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Andromeda/Phase III Loudspeaker
System
With the success of Phase Linear's amplifiers and
pre-amplifiers and after the move to the company's new building in Lynnwood,
Washington in 1974, Bob Carver turned his attention to designing a speaker
system that would set a new standard in accuracy and listening pleasure. Carver
wanted to design a stereo speaker system that, as closely as possible,
reproduced the actual aural listening experience of listening to live music.
Carver had devoted a great deal of thought as to
why live music sounded the way it did, and how reproduced music failed to
duplicate the live listening environment. Live music played in a concert
hall was the ambiance Carver wanted to achieve. After months of engineering
and prototypes, Carver felt he had reached his goal.
Left Speaker Panel |
Sub-woofer Module
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Right Speaker Panel
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Electronic Motion Control Module |
The final system was made up of two large, 24" x
63" x 5" speaker panels, a subwoofer module and an Electronic Motion Control
System. The speaker panels each held two 8" midbass drivers, two 4"
midrange drivers four 2" cone tweeters and a 1" soft dome tweeter. The
subwoofer module had two floor-facing 12" bass drivers. The frequency
response was 24Hz to 20K Hz. The Electronic Motion Control system
contained "spatial imaging circuitry, frequency tailoring and transient control
equalization," according to the Model III Loudspeaker System brochure.
Driver layout with grill removed |
Dual 12" woofers of the sub-woofer module |
Electronic Crossover on main speaker panels |
 Initially,
this speaker system was introduced in 1976 as Andromeda III, but Carver
encountered a name dispute, so he changed the name of the system to Phase
Linear III for 1977. (Note the two different control modules at left
reflecting the change made). With a list price of $1349 when introduced,
it amazed listeners when played in Phase Linear dealer listening rooms. The ability of this speaker system to duplicate the actual listening environment
for virtually any type of music was an audio breakthrough. Its reputation
spread to Europe; there are numerous original owners who to this day will not
part with it, and those who did sell theirs regret having done so. The
Andromeda and Phase III reputation endures decades later.
See the related link in this website for comments from actual owners, as well as
the PhaseTek link with cautionary bulletin on this speaker system. | 
