If you've looked at the picture you've probably figured that this is a packaged home cinema sound system like the ones advertised at anywhere from $150 up. But then those mostly have five little speakers and a sub, this has just two and two subs. So you'll be fascinated to learn that this one gives you just five bucks change from $40,000. It's called the Model S and it's made by Steinway Lyngdorf.
Yep, that Steinway – the one that started making pianos in a loft in lower Manhattan in 1853. But it's entirely possible you've never heard of Peter Lyngdorf. He's something of a hi-fi legend, establishing himself with names like Dali, NAD, Gryphon and Snell. He started mucking about in audio in 1964 when he wanted better fidelity from a Beatles record (been there) and after a few years of privately importing equipment for friends he opened a retail operation in his home country of Denmark, then turned to making the equipment himself.
He cemented his name in the annals of hi fi by building speakers that accurately reproduced the sound, timbre and tone of a Steinway Model D Concert Grand piano to the point where the golden-eared folk at the manufacturer had difficulty picking the recording from the real thing. These speakers cost about a quarter of a million a pair. Expensive? Well they're cheaper than Steinway's premium instruments.
And so Steinway Lyngdorf was born. You won't find this remarkable little home cinema system on the shelves of any of the big retailers. There are only four shops in Australia where you can buy one: one in Sydney, one in Brisbane and two in Perth. I use the word "remarkable" not just because of the obvious quality, but also because it exists at all. A stand-alone home cinema system is rare enough from a prestige brand, but one that doesn't apologise for costing more than a small Audi is, to my knowledge, unique. And that's only the base 2.2 unit with two S15 mid-high range speakers, two S210 woofers and their specifically designed amplification.
Should you wish to expand on that to a traditional surround format – three speakers at the front and two at the rear – you'll need three more S15s and the necessary extra amplification. Think about $95,000, depending on the cabinet finishes and grille colours you choose. Note that the S15s come with wall brackets only; table stands add $238 and floor stands are $1276.
I can see the appeal of such a system even in a dedicated home theatre. Lots of people, including people who can afford Steinway Lyngdorf gear, dislike rooms that are dominated by large speakers and the S15s are small enough (26 x 20 x 7.9cm, and they can be mounted in-wall) to be unobtrusive. And they look great. The woofers (37.3 x 36 x 36cm) are designed such that they can be placed in corners without loading up the low-end sound. Over all, it promises a highly acceptable aesthetic-to-sound-quality compromise.
I called one of the dealers and asked if I could come by for a listen and was told, very gently and politely mind, that these systems are imported to order and are usually inclusions in made-to-order home theatres. But as luck would have it these guys just happened to be constructing one for a client, a 9.2 system built around Dolby's Atmos technology with overhead as well as surround speakers. If I could wait they'd be able to arrange a demo of the finished product. How much for a 9.2 Atmos? Forget the small Audi, think very large BMW.
I asked when. Well, the guy said, the system was to have been finished by Christmas but there had been hold ups with acoustic panels and trim and now he was expecting some time in the first quarter of 2017. So I guess I'll get back to you.
By the way, there's a brilliant doco on the making of a Steinway Concert Grand called Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037 on DVD. Watch the two-minute trailer on YouTube; you'll be hooked.