Sin duda este es mi foro preferido, el nivel es altísimo y la cordialidad y compañerismo de los foreros es estupenda. Siempre aprendo algo. He de reconocer, sin embargo, que tengo una espinita clavada y ya va siendo hora de quitarla

Algunos Sres. descalifican e infravaloran por sistema a las columnas Infinity beta 50, les tachan de dar un sonido coloreado (hay quien dice que ecualizado, jeje ) que sobrepondera los agudos y graves, y estos Sres. solo aportan unos datos de lo más subjetivo para apoyar estos razonamientos (como que son americanos...) y en ningún caso documentados.

Bueno, pues un poco cansado de tener que salir en defensa de estos altavoces cada vez que se nombran en este foro, abro este hilo para que quien quiera criticarlos de una forma seria y basada en hechos pueda hacerlo y quien quiera alabar sus bondades y sonido también lo haga. A ver si entre todos los ponemos de una vez por todas en el sitio que se merecen en un segmento de precio inferior a 1000 € la pareja y dejamos cerrado el tema.

Comienzo proporcionando una posible definición de sonido coloreado:

Coloración: En las evaluaciones de audio, una característica percibida de un sonido que no existía en la grabación original. La coloración modifica el timbre de las voces e instrumentos musicales y, por lo tanto, no es aconsejable.
También un enlace a un artículo que describe el material CMMD de los conos de las beta 50, su efecto en el sonido y su comparación mediante pruebas empíricas con otros materiales como el kevlar (usado por B&W) o el aluminio.
http://www.infinitysystems.com/homea...apers/cmmd.pdf

Y un extracto de una review que destaca su sonido invisible, no coloreado, y natural, precisamente como el artista pretendía que se escuchase. (siento que sea en inglés):
In their quest for unequaled sound, Infinity's goal is to eliminate resonances, the unwanted colorations, or distortions, of the sound reproduced by a speaker. Every transducer has its own unavoidable set of resonances based on its own physical characteristics. The trick is to build a transducer where the natural resonances are either above or below its audible range. To accomplish this, Infinity engineers invented and patented Ceramic Metal Matrix Diaphragm (CMMD) transducer material, a sandwich made up of layers of ceramic alumina (20% of the total thickness top and bottom) anodized to a metallic aluminum core (the remaining 60% of total thickness). Among the stiffest materials known, alumina and aluminum were chosen because sound moves through them faster than through conventional transducer materials and the CMMD sandwich responds to electrical signals very rapidly without coloring the sound at all. That's why every transducer in Beta Series speakers incorporates CMMD technology.

Taking resonances out of the audible range is done by crossovers, electronic devices that switch the sound from one transducer to another depending on the frequency. CMMD technology allows a transducer's natural resonance to be placed outside its operational range so that the crossover will transfer the sound before the natural resonance can be heard. When drivers are made of conventional materials, engineers attempt to damp out the resonances; but that diminishes the overall performance of the speaker--and the resonances are still there. Remember that Infinity's CMMD technology is patented (nos. 6,327,372 and 6,404,897), so when other manufacturers claim that their transducers are ceramically coated, it's merely a cosmetic surface treatment. Beta Series transducers are made with 20/60/20% alumina-aluminum sandwich material first and foremost for the sound, not just the look.

Music and motion pictures are art. Reproducing that art is science, and science is quantifiable. Before ever putting a speaker into production, Infinity's engineers make and analyze a number of critical objective and subjective measurements. Objectively, they measure frequency response, spatial averages, phase response, and nonlinear distortion to analyze technical accuracy, sensitivity, and power handling. Subjectively, they measure sound quality (timbre and bandwidth), spatial quality (how well the speakers spread out the sound), stereo imaging, the multichannel soundstage (how strong is the sound imaging in front, behind, and to the sides), and dynamic capabilities (sound quality for very loud or very quiet inputs) to see if the engineering efforts have been successful. The Infinity Beta Series speaker you bring into your home has been subjected to some of the most rigorous testing in the industry, all to assure you superb performance and superior quality.

Infinity strives for loudspeaker systems that are a window into the art--a clear window. You want to immerse yourself in the sounds created by the artists, exactly the way the artists intended. To experience all of the talent, production, and sound that goes into a great recording, you need to listen through speakers that don't alter the sound, don't editorialize, don't impart their own personality. The Beta Series manifests Infinity's dedication to creating good sound in any room--anywhere in the room. Invisible, uncolored, natural sound, precisely as the artist or director meant for you to hear it--that's Infinity.