• The Gaudi MK II
• The Loreley MK III
• The PQS Series
  • The PQS 402
  • The PQS 302
  • The PQS 202 MK II
  • The PQS 201 MK II
  • The PQS 100 Plus
  • The PQS 100 Centre
  • The PQS 100
  • The PQS Sub
• The Carbon MK IV
• The Borderland MK IV
• The Unicorn MK II
• The HRS 120
• Unlimited MK II
• DDD - Driver

 

 

THE PQS-100 PLUS

The PQS-100 Plus has been designed in response to numerous requests for a lower cost and more compact German Physiks loudspeaker. The challenge was to do this without compromising the speed, transparency and coherence that German Physiks loudspeakers are famous for. This versatile design will give excellent results in both high-end stereo and 5.1 surround systems. When used in 5.1 systems, its excellent bass response obviates the need for a sub-woofer. Its ability to produce detailed and realistic stereo images, which can be enjoyed by many listeners from a wide range of positions within the room, is especially useful in home theatre applications. It is also suitable for centre and rear channel use in multi-channel systems, where larger German Physiks models are being used for the main loudspeakers. In addition, it is well suited for use in galleries, shops and other public places where very high quality sound is required and the sound source must be unobtrusive.

The PQS-100 Plus uses a single carbon fibre DDD driver combined with a downward firing 6-inch woofer in a ported enclosure and is supplied with a set of custom made stands.

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

The PQS-100 Plus is physically compact, so does not take up a lot of space. This makes it ideal for the smaller room. Despite its compact size, the PQS-100 Plus is capable of driving even quite large rooms to high levels. Whether used in a small or large room, it produces fast, clean and agile bass, which makes the listener think that a much larger loudspeaker is being played. The high quality of the bass provided by the PQS-100 Plus is matched by the high quality of the performance provided by its DDD driver. This gives the excellent speed, dynamics and resolution that German Physiks loudspeakers are famous for and helps to produce the sense of reality that is the essence of a musical performance.

Excellent Driver Integration

A problem with multi-way loudspeakers is how to integrate the drivers so that the listener is not conscious of different parts of the audio range coming from different parts of the loudspeaker. The PQS-100 Plus solves this problem in three ways. Firstly, the DDD driver covers the range from 120Hz to 24,000Hz, so the vast majority of the audio range is covered by just one driver. The DDD driver crosses over to the woofer at 120Hz and the ear’s ability to spatially locate sounds at this frequency is far less acute than it is in the 2,500Hz to 3,000Hz region, where conventional two-way designs cross over. Secondly, the woofer is physically located very close to the DDD driver, which makes the two drivers appear as one source. Thirdly, by making the woofer fire downwards, its radiation pattern more closely matches the omnidirectional pattern of the DDD driver.

5.1 Surround System Possibilities

The table below shows some suggested configurations for 5.1 surround systems using the PQS-100 Plus.

Room Size m²	Main	Centre	Rear	Subwoofer
10 - 90	PQS-100 Plus	PQS-100 Plus	PQS-100 Plus	-
10 - 70	PQS-100 Plus	PQS-100 Centre	PQS-100 Plus	-
10 - 55	PQS-100 Plus	PQS-100 Centre	PQS-100 Centre	-

The DDD Driver

The DDD driver is used on all German Physiks loudspeakers and the same quality of driver is used on all models from our entry level product, to the top of the range Gaudi. This revolutionary driver gives the same very important advantages to all German Physiks designs and is what sets them apart from our competitors.

Its very low moving mass enables it to operate linearly over an extremely wide frequency range. The carbon fibre DDD driver used on the PQS-100 Plus covers the entire range from 120Hz to 24,000Hz. In a conventional design, this range would be covered by two or even three different types of driver and most importantly there would be a cross over point in the mid-range, the area where our hearing is most sensitive. The DDD driver’s wide operating range allows this vital region to be kept free from the level and phase anomalies that multiple drivers and a necessarily more complex crossover would create. This enables the PQS-100 Plus, like all German Physiks loudspeakers, to produce very accurate and realistic stereo images.

