Shinjitsu Audio

Setting the record straight on Shinjitsu Audio Speakers:

The name SHINJITSU:

Derived from the Japanese word for “truth”. The design is based on a Japanese designed back loaded horn that we transformed from a flat panel cabinet into our own proprietary laminated design. The prototype sounded great, so we moved forward into production.

Why we changed the tweeters:

Original design called for ESS Heil tweeters. We could no longer reliably source them as needed from ESS. For a while there (months) they were completely unavailable. Orders were coming in and we needed an alternative tweeter. Tested were Raven tweeters, “folded diaphragm” tweeters (Heil imitations), planars and lastly compression horns. Compression horns won out. Why horns? They provided good directivity especially in smaller rooms, great dynamics, and an extended frequency response down to below 800 Hz. This allowed us to crossover first order around 2K. Horns are used on 5 figure speakers systems to great effect. They are not cheap nor inferior. Avanteguarde speakers use a compression driver for a tweeter:

From Criterion Audio website: https://criterionaudio.com/product/avantgarde-acoustic-duo-xd/

34,000 Euros

TWEETER HORN DRIVER - Membrane diameter – 25 mm – Membrane material – Mylar – Magnet material Ferrite

A single 4-inch driver cannot produce bass:

In the back loaded horn cabinet a 4-inch driver delivers a 6-decibel low frequency boost due to the back loaded horn effect. It is measured down to < 40 Hz. Why a 4-inch driver and not (2) 8-inch drivers? In a two-way system an 8-inch driver beams like crazy at the crossover frequency of 2K. It is too heavy of a cone to accurately reproduce critical midrange and lower treble dynamics. We chose a smaller driver and sacrificed low bass to ensure great midrange performance. As to sound out the rear of the horn mouth “smearing the sound, that’s simply not how the back loaded horn cabinet operates. The rear wave is captured by the horn, acoustically amplified, routed to the mouth at the rear and exits in phase with the front wave. The horn compression chamber acts as a low pass filter and cuts off the midrange and highs at 200Hz. If you desire room shaking bass and are willing to sacrifice midrange detail, go with giant woofers…or get a sub.

Useless test programs:

We do initially test with REW. It’s used to align the crossover. We do listen and record the differing crossover and horn configurations to decide how to voice the speakers. You will find audio 24/96 files on our website of the final choices. I invite you to listen to them.

Manufacturing:

CNC and woodwork done at Heather and Fred Studios, Tempe Arizona USA.

Final assembly and testing at our listening lab in Mesa Arizona USA

Crossover components and drivers: USA Speakers, Mark Audio, Madisound, Parts Express

Miscellaneous parts including binding posts, cast acrylic, brackets, fasteners from various places based in the USA

China? not ordered from directly - all USA based parts companies. Why not China? reliability, quality control, and parts on time issues. No Ali-Express.

@shinjitsuaudio 

It'd be good to get the current models reviewed by a couple of publications or reputable bloggers. I was really intrigued by these last year but ended up going a different direction because they are essentially ghosts online...there was this thread, that old article on the previous iteration, and your website.

They look phenomenal and the design principle seems sound, it would just put people's minds at ease if there were third party experiences to lean on before purchasing.

I have heard a number of quarter wave back loaded horn systems.  When properly implemented, these systems have shockingly good bass--not deep, but, clean, tuneful and coherent.  I am also a fan of some horn/compression drivers, so I am intrigued by the matchup here.  These are not a me-too kinds of systems, so I do hope to hear one some day.  It would be nice if they would show up at the various audio shows around the country.  That appears to be the only way to hear a lot of gear these days.  

I am not a fan of relying on internet buzz and reviews, nor for that matter the reviews of major publications.  Good sound is a personal evaluation, so the gear must be heard in person.  The craziest things are youtube auditions; where nothing at all about sound quality can be ascertained (unique rooms, cheap microphones, variable quality of playback equipment at both ends, a speaker playing back a speaker (so what qualities can be attributed to the speaker under review)).  I also think their affiliate program is a bit problematic.  If someone is earning a commission for a referral, how "objective" will reviews and even interest posting be? 

Thank you for the well thought out reply. We chose the dual horn combination as it actually has been done in the past with front loaded horns. Due to the smaller cabinet size we need to employ a backloaded (quarter wave) design.

Audio shows require a significant cash outlay. From our experience at local audio shows we get a lot of tire kickers but little purchases. We are a small company and not geared towards 5 figure outlays.

Youtube auditions...now that’s a crazy subject that we avoided for several years due to the inherent limitations as mentioned above. After being asked multiple times to "Post a video... that’s how I buy my components" we started to make videos with the best recording equipment we could afford. Yes, it’s a flawed concept, yes it’s all we can do to provide a comparison between our models. It is not designed for critical evaluation although there is a website that reviews mics that way, as does a major audio retailer selling speakers.

Internet influencers can be bought at fiverr.com for under $100 a pop to review any product with a custom designed glowing review. Totally invalid way to get an objective assessment of a product.

Our affiliate program is only designed to get the products in local homes or shops so you may hear them.

Our business model includes reviews from actual buyers.

Our marketing model employs word of mouth and organic referrals for Google placement. Research has shown that word of mouth is 65% more effective than advertising regarding sales: from semrush.com -

General Word-of-Mouth Statistics

1. 23% of people talk about their favorite products with friends and family every day.
2. Furthermore, 78% of people rave about their favorite recent experiences to people they know at least once per week.
3. 90% of people are much more likely to trust a recommended brand (even from strangers).
4. 88% of people had the highest level of trust in a brand when a friend or family member recommended it.
5. Out of the top five popular ways to recommend a business, word-of-mouth comes first, followed by Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
6. 26% of people will completely avoid a brand if their friend or family tells a negative story about their experience.
7. 21% of people will lose trust in a brand, whether they’ve been a customer or not, because of bad word-of-mouth.

Thank you for your detailed response.  I do recognize that it is hard to market speakers these days while keeping costs low enough that you can offer what appears to be extremely low prices given what goes into the construction of your speakers.  I am impressed with the way you implemented the quarter wave back-loaded horn.  It would be nice if, at least once, you showed up at one of the larger regional shows, such as Capital Audiofest in the Washington DC area (I just happen to live in that area, this is not me promoting my self interest, okay, I admit, I want quite badly to hear your speaker).  I am not in the market for your speakers, so I would not be ordering one for home trial, but, I am very much interested in them.