The Castle Richmond is somewhat of a cult item among hi-fi enthusiasts – known for its exceptionally natural reproduction of musical instruments and voices in a compact studio monitor format. Castle proudly re-introduces this legendary model in a collector’s anniversary edition with refinements to the cabinet design, voicing and finished in a luxurious lacewood veneer.
To start, the behaviour of the cabinet was investigated using the latest vibration and spectral analysis. Richmond’s original 15mm MDF cabinet was later dampened by the addition of bitumen damping pads to reduce the audible effects of panel resonance. Additionally, multi-layer composite panel materials combined with loose fibre weaves further reduce resonance and absorb internal sound waves. Within the cabinet use of judicious bracing ensures that the dynamic capabilities of the drive units are fully realised.
Castle’s famous carbon fibre woven cone is retained as it offers exceptional strength to mass ratio, operating as a pure piston over its pass band. The motor system usilises a kapton former with a copper clad aluminium voice coil to achieve a wide bandwidth in to the treble region.
Treble frequencies are handled by a polyamide micro-fibre 19mm dome, its small diameter enabling piston-like performance and extended HF to well beyond the limits of audibility.
Placing the treble unit below the bass unit provides a degree of time alignment between the units allowing the phase accurate crossover, with linkwitz-riley acoustic slopes, to move the stereo soundstage well outside the plane of the loudspeakers. In addition the treble units are offset to scatter front baffle reflections, enhanced by the new, profiled edges of the cabinet.
Richmond Anniversary speakers are supplied in handed pairs to give a precisely focused soundstage. Input to the crossover and drive units are now via updated bi-wire terminals which accept bare wires, spade lugs, pins or 4mm plugs allowing for your preference of cable.
For the collector’s edition we have selected a precious Lacewood veneer. It’s attractive and figurative grain makes it a popular veneer for acoustic guitar’s, furniture and cabinet making – a perfect match for it’s musical richness.
Discription | 2-way bookshelf speaker |
Enclosure type | SDEL – Single Drive Extended Line |
Bass Driver | 130mm Woven Carbon Fibre Woofer |
Treble Driver | 12 x 45 mm True Ribbon |
Sensitivity | 87dB |
Recommended Amp. Power | 25-100W |
Peak SPL | 95dB |
Compatible | 8Ω |
Minimum Impedance | 4.3Ω |
Frequency Response | 60Hz ~ 20kHz |
Bass Extension | 55Hz |
Dimensions (WxDxH) | 320 x 180 x 230mm |
Net Weight | 5.8kg each |
Castle Acoustics has been a loudspeaker manufacturer in the truest possible sense since 1973, with both design and manufacture of their world-famous speakers housed entirely in one factory.