Have audiophiles ever been captivated by the distinctive tweeters of Infinity loudspeakers? Or perhaps astonished by their bold design language? Infinity Systems, once a dominant name in high-fidelity audio, now occupies a quieter corner of the industry. This article explores the company's trajectory, technological breakthroughs, and its enduring influence on sound reproduction.
Founded in 1968 by engineer Arnie Nudell and marketing specialist John Ulrick in California, Infinity Systems began as a modest garage operation dedicated to pushing the boundaries of speaker performance. Their inaugural creation, the Servo Statik 1, introduced revolutionary servo-controlled woofers that minimized distortion through precise mechanical feedback—a technology that would become synonymous with the brand.
The 1970s witnessed Infinity's ascendancy with landmark designs like the Quantum Line Source and RS series. These systems employed planar magnetic drivers that replaced conventional cones with ultra-thin diaphragms, delivering unprecedented clarity and expansive soundstages. The towering Quantum Line Source arrays, with their array of ribbon tweeters and servo subs, became reference standards for discerning listeners.
Two innovations defined Infinity's technical legacy:
Planar Magnetic Technology: Unlike traditional drivers that suffer from cone breakup at high frequencies, Infinity's flat diaphragms moved as perfect pistons across their entire surface. This approach yielded exceptional transient response and minimized coloration, particularly in the critical midrange frequencies.
Servo-Control Subwoofers: By integrating accelerometers that monitored woofer movement in real-time and feeding corrective signals back to the amplifier, Infinity achieved bass reproduction with distortion levels an order of magnitude lower than conventional designs. This technology remains influential in premium subwoofer design today.
The 1980 introduction of the Infinity Reference Standard (IRS) represented the apotheosis of the company's engineering philosophy. This modular behemoth combined EMIT ribbon tweeters, planar mids, and servo-controlled bass towers into a system that approached electrostatic purity with dynamic range capabilities unmatched by any competitor. Priced at over $50,000 (equivalent to $180,000 today), the IRS became a symbol of audio perfectionism.
Following its 1990s acquisition by Harman International, Infinity's focus gradually shifted toward mass-market automotive audio and home theater systems. While this brought innovative technologies like Harman's "Image Control" waveguides to broader audiences, it diminished the brand's presence in the high-end sector where it had built its reputation.
Though contemporary Infinity products no longer dominate critical listening rooms, the company's innovations continue resonating through the industry. Modern planar magnetic headphones owe their existence to Infinity's pioneering work, while servo-controlled subwoofers remain the gold standard for low-frequency reproduction. The brand's insistence on measuring what matters—rather than chasing specifications—established benchmarks that still guide loudspeaker design.
In an era where audio equipment increasingly prioritizes convenience over fidelity, Infinity Systems' legacy reminds us that the pursuit of sonic truth remains a worthy endeavor—one that continues to inspire engineers and delight listeners decades after its revolutionary designs first astonished the world.