Arendal Sound, makers of high-performance, precision-engineered audio equipment and speakers based in Norway, offers up two great speaker systems, the 1528 series and its flagship THX Ultra Certified 1723 series. The market, however, has convinced the Norwegian manufacturer that what it really wants is a revival of its highly-acclaimed 1961 loudspeaker series.
As a result, Arendal Sound is reintroducing its 1961 Series after a two-year hiatus. The Arendal 1961 Series offers advanced engineering, Nordic-inspired design, and the audio performance normally heard from more expensive speakers and subwoofers.
From Arendal Sound CEO Jan Ove Lassesen: “You asked, we listened…The 1961 Series is back and offering better value than ever. Whether you’re looking for your first Arendal experience or to add to an existing system, the 1961 Series proves that great music and movie sound doesn’t have to come with trade-offs.”
Arendal 1961
The 1961 Series includes 8 models
- 1961 Tower: £1,600/$1,900 per pair
- 1961 Monitor: £1,000/$1,150/€1,150 per pair
- 1961 Bookshelf: £730/$850/€850 per pair
- 1961 Center: £530/$600/€600 (each)
- 1961 Height: £730/$850/€850 per pair
- 1961 Surround:£830/$950/€950 per pair
- 1961 Subwoofer S1: £900/$1,000/€1,000 (each)
- !961 Subwoofer V1: £1,050/$1,200/€1,200 (each)
The 1961 Series uses trickle-down technology from Arendal’s step-up 1723 series, including waveguide tweeters and custom drivers that support precise, dynamic sound reproduction. The 1961 series incorporates HDF cabinets and hand-painted matte Black and White finishes. This shared signature sound and look means 1961 models can be easily mixed and matched with other Arendal speaker set-ups as needed.
Cabinet Design
The 1961 Series’ high-density HDF cabinets are crafted for superior acoustic performance. Inside, the cabinet is braced and damped to eliminate vibrations, and improve overall clarity and deliver better dynamic response. Cabinet thickness varies from 15 to 50mm, depending on the model.
Tweeter
To deliver the high frequencies, a custom premium 28mm soft dome tweeter is used to provide superior detail retrieval and wide dynamics. For added support, the tweeter is housed within a controlled directivity waveguide. This combination ensures that high frequencies are not only clear and detailed but also directed precisely to the listener.
Woofer
The tweeter is paired with a custom 5.5-inch long-fibre pulp-cone, midrange driver that combines light and stiff materials designed to provide exceptional accuracy and dynamics while reducing distortion as low as possible. The midrange drivers in the 1961 series are designed to provide a natural sound that blends with crisp highs from the tweeter (courtesy of the crossover). As a result, music, dialogue, and associated details are more natural sounding.
In addition, the 1961 Tower also incorporates a port that can be used open or sealed.
Subwoofer
The 1S and 1V are Arendal’s 1961 Series Subwoofers. They are designed to deliver more than you might expect in their price range. Both subs incorporate an Arendal proprietary 12.2-inch driver driven by their custom 550W RMS Avalanche 550 IQ DSP amp.
For added support, the cabinet volume of both subwoofers has been increased to produce an optimally damped system with low distortion while delivering dynamic and natural deep bass.
The 1S is positioned as an Arendal “entry-level” subwoofer model in the 1961 series, while the 1V is the step-up model. The main differences are that the 1S has a smaller cabinet profile with a sealed design, whereas the 1V is larger and provides a port (vent) that provides additional low-frequency output support.
Sustainability
In addition to performance, just like the 1723 and 1528 speaker lines, the revived 1961 continues the commitment of Arendal Sound to sustainable practices and thoughtful design. Each speaker incorporates environmentally sourced materials, including the use of HDF for the cabinets and recyclable packaging. The speakers are not only designed to
sound great but also incorporate sleek lines, premium finishes, and minimalist styling.
