One look at the Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero Loudspeakers tells you a lot beyond their 2.5 way design—mainly we’re looking at something very different from the ground on up.
What you will not see from any angle is the Isobaric Drive System, a pair of 7″ Wilson Benesch Tactic 3.0 drivers in “Clamshell Formation” that are located on each speaker’s underside:
The principal low-frequency load of all loudspeakers in the Fibonacci Series is delivered by the Isobaric Drive System. Here two Tactic 3.0 Drive Units combine to create an Isobaric Drive System. The Isotactic Drive System is responsible for reproducing an incredibly tight and controlled bass response that is perfectly integrated with all other woofers in the loudspeaker chassis, particularly the midrange Tactic 3.0 drive unit.
From the company:
The latest iteration of Wilson Benesch tweeter technology builds upon the Semisphere tweeter design pushing it into the next generation. As with all Wilson Benesch designs, the advances of the previous generation are built upon an iterative research and development pathway. With the Fibonacci tweeter, advances have been made within the structures adjacent to the motor and the hybridised dome. The Fibonacci tweeter faceplate is formed from a carbon fibre – nylon composite structure creating a geometrically optimised structure – the Fibonacci Element – that has been inspired by sacred geometry found in nature. In terms of acoustic performance, the faceplate delivers a new benchmark in terms of flat frequency response and ultrawide dispersion. In addition, the Fibonacci Element is decoupled from the motor and tweeter chassis which almost entirely eliminates structural borne resonance within this critical structure that surrounds the tweeter dome.
A closer looks tells you even more like the “Laminar Flow Guide” inside each rear-firing port:
The elegant Laminar Flow Guide has been manufactured in-house using additive 3D printing technology. The flow guide slows air that is pushed out of the port at the rear of the enclosure by the Tactic 3.0 Midrange Drive Unit. The Laminar Flow Guide reduces the energy of this escaping air, thereby reducing the potential boundary interaction that occurs when the loudspeaker is placed near to the rear wall, such as within smaller listening spaces.
From the company:
Similar physical proportions have been retained, however, the A.C.T. 3Zero marks a significant departure from the use of carbon fibre composite materials in the monocoque that forms the loudspeaker enclosure, moving into the next generation of biocomposite materials technology. The new biocomposite A.C.T. 3Zero Monocoque is made from naturally sourced, renewable and sustainable materials and is superior in performance, being better damped and more silent than the previous generation enclosure.
The new A.C.T. 3Zero also marks the first occasion in history that an A.C.T. loudspeaker is installed with an Isobaric Drive System. The new A.C.T. 3Zero incorporates the IDS within the elegant, exquisitely engineered foot. Combined with the new Tactic 3.0 and the Fibonacci Tweeter, the A.C.T. 3zero delivers a new level of sonic performance from the A.C.T. marquee, setting the benchmark for the industry in this sector.
Wilson Benesch is located in Sheffield, UK where it was founded in 1989 and nearly everything you see in these photos and everything you can’t is made right there, in house:
…95% of our vast inventory of components that create our loudspeakers, turntables, tonearms and hifi furniture are created entirely in house from raw materials. This includes all carbon fibre, biocomposite structures, all aluminium, steel and other metal components and all of our drive unit technologies. This vertical integration of design and manufacturing create the fertile ground for pure innovation and development of the ultimate performance products.
There’s much more to say about the Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero Loudspeakers but right now I’m busy getting them into their playing position on the Barn’s A-Side. Stay tuned.
Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero Loudspeakers
Price: starts at $54,999/pair | Premium Carbon Finish: +$3200/pair
Company Website: Wilson Benesch
US Importer Website: Fidelity Imports
Specifications
Drive Technology
Midrange: 170mm(7″) Wilson Benesch Tactic 3.0
Tweeter: 25mm (1”) Wilson Benesch Fibonacci Hybrid Silk-Carbon Tweeter
Low Bass: 170mm(7″) Wilson Benesch Tactic 3.0
Isobaric Drive System: 1 2x 170mm (7”) Wilson Benesch Tactic in Clamshell Formation
Crossover Technology
Midrange: Directly Amplifier Coupled
Tweeter: Second-Order, 5kHz High Pass Filter
Low Bass: First-Order
Isobaric Drive System: 1 First-Order 500Hz Low Pass Filter
Enclosure Technology
Materials:A.C.T. 3Zero – Advanced Biocomposite Monocoque Technology, Poly-Alloy, Hybridised Construction
Midrange: Reflex Port Tuned with Laminar Flow Guide
Tweete: Labyrinth Sealed Tweeter Backplate
Low Bass: Infinite Baffle Sealed Enclosure
Isobaric Enclosure: Infinite Baffle Sealed Enclosure
Measurements
Type: 2.5-way
Impedance: 6 Ohms Nominal / 4 Ohms Minimal
Sensitivity: 89 dB @ 1-Meter on axis, 2.83V Input
Frequency Response: 34Hz – 30kHz
Dimensions & Terminations
Height: 1132mm (44.5″)
Width: 194mm (7.6″) Baffle // 276mm (10.8″) Widest Point of Foot
Depth: 376mm (14.8″)
Weight: 48kg (106lbs)
Termination: Bi-wirable terminal located on the loudspeaker foot at ground level
Spike Threads: 4x M14 // 1.5 pitch (per channel)