brown and white colors but can also be custom-colored with the RAL program to fit any visual aesthetic. Both Soka and SB6i are rated IP55 for virtually any indoor or outdoor installation.
www.l-acoustics.com
