We sat down with Thomas Gunvaldsen, Chief Technology Officer at Arendal Sound, to discuss the groundbreaking new 1528 Series. Here’s what he had to share about the engineering, innovation, and vision behind this exciting launch. 

Q: The 1528 Series is being called your most advanced lineup yet. What sets it apart from previous Arendal Sound speakers?

Thomas Gunvaldsen: We wanted the 1528 Series to be a statement of everything we stand for at Arendal Sound — precision, performance, and craftsmanship. From the cabinet to the drivers, every detail is designed to deliver our ultimate listening experience. For example, the cabinet features a curved, hand-crafted, passively time-aligned baffle, which optimizes phase coherency and transient response. It ensures that each driver is perfectly angled toward the listening position. Combine that with ultra-thick 85mm baffles and meticulous internal bracing, and you’ve got a speaker that’s dedicated to eliminating resonance and coloration.

Q: Speaking of the cabinet, can you elaborate on the construction process? It sounds incredibly intricate.

Thomas: It is! The baffle alone is a multi-stage process. We press thin layers of HDF together with glue under several tons of pressure — without heat — to ensure uniformity and prevent warping over time. It is then milled into a compound curve using advanced 5-axis CNC machines before being glued to the cabinet under pressure. It’s time-consuming, but it’s essential for both the acoustics and the aesthetics.

Q: Let’s talk about the drivers. What innovations have gone into the 1528’s tweeter, midrange, and woofers?

Thomas: The drivers are where the magic happens. The tweeter features a 28mm lithium-magnesium dome designed for incredible clarity and detail. It’s lightweight, stiff, and naturally damped, which reduces distortion. For the midrange, we developed a 5-inch carbon-graphene cone with a random breakup behavior, which ensures natural sound reproduction, especially in the critical upper midrange.

The woofers are 8-inch aluminium cones with a unique prism-pattern ribbing for added stiffness. They’re designed for high excursion and low distortion, with performance tailored to each cabinet type in the series. Across all the drivers, we’ve pushed the limits to achieve higher sensitivity, better dynamics, and lower distortion than ever before. 

Q: The crossover network seems like a crucial element. What makes it special?

Thomas: Our crossovers are over-engineered by design. We use audiophile-grade components like air-core inductors, polypropylene capacitors, wire-wound resistors and oxygen-free copper terminals plated with rhodium. These ensure seamless integration between drivers and optimal performance across all frequencies. The crossovers also feature adjustability, so users can fine-tune the sound to their room’s acoustics.

Q: How do you ensure adaptability for different listening environments?

Thomas: Flexibility is key for the 1528 Series. We’ve included level adjustability for the midrange and tweeter on the Tower, Monitor, and Bookshelf. You can have more or less of either frequency range or use them accumulated to adjust bass. These models also offer bi-wire and bi-amp terminals, giving users more options for amplification.

Q: Design plays a huge role in Arendal Sound’s appeal. What’s new with the 1528 Series?

Thomas: We’ve taken design up a notch with details like massive aluminum trim rings that weigh almost a kilogram each, and steel grilles with rubber backing that appear to float above the cabinet. These aren’t just aesthetic choices—they’re functional too. For instance, the grilles protect the drivers without compromising sound quality. The cabinets are finished in elegant satin paint options like basalt or polar white, making them a statement piece in any space.

Q: Can you tell us about the Puck Pro stabilizing feet offered as an upgrade option? 

Thomas: Absolutely! The Puck Pro feet are CNC-milled aluminum housings with a specially designed rubber compound. They isolate the speaker from floor vibrations and vice versa, improving clarity and dynamics. They’re also adjustable, allowing users to angle the speakers perfectly for their listening position.

Q: What’s your favorite feature of the 1528 Series?

Thomas: It’s hard to pick just one, but I’d say the tweeter and midrange assembly. The waveguide is elliptic, which improves vertical dispersion and minimizes lobing, while the grille in front of the tweeter lowers distortion as well as enhancing sensitivity and off-axis performance. Plus, the steel plate mounting ensures stability for the massive midrange motor. It’s a perfect example of how every detail, no matter how small, contributes to the overall performance.

Q: Finally, what do you hope customers will feel when they hear the 1528 Series for the first time?

Thomas: I hope they feel completely immersed. Whether it’s music, movies, or gaming, these speakers are designed to pull you into the experience. Everything is engineered for clarity, detail, and emotion — it’s sound you don’t just hear, but feel.

Thanks for your time, Thomas!