The Project is a versatile loudspeaker system designed for both two-channel and multichannel audio. Its core is an active two-way omnidirectional monitor. Building on the monitors, you can assemble various configurations to fit your exact needs. Add one subwoofer for full bass extension through the bottom octave, or two subs to boost output in larger rooms. Add a center and surrounds for multichannel music and home theater. The Project System's flexibility easily adapts to the limits of a small apartment or the demands of a large dedicated media room.

Versatility is a nice feature, but who cares if your ears and your wallet aren't happy? Ears like good sound. Wallets like good deals. And they want both at the same time. You wish.

Me too. Finding a way to have both through the plethora of loudspeaker choices, the deluge of conflicting opinions, and the wild, wild prices is daunting. That frustration lead me to dig deeper into what it takes to get good sound. The first thing I learned was, you can't do it on the cheap. The second thing I learned was, you can get outstanding sound for a not too crazy price. Yet finding a commercial example of a high performance to cost ratio speaker system ran me into a dead end. The only option left, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." I did.

Along the way I learned an important little secret : reduce, reduce, reduce. Realistic sound means reducing all forms of distortion to the lowest possible levels. Serious time was spent carefully crafting a solution to the performance vs cost challenge. Out of a blizzard of approaches, driver choices, and other critical factors, I distilled down the alternatives to create the Parallel Audio Project. Great sound is within reach. You can have a happy wallet, and make your ears happy too.

General information about the Project is featured on this page. Detailed information about the goals and compromises of the Project System can be found in the Development Pages, accessible from the In-Depth section of the main menu. See the Knowledge Pages for the How & Why of good audio. For a summary of the system's attributes jump to the conclusions. Most of all, have fun exploring. And if you're new to audio, a few words on Hi-Fi Basics.

rear and side views

Parallel (II) Audio aims to go beyond good. The aim is outstanding audio.  

—The best drivers with the lowest distortion are rarely the most expensive. Parallel selected drivers based on performance, not price. The result is reduced distortion, reduced cost, natural sound.

—The best cabinets for holding the drivers are non-resonant. Parallel chose to use cylinders, stronger, less resonant, less labor intensive than boxes. The result is reduced distortion, reduced size & weight, reduced cost, clear sound.

—The best passive crossovers induce numerous problems. Parallel uses an active DSP/crossover, passive problems eliminated. The result is reduced distortion, reduced power waste, reduced cost, clean sound.

The axiom, reduce, reduce, reduce, kept the Project on track, and even enabled it to exceed the original design goals.

The directive for the Project was to create a complete loudspeaker system that would live up to my standards by hitting three important targets.

• Deliver natural, clean, clear, and dynamic audio.
• Be equally good with all styles of music, any genre of movie, two-channel & multichannel.
• Do it at a sensible cost.

A single system to cover all the bases.

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Example configurations :

• Project - The base system, a pair of SP18M. Start here, upgrade as desired.
• Project S.1 - One pair SP18M and one PX30 subwoofer. Makes the Project a full range system capable of handling the LFE track on movies, and produces the lowest octave for music.
• Project FS - The full system. One pair SP18M and two PX30. Stereo throughout the audible spectrum and more bass output to handle demanding music and LFE tracks.
• Project S.1.pc - One pair SP18M, one SP18Mc, and one PX30. Adds a center speaker for dialog and multichannel music.
• Project FS.pcs - One pair SP18M, one SP18Mc, two SP15, and two PX30. Makes a complete 5.2 multichannel audio system.
• Project FS.cs4 - One pair SP18M, one SP15c, four SP15, and two PX30. For larger home theater rooms that need the extra surround speakers and bass output to give every listener a convincing theater experience, or for movies featuring seven discreet channels.

the Project S.2 with SP15c, DSP & amps in frame rack

Flexibility and control are two of the fundamental strengths of the Project System. By having an active digital signal processor/crossover it allows you to adjust bass or treble levels precisely, apply equalization for room compensation, and output to either mono or stereo subwoofers. With stereo subwoofers the Project is transformed into a true full range 3-way system. Multichannel music fans can place five Project monitors around the room to provide matching sound in each channel.

To see the Project in different finishes click on Finish Options.

. . . and a little primer on Loudspeaker Talk.

back to the Project menu page

on to the Subwoofer