Unusual in a world constrained by the vagaries and pressure of a fashion conscious market, The Vivid Audio B-1 represents an almost perfect test piece for the technology involved. The pure pistonic drivers pioneered by Lawrence Dickie in his original Nautilus have been honed to a fine focus in this loudspeaker system.
It performed powerfully, providing qualities well beyond its price, delivering audiophile sound of great finesse and purity. Undoubtably a technical tour, Lawrence Dickie and Vivid Audio are to be commended. Martin Colloms, Hi Fi PLUS, Issue 40.
The B-1 is a floor standing model which incorporates four drivers in a 3 & 1/2 way system. B-1 employs a single D50 mid range (patent pending) driver between 900Hz and 4 kHz with the range beyond being handled by a D26 tweeter (patent pending). Below 900Hz the B-1 uses two C125 mid-bass drivers (patent pending), one mounted on the front baffle and one on the rear baffle of the cabinet. These two drivers are internally coupled via a screw tensioning unit for reaction cancelling. Both drivers receive the same signal at frequencies below 100Hz while above this point the drive to the rear is progressively attenuated leaving only the front driver to operate all the way to 900Hz in order to keep the distance between drivers at a minimum around crossover. Fourth order filters ensure phase coherence through both main crossover points resulting in a seamless and symmetrical polar performance.
Integral to the B-1 enclosure is the stand. Made from the same carbon fibre loaded polyester compound as the enclosure, this considerable yet graceful design provides an exceptionally stable footing while not detracting from the acoustic environment surrounding the loudspeaker, thanks to the small frontal area of each arm. To further guarantee the stability of the complete system, a total of five custom spikes are mounted around the periphery of the base. Adjustment of the front and rear spikes sets the attitude while the remaining two can then be brought into contact with the floor for maximum stability.
Within each of the streamlined arms are hidden separate conduits to guide the Van den Hul® interconnecting cable away from the two internally mounted crossovers into the base. Precision machined WBT® gold plated terminals are discretely located at the rear of the base to allow a visually unobtrusive connection to the outside world.
The rear of the cabinet, is as exquisitely finished as the front.
These beautiful speakers are full of ground breaking technology, here is an over-view of the Vivid Audio Patents applied to the B-1: (click on the under-lined heading to view its White Paper.)
1. Super Flux Magnet on the D26
2. Centenary Dome on the D26 & the D50, combined with a carbon fiber stiffening ring
3. Hyper Perforated Voice Coil Formers on the C125 woofers
4. Compliantly mounted reaction canceling LF units
5. Exponentially Tapered Tube Loading
B1 Specification | ||||
| Configuration |  | 3 & 1/2 way vented cabinet | ||
| Cabinet material | Complex loaded carbon fibre filled polymer | |||
| Finish | High gloss automotive | |||
| Drive units | 26mm metal dome hf unit | |||
| 50mm metal dome mf unit | ||||
| 158mm metal coned lf unit (two of coupled) | ||||
| Sensitivity | 89dB/1w @1m | |||
| Nominal Impedance (Ω) | 4 | |||
| Frequency range (hz) | 6dB points 35 - 44,000 | |||
| Frequency response (hz) | 39 to 41,000 +/- 2dB on reference axis | |||
| Harmonic distortion (2nd and 3 rd harmonics) | < .0.5% over frequency range | |||
| Cross over frequencies (hz) | 100, 900, 4000 | |||
| Power handling (music program) watts rms | 300 | |||
| Loudspeaker dimensions (H, W, D cabinet, D base) mm | 1095, 265, 375, 420 | |||
| Net mass (kg) | 38 | |||
| Shipping dimensions (H, W, D) mm | 1220, 410, 510 | |||
| Shipping mass (kg) | 110 lbs (50) | |||
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