Speaker Comparison
| 1961 Tower | 1961 Monitor | 1961 Bookshelf | 1961 Center | 1961 Height | 1961 Surround | |
| Price/pr | $1,900 | $1,150 | $850 | $600 | $850 | $950 |
| Speaker Enclosure | Floorstanding Sealed/Vented | Monitor/Bookshelf Sealed | Bookshelf Sealed | Center Channel/Sealed | Sealed | Sealed |
| Construction Material | HDF (High Density Fiberboard) | HDF (High Density Fiberboard) | HDF (High Density Fiberboard) | HDF (High Density Fiberboard) | HDF (High Density Fiberboard) | HDF (High Density Fiberboard) |
| Speaker Type | 2.5-Way | 2-way | 2-way | 2-way | 2-way | TriAxial |
| Tweeter | 1 x 28mm | 1 x 28mm | 1 x 28mm | 1 x 28mm | 1 x 28mm | 1 28mm |
| Side Drivers | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2 x 3inches |
| Woofer | 4 x 5.5-inches | 2 x 5.5-inches | 1 x 5.5-inches | 2 x 5.5-inches | 1 x 5.5-inches | 1 x 5.5-inches |
| Ports | 1 | None | None | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Baffle Angle | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10 degrees | N/A |
| Crossover Frequency | 120Hz/1500Hz | 1500Hz | 1500Hz | 1500Hz | 1500Hz | 1500Hz Side Drivers: 200Hz |
| Sensitivity (2.83v/1m) | 87dB | 87dB | 84dB | 87dB | 84dB | 85dB |
| Frequency response (+/-3dB) | Sealed: 49Hz-20kHz Vented: 39-20KHz | 73-20kHz | 75-20kHz | 73-20kHz | 75-20kHz | 38Hz-20kHz |
| Nominal Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms | 4 ohms | 4 ohms | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
| Recommended amplifier power (RMS) | Up to 350W | Up to 250W | Up to 180W | Up to 250W | Up to 180W | Up to 180W |
| Break-in for optimal performance | 50 hours | 50 hours | 50 hours | 50 hours | 50 hours | 50 hours |
| Dimensions (HWD) | 83.75 x 16.3 x 28.5 cm 32.97 x 6.42 x 11.22 inches | 42.5 x 16.3 x 15.0 cm 16.73 x 6.42 x 5.91 inches | 28.7 x 16.3 x 15 cm 11.3 x 6.42 x 5.91 inches | 16.3 x 42.5 x 15.0 cm 11.3 x 16.73 x 5.91 inches | 28.3 x 16.3 x 14.9 cm 11.14 x 6.42 x 5.87 | 28.7 x 16.3 x 18.5 cm 11.3 x 6.42 x 7.28 inches |
| Dimensions (HWD) with Spikes Kit | 87.8 x 16.3 x 28.5 cm 34.57 x 6.42 x 11.22 inches | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Weight (without puck+) | 79.4 kg 175 lbs | 7.25 kg 16 lbs | 4.9 kg 10lbs 13 oz | 7.25 kg 16 lbs | 4.4 kg 9 lbs/11oz | 6 kg 13lbs/4oz |
| Included Accessories | Grilles. Manual. Spikes Kit. Rubber feet. Port plug | Grilles. Manual. Rubber pads | Grilles. Manual. Rubber pads. | Grilles. Manual. Rubber pads | Grilles. Manual. Rubber pads | Grilles. Manual. Rubber pads |
Subwoofer Comparison
| 1961 Subwoofer 1S | 1961 Subwoofer 1V | |
| Price (Each) | $1,000 | $1,200 |
| Driver Size | 12.2-inches | 12.2-inches |
| Enclosure | Sealed | Vented |
| Enclosure Material | High-Density Fiberboard (HDF) | High-Density Fiberboard (HDF) |
| Amplifier | Avalanche 550IQ, 550W RMS | Avalanche 550IQ, 550W RMS |
| Power cable | 1.5 meters | 1.5 meters |
| Frequency Response (+/-3dB) | EQ1 19-200Hz EQ2 26-200Hz | EQ1 16-200Hz EQ2 20-200Hz |
| Port | 0 | 1 |
| Break-in for optimal performance | 50 hours | 50 hours |
| Dimensions (HWD) without feet | 41.5 x 31.5 x 41.5 cm 16.34 x 12.4 x 16.34 | 54.5 x 39.0 x 50.0 cm 21.46 x 39.0 x 50.0 cm |
| Dimensions (HWD) with rubber cones | 42.7 x 31.5 x 41.5 cm 16.81 x 12.4 x 16.34 | 55.7 x 39.0 x 50.0 cm 21.93 x 15.4 x 20 inches |
| Weight | 20.0 kg 44 lbs 2 oz | 36.1 kg 79 lbs 9oz |
The Bottom Line
Arendal is a speaker manufacturer that you may not be familiar with but has garnered a growing fan base of listeners and users overseas. The foundation of the Arendal speaker lines is their solid construction and incorporation of practical technical features designed to deliver optimal sound for stereo or surround sound setups.
Although the 1723 and 1528 speaker lines have received high marks, their previous 1961 speaker line is still in demand, and although it was officially discontinued two years ago, customer demand has resulted in bringing it back better than ever.
Price & Availability
The 1961 Series is now available to pre-order, with global delivery directly from the Arendal Sound website.
- 1961 Tower: £1,600/$1,900/€1,900 per pair
- 1961 Monitor: £1,000/$1,150/€1,150 per pair
- 1961 Bookshelf: £730/$850/€850 per pair
- 1961 Center: £530/$600/€600 (each)
- 1961 Height: £730/$850/€850 per pair
- 1961 Surround:£830/$950/€950 per pair
- 1961 Subwoofer S1: £900/$1,000/€1,000 (each)
- !961 Subwoofer V1: £1,050/$1,200/€1,200 (each)
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