Phase Technology dcb-1.0-lr Guida Di Riferimento
A
bout a year and a
half ago, I got my
first taste of Phase
half ago, I got my
first taste of Phase
Technology’s remarkably ad-
vanced and utterly unforget-
table DARTS speaker system,
whose name is an acronym
that stands for Digital Audio
Reference Theater System.
The self-powered, DSP-con-
trolled system was something
of a technical marvel, and it
even offered a fuzzy logic-
driven room EQ system de-
signed to optimize response
across multiple listening lo-
cations at once. Since I come
from the “simpler is better”
school of thought, I am some-
times skeptical of technically
complicated solutions, but I
had to admit that the DARTS
vanced and utterly unforget-
table DARTS speaker system,
whose name is an acronym
that stands for Digital Audio
Reference Theater System.
The self-powered, DSP-con-
trolled system was something
of a technical marvel, and it
even offered a fuzzy logic-
driven room EQ system de-
signed to optimize response
across multiple listening lo-
cations at once. Since I come
from the “simpler is better”
school of thought, I am some-
times skeptical of technically
complicated solutions, but I
had to admit that the DARTS
system sounded extremely
transparent and that its
high-tech EQ system really
worked. “A future TPV review
subject,” I thought to myself.
transparent and that its
high-tech EQ system really
worked. “A future TPV review
subject,” I thought to myself.
Now let’s fast-forward
to the 2006 CEDIA show,
where Phase Technology
announced the new DARTS
525 system, which in 5.1-
channel configuration sells
for between $11,000 and
$12,800 (depending upon
whether you want one sub
or two). The system price
buys you 5.1-channel’s worth
of speakers plus a powerful
DSP-controlled, 16-channel
Class D amplifier. Sixteen
channels are needed be-
cause the DARTS 525 system
powers each individual
where Phase Technology
announced the new DARTS
525 system, which in 5.1-
channel configuration sells
for between $11,000 and
$12,800 (depending upon
whether you want one sub
or two). The system price
buys you 5.1-channel’s worth
of speakers plus a powerful
DSP-controlled, 16-channel
Class D amplifier. Sixteen
channels are needed be-
cause the DARTS 525 system
powers each individual
speaker drive unit (or set
of drive units) with its own
amplifier channel. Don’t be
fooled by the tiny 525 main
speakers, though, because
there is nothing miniature
about this system’s sound.
of drive units) with its own
amplifier channel. Don’t be
fooled by the tiny 525 main
speakers, though, because
there is nothing miniature
about this system’s sound.
The DARTS 525 system con-
sists of two 2-way biamplified
DFS-525LR main speakers, a
3-way triamplified DFS-525C
center channel, two bipolar/
dipolar biamplified DCB-
SURR surround speakers, a
pair of 500-watt DCB-112S
powered subwoofers, and
a DP-2000 DSP-controlled
16-channel Class D power
amplifier that cranks out
250Wpc. We describe the dis-
tinctive technologies and set-
up procedures used for the
DFS-525LR main speakers, a
3-way triamplified DFS-525C
center channel, two bipolar/
dipolar biamplified DCB-
SURR surround speakers, a
pair of 500-watt DCB-112S
powered subwoofers, and
a DP-2000 DSP-controlled
16-channel Class D power
amplifier that cranks out
250Wpc. We describe the dis-
tinctive technologies and set-
up procedures used for the
Self-Powered, DSP-Controlled, 5.1-Channel Speaker System
Phase Technology DARTS 525:
Better Music Through Science
by Chris Martens
ECHNOLOGY FOCUS
DFS-525C center channel
Electronically reprinted from March 2007
"The self-powered,
DSP-controlled system
was something of a
technical marvel"
DSP-controlled system
was something of a
technical marvel"
"It's an
addicting
experience"
Phase T
echnology
dARTS 525
Speaker System