Test Bench: The New Ellipticor D3404/552000 Tweeter from Scan-Speak

This edition of Test Bench focuses on the Scan-Speak Ellipticor D3404/552000 dome neodymium motor tweeter. Overall, the D3404/552000 is like a big elongated 28 mm diameter tweeter. For a motor system, Scan-Speak basically scaled up their currently successful Air-Circ tweeter motor with 10 neodymium slugs and copper shorting rings and a titanium former. The big news is that this motor and diaphragm yield a 2.83 V/1 m sensitivity of 97 dB! This article was originally published in Voice Coil, April 2018.

In this Test Bench, Vance Dickason examines the Peerless by Tymphany DFM-2544R00-08 compression driver, which is part of the brand’s new three model compression driver series. The compression driver features a 1” throat exit diameter, but with a 1.75” titanium diaphragm and the same type of polyimide surround. The DFM-2544R00-08 is driven by a 44.4 mm diameter voice coil wound with aluminum wire on a TIL film non-conducting former. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, March 2018.

In this month's Test Bench, Vance Dickason examines a new 1" PEEK diaphragm compression driver from Precision Devices, the PD.CD1N. This is a unique design in Precision Devices' UL portfolio, using a PEEK diaphragm/surround material, which also incorporates a three-slot optimized phase plug design and a 44 mm (1.73”) diameter voice coil wound with copper-clad aluminum wire on a Kapton former. This article was published in Voice Coil, March 2018.

This month, I characterized a a 10” PA woofer from Wavecor, model WF259PA01. This is an interesting driver since, until now, Wavecor has been known mainly for its high-end home hi-fi drivers. However, the company has decided to expand its coverage in the loudspeaker market and has introduced a well-designed 10” OEM pro sound PA woofer. The WF259PA01 is for now available only as an 8 Ω model, and uses a very stiff flat black coated curvilinear paper cone. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, February 2018.

In this edition of Test Bench, I characterized a 1.4” titanium diaphragm compression driver from Precision Devices. The new driver from this prestigious UK Pro Sound OEM manufacturer is part of a seven model lineup of high-performance neodymium compression drivers. The PD.CD2N has a 50.8 mm (2”) throat diameter, with a radial neodymium magnet motor structure, an aluminum three-slot phase plug, and nominal 105 W (AES) rated power handling. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, February 2018.

For this month's Test Bench, Dickason characterizes a new 12” coaxial pro audio driver from B&C Speakers, a design typically applied in stage monitors, studio monitors, or distributed audio in large venues. B&C Speakers 12CXN88 is unique in that it uses a single neodymium magnet assembly for both the 12” woofer and the 1.3” throat exit compression driver. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, January 2018.

The driver for this month’s Test Bench explication comes from the UK. Volt sent the 12” RV3143 Studio Monitor woofer, which is probably the most uniquely designed woofer to come across my desk in a while — there is no frame on the back side of the driver! The Volt Radial Technology consists of a front-mounted eight-spoke proprietary cast aluminum frame that is mechanically coupled to both the back plate and to the top of the pole structure/phase plug, in contrast to a normal rear frame that is only coupled to the motor front plate. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, December 2017.

The driver for this month’s Test Bench explication came from a German OEM driver manufacturer and is from Eton’s home audio Orchestra line of drivers. I asked Eton to send a model from this line, the 4-512/C8/25 RP, mostly because of the unique cone. All of the cones in the Orchestra line are serrated paper cones, which is somewhat reminiscent of the orange sliced paper cones in the Scan-Speak Revelator line. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, December 2017.

Following the review of the Peerless by Tymphany PLS 2” PLS-50N25AL01-08 neodymium motor full range, in this edition of Test Bench I reviewed the 2.5" PLS-65F25AL01-08 ferrite motor full-range model. This 2.5" 8 ohm full-range member of the PLS family, the Peerless PLS-65F25AL01-08, has some differences. Unlike the PLS-50N plastic frame, the PLS-65F is built on a proprietary stamped steel frame that is fully vented below the spider mounting shelf with four 24 mm × 4 mm cutouts for enhanced cooling. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, November 2017.

The 2” to 2.5” diameter full-range drivers are unquestionably one of the most used transducers in consumer electronics. I asked the folks at Tymphany to send a couple of transducers from their Peerless by Tymphany PLS line of full-range 2” to 3” drivers. I specifically asked for the 2” PLS-50N25AL01-08 neodymium motor full range (reviewed here) as well as the 2.5” PLS-65F25AL01-08 ferrite motor full-range (reviewed separately). This article was originally published in Voice Coil, November 2017.