La Boite concept has just received two Red Dot Design Awards : one for the LP 160, the latest addition to the brand, and the second for the Cube Corian® Series, released in collaboration with the french designer Samuel Accoceberry. This price has a major international reputation and rewards the quality of our products.

For over 50 years, this internationally renowned and prestigious award recognizes the most advanced design products. This year, more than 5,200 products from 57 countries have been reviewed by a jury composed of 40 professionals in the sumptuous Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany. 

Let’s focus on the LP 160, the latest product from La Boite concept.

What is the LP 160 ? 

The LP 160 is a high-end all in one loudspeaker which gives you the best sound from traditional audio devices (turntables and discs) and wireless devices (tablets, smartphones, laptops, streamers).

The Origins of the LP project 

LP was the brainchild of an idea by Timothée Cagniard, co-founder of the company, and three years of development carried out by La Boite concept’s R&D laboratory in Aquitaine France (Basque country). The aim was to create a very high quality loudspeaker which allows the optimal use of both traditional and more modern audio sources, without needing any particular set-up or visible cables.

Tradition upgraded

In accordance with traditional Hi-Fi fundamentals, LP’s analogue amplifier delivers a warm, natural sound and also integrates the latest digital sound treatment, so it is truly part of the era of dematerialized Hi-Fi music. Its digital audio file converter (32 bits Atoll DAC), precisely delivers dynamic high quality of sound, whatever the source being used (wireless devices, TV box, computers or turntables). Its integrated storage space allows it to store the most high performance sources and wireless receivers on the market rationally and discreetly. One power socket is all you need to make the whole audio system work.

All-in-one 

LP is an innovative interpretation of the classical and separated Hi-Fi system elements. Its all-in-one design means it can contain an optimal, made to measure selection of top of the range loudspeakers, converters and amplifiers.

100% Custom Technology

LP is a very high quality, consistent system that has been developed without any compromises. All of LP’s components have been developed specifically for it, in order to optimise each setting and combination of acoustics and electronics. This high quality playback is possible thanks to close collaboration between La Boite concept’s laboratory in the South West of France, specialized in loudspeaker development (a family tradition for 3 generations), and Atoll, a company from Normandy (North West) which is specialized in top quality audio systems. 

Natural Sound

3 years of research was necessary to create a design that reproduces all frequencies in a dynamic and linear way. Its exclusive system means that, despite its compact size, it offers natural listening conditions, very close to those obtained when listening to an orchestra live. Optimizing the whole signal processing chain, via pre-amplification, converters, amplification, and filtering, to the loudspeakers offers unprecedented performance. LP clears the tones of extreme frequencies and gives a pure dynamic to sound recordings so you are always as close as possible to the original sound. 

Design

LP was designed by Timothée Cagniard, co-founder of La Boite concept, and by Yvon Maurel, La Boite technical director. Timothée input all his family’s knowledge of traditional Hi-Fi and his vision of how it is used today in order to anticipate the needs of tomorrow. For his part, Yvon Maurel, an electro-acoustic PhD, has been a researcher in the field for 15 years and is well-known for having created many prestigious loudspeakers. 

Patented

The two loudspeakers situated at the back in phase with those at the front have their own internal reflectors to give them incomparable sound stability. La Boite concept’s international patented Wide sound 2.0 offers total immersion and enlarged stereo sound thanks to its sound reflexion, no matter where the LP 160 is in the room and whatever its use. 

