audioXpress previously highlighted this startup company from Taiwan in its coverage of the virtual CES 2021 event, where Ted Zhou, the founder and CEO of Sounds Great introduced the nano-semiconductor technology as part of the Taiwan Startup CES 2021 showcase. The concept of a speaker chip, with a minimal size of just 1mm x 1mm x 0.2mm was pitched as an ideal solution to extend battery life in true wireless earbuds with the possibility to create larger chips optimized for lower frequency ranges that could be combined without impact consumption in a major way. But the potential applications for Sounds Great' Semicon Speaker technology are much larger and that's what the company is promoting at this year's CES.
Touted as a breakthrough in speaker technology, Sounds Great's Motion Microchip reduces the form factor by 90% compared to the traditional coil in dynamic drivers used in earphones, while increasing the potential power range by 10x. These claims are now finding potential interest in a wider range of applications, from conferencing solutions to new-generation wearables, where the demand for higher quality audio output at lower power is rising exponentially.
But it's the potential appeal for efficient multi-driver TWS earbuds and hearing aids that stands-out as an immediate market for the semiconductor speaker (semicon speaker) technology. "Sounds Great's SDS solution is turning the audio world on its head by enabling two to six Dynamic Speakers in one earbud, compared to a single such speaker in existing earphones," says Ted Zhou.
Obviously, the SDS Motion Microchips concept could find applications in any field currently limited by the standard dynamic microspeakers, replacing voice coils in compact devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and any portable or wearable audio equipment. For those applications, SDS also reproduces stereo sound in a 7x6mm form factor with independent tweeters, mid-range, woofers and even subwoofers focusing on very low frequency, resulting in sound pressure level optimization with extended frequency response.
An advantage mentioned specifically by Ted Zhou for this technology is the ability to customize the sound curve with precision, acting over very narrow bands in the signal, instead of amplifying or attenuating entire frequency bands. In its website the company already discusses possible array customizations from a 2-speaker system to a 4-speaker system, with or without Bass Reflex Port.
Sounds Great is also working on the development of multiple diaphragm materials on each independent speaker, creating SDS arrays with richer timbres for enhanced sound reproduction. "SDS' ability to create powerful and quality sound from compact spaces is a precursor to even more revolutionary audio applications such as hidden speakers on eyeglasses, AR/VR solutions, smart furniture, and even redefine car stereo architecture," adds co-founder Edmund Wu.
According to the company, the SDS technology is extremely scalable and highly cost-competitive, as a single 12-inch wafer can produce 30,000 semiconductor speakers. Its proprietary technology also successfully eliminates the time and cost-consuming fine-tuning process traditional speakers undergo after final testing.
The company has already attracted the attention of some big names in venture capital. "Sounds Great is poised to change the way we consume audio and create new experiences for consumers around the world with its groundbreaking technology by utilizing Taiwan's prowess in semiconductor technologies and is co-founders' prior experience at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company," says Volker Heistermann, Managing Director at Mosaic Venture Lab and Movtec Capital Partners.
Sounds Great is focused on implementing semiconductor crossover applications for the audio industry. Its Semiconductor Dynamic Speakers solution won the General Award at Computex 2021. The company has already applied for 40 patents, nine of which have been approved, covering key technologies including Motion Microchip, Fields Sharing, and Circulation Enhancement.
Sounds Great is showcasing its latest technology during CES 2022 (January 5-7, 2022) at the TTA Pavilion, Booth 61423 and 61837 in Sands — Hall G, Eureka Park.
www.sgem1.com