The DDD driver is omnidirectional, so the excellent stereo images it produces can be enjoyed from a wide range of listening positions in the room. This gives more flexibility in where you position the loudspeaker and where you sit. This is also an ideal property in a loudspeaker intended for use in home theatre systems, where there may be several listeners.

The drivers in a conventional loudspeaker beam the sound, rather than radiating it evenly around the loudspeaker. This beaming effect becomes more pronounced as the frequency increases. Consequently, you generally only obtain the correct tonal balance when seated in a narrow range of positions in the room. By contrast, the DDD driver’s omnidirectional radiation pattern ensures that the tonal balance of the music is much more even throughout the room.

Modern movie soundtracks are very detailed. In many cases not only will there be a large orchestra that on its own covers a very wide frequency and dynamic range, but there will be complex sound effects sections with a large number of elements, as well as several voice tracks. The DDD driver’s exceptional speed and low distortion enable it to clearly resolve all the elements in even the most complex soundtrack and so provide a much more enjoyable and exciting viewing experience.

The DDD driver is phase linear across its operating range, ensuring that the timbral character of each musical instrument is reproduced with great accuracy. This also makes sound effects more believable and is particularly noticeable on complex and very dynamic effects.

Easy Location

The PQS-100 Plus is relatively tolerant of where it is positioned in the room, making it easy to set up. It may be set against the wall, or placed into the room.

Low Cabinet Colouration

The PQS-100 Plus solves the problem of cabinet colouration by having a minimalist cabinet. This is machined from heavy MDF panels, which are inherently very stiff and non-resonant. The cabinet’s rounded shape has been carefully chosen to minimise resonances. The outside of the cabinet is reinforced with a layer of carbon fibre. This provides additional stiffness and therefore resonance suppression. A special damping material called Hawaphon is applied to the inside surfaces of the cabinet. Hawaphon is a polymer sheet containing a matrix of small cells filled with very fine steel shot and was originally developed as an anti-surveillance measure for use in military and government buildings. It adds mass to the cabinet to further reduce the resonant frequency and the ability of the shot in the cells to move against each other provides a very effective way of converting vibration energy into heat. Hawaphon achieves a broadband attenuation of structure-borne sound of more than 50dB: a remarkably high figure. Additional damping is provided by the application of bitumen damping sheets and unwanted air resonances are prevented by the use of high density felt sheet.

Hand Finished Cabinets

The main body of the PQS-100 Plus cabinet is finished in carbon fibre, hand polished to a high gloss. The other parts of the cabinet are finished in black and grey Nextel.

Custom Made Stands

The PQS-100 Plus system includes a set of high quality PQS-Plus stands, which are quick and easy to assemble. They are made from non-resonant MDF and are finished in black and grey Nextel. They provide an ideal mount for the PQS-100 Plus, while being visually unobtrusive. A shorter version of the PQS-Plus stand is available to special order. Please contact German Physiks for details.

The PQS-100 Plus Specifications

	With Carbon Fibre DDD Driver
Impedance	5.6 ohms at 45Hz
Frequency response	45Hz – 24,000Hz
Power handling:
Nominal Short term	190W 290W
Amplification required	Minimum 70W/4 ohms
Crossover frequency	120Hz
Crossover slopes:
DDD section Woofer section	6dB/octave electronic & 18dB/octave acoustic 12dB/octave electronic & 18dB/octave acoustic
Sensitivity	86dB for 1W at 1m
Operating principle	2-way loudspeaker with 360° surround radiation using the DDD driver and a ported bass enclosure
Input connectors	1 set of binding posts
Drivers	1 x Carbon fibre DDD driver 1 x 6-inch woofer
Included accessories	1 set of PQS-Plus Stands
Dimensions
Loudspeaker	267mm W x 510mm H x 310mm D 10.5" W x 20.0" H x 12.2" D
PQS-Plus Stand	326mm W x 1,100mm H x 370mm D 12.8" W x 43.3" H x 14.6" D
Weight
Loudspeaker	21.0kg // 46.2lbs
PQS-Plus Stand	10.2kg // 22.4lbs
Warranty	5 years