Voice Coil and audioXpress readers have heard of Brane Audio and the company's "Repel/Attract Driver" (R.A.D.) incorporating a magnetic negative spring, in January 2023 - when the concept was presented at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. The Brane X portable speaker that incorporates this innovation was launched commercially in early 2024, the reason why TIME now includes it in its Best Inventions of 2024 list.
As James Croft notes in Voice Coil November 2024, the R.A.D. driver uses a unique high-excursion position sensor that effectively enables the "Holy Grail" of the negative-spring woofer concept, and realizes its compelling theoretical potential to overturn Hofmann’s Iron Law and provide significantly deeper bass from much smaller enclosures (at least 1 to 2 octaves lower than the “Iron Law” limits). This is achieved through a proprietary array of permanent magnets, an air pump, and the use of a high-excursion position sensor to stabilize axial force and recenter the voice coil.
For his Acoustic Patents article, Croft reviews two of the relevant patents awarded to notable inventors Joseph Pinkerton, David Badger, James Andrews, William Lackowski, and William Everett, on behalf of Clean Energy Labs and Brane Audio, one granted in June 2024, and the second earlier in March 2023. Both patents are key foundation blocks on which the "Repel/Attract Driver" (R.A.D.) woofer is realized and led James Croft to write: "...Joseph Pinkerton and his team at the very least, deserve a Lemelson-MIT award, if not a Nobel Prize for this tremendous achievement."
The invention is, in this case, implemented in Brane Audio's portable speaker design, featuring an internal R.A.D. subwoofer that effectively allows for deep, rich sub-bass and exceptional sound performance without compromising portability or increasing power consumption. A development that Brane Audio describes as "a monumental leap in audio driver technology and the most significant in over a century," and "a new standard for what consumers can expect from portable sound."
"We are thrilled to receive this recognition from TIME,” says Joe Pinkerton, CEO and co-founder of Brane Audio, based in Austin, TX. "The Brane X was designed for those who refuse to compromise on sound quality and portability. Our RAD technology represents a significant leap forward in speaker design, making powerful sound accessible anywhere."
In addition to its impressive audio capabilities, the Brane X portable speaker features all the bells and whistles of advanced smart speakers in a waterproof design that is able to work for 12 hours on a single battery charge, and supports stereo and party modes. Advanced integrations include Alexa voice recognition, Spotify Connect, adjustable 5-band EQ, and a free, user-friendly mobile app. The Brane X is available for purchase from the company's online store braneaudio.com and Amazon for $499.
Obviously, it will be very difficult for Brane Audio to break into the mainstream consumer market with this proof-of-concept design. But maybe the visibility awarded by TIME's recognition will encourage Brane Audio to pursue new directions for its groundbreaking technology and eventually licensing its proprietary force cancellation design to the loudspeaker industry.
www.braneaudio.com
