Test Bench: The 15DS100 15” Pro Sound Subwoofer from B&C Speakers

This Test Bench explication characterizes the 15DS100 15” professional subwoofer from B&C Speakers. This new transducer from the Italian company is a very high power handling design, able to deliver 3kW continuous (1.6W nominal), thanks to B&C's latest generation of very long voice coils - a great asset in applications from discreet PA subwoofers to three-way PA speakers. The B&C 15DS100-4 uses a proprietary 12-spoke cast aluminum frame with cooling vents for the neodymium FEA motor, which uses a 4” four-layer voice coil wound with round aluminum wire on a non-conducting glass fiber former. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, October 2021.

In the December 2021 edition of Voice Coil, Vance Dickason details the possibilities of the CrossLite+ DSP filter software, while James Croft reviews an interesting invention to improve the bass response in automotive audio applications. And this edition includes an updated measurement microphone directory, and two interesting low-frequency drivers on Test Bench, with the Dayton Audio Epique MMAG E150HE-44 subwoofer, and the powerful 10NW76 high-SPL woofer from B&C Speakers.

This article characterizes a coaxial driver from B&C Speakers, a 5.25” woofer and 1.4" compression driver combo specifically built primarily for sound reinforcement applications. This driver's cooling is exclusively provided by the motor mass, a substantial neodymium ring magnet that powers both HF and LF units. No other vents are required for the 300W power rating given by B&C Speakers to the 5CXN44, which is impressive. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, August 2021.

The October 2021 edition of Voice Coil discusses "The State of Loudspeaker Magnetics," with an annual overview of these critical industry components and materials for loudspeakers, complemented with an updated industry directory focused on Integrated Electronics. James Croft covers a patent awarded to Coastal Source for the variable waveguide speaker control, while Vance Dickason characterizes the powerful 15DS100 professional subwoofer from B&C Speakers, and Eighteen Sound's latest ND2T 1.4” neodymium compression driver. Now available in print, immediate online access or download.

It's time for Loudspeaker News and Developments, unique technology Spotlights, valuable industry Directories, great speaker patent reviews, and Vance Dickason's speaker driver characterizations in Test Bench. This month, Bruno Putzeys and Lars Risbo write about their speaker research for Purifi Audio, James Croft reviews an acoustic low-pass filter patent awarded to Bujeon, and Vance Dickason tests the 5CXN44 coaxial driver from B&C Speakers. This edition features updated directories of Voice Coil and Magnet Vendors and Distributors.

In October 2015, audioXpress visited pro audio loudspeaker manufacturer Eighteen Sound in Italy, and we shared the details of its modern factory in Reggio Emilia. The article was intended to illustrate the ongoing company's expansion, combined with a bit of its history. A lot has changed in the company's structure since then, Eighteen Sound (and Ciare) was acquired by B&C Speakers, and the faces at Reggio Emilia also changed. This article was originally published in audioXpress, February 2016.

The product on this Test Bench is Eighteen Sound’s ND1TP Compression Driver and XT120 Horn. Already the result of the company's efforts in the aftermath of the Eighteen Sound (and Ciare) acquisition by B&C Speakers in 2018. The ultra-compact ND1TP compression driver has a 25mm (1") throat diameter driven by a 44mm (1.75") diameter edge-wound voice coil wound with copper-clad aluminum wire (CCAW) on a non-conducting Nomex former with a proprietary treatment. This article was published in Voice Coil, April 2021.

Continuing to expand on the innovation breakthroughs made possible by its ME464 1.4-inch horn, designed to extract the full potential of the DCX464 coaxial compression driver, B&C Speakers announced availability of the FB464 passive crossover, making available a unique ready-to-use solution. Notable results from the research work efforts by the Italian professional audio manufacturer that will greatly benefit integrators and speaker designers alike.

In the wake of innovation breakthroughs made possible by wide-bandwidth ring radiator drivers, B&C Speakers has now released the ME464 1.4-inch horn built especially to extract the full potential of the DCX family of coaxial drivers. The largest horn so far introduced by the Italian company and commercially available, the ME464 horn offers 70° x 55° nominal coverage with constant directivity and excellent loading down to 300 Hz. The development follows the introduction of the B&C DCM414 midrange compression driver, building on the DNA of the DCX464 HF coaxial design.

Want to know which of the topics and stories published online in 2019 were the most popular? We looked at the most-read articles of 2019 in audioXpress.com (which also includes selected articles from Voice Coil magazine), and we created this Top 10 list of news stories and online articles. Here are the results!