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dm8
TM
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
By Max Dickison & Tony Kearney
Product Form
The aim when designing the dm8 and dm10 was to create a preamplifier that
was unmistakably part of the HALCRO™ product family, but at the same
time a component that would compliment any high end audio system.
The preamplifier had to sit comfortably within a contemporary domestic
environment, retain the visual signature of the HALCRO™
family of
products which differentiates them from other high end audio products and
have an appearance that reflected the high level of technical innovation. As
with other HALCRO™ products, softer forms and textures are used, all
fasteners are concealed and the heatsinks are integrated into the external form
to maintain simple, clean lines.
Whilst the unique pillar forms of the power amplifiers have been carried
through to the preamp, proportions have been reworked to allow this
component to be either freestanding or housed within a standard 19" shelving
system.
Control Interface
Knobs and buttons:
The volume and input selector knobs use a unique magnetic incremental
indexing mechanism developed to provide a very subtle and reliable indexing
action. The knobs and buttons are finished in the same soft textural finish as
the pillars.
Display:
A high-resolution display was chosen in order to provide clean simple
graphics without the rough edges associated with displays of lesser quality.
The graphic layout of the display has been optimized to give prominence to
the functions that are viewed most often.
These include volume levels,
balance and input selection.
Functions that are accessed less often are
displayed in smaller type along the bottom of the screen. These include
stereo/mono and in-phase/out-of-phase. The volume levels for each channel
are displayed side-by-side so that when the levels are not equalized the user
will easily notice it.
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