Handcrafted Elegance

Unique among loudspeaker manufacturers, Snell builds the enclosures and assembles our loudspeakers entirely by hand.  The result is superior products of lasting value thanks to Snell-developed techniques that insure superb consistency as well as superior acoustic accuracy.

As do other examples of fine furniture, Snell enclosures feature grain-matched surfaces.  We cut our panels to reveal the distinctive patterns of the finest hardwoods and then painstakingly match these patterns for left and right speaker cabinets.  This reflects both our own standards and your appreciation of the cabinetmaker’s art.

Computerized routers cut cabinet panels with almost-microscopic precision.  The resulting fine tolerances guarantee accuracy and lasting integrity.  It is but a contemporary expression of the “measure twice, cut once” mentality that distinguishes the true artist in wood.

Skilled woodworkers assemble the cabinets.  They take exceptional care to square all panels, seal every joint tightly, and make all corners sharp.

Most manufacturers spray-lacquer their cabinets.  While admittedly easy, this technique does not meet Snell standards.  Instead, we use a hand rubbed oil finish that settles deeply into the wood’s natural grain structure to help reveal its natural beauty.  While this multi-coat method takes longer, it is far more pleasing.

We build our crossover networks in-house by hand. This maintains the quality we demand and allows for our unique 1/2 dB tuning technique.

At the prototype stage, we make every effort to get exactly the right sound from our loudspeakers.  All these efforts would be wasted if we couldn’t match the prototype’s sonic characteristics in every production system.  Through a laborious Snell-developed process called "1/2 dB tuning," we hand adjust the crossover network of every system so that it precisely matches our prototypes.

Our loudspeaker drivers come from the finest world-class specialists.  Most are from Europe (Peerless, Audax, and Vifa), others are from American sources including our parent company, driver specialist Boston Acoustics.

Everything – enclosures, crossovers, and drivers – come together in the final assembly area.  Here, workers take the time to assemble your system with care and pride.  After a final round of QC checks, each loudspeaker system is packed and shipped to your dealer.