Sugden LS21 Loudspeakers

The LS21 is a tuned quarter wave design and uses a treble and mid/base driver ported through the plinth. The cabinet is compact but not compromised, being domestically acceptable at less than 1m tall and less than 23cm wide. The cabinets are manufactured in-house by our highly skilled cabinet maker. This includes all aspects of construction from machining to veneering. Our recently installed joinery workshop runs harmoniously alongside our existing custom engineering shop.

We feel the fit and finish of a loudspeaker is very important both cosmetically and acoustically. Therefore the cabinets are assembled like fine furniture should be, including real hardwood edge inlays and bonded mitre corner locking joints. The veneers are crown cut and bookmatched, and then polished to produce a satin finish with a low level gloss. Over time this will result in a natural patina. Standard finishes are cherry, walnut and maple, but other exotic finishes are available to order at an additional cost.

Smooth internal air flow is an important aspect of the quarter wave design, so the crossover has been removed from the internal cabinet and mounted in the loudspeaker plinth. The components used in the crossover are audiophile quality, manufactured by Mundorf.

Specifications for the treble unit (right) include large diameter voice coil, soft dome ferrofluid filled with a sensitivity of 90db and nominal impedance of 8 Ohms. We chose the preferred bass/mid driver after careful matching to the cabinet design. It has an identical sensitivity and nominal impedance to the tweeter, aiding crossover design and uniformity. Again a large voice coil is employed and the chassis is die cast aluminium providing superior rigidity.

During the development of the LS21 we have been lucky to work closely with one of the UK’s most respected designers, Colin Walker. His involvement with specialist quarter wave loudspeakers spans an impressive six decades.

The LS21 has undergone hundreds of hours of auditioning and refinement in our listening room. The result is a unique handcrafted loudspeaker capable of producing stunning realism in any top notch audio system. With a sensitivity of 90dB and an easy uniform load, the LS21 is particularly suited to class A amplifiers. Due to the high power handling of both drive units, Class AB amplifiers will also work beautifully with the LS21.

Due to the required manufacturing techniques and bespoke nature of our loudspeakers, every pair will be built to order. An accurate delivery time can be given on request. The advantage of a custom workshop is the range of special finishes on offer. The standard finish is cherry as this is a very popular wood that sits comfortably in most living spaces. A no cost option is American walnut as this offers a darker alternative and Maple.