45 years of fascination for loudspeakers

Our Acapella loudspeakers stand for the fulfilment of a musical dream unique in its kind.

Since being founded 45 years ago by Hermann Winters (1) and Alfred Rudolph (2), we are considered one of the world’s technology leaders among manufacturers of horn loudspeakers. We have set milestones in development with the ion tweeter (3) and the spherical horn (4). Both developments secure us unique selling points compared to our competitors. The ion tweeter is the first light-as-air system that excites the air via a massless plasma flame and generates sound without tonal discolouration. This makes it clearly superior to all other conventional designs. The spherical horn doesn’t colourate as well and impresses with a highly dynamic sound. With great success, our products have been presented the first time to both public and a worldwide audience at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin.

Acapella Triolon Excalibur

The charm of the extraordinary

In the 1980’s we get started as “Acapella Audio Arts”. Many exceptional speakers that meet the highest requirements in terms of sound, technology and design, shape this phase of creativeness. In addition to the ion tweeter ION TW1S (“S” for spherical), the product range already includes the speaker models Fidelio, Triolon, Celestron, Celesta MK 2 and 5th Avenue (4). We busy ourselves intensively with time-coherent systems, resulting in outstanding creations such as the exceptional transducer Sarastro (7), which is still used today in renowned recording studios as a reference system.

The aesthetics of the particular

Out of this wealth of ideas, the models Violon (8) and Campanile (9) are created in the newly occupied production premises in Duisburg. The first-mentioned represents our best-selling system with over 1,000 sold units. The latter, the Campanile, is now being offered in its fifth generation and has accompanied many of our customers for almost 30 years. Both loudspeakers continue to set standards in terms of sound, technology and design. Their foundation is grounded on a timeless idea that has retained its youthful freshness. And that’s because our continuous further developments offer even customers of the first hour upgrades to the current status. So every new generation of Violon and Campanile is a new start for an even better version. Ownership periods of several decades are not uncommon among our customers. It is important to us that our loudspeakers represent dreams that are achievable and have a long-term validity.

Acapella Sphäron Excalibur, 620 kg

Innovation with passion

Since the turn of the millennium, the resonance optimization of electronic and mechanical components has become our focus in the search for the best possible sound. Elaborate measuring methods (10 – nicht unbedingt->siehe Foto) prove the positive sonic effect on the playback quality. Among other things, bases (10) for speakers and electronics are the results of this work and lead to the awarding of numerous patents. Another result of our relentless thirst for research is the hyperspherical horn (11). The transmission range increases from the common three octaves of

“normal” horns to now over five octaves by at the same time providing a distortion-free spatial imaging. All technical parameters are optimized and lead to a much better sound in every respect. A new generation of loudspeakers is born.

An Acapella speaker is not an everyday speaker. But a speaker for every kind of music.

It is not only the passion for designing loudspeakers, the will to perform, the urge for precision, the pursuit of superlatives, but also the sense of aesthetics and the sense of functionality that characterize our loudspeaker creations. All our fields of knowledge now converge into one another better than ever: architecture, electrotechnical knowledge, resonance optimization, material expertise, knowledge concerning spherical and hyperspherical horns and ion tweeters. All of this following the dream of the best loudspeaker, to which we get a little bit closer with every idea day by day.

Acapella Atlas

The Acapella principle

Wthin the current hyperspheric horn series we follow a plan, an ideal that unites us all at Acapella. The principle being to get the maximum out of the given possibilities. Because it’s very much about the intelligent way to convert electrical signals into speed and musicality. Out of the Violon arises the Cellini (12), out of the Violoncello the Cecilia (12), and out of the Campanile the Campanile 2 (12). Above these models ranges our top series with Atlas (13), Apollon (13) and Poseydon (13). All of them are more instrument than loudspeaker – and ambassadors of music. This statement sums up everything that matters to us. As a brand. As a company. As a speaker manufacturer.

Tradition is obligation

For more than four decades, we have been moving forward with a great sense for performance and passion – and with a lot of impetus. Always developing new models. Incoporating more and more innovation. And craving for more and more musicality. And that’s how our future will look like as well. Richard and Robert Rudolph (14) have joined the company management by bringing in their young and fresh know-how. They grew up in the tradition of Acapella Audio Arts. The enthusiastic guitarist Richard has been a valued member of the Acapella mothership for more than ten years. He follows in the developer footsteps of his father Alfred.

Together we work daily on new and exciting products for our worldwide customers. With masterly craftsmanship, quality materials and an aesthetics of lasting validity.

Acapella Harlekin

Hyperspherical

Day by day we tirelessly attempt to push the boundaries of what’s possible. The limits of our own performance. And those of our loudspeakers. We design, we develop, we try out. We learn to master rules. We pave this path in order to always go one step further and leave conventions behind. Our new, patented hyperspherical horn takes it even one more step further. It is the capstone of our expertise. This asymmetric horn extends beyond the 180 degree horn opening of the classic spherical horn shape. In addition to the elegant and elaborate appearance of this design, there are also significant technical advantages. The transmission range of our hyperspherical horn increased from the usual three to now five octaves. Minimal distortion and tonal discolouration, which usually emerge at the end of the frequency ranges of the classic horn technology, are a thing of the past with this new horn design. 

Because the music signal is now transmitted over a much larger frequency band with maximum dynamics, the sound is even more natural. That’s why the hyperspherical horn can be precisely combined with other drive units. This applies to our woofers as well as to our ion tweeter.

Ion tweeter

We have always crossed borders to set new standards in terms of spatial high frequency imaging. With our ion tweeter we have created a milestone. It is a truly unique work of art in its advanced technology and breathtakingly fast and open sonic performance.

Our ion tweeter is the dream of every speaker manufacturer. The massless diaphragm generates the fastest possible high frequent signal without any delay. Through a pulsating plasma flame, we excite the air, creating a musical signal that embodies the world-wide reference system for high-frequency reproduction in terms of transparency and audibility. For that, our ion tweeter uses an electric arc to transmit the music signal to the air at the speed of light.

When it comes to intensify the depth, clarity, and realism of music by combining advanced acoustic technology and strategically positioned drive units, a speaker designer must discover new and unconventional paths. This is our conviction. Our ion tweeter sets us clearly apart from all other systems. With it, every striking of the piano keys, every plucking of the guitar strings, every tone from a horn instrument, every chorus, and every melody evolve with accuracy and texture, as intended by the artist.

As a premium manufacturer, our team of experts is fully focused on deepening and personalizing the relationship with our discerning customers – with musical experiences that will delight you all your life.

Acapella Ion Tweeter, All the Way to Extreme High Frequencies