All items in category Voice Coil Test Bench
Test Bench: B&C Speakers’ DE640-16 Compression Driver
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: B&C Speakers’ DE640-16 Compression Driver

The B&C Speakers DE640-16 Compression Driver is a 1.4" exit design, which along with the recent DCM414 midrange and the DE360 models represent a line of two-point suspension ring radiator type compression diaphragms. The DE640-16 features a 65mm (2.6") Polymer diaphragm and neodymium ring magnet and is specified for a recommended crossover frequency around 1kHz, and a 140W continuous power rating. For this Test Bench, the DE640-16 was matched with the Eighteen Sound XT1464 elliptical flare horn.
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Test Bench: The M3 Carbon Midrange Car/Home Audio Transducer from Stereo Integrity
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: The M3 Carbon Midrange Car/Home Audio Transducer from Stereo Integrity

This Test Bench explores an interesting transducer from Stereo Integrity, a company founded in 2001, targeting the home and automotive audio markets. The Stereo Integrity M3 is a 3.5" carbon fiber midrange driver with neodymium motor, only 52mm (2") in depth. The M3 includes a black woven carbon fiber/paper sandwich curvilinear cone and 1.1 convex dust cap, with suspension provided by a synthetic copolymer surround plus a flat 55mm diameter cloth spider.
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Test Bench: B&C Speakers 1” DH450-8 Compression Driver
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: B&C Speakers 1” DH450-8 Compression Driver

The DH450-8 ultra-compact compression driver from B&C Speakers incorporates a 1.7" high temperature Polymer diaphragm driven by a 44mm voice coil wound with aluminum wire on a high Qm Kapton former. Its most fascinating feature is the patent-pending phase plug with a deliberately twisted internal channel, which is intended to improve the overall frequency response. For this characterization, the DH450-8 1" neodymium driver is measured along with the B&C Speakers ME10v2 90x60 hyperbolic cosine flare horn, made from injection-molded ABS. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, August 2024
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Test Bench: Scan-Speak D3004/606200 Tweeter from Its Illuminator Line
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: Scan-Speak D3004/606200 Tweeter from Its Illuminator Line

The Scan-Speak D3004/606200 is a 1" compact tweeter from its Illuminator Line, and features the new generation of Metamodal TPCD diaphragms. Scan-Speak has been participating in Composite Sound's metamodal development program, and the new D3404 tweeter is the first to be released. It features a low resonance, injection-molded rear chamber, SD-2 neodymium motor, large-roll coated cloth surround, and black anodized machined aluminum faceplate. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 2024.
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Test Bench: Scan-Speak 15W/8534T00 Classic Line 5.5" Woofer
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: Scan-Speak 15W/8534T00 Classic Line 5.5" Woofer

This Test Bench characterizes the new Scan-Speak 15W/8534T00 woofer, which fills the gap in the Classic family for a compact high-performance 5.5” (15cm) midbass driver. It is based on the design principles of the popular 18W/8545 continuing the tradition with a slim frame aluminum chassis, Symmetrical Drive (SD) motor system, low loss linear rubber suspension, and updated with a brand-new cone material called Phenomax.
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Test Bench: Faital Pro's 10PR330 10" PA Woofer
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: Faital Pro's 10PR330 10" PA Woofer

The 10PR330 is Faital Pro's new high-power handling 10" woofer intended for line arrays and large PA systems, or as a midbass driver in multiway systems — and apparently it has also been also used successfully in bass guitar applications. The cone assembly for the Faital Pro 10PR330 woofer consists of a curvilinear paper cone along with a very stiff coated dust cap. Compliance is supplied by a coated polycotton cloth M-roll type surround and from a cloth-type flat spider.
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Test Bench: Wavecor’s New WF211PA01 8.25" PA Woofer
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: Wavecor’s New WF211PA01 8.25" PA Woofer

The driver characterized in this Test Bench is a new 8.25" paper cone woofer, which is only the second pro audio design from the Wavecor, renowned for its high-end home hi-fi drivers. The company decided to expand its catalog with new OEM pro audio woofers, and the WF211PA01 is basically a smaller version of the WF259PA01 10" woofer explicated in the February 2024 issue of Voice Coil. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, June 2024.
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Test Bench: The Faital Pro 5HX140 5" Pro Sound Coaxial Driver
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: The Faital Pro 5HX140 5" Pro Sound Coaxial Driver

The 5HX140 5" coaxial driver from Faital Pro is built on a cast-aluminum frame, with a water-resistant coated paper cone and pleated M-type fabric surround, and an acoustically transparent cloth dust cap over the compression driver conical horn. The high-frequency compression driver has its own neodymium ring magnet motor system that drives the 25mm Kapton dome shaped diaphragm, with a voice coil also wound with aluminum wire on a Kapton former. This diaphragm fires into a short 90° aluminum conical-shaped horn.
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Test Bench: W4-2315 Home Audio 4.5" Coaxial Driver from TB Speaker
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: W4-2315 Home Audio 4.5" Coaxial Driver from TB Speaker

This Test Bench characterizes the highly original W4-2315 4.5" paper cone coaxial design from Tang Band (TB) Speaker. This small diameter coaxial transducer is a great new example of this genre for home audio applications, any high-performance small two-way speaker, or even a studio monitor design. The W4-2315 combines a very shallow curved profile bamboo fiber and paper cone with an aluminum inverted dome tweeter suspended by a cloth surround.
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Test Bench: SEAS New High-End 5.25” Metamodal TPCD Midbass Woofer
by Vance Dickason

Test Bench: SEAS New High-End 5.25” Metamodal TPCD Midbass Woofer

This Test Bench explores the exciting SEAS W16NX005 5.25" Metamodal TPCD Midbass Woofer. Part of the SEAS high-end Excel line of transducers, the W16NX005 is the first commercial product available that combines the latest Composite Sound metamodal TPCD diaphragm technology with the typical SEAS high-performance Excel woofer motor design. This midbass woofer includes a metamodal diaphragm and 2" convex dustcap, along with an optimized NBR surround and black cloth flat profile spider for compliance.
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