Melbourne’s Final Link Audio to distribute and install Alcons Audio pro-ribbon home cinema systems in Australia and New Zealand.
Established in 1998, Final Link Audio’s head office comprises a showroom and warehouse despatch facility, which operates alongside an 18 channel Dolby Atmos, DTS-X and Auro-3D dedicated home cinema demonstration facility elsewhere in the city. The company also has a custom installation division that services the residential, professional, government and commercial markets. The new home cinema demonstration room will also serve as a stepping stone to introduce Alcons CRMS to studio and professional mixing customers, where many facilities are moving to multichannel immersive formats.
‘We have always loved the pro-ribbon tweeters in our hi-fi product lines, so we’ve known about Alcons for years,’ says Final Link Audio founder Shane Lewis. ‘When Alcons entered the residential market with the CRMS Cinema Reference Monitor System, we had to investigate further. It was after only a little research that we knew we had to get in contact.
‘Most current, high-end home cinema systems are essentially hi-fi speakers, some tweaked to be called cinema speakers and some which are commercial PA speakers trying to be home cinema speakers. Alcons’ pro-ribbon design and ALC series amplifier processing is a game changer for the residential sector. These are true cinema products with an exceptional, fine-tuned sound quality that we wanted to be part of.’
The Alcons configuration in the demo room comprises three CRMS Compact three-way 12-inch compact cinema reference monitor systems for LCR, four CRMS-SR two-way 8-inch reference surround for side/rear surrounds, five CRMSC-SRHV/120 6,5-inch compact reference surrounds for overhead, two CRMS-LFE18 18-inch large-format reference subwoofers and Sentinel3 four-channel amplified loudspeaker controllers to power the system.
‘The Sentinel produce endless power and headroom with the clarity of a high-end tube amplifier,’ Lewis says. ‘Together with the pro-ribbon tweeters and quality mid/bass drivers of the CRMS Series speaker system, the outcome is next level for the home residential market that’s not seen or heard of from current offerings. If a customer or designer is looking for unparalleled performance, clarity, dynamics, power and drive of a live concert, Alcons is the number one choice.’
The goal was to showcase that live sound can be achievable in the home environment with the high end performance of a hi-fi system: ‘We can demonstrate in a real home environment, so clients can experience the true dedicated home cinema experience,’ Lewis says. ‘The pro-ribbon tweeters give a wide spacious, precise soundstage combined with the dynamics and effortless drive of a live show. We don’t believe there’s another product like the Alcons CRMS series in our market and we are very excited to make it available to our clients. We can see strong uptake for Alcons CRMS and foresee a growing, long-term relationship together.’
‘The announcement of Final Link Audio becoming Alcons Audio’s next Pro-Ribbon Partner for the residential market, is completely in line with the rapidly growing global demand in our CRMS range of sound system solutions for the residential and studio market,’ says Tom Back, co-founder of Alcons Audio. ‘With recent additions Pulse Cinemas in the UK and Moscow based Blackroom we’re delighted to add another member to the rapidly growing pro-ribbon family. Since we started in the custom install market a few years ago, we have been establishing a completely new distribution channel in the residential market, besides our cinema, pro-audio and touring channels.
‘Our everyday drive is to do things better, continuing the evolution of sound reproduction, honing and fine tuning our solutions, never satisfied with the status-quo. Shane’s an ideal partner to bring the Pro-Ribbon Experience Down under. It’s great to share this drive and values based around increasing the customer experience and satisfaction.’
