NOLA SPEAKER PRODUCTS

Nola KO Loudspeaker

The Nola KO loudspeaker is the top model in the Boxer Collection. While it incorporates the easy to drive characteristics of other Boxer Collection models, it also incorporates state of the art concepts used in our top Reference Series products at a much more affordable price.

Utilizing our mirror-imaged short line source open baffle array, the Nola KO provides the "open", spacious, and transparent sound that sets Nola apart. The Nola KO can fill medium to large rooms with ease, while providing very high sound quality. The Nola KO utilizes four high-speed, low-mass 4½" midrange drivers operating as dipoles to eliminate box coloration. The high frequency section employs four exotic 1" silk dome tweeters that provide excellent detail, wide effortless dynamics and luxurious smoothness. The low frequency section utilizes two 7" cast frame metal cone bass drivers, each operating in separate ported chambers. These bass drivers operate as perfect pistons over their whole range for dynamic, fast, and tuneful bass. True phase plugs, long throw high power voice coils, and sophisticated, heavy magnet structures are also utilized. A 90 dB sensitivity at 2.8 volts and an average 8 ohm impedance allow the Nola KO to be driven by a wide range of amplifiers, both solid state and vacuum tube. New UnisonTM crossover technology provides improved amplifier utilization for higher effective efficiency, as well as superb "single driver coherency." The Nola KO is provided in either a true piano cherry or a true piano black finish. Four removable grilles (front, sides, and rear), premium spikes and piano black bases are also provided.

Dimensions: 48 inches H x 10 inches W x 15 inches D, 110lbs per side
Response: 30 Hz to 28 kHz, useable to 25 Hz
Sensitivity: 90 dB / 1M / 2.82 volts
Impedance: 8 ohms average / 4 ohm min.
Finish: True Piano Cherry high gloss or True Piano Black high gloss

Baby Grand Reference Loudspeaker

At the January 2008 CES, Accent Speaker Technology introduced the Nola Baby Grand Reference loudspeaker. Four years of research have gone into this product, as it uses the same technology found in our flagship $145,000 Nola Grand Reference. The Baby Grand is a smaller two-tower system utilizing the exact same transducers as are found in the Grand Reference in order to provide the same quality. A pair of Baby Grand towers employs four 9-inch magnesium woofers, eight 4½-inch open baffle dipole midranges with Alnico magnets, and eight 4-inch true ribbon tweeters with neodymium magnets. The drivers are arrayed in a unique mirror-imaged, short line source, open baffle array. Enclosure coloration throughout the middle and high frequencies is non-existent. This unique design produces life-sized images while retaining focus and sounds "live" instead of the typical mechanical sound of most loudspeakers.

The 3½-way passive Xtreme Crossover is mounted in an external unit to further free the loudspeaker from coloration due to crossover component vibration. The Xtreme Crossover utilizes state of the art passive components as are used in the Nola Grand Reference. The Baby Grand comes with a ball-bearing speaker isolation base to free it from the sound of coloration due to floor vibrations. The Xtreme Crossover is bi-wired to the amplifier and is connected to the speaker via the supplied Nordost Valhalla mono-filament jumpers.

Metro Grand Reference Loudspeaker

The Nola Metro Grand Reference is a compact floor standing loudspeaker that requires only one square foot of floor space while providing near state of the art performance. This design utilizes the same Alnico midrange, true ribbon tweeter and dual magnesium woofer technology as our larger models. The bass drivers are 6½ inch diameter extra long stroke transducers for excellent power handling. Each bass driver is enclosed in a separate chamber and is tuned by its own separate twin flared port for extremely clean bass reproduction. The state of the art mid- and high-frequency drivers are operated on an open baffle in the 45° mirror-imaged array as in our other models in the Grand series.

The exclusive open baffle ribbon tweeter eliminates any type of extra diaphragm, as the ribbon conductor is the diaphragm. The moving mass of this design is about twenty-five times lighter than any type of dome tweeter and therefore provides natural reproduction and a wealth of musical detail. The lack of an enclosure in the midrange and high frequencies eliminates a large source of coloration.

The integrated crossover system is built on three separate hand-wired boards. Top quality audiophile-grade components are used throughout. Inductors are flat wound oxygen-free copper types and capacitors are 630-volt polypropylene units. The crossovers are hard wired (no printed circuits) for maximum sound quality.

The Metro Grand Reference utilizes a built-in double platform base with ball bearing isolators to further reduce coloration. The bases are finished in true piano black gloss.

The Metro Grand Reference is ideal when the expansive musical sound of the Baby Grand Reference is required - but in a smaller footprint design when floor space is a consideration.

