Posted by Ben Openshaw on September 05, 2002 at 17:25:48:
In Reply to: SoundLab A2 posted by quang nguyen on August 29, 2002 at 06:54:53:
Make sure that you are talking about A2 speakers or if they are actually A2X’s here is the difference:
A2:
They have 1 tweeter in the center and 2 woofers on either side. The A2 stands about ~ 4.5 feet tall. They had two controls, the HV bias adjust and the brilliance. The A2 was not bi-amped unless done later by the customer or by the factory.
A2X:
The A2X has 1 tweeter and 1 larger woofer, in mirror image. The A2X images better than the A2, also the tweeter diaphragms are bolted down much better, to ensure the increased tension maintains its tension. The woofer panels in the A2X has distributed resonance included in all speakers. (the A2 only has DR if it was upgraded at the factory) The A2X has a much better bass response than the A2. The early A2X speakers have only the same 2 controls (bias and brilliance) but the later models have a bass adjust as well. Also many of the later A2X speakers have bi-amp included standard.
On the outside the A2 and the A2X look very similar, (except the very early ones which have a removable grill cloth, front and back). So if you want to identify the difference, they easiest way is to look at the serial number all A2 speakers look like A20**** and the A2X serial numbers look like A2X0**** if you do not have serial numbers you can press on the grill cloth and if you feel the tweeter in the center, you of course have an A2. If you feel the tweeter on the inside of each speaker, then of course you have an A2X.
The A2X was discontinued not because of any design problem, it was discontinued only because it became to expensive to build, many of the same parts were the same as A3 and A1 speakers.
If you have the serial number of course SL could tell you the history. If you do not have the serial number there are several ways to tell what upgrades have been done on them (or about when they were made)