The hardest part for Tony Moore, the designer of the Ambience hybrid ribbon speakers, was what to call his latest creation. Originally they were to be known as the Ultraslims, which aptly describes the speakers, but also sounds a bit like a thin cigarette. After much deliberation and head scratching, Tony settled for the Superslim Ultra series, in keeping with the existing Ambience range.

The Superslim Ultra 1400s are the baby's of the Ambience collection, and are also the most affordable hybrid ribbon design to date.
I say baby, although this is a loudspeaker that stands almost a metre and a half tall and can take 500 watts of power in its stride.

At just under $3,000 a pair and with these sorts of credentials, it's no wonder these aren't your average entry-level pair of speakers. Not that any Ambience loudspeaker can be described as average, they are just the opposite.

Combining unique design principles and quality craftsmanship, Ambience products are increasingly finding their way into many a hi-fi system, both here and overseas.

The story behind Tony's design has been well reported, but to recap, the Ambience hybrid approach successfully marries a conventional bass/midrange driver component with a ribbon tweeter.

The problem of integrating these two components has been tackled before, but few, if any, have ever managed it properly. The problem is one of a sonic imbalance between the lower and higher frequencies; it's very hard to gel the two successfully. The Ambience design manages this integration perfectly, with a combination of finely tuned driver selection and a high quality crossover arrangement.

As with all Superslim Ultra models, the Ambience hybrid design works by combining an upward firing conventional bass driver in a separate bass box. The crimped aluminium ribbon runs for virtually the entire vertical length of the speaker. As standard, the Ultra 1400s come fitted with a second order crossover, though a third order, higher quality crossover is available as an optional extra as are bi-wireable terminals and a variety of solid timber edges.
The standard finish is black.

The pair I took delivery of was fresh off the production line, and
hadn't had a chance to fully run in. Just as the vast majority of
loudspeakers, the Ambience ribbons sound better with continued use and it takes the ribbon considerably longer to 'mature' sonically than a conventional bass driver. Tony believes the sound improves the longer you use the loudspeakers, and after a matter of months, even years, the ribbons' sonic character changes considerably from new.

Most conventional drivers take days or weeks to loosen up and be
driven in. The metallic properties of the ribbon develop this settling in process over a lot longer period. Having said that, the Ultra 1400s sounded instantly impressive, with all of the distinct audio qualities that are shared across the entire Ambience range.

There are certain things that only a ribbon can deliver. The naturalness and openness of sound are two aspects few ordinary driver-equipped loudspeakers can ever hope to achieve. To truly appreciate the way in which the Ambience ribbon handles middle and higher frequencies you really have to hear a pair in full swing.

One thing the speakers rely on is a good quality system to drive them. It's no good attaching a pair on the end of a mediocre CD player and amp and to expect miracles. It won't happen. You definitely need capable (though not necessarily powerful) amplification.
In my usual CD-based system with 50 watts of UK amplification, the Ultras didn't take too long to start singing.

Even brand new, the Ultras immediately start working their wonderful stuff, opening up the music to such a degree you're instantly involved, no matter what the music.

These speakers share a great deal with their bigger Ambience brothers, both in design and sound quality, though I found the Ultras had a charm of their own.

Being narrower than before, and with these the 1400mm models,
(there'lI soon be a 1600 version of the Ultras) the speakers are primarily designed for the smaller listening room.

With my amp in toe, the Ultras are easily capable of opening up even complex mixes, and delivered with plenty of weight. Voices and instruments sounded sublimely realistic, especially with good quality recordings.

With classical music, the performance was breathtaking from such discs as the Kronos Quartet or the Solti Don Giovanni, with the Ultras delivering excellent insight into the technique of the performers. Every word and note is kept crystal clear while the dynamics are delivered with great impression and energy.

These are a wholly exciting speaker to listen to, neither the least bit technical nor un-alluring.

They have a knack of stirring your emotions, drawing you into the drama and thrill of a big orchestral climax.

Well-recorded rock, pop or dance is equally at home with the Ultras. They are better suited to the lighter side of modern music; the likes of The Stone Temple Pilots or Rage Against The Machine at full tilt sounded a touch too clean.

There's no lack of bass; the rear-mounted bass box and single driver in each speaker delivers plenty of low-end controlled power, quite remarkably from only a 26-litre enclosure. This tight and punchy bass lends itself well to the vast majority of pop, though things get better still with vocal material.

The husky, bourbon and nicotine- tainted vocals of Mr Tom Waits from his latest collection, Beautiful Maladies, sounded incredibly realistic from track to track. The odd instrumentation and his close-miked vocals make great listening, with the Ultras drowning you in his music with their tonal purity. The speakers' luxuriant smoothness seem to pour vocals into an incredibly spacious, three-dimensional soundstage.

Amongst this expansive soundstage, individual instruments are easily picked out, even from more complex mixes. Vocals hang, almost as if in a state of acoustically suspended animation, in an incredibly accurate and stable stereo image.

The ribbon element of the Ultras fires both forwards and to the rear, resulting in ample stereo depth and room-filling projection.

Due attention should be paid to positioning the Ultras. They need a bit of room to breathe; it's no good chucking them in respective corners of the room, right up against the wall. Give them at least 100cm from room boundaries, more if possible. The bass box of the Ultras doesn't really gain, or need, reinforcement from a rear wall, so they sound better away from brickwork.

It's best to separate the speakers from each other, three metres or more of carpet between each speaker only aids the breadth and scale of the soundstage. Spikes are provided and a bit of a front upward tilt is recommended to enhance stereo imagery.

The Ultra 1400s provide all of the sonic goodies the Ambience hybrid ribbon design has become associated with. This time it's comes in a neater, more affordable package. They are slimmer, with a sound quality that is no less substantial than more expensive and larger Ambience models.

Depending on the size of your listening room and the type of application the speakers will be used for, the new Ultras are one pair of speakers you should hear whether it be as a stand alone stereo pair, or as the main front speakers in a surround sound system.

This quality of audio reproduction at the price is a very rare occurrence.

Nic Tatham.
Audio & Video Lifestyle Consumer Guide 1999 44 & 45