Voice Coil February 2022 Highlights Innovation in Speaker Diaphragms

This edition's main feature article is an exclusive inside account of the Next-Generation Metamodal Thin-Ply Carbon Speaker Diaphragms from Composite Sound, written by Martin Turesson - Head of Thin-Ply Carbon Diaphragms (TPCDs) at Composite Sound. The recently created company is a spin-off from Oxeon, the Swedish manufacturer of the TeXtreme brand of advanced carbon reinforcements now successfully used in multiple industries. Its mission is to expedite the development of TPCD technology and accelerate growth through a company fully dedicated to the development and production of speaker diaphragms. The article details the journey that led to the extensive use of TPCDs for loudspeaker applications and how Composite Sound is planning to approach the industry with its second-generation TPCDs, called Composite Sound Metamodal. This new engineering approach for the technology allows designing loudspeakers tailored for an intended purpose, realizing a physical representation of a TPCD computer-simulated model that is only achievable through the company's unique proprietary production process.

As a perfect follow-up, Mike Klasco (Menlo Scientific) presents a Voice Coil Focus article, "Loudspeaker Cones, Domes, and Surrounds - Advancements in Materials and Processes." This already highly anticipated annual update on these key speaker technologies and components, offers new possibilities on the materials and processes. Mike Klasco's update introduces a couple of exciting new technologies, including HX5 nanocomposite from Alpine Advanced Materials, Composite Sound’s unique Metamodal TPCD technology, glass diaphragms, 3M viscoelastic damping polymer, and Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) elastomer surrounds.

And of course, this edition also includes the mandatory Directory with an update on Loudspeaker Cone/Diaphragm Industry Suppliers 2022, all compiled and reviewed by Nora Wong (Menlo Scientific). The scope of this directory incorporates both cone and diaphragm suppliers as well as relevant materials suppliers and component vendors, such as specialized surrounds, spiders (dampers), ribbon diaphragms, and cone additives. The content is listed geographically for convenient reference.

For this edition's Acoustic Patents article, Voice Coil revisits a relatively recent patent review by James Croft of David Gunness' rear cancellation passive cardioid loudspeaker design as a way of compensating for the "Allison Effect." The recap from the Voice Coil archives is relevant given the fact that the original review was published with the patent application still pending, and has now been granted.

And following on this edition's cover article about Composite Sound and TPCD technology, Vance Dickason places the latest SB Acoustics’ Satori MW19TX-8 Home Audio Midbass Driver - which uses the TPCD (TeXtreme) technology - on Test Bench. Vance positions the value of TeXtreme cones, its industry adoption for speaker technology, and the importance of using the correct terminology of the technology based on thin-ply and spread tow principles, now explored to its full extent in Thin-Ply Carbon Diaphragms (TPCDs) available from Composite Sound. As Vance also highlights, the Satori MW19TX-8 TPCD cone 7.5" woofer is the fourth TPCD diaphragm transducer to be explicated in Test Bench, the first being an Eminence compression driver and the remaining all woofers from SB Acoustics. The high-end MW19TX-8 has a substantial feature set with similar features as the rest of Satori series with TPCD cones, impressing immediately by its distinctive cosmetics and subjective performance, which this characterization illustrates.

Closing this edition, Vance's Industry Watch includes a celebration of the anniversary of stereo, updates on the latest New Suspension Design Software from Loudsoft, and technology and product update announcements from Eminence, Audio Precision, Listen, and the Audio & Loudspeaker Technologies International (ALTI) association.

This edition of Voice Coil is available for download and already in the mail to print subscribers. Subscribers can go to - www.gotomyvcoil.com - to download this issue.

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