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K&F PASSIO awarded with “Special Mention 2014”

“PASSIO is a new high-performance speaker with an integrated, modular mounting system. Developed for the professional rental market, PASSIO meets the high requirements for perfect acoustics as well as those for universal mounting options without compromising on design. The slim, smooth-surfaced housing with a rear, recessed plug input and central mounting point signals the dynamics, and the continuous flexion enables the most precise sonication in the room.”

On this basis, the German Design Council awarded the PASSIO with the “Special Mention 2014” as part of the German Design Awards.This is already the second such prominent award for the compact speaker. In October 2012, the PASSIO was already awarded the “Focus in Silver”, the international design prize of Baden-Wuerttemberg, which was given by the Design Centre Stuttgart as part of their “Focus Open 2012” competition. The recent awards ceremony and exhibition opening were held on 7 February as part of the “ambient” consumer goods fair in Frankfurt (Main). “The second award underlines once again the value of our work”, said Hartmut Bubenzer, who created the external design of the PASSIO and also developed the associated N&M-specific, modular rigging system at the Neumann&Mueller subsidiary in Stuttgart.

The aim of the cooperation between N&M and Kling & Freitag was to develop a modern speaker system, which, firstly, is distinguished by its design – an unobtrusive appearance of the system was paramount here. Secondly, the system had to have high consolidation capacity and symmetrical directivity. Not least, there was the need for fast and universal installation ability of the speaker with low operating and maintenance costs. The mounting modules were designed with particular consideration for maximum compactness and the most diverse applications. The pipe joint for attaching to cross beams and the joint bracket for stand-mounting enable continuous flexion and thus precise sonication. The mounting module is locked using a single, central, 90-degree snap closure, which enables considerably faster setup and disassembly without compromising on precision. Incidentally: If the PASSIO is suspended in high rooms and halls, a connecting rod, as an additional component, makes it possible to vary the centre of gravity – and to enable various beam angles, right up to the horizontal position, even when in the air.

Unlike conventional speakers, the box has floor and ceiling surfaces that are inclined by five degrees and is thus tapered to the rear. “This housing design signals dynamics towards the sound outlet – and presents itself to the room and listeners with an open gesture”, explains Hartmut Bubenzer. These optical and acoustic benefits now also convinced the German Design Council, which is among the leading international competence centres for design and celebrated its 60th birthday this year. Photo: © N&M