Maximum supertweeter
Experience Sound Beyond the Ordinary
Unlock the full potential of your hi-fi system with the Townshend Audio Maximum Super Tweeter, a revolutionary add-on that redefines high-fidelity audio. Engineered to extend your speakers’ frequency response up to an astonishing 90kHz, these super tweeters deliver a level of detail, clarity, and realism that conventional tweeters simply cannot match. Whether you’re a vinyl purist, a high-resolution digital audio enthusiast, or a casual listener, the Maximum Super Tweeter transforms your listening experience, revealing nuances across the entire audio spectrum—from crystalline highs to surprisingly enhanced bass.

Key Benefits You’ll Love
Ultra-Wide Frequency Response
Extends up to 90kHz: Captures the full harmonic richness of high-resolution formats like SACD, DVD-A, and vinyl, while enhancing CD, MP3, and streaming audio.
Handcrafted Quality
Bespoke cables made with precision for audiophile-grade performance.
Deep Cryogenic Treatment (EDCT)
The copper conductors undergo Enhanced Isolda Deep Cryogenic Treatment, which enhances transparency and neutrality, outperforming other materials in clarity and detail. Improved Soundstage and Detail: Users report a larger soundstage, precise instrument placement, and enhanced detail, with the ability to discern subtle differences in recordings, such as identifying distinct recording studios. The cable excels in bass extension and dynamic range.
Signal Interference:
The design reduces capacitance (25pF) and inductance (0.5uH), minimizing signal loss and interference, which contributes to its clean and vivid sound.
Optimal Placement
Position at ear level, ideally on top of speakers, aligned with the front baffle. Fine-tune forward/back and secure with putty to minimise vibrations.
Connect the 1.5m cables (red to red, black to black) in parallel to speaker binding posts. Adjust the 6-position switch (74–89 dB) to match your speakers, starting low to prevent sharp treble.
Set the level and position, then experience the magic.
Townshend Maximum Supertweeter Sensitivity Setting Chart


Sensitivity Setting Chart
The Science Behind the Townshend Maximum Supertweeter
The Maximum Super Tweeter leverages this science with its ultra-light ribbon diaphragm, which responds exponentially faster than heavier dome tweeters. This rapid transient response ensures precise reproduction of the leading edge of every note, eliminating time smear and delivering a relaxed, natural soundstage. As Max Townshend explains, “Even though a CD cannot produce information above 20kHz, Maximum Supertweeters make the format sound more natural and reveal a wealth of extra detail

