Alta Audio Receives US Patent for its XTL II Hybrid Transmission Line Technology

Alta Audio, the company created by industry veteran Michael Levy, announced that it received US patent 11917361B2 for its XTL Transmission Line technology. Recently introduced in the company's latest Aphrodite four-way loudspeaker, updating an already patented original technology that applies the cabinet internal geometry to tune the frequency response, the new approach evolves to a hybrid transmission line, a ported enclosure design that Michael Levy says greatly increases power handling, lowers distortion, and extends bass frequencies.

This patent awarded to inventor Matthias Larrieu, on behalf of French company NEXO (owned by Yamaha Corp.) was the topic of this detailed review by James Croft. From the abstract it might be difficult to visualize what exactly differentiates the patented design from a standard bass reflex system. Basically, Larrieu created two V-shaped slices at the opening either centered or with one at each side of the port, helping to reduce amplitude and phase anomalies in the midrange due to port resonances, while improving mid-band directivity.