Chapter IV: Learning

A Process of Setbacks

The Tempo was Audio Physic’s entry-level model – a loudspeaker that established a small but stable economic foundation. Yet the market soon demanded an even more affordable option. Dealers began asking for a model positioned below the Tempo.

This request was not easily met. Joachim Gerhard decided to retain the proven cabinet while switching to more cost-effective drivers and foregoing the expensive ISODA internal wiring. A hand-coated mid-woofer of German origin, refined by Hartmut Jansen – the newest member of the team – along with an Isophon dome tweeter, became the heart of the new Spark.

The Spark sold reasonably well, but financially it fell short of expectations. One thing became clear: further development was necessary. The next step would be a larger model – a true challenge.

But with greater size came new problems. Despite high-quality components and meticulous craftsmanship, the Virgo, as it was named, did not meet the high sonic standards of Gerhard and Hegener. Although it was not yet a fully fledged floorstander and was operated on a low metal stand, mysterious acoustic issues emerged. It quickly became apparent that the resonance behavior of the larger cabinet was the culprit.

After extensive trials, this led to the creation of the multi-chamber design. This innovative construction divided the internal volume of the cabinet into multiple chambers of different sizes, pneumatically connected with one another. This split a dominant cabinet resonance into several smaller, less pronounced individual resonances – the principle of resonance splitting. The problem was solved!

Yet despite this technical achievement, the Virgo did not become a success. It was time to develop a true floorstanding loudspeaker. Thanks to careful and forward-thinking financial management, sufficient resources were available to take on this ambitious challenge.

Work on the Avanti began. This fully fledged 3-way floorstander would not only become another technical milestone, but also mark Audio Physic’s definitive breakthrough into the high-end audio world.

The story of Audio Physic