Packaging for big speakers that actually works!
By Roy Gregory
When the first pair of Göbel Divin speakers (the hugely heavy Noblesse model) hove into site, I was mightily relieved to see them arrive in a three-part flight-case, a situation unusual enough to warrant remarking on it at the time. What you might wonder, is all the fuss about? Well, if you have ever tried to lift an even reasonably heavy speaker out of the ‘tray’ that makes up the bottom of a conventional, two-part flight-case, you’ll be only too aware of the potential difficulties: difficulties that revolve around a substantial dead-weight and the potential for damage that implies – both to the floor and your fragile speakers! The dead-lift option is just dumb, even if the weight is manageable, while tipping the ‘tray’ up involves a heavy speaker pitching forward in an uncontrolled manner, its leading edge thumping the floor with a considerable impact. If the base of the flight-case is on casters, then the problem becomes considerably worse, with issues around keeping the whole thing stable and stationary, while the speaker ‘falls’ from a significantly greater height. And just while you are wondering, most wooden crates are just as bad…
The beauty of the three-part flight-case is clear as soon as your new speakers arrive. Place the flight-case where the speaker is going to stand and remove the bottom panel. This gives you access to the underside of the speaker, allowing you to install feet, outriggers or any other base components. Once that’s done, the handles on the flight case can be used to tip the speaker into an upright position, while keeping it both protected and controllable at all times. Because you’ve removed the height of the flight-case’s base, the speaker arrives directly onto its feet, while the fact that it remains fully enclosed allows you to control its tilting motion far more easily without risk of damage to fragile finishes or drive units. Once upright, the remaining clamshell sections of the flight-case can be removed, along with any internal packaging or protective shroud. Nothing could be easier – or safer.
With a speaker like the Divin Noblesse, such measures are frankly essential. But since then, I’ve received both of the smaller Göbel speakers, the Marquis and the Comtesse – with both adopting the same, three-part packaging. Despite their smaller dimensions and more manageable weight, Göbel still goes to the time, trouble and expense to deliver the optimum packaging solution.
Now Stenheim has got in on the act. The advent of the X-base on the Ultime 2-SX and Alumine 5-SX has mandated a packaging update, so that the heavyweight bases that are shipped separately, can be attached to the speakers while still in their flight-cases and then the while assembly can be tilted to the vertical. In this instance, the latest A5-SX is far from the most massive speaker and I’ll start by listening to it without the heavy-duty base, but even so, the benefits of the revised packaging are obvious. It’s nice (and something of a relief) to see other manufacturers following the Göbel lead. Hopefully this is one public service broadcast that more of the industry will take on board!