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Maximum Supertweeter Performance
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Frequency response:
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Up to 90kHz. (See graph) |
Amplifier power:
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Up to 400W, unclipped music |
Rating to DIN IEC 268:
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500w peak |
Max sensitivity (2.8V @ 1m)
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89dB |
Nominal impedance:
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11 ohm (min), rising to 20 ohm |
Drive unit:
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Pure aluminium ribbon.W 5mm, L 25mm, T, 0.01mm Mass 0.003grammes Ultra powerful rare earth neodymium magnets
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Crossover:
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First order |
Level control:
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1: 74dB 2: 79dB 3: 83dB 4: 85dB 5: 87dB 6: 89dB |
Dimensions:
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Each W 50mm (2"), H 30mm (1.2"), D 100mm (4") Shipping (pair)W 250mm (10"), H 50mm (2"), D 200mm (8")
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Weight:
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Each 0.5 Kg (1.1lb) Shipping (pair) 1.2Kg (2.6lb)
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Cable:
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Banana or spade 1.5m
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frequently asked questions
What is the Townshend Maximum Supertweeter?
Why do I need a supertweeter if I can’t hear above 20 kHz?
How does the Maximum Supertweeter integrate with my system?
- Wiring: Connect in parallel to your speakers’ binding posts or amplifier output using the supplied 1.5m cryogenically treated cables (banana, spade, or bare ends). No extra amp or crossover is needed, as it starts at ~6 kHz.
- Sensitivity Switch: A six-position switch (74–89 dB) on the back matches your speakers’ efficiency (80–110 dB/W/m). Start at Position 1 or 2, adjusting to blend seamlessly, per HiFi Pig: “Level 3 was perfect for my Ayons.”
- Compatibility: Works with any high-quality speaker (e.g., PMC, Harbeth, Quad ESLs) and amps up to 350W.
Where should I place the supertweeter?
Townshend Audio’s mechanical low pass filter exemplifies true decoupling, offering a level of vibration isolation that far surpasses conventional attenuation methods. By effectively isolating components from vibrations down to below 3 Hz, Townshend ensures that high-fidelity audio systems perform at their best, free from the distortions caused by external vibrations.
How do I set the sensitivity switch?
Sensitivity Chart (Approximate):
Position | Sensitivity (dB) | Speaker Efficiency (dB/W/m) |
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1 | 74 | 80–84 |
2 | 77 | 84–87 |
3 | 80 | 87–90 |
4 | 83 | 90–93 |
5 | 86 | 93–96 |
6 | 89 | 96–100 |
Verify exact values in the manual. |
Why use Quad brackets for Quad ESLs?
What are the benefits of the Maximum Supertweeter?
- Enhanced Soundstage: “A wider, deeper stage with great height” (The Ear).
- Clearer Bass and Mids: “Bass notes sound clearer, especially plucked strings” (Townshend Audio).
- Natural Treble: The ribbon’s fast response eliminates smear, delivering “smoother, sharper” sound (townshendisolation.com).
- Versatility: Improves CDs, vinyl, and high-res formats, even with efficient speakers like horns.
Are there any limitations?
- Sensitivity Tuning: Requires careful adjustment to avoid harsh treble.
- Quad Setup: Needs brackets and polarity checks for ESLs to avoid phase issues.
- Subtle Effect: Inaudible when played alone, but removal dulls the sound, per Townshend: “The effect is profound when taken away.
How the Townshend Maximum Supertweeter Integrates with a Speaker’s Crossover
- The Maximum Supertweeter operates in the ultra-high-frequency range (starting at ~6 kHz, extending to 90 kHz), well above the typical crossover point of most speaker tweeters (2–4 kHz). This ensures it doesn’t interfere with your speaker’s internal crossover, which directs frequencies to the woofer, midrange, and tweeter.
- Its built-in high-pass filter (a simple capacitor or equivalent) ensures only frequencies above ~6 kHz reach the supertweeter’s ribbon diaphragm, leaving the speaker’s crossover unaffected. “No external crossover is required,” as the supertweeter complements the existing system.
Practical Tips
- Start Low: Set the sensitivity switch to Position 1 or 2 (74–77 dB) to avoid overpowering your speaker’s tweeter, especially with low-efficiency Quads (82–84 dB).
- Test Tracks: Use tracks with high-frequency content (e.g., cymbals, strings) to fine-tune the switch, ensuring a natural blend. Compare with the supertweeter off to confirm its effect, as The Ear notes, “The effect is profound when taken away.”
- Cable Quality: Use Townshend’s supplied cables or high-quality, low-gauge wire to minimize signal loss, preserving crossover synergy.
- System Synergy: Pair with the Allegri+ or Allegri Reference preamplifier and Fractal™ Interconnects, which support the supertweeter’s 90 kHz bandwidth for maximum transparency.
Why It Works
Quad ESL Compatibility
- Quad electrostatics (e.g., ESL-57, ESL-63) lack traditional crossovers, using transformer-based frequency division within the speaker. The supertweeter integrates similarly, connecting in parallel to the Quad’s input terminals. Its high-pass filter ensures it only reproduces frequencies above the Quad’s natural roll-off (~12–15 kHz).
- Use Townshend’s Quad brackets for ear-level placement, and check polarity (try reversing leads if phase feels off), as a user reported: “Reversing polarity with Quads fixed integration” (Townshend Audio). The supertweeter extends the Quad’s treble, enhancing “extended decay
What is the Hypersonic Effect?
How Dedicated to Sound Do You Need to Be to Use Townshend Audio Maximum Supertweeters?
Are Our Ears the Only Sense That Detects and Receives High-Frequency Content?
- Auditory Limit: The human ear’s cochlea detects sound vibrations up to ~20 kHz in young, healthy individuals. Above this, ultrasonic frequencies are generally inaudible, though they exist in music (e.g., high-res audio, gamelan instruments) and nature.
- Role in Music: Devices like the Townshend Maximum Supertweeter (extending to 90 kHz) reproduce these frequencies, enhancing soundstage and clarity via the “hypersonic effect,” as Max Townshend notes: “Supertweeters reveal extra detail, even on CDs.” This is because high frequencies improve transient response and phase accuracy in the audible range.
- Skin and Body Vibration:
- Ultrasonic frequencies can cause subtle vibrations in skin, tissues, or bones, potentially detected as tactile sensations. A 2019 study (Scientific Reports) on ultrasonic water sounds suggests the body may respond to high-frequency vibrations, altering subjective impressions (e.g., “reverberant” vs. “percussive”).
- In music, this could contribute to the “immersive” feel of live performances, where ultrasonic content from instruments like cymbals interacts with the body, as noted in the hypersonic effect research (Oohashi et al., 2000).
- Brain Activity:
- The hypersonic effect shows that inaudible frequencies (>20 kHz) increase alpha brainwave activity and cerebral blood flow in areas like the brainstem and thalamus, per Oohashi’s study. This suggests the brain processes ultrasonic content via non-auditory pathways, possibly through the nervous system or cranial nerves, enhancing pleasure and relaxation.
- A 2017 Frontiers in Psychology study found high-frequency music induced a relaxed state, detectable via EEG, without conscious hearing, supporting the idea of neural detection.
- Bone Conduction:
- High-frequency vibrations can transmit through the skull to the inner ear or brain, bypassing the eardrum. This is less significant for music but noted in ultrasound research for medical applications, suggesting a secondary detection mechanism.
- Psychoacoustic Influence:
- Even if inaudible, high frequencies affect the audible range’s timing and phase, making music sound “natural,” as Townshend explains. This indirect effect engages the brain’s auditory processing, not just the ear’s mechanical detection.
- No, but Primary: Ears are the main organ for detecting sound, including high-frequency content up to 20 kHz. Beyond this, the body (skin, tissues, brain) can respond to ultrasonic vibrations subconsciously, influencing perception and emotional response, as seen in the hypersonic effect.
- Other Senses’ Role: While vision, taste, smell, and traditional touch don’t directly detect high-frequency sound, tactile vibrations and neural responses act as secondary “sensing” mechanisms. For example, feeling a concert’s energy involves bodily vibration detection, complementing auditory input.
- Critical Note: Research is mixed. A 2020 study (Scientific Reports) found no auditory memory response to high frequencies, suggesting effects are subconscious or system-dependent. The extent of non-auditory detection varies by individual (e.g., age, sensitivity) and setup (e.g., speaker quality).
Sale or Return Policy for Townshend Maximum Supertweeter: 30-Day Risk-Free Trial Proposal
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