Alto Extremo
- LSP 1 - Absorber - Set of 3 - Alto Extremo

A loudspeaker is a vibrating machine. That is its purpose - and at the same time its problem: the housing that encloses the cone resonates. These resonances are transferred to the floor, modulate the installation surface and return as unwanted feedback in the sound pressure. The result is a slight but constant veiling of the sound image: basses lose contour, instruments lose focus, the stage remains more diffuse than it could be. The Alto Extremo LSP-1 addresses precisely this interface - as an absorber that absorbs and dissipates the energy in a targeted manner, controlling the energy flow in such a way that the sound image is brightened rather than dampened.

Alto Extremo was founded in Germany in 2004 and since then has focused exclusively on targeted resonance dissipation for hi-fi systems. The engineering team has over two decades of experience in the selection of materials and the design of absorbers - the LSP-1 is the result of this work for the loudspeaker sector.

The choice of coupling material is not a minor matter in resonance dissipation. Different metals dissipate vibrational energy at different speeds and with different broadband characteristics - and each choice of material therefore colors the tonal character of the absorber. For the LSP-1, Alto Extremo deliberately opted for a sphere made of Nirosta, a chromium-containing stainless steel alloy: during development work, it proved to be the ideal material for dissipating the high and simultaneously diverse vibration energy generated by loudspeaker enclosures. The spherical shape is no coincidence - it defines the contact surface with geometric precision and thus generates reproducible coupling ratios regardless of minor unevenness in the installation surface.

The stainless steel ball is embedded in a multi-layer structure made of different materials and damping rings. This composite structure is the actual core of the Alto-Extremo philosophy: no single layer of material can dissipate the entire frequency spectrum of mechanical resonances equally well. Only the combination of specifically selected materials with different acoustic impedances results in a broadband effect - from the deep bass pumping of a woofer to the high-frequency cabinet resonances of the cabinet itself. Additional resonance dissipation on the ball support optimizes the transition between absorber and substrate.

LSP stands for Loudspeaker - and this is where the absorber really comes into its own. Floor-standing loudspeakers work with considerable sound pressure levels and transfer a corresponding amount of energy into the floor. The LSP-1 absorbs this energy, reduces it in the absorber and prevents repercussions on the sound image. The result is a more homogeneous, more stable sound image: the music can flow, the focus of instruments increases, low bass lines become more contoured and less bloated.

The LSP-1 is also an excellent choice under racks and hi-fi components - Alto Extremo expressly emphasizes the flexibility of the LSP series outside the speaker range. Those who operate heavier speakers or devices with even higher energy input will find the logical further development in the LSP-2: a large-format bronze sphere with higher energy capacity, slightly larger dimensions and even stronger damping - with the energy flow deliberately kept open so that the sound is not muffled. The LSP-1 is the more precise, broadband option for most applications; the LSP-2 is the more powerful option for extreme load conditions.