Test Bench: Celestion FTX0820 8-inch Coaxial Woofer/Compression Driver

This month, the driver to be characterized is the FTX0820, a new coax from Celestion. The OEM-only FTX range covers 12” (305 mm), 8” (200 mm), and 6.5” (165 mm) chassis diameters, and features fully combined low-frequency and high-frequency components that are powered by a Common Magnet Motor Assembly (where the same magnet is used for both the low-frequency and high-frequency elements). This enables the voice coils (and hence the acoustic centers of the two drivers) to be brought closer together, delivering tight signal coherence and time alignment. This article was published in Voice Coil, October 2015.

This submission comes from a company new to Test Bench, MAG Audio, from Ukraine. The M0610 pro sound midrange driver MAG submitted features a cast-aluminum frame, a lightweight curved profile uncoated paper cone, a 2” diameter uncoated paper dust cap, and a 1.5” (38-mm) diameter voice coil wound on a Kapton former with edge wound copper-clad aluminum ribbon wire. Compliance is provided by a flat foam surround and a 4.5” diameter flat cloth spider. A 110-mm × 15-mm detachable self-centering strontium ferrite magnet with a black coated back plate powers the unit. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, November 2013.

This month, I am going to review Celestion’s 18” CF18VJD pro sound woofer. The CF18VJD is a high-power handling woofer rated at 1,600 WRMS (AES standard) and weighs a hefty 50.6 lb. The CF18VJD’s features include a proprietary seven-spoke cast aluminum frame. Celestion’s approach for this model uses a vented front plate that exhausts toward a series of peripheral vents located on the top of the back plate with a cone assembly of carbon and Kevlar loaded paper cone and large dust cap. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, November 2013.

I received a transducer for this month’s Test Bench review from a pro sound OEM company that has not previously appeared in Test Bench — Precision Devices from the UK. Precision Devices sent the PD.185N02, a new 18” high-power handling neodymium motor woofer, from its next-generation transducer range, which features four different 18” models. Intended for use as a sub bass driver or woofer in bass reflex and horn loaded systems, this driver can also be used in closed box designs. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, October 2015.

Scan-Speak’s 5F/8422T01 is a 2” diameter full-range driver, ideal for TV, multimedia, and lifestyle speakers, and part of the brand’s Discovery series which offers traditional design combined with a solid construction in a wide range of variants at a reasonable low price point. As Vance Dickason notes, “Scan-Speak set out to make the best 2” full range on the market, and I think it did quite well with its new 5F/8422T01.” This article was originally published in Voice Coil, October 2013.

This month’s Test Bench focuses on Acustica Beyma’s 12MC500 12” pro audio woofer. This unique woofer with competitive features and performance for a 2,5” voice coil ceramic magnet design features Malt Cross technology, Beyma´s patented advanced cooling system and handles up to 1000 w program power, managing to drastically reduce losses due to power compression. This woofer is low in weight for a ceramic woofer and a competitive candidate for line array systems. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, October 2013.

This Test Bench characterizes the DE1085TN driver, a new high power handling titanium diaphragm DE1085TN compression driver from Italian OEM pro sound manufacturer, B&C Speakers. The compression driver is coupled with B&C Speakers’ ME60 60 H × 40 V constant directivity cast-aluminum horn with a 0.8-kHz cutoff frequency. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2015.

This Test Bench features the TiCW 1058Ft, a 10” woofer/subwoofer from Morel’s Ultimate Titanium product line. The TiCW 1058Ft has an impressive feature set that includes a cast 12-spoke (six “double” spokes) cast-aluminum frame that is completely vented (except for the spokes) below the spider mounting shelf for cooling across the top plate. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2015.

B&C Speakers provided the DE980TN-8 — a high-performance titanium diaphragm neodymium compression driver — coupled with a ME90 horn for this Test Bench. The DE980TN is the latest version of B&C Speakers’s 75mm (3.0 in) voice coil, neodymium high frequency driver. The diaphragm in this model has been completely redesigned to incorporate a bent edge voice coil former, new dome and surround geometry and an optimized phase plug. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2013.

The transducer submitted to this Test Bench came from Dayton Audio and is the PM220-8, which is a wideband (full-range) neodymium 8” woofer. This driver is similar to the PS220 full-range 8” featured in Voice Coil October 2011. However, unlike the PS220 which is intended for use in a single-driver speaker, the PM220-8 is a wide bandwidth version intended for use as a midbass or midrange driver in a multi-way speaker system. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2013.