JPS Labs Golden Flute bass alignment filter

Golden Flutes

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The Golden Flutes of the 1990's are no longer produced. Many thanks to our past Flute customers, without your kindness and suppport we would not have evolved into one of the World's premier high-end cable manufacturers.

I suggest looking into our extensive and very effective line of cables and AC Power products. Many will find their dramatic improvement far better than anything else you could do to a system. Visit our main page here or any of the topics to the left for information on how we continue to improve your listening experience.

Take care, and Thank You... Joe

JPS Labs manufacturers these dual-mono filter pairs to allow audiophiles to get the most out of their high-end loudspeakers. The Golden Flutes go into your preamp to amp signal path and actively extend your loudspeakers’ bass response by 10 Hz or more while maintaining tight, clean bass with total neutrality to the mids and highs.

JPS Labs made over 50 different models of Golden Flutes beautifully hand-made specifically for your model loudspeaker. Please contact JPS Labs to find out how you can finally have the proper bass extension you deserve from your audio system.

Balanced Golden Flute

The low frequency response of all loudspeakers rolls off as the reproduced frequency decreases. The frequency where the response is no longer useful varies from model to model, and is mainly dependent on cabinet and bass driver size and design. Generally, a larger cabinet and/or bass driver will afford better bass extension. A very effective means to improve the low frequency response of any quality loudspeaker is by the addition of a bass alignment filter.

A bass alignment filter is an active device designed to work in the low level signal path (between preamp and amp, or processor/tape loop) of your equipment. Its primary purpose is to amplify a narrow low frequency region below a given loudspeakers flat response. If done properly, the bass response can be extended downward by 10 Hz or more. With high-end loudspeakers, this easily amounts to a $1000.00 plus upgrade if an equivalent larger loudspeaker were to be purchased instead of a bass alignment filter. Another option would be to add a subwoofer for listening. Unfortunately, a conventional subwoofer is very difficult to integrate into a good system. The only way, though, that adding a bass alignment filter can be advantageous is if it extends the bass accurately without affecting the mid and high freq range and without causing any detrimental phase changes.

High-end loudspeaker manufacturers such as B&W. KEF, Thiel, and others realize the value of a bass alignment filter to a point where their best loudspeakers were designed to be used with a filter of their making. Unfortunately, a successful loudspeaker design does not guarantee a successful bass alignment filter. The factory filters tend to sacrifice mid and high freq detail and accuracy for extended bass, and some are even poor with the bass itself. Some loudspeaker models can be extended, or forced, too low, creating an uncontrollable, mushy bass, and possibly a distorted midrange if the loudspeaker is a two-way design. Keep in mind that the above results are not due in any way to the loudspeakers design, but to the bass alignment filter.

JPS Labs was created to define the problem areas in each manufacturers filter, and their relation to each model, and to design a line of bass alignment filters with only the best attributes for its intended loudspeaker model. The initial goal was to define the proper response curves needed to provide a flat, extended bass response for each model without sacrificing sound quality. The idea was to nudge the bass drivers lower, not to push them to their limits. This was accomplished by using factory specifications and boost curves as a starting point, and adjusting where necessary. After arriving at an approximation, adjustable prototypes were built to fine tune the response for each model. After extensive listening and measurement tests in multiple listening rooms, an average curve was found for each model which provided a flat response without creating boominess or distortion. Fixed frequency prototypes were then distributed to select listeners for opinions. Any further adjustments to response were done until everyone was happy (which wasn’t easy). It is a tedious process, but one with very positive results. Extensive experience in doing this has allowed JPS Labs to create over 50 different models of filters previously not available for many other high-end loudspeakers, including B&W, KEF, Thiel, Totem, PSB, Martin Logan, Proac, Arial Acoustics, Spendor, and others.

Components for the filter were chosen to maintain neutrality beyond audibility. After extensive auditioning of multiple combinations of device manufacturers, Analog Devices, Wima, Vishay, Rubicon, and others formed the basis for the Golden Flute Bass Alignment Filters. After 7 years on the market they have proven to be, without a doubt, the best and most economical upgrade that can be made to any high-end system. It is imperative you audition a pair hand-made specifically for your loudspeakers.

SPECS - Input Z: 28 Kohms, output Z: 110 ohms, max. output voltage: 9.5 Vrms, THD: <.005%, frequency response:-12dB/octave below 19 hz, gain dependent on loudspeaker model from 20-90 Hz, +/- .05 dB from 150 Hz to 80 KHz. All Golden Flutes are matched to within 0.1dB of the reference curve for each model.

JPS Labs and our fine dealers are always available to help you make the best cable decision for your money and your system. Contact our cable experts anytime if you have any questions or just need honest advice, or for your closest dealer.

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USA Tel 716-656-0810 Fax 716-656-0811 Email info@jpslabs.com