Micro Grand Reference Loudspeaker

The Nola Micro Grand Reference is a stand-mounted loudspeaker that utilizes the same driver technology and concept as the floor-standing Baby Grand Reference. Driver complement consists of two magnesium woofers, one alnico magnet open baffle midrange and one open baffle true ribbon tweeter in a 3½ way design. The driver array utilizes our 45° mirror-imaged array for the midrange and tweeter. The twin 120mm cast-frame magnesium woofers operate in a rear vented enclosure. The vent is an oversized, double flared design to eliminate port noise. The 110mm cast-frame alnico magnet midrange operates as an open baffle dipole. The open baffle ribbon tweeter eliminates any type of extra diaphragm, as the ribbon is the diaphragm. The moving mass of this design is about 25 times less than any type of dome tweeter and provides the natural reproduction of a wealth of musical detail. The lack of an enclosure in the midrange and high frequencies eliminates a large source of coloration.

The 3½ way integrated crossover system is built on three separate boards and utilizes top quality audiophile-grade passive components throughout. Inductors are flat wound oxygen-free copper types and capacitors are 630 volt polypropylene units. The crossovers are hard wired (no printed circuits) for maximum quality.

The Micro Grand utilizes a built-in double platform base with ball bearing isolators to further reduce coloration as is used in the Baby Grand Reference. The bases are finished in a true Piano Black. The Micro Grand is designed to provide the same musical experience as the Baby Grand, and is ideal when state of the art sound quality is desired for smaller venues

Nola offers the following Micro Grand Reference Stand to complement the Micro Grand Reference:

Contender Loudspeaker

The Nola Contender is a slim floor-standing tower loudspeaker that is the step up from the very popular Nola Boxer bookshelf. Compared to the Boxer, the Contender offers sonic improvements in the areas of depth reproduction, dynamic range, low level resolution and bass extension. The low frequency response has been extended to a conservative 35 Hz with usable response to 25 Hz. The bass quality of the Contender, however, maintains the quick and nimble characteristic of the Boxer. The driver complement consists of two low mass 6½ inch bass drivers and one high resolution silk soft dome tweeter in a vertical array. Each bass driver is housed in a separate chamber and is individually ported. This technique, while costly, eliminates driver interference and provides increased clarity. The upper driver is ported to the rear, while the lower driver is loaded by a downward firing port. The chambers are tuned to different frequencies to provide the smoothest and most extended inroom bass response. The Contender is a true 3-way system with the benefit of increased mid-range clarity, yet it maintains the coherency of a good 2-way. We feel this approach, while more costly, is superior to a 2½-way design where both the bass and bass/midrange drivers have to cope with deep bass reproduction. The Contender maintains the smooth 8-ohm impedance characteristic and high 90dB sensitivity of the Boxer so that use with amplifiers of 30 watts or more is feasible. The Contender footprint is the same as the Boxer.

Boxer Loudspeaker

The Boxer is a 2-way stand-mounted monitor built to Nola standards throughout. It incorporates a low-mass 6½-inch bass/midrange driver with a laminated pulp cone for low coloration and high speed. The high frequency driver is a high-resolution silk dome tweeter with smooth extended response. In addition, a diffraction ring is utilized. The bass driver is loaded by a rear firing twin-flared port for low distortion and noise. Although the main priority here is the best possible mid-range quality (as in all Nola speakers), the bass response has been extended to 44 Hz in order to provide a full range sound. Rear connection is by a pair of high quality all metal gold-plated 5-way binding posts. These connectors are fixed directly to the cabinet, thereby omitting the sonically deleterious effects of plastic connection plates often used.

The all-important crossover is a shallow slope design with excellent phase characteristics. The construction employs only point-to-point hand wiring of very high quality components. Capacitors are 630-volt high purity polypropylene types and only air core inductors are used. Resistors are close tolerance 2% metal types.

Wiring is proprietary low-loss oxygen-free copper. The crossover also incorporates a shock-isolation system in order to minimize the effects of vibration for a cleaner sound. The 90dB sensitivity combined with an 8-ohm impedance makes the Boxer easy to drive.

The net result is a wide range dynamic transducer that is accurate but is also truthful to the music. The sound stage is very large and "open", yet has excellent focus. The low distortion provided by the Boxer means that long listening sessions are possible without fatigue.

Announcer Center Channel Loudspeaker

The Nola Announcer is a high performance center channel loudspeaker that perfectly matches the Nola Contender and the Nola Boxer for multi-channel and home theater applications. The Announcer employs two 6½ inch bass / mid-range drivers and one high resolution silk dome tweeter. These are the same high quality drive units that are used in Contender and Boxer. The bass / mid-range drivers are housed in a sealed cabinet for ease of installation and excellent dialogue intelligibility in real-world applications. The Announcer is fully shielded to prevent video interference when placed close to video displays. Special techniques are employed in order to allow installation above or below the video display.
The high 93dB sensitivity and smooth impedance allow ease of interfacing with "real world" electronic systems.