Technical Datas
8 exclusive La Boite concept speakers:
– 2 x double cell ribbon tweeters achieving extremely high frequencies up to 35 kHz
– 2 x mid-range cones in mixed cellulose and fiberglass. Aluminium directivity phase Bullet. Long excursion 4’’ aluminium chassis
– 2 x cellulose fibre woofer, 6.5’’ long excursion aluminium chassis.
2 dual chamber subwoofers
– 2 x back Wide sound 2.0 speakers, 2.75’’ wide band cellulose
fibre, 45° orientation
exclusive Atoll amplifier:
– 2 x double stage symmetrical AB amplifiers, 2 x 80 Watts RMS 6.2 ohms
– 170va custom toroidal transformer, MKP components in high quality polypropylene. Very low feedback (-1%), configured to the La Boite concept loudspeakers. Loudness function (push button) for reinforced bass sound without distortion.
Inputs:
– 2U deck space: 45.5 cm x 40 cm rigid and insulated (neoprene surface) allowing the use of discs (CD, Sacd, Vinyl, Blu-ray), Streamers and Tuner radios. Front opening allows for handling even in closed position. Record deck, Atoll phono pre-amp with ground plug, low noise level components, high quality polypropylene condensers,
totally symmetrical schema.
– Atoll Burr-Brown® PCM5102 DAC optical input (32 bits/384 kHz, snr: 112 dB) Spdif toslink, input 1 toslink and input 2 coaxial: means Hi-Fi signal processing for all discs cd, sacd, Blu-ray, Box, and streamers equipped with an optical output. Input 3 treats the Hi-Fi signal of wireless boxes (compatible with Sonos®, AirPlay®, AirPort Express®) which have an optical output.
– Integrated high definition La Boite concept Bluetooth module (Apt-X) with Burr-Brown® converter, compatible with all Bluetooth devices (tablets, iPad®, smartphones, iPhone®).
– Wireless box integration module. System which gives you the possibility of adding an additional wireless box. Integrated 220v socket and optical input to improve the restitution quality of these receivers.
Dimensions: h x w x d: 80 x 90 x 49 cm
Weight: 36.5 kg (legs and covers included) 

Finishes

LP 160 has a rigid, wooden cabinet. The control panels are manufactured from solid aluminium. The side support legs and covers are made to your choice (can be detached for transportation) in black

lacquered piano-like plywood or solid oak tree. 

About La Boite concept

Knowledge

La Boite concept combines its knowledge of traditional Hi-Fi with ergonomically designed all-in-one products that are tailored to the new sound technologies (wireless systems, smartphones, tablets, computers). those extremely high quality, innovative and technologically advanced products are nonetheless simple and easy to use, but also designed for contemporary environments and ways of living. La Boite concept’s loudspeakers are also functional: multimedia desk or coffee table… they meet the requirements of connoisseurs but are still truly easy to use. it is thus that the family knowledge ; embodied in Marie and Thierry, is being developed today by Timothée whose management of the company reflects the attention to details established by its family. 

Mission

To combine the knowledge and requirements of traditional Hi-Fi with the design of all-in-one products that are tailored to their environment and to new sound technologies.

Design

The brand’s products are not just high performance and innovative products developed by their own R&D laboratory, but also beautifully designed lifestyle objects, made to form part of their environment.
La Boite concept develops audio systems internally, but for some of their products they also call on the aid of well-known designers: Samuel Accoceberry, Olivier Dollé, Vincent Tordjman… it makes them true pieces of furniture and give them something unique. 

Production

La Boite concept makes their products in Europe so they can have total control over the quality of each component that makes up the finished object. the headquarter and their research and development laboratory are in Ustaritz, in the Basque country (France). La Boite concept likes to make the most of the resources including wood working skills and local artisans and industries of the French and Spanish Basque country. 

R&D

La Boite concept’s history has also convinced us that a team of acoustic experts develops high quality products. This is why La Boite concept has its own research and Development laboratory in the heart of the Basque country. The company has a consistent R&D policy: every product is designed, developed and brought to completion in the laboratory in their headquarter in Ustaritz (64), under the management of Dr Yvon Maurel. every year the company continues to develop new and innovative products.

Some of the R&D work on electronics is carried out and produced by their partner in normandy, Atoll electronic.  Each product is designed from A to Z by the creative team of Timothée Cagniard, the manager who has the vision of functional usage, and Yvon Maurel, the acoustic engineer PhD who applies optimal technical solutions to the challenges.

La Boite concept’s aim isn’t to design furniture which has loudspeakers added to it, but to develop high performance audio systems whose ergonomic and stylish «furniture» design are real part of their optimal sound performances.

Since CC LAB (La Boite concept’s laboratory) was created, it has taken out several international patents based on immersive sound systems that offer broad stereo sound from a compact all-in-one Hi-Fi system.

– All-in-one Stereo Sound
– All-in-one Polygone Sound
– Wide Sound & Wide Sound 2.0

– Wide W