A silk-dome tweeter in a large surround dome with a dual balanced compression chamber, high strength neodymium motor system and a non-reflective cast aluminium chamber.
A 7.5-inch high-strength woofer with an Egyptian Papyrus diaphragm backed by a copper/neodymium high-force factor motor, meticulously crafted from copper and a high-purity neodymium alloy.
And cabinets of double-wall construction with a solid oak outer layer, made by skilled local cabinet makers in materials sourced both locally and imported from Europe and North America.
And crossover electronics made in house from 100% film capacitors and hand-wound inductors.
Those are the ingredients for the launch speaker model from a new Sydney marque, Atlas & Hurd. The 42cm-high Tempest is a two-way standmount speaker said to “honour the golden era of hi-fi – 1960s through the 1970s – with warmth and character, while adopting the greatly improved technology of today.”
Mr Atlas and Mr Hurd
The new company brings together the talents of engineer Atlas Gouverneur and furniture designer Tony Hurd. Both have a strong track record in associated endeavours.
Mechanical and electroacoustic engineer Atlas Gouverneur has been designing speakers for over a decade, including founding The Speaker Project, which allowed anyone to come and build their own speakers. It was “about democratizing the joy of this hobby” says Gouverneur, who began designing his own speakers after a hi-fi revelation in front of a pair of unaffordable Sonus fabers.
He now joins forces with Tony Hurd, who has been in the high-end furniture business for 25 years with his company Altone Design, while also being an avid collector of vintage and modern hi-fi.
Together they set out to build the speakers that they both ultimately wanted to listen to.
“We wanted to produce the everyday speaker, a speaker that is engaging while easy to listen to,” says Tony Hurd. "The Tempest isn't just a speaker; it's a new audio experience. Crafted with a large 7.5-inch woofer and a 1.25-inch textile dome tweeter, it can cover a wide frequency range with dynamics and speed that match big floor standing speakers.”
Future plans for the company are made clear on the website, which already features further models, including the ‘coming soon’ Stoic floorstanders at $8490, a smaller Tinka standmount at $2590, and a remarkable ‘Ace Audio’ radiogram at $6690.
Meanwhile the Tempests are launching at $5390 a pair, with a launch special price of $4690. The speakers are currently available to audition only at Atlas and Hurd’s base in Rosebery, Sydney, but can ship Australia wide.
