Test Bench: B&C Speakers 21DS115 21-Inch Woofer

The transducer I examined in this edition of Test Bench came from Italian Pro Sound OEM manufacturer B&C Speakers, who sent the neodymium motor 21DS115, a 21” high power handling woofer. The B&C 21DS115-8 is rated at 1,700 WRMS with a continuous power handling rated at 3,400 WRMS. The 21DS115-8 weighs in at a modest (for an 21” woofer!) 32.8 lb. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, August 2016.

The transducer I examined this month came from Italian Pro Sound OEM manufacturer B&C Speakers, who sent the DE1090TN, a 1.4” neodymium motor compression driver with a titanium diaphragm. The DE1090TN compression driver is coupled with B&C Speakers’ ME90 80° × 60° constant directivity horn. At this time, the DE1090TN, with a 36 mm (1.4”) throat diameter, is the highest power handling model (120 W) in the brand's line. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, August 2016.

The 8” 8NSM64 is a rather unique new pro sound midrange driver from B&C Speakers. It’s a closed-back midrange! Closed-back midranges are often associated with cheap speakers because by using a frame with no relief holes in the back, you don’t have to build a midrange chamber. In this case, the 8NSM64 is a very high-power handling (500 W continuous) 8” midrange for professional PA applications, with a reasonable volume that can be damped with absorption material. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 2016.

Displayed early at the recent Prolight+Sound 2017 show in Frankfurt, B&C Speakers has added its new 18DS115 subwoofer to its portfolio. According to the Italian pro audio speaker company, the new 18" driver is an evolution of what has been possible in all key parameters, mainly due to its new four layer aluminum voice coil, providing more energy in the gap, higher sensitivity, lower distortion and better overall performance.

WW Speaker Cabinets introduced its new X21 subwoofer cabinet solution to the DIY market. The X21 is the first commercially available home audio DIY subwoofer cabinet designed for 21” drivers. X21 subwoofer cabinets are lock mitered allowing WW Speaker Cabinets to offer finished cabinets with a choice of veneers, stains and lacquer finishes as well as raw MDF. All X21 subwoofer cabinets are customized for specific individual driver models and performance data is provided for each driver.

Among the many audio exhibitors at ISE 2017, there were several interesting proposals in terms of speaker design for the commercial and residential integration market. One of the highlights was the presentation of a new company and brand. Architettura Sonora (AS) is part of the B&C Speakers Group, one of the most prestigious professional transducer manufacturers in the world. Now targeting, new horizons in installation sound, combining architectural materials with cutting-edge designs.

Building on the success of the recently released 18RBX100 high performance ferrite subwoofer, Italian pro sound OEM B&C Speakers has added a 15” alternative to the RBX range. The new 15RBX100 subwoofer from B&C is rated for 2000 W continuous program power capacity, and anchors the brand's ferrite subwoofer line, all featuring new FEA optimized motor structures.

In this edition, we kick off 2017 with an overview of what the 2017 NAMM and Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) trade shows might bring. This month's Spotlight features an important article by Marian Liebig (Klippel), discussing the specific challenges of Testing Mobile Devices such as Bluetooth headphones and smartphones. Vance Dickason test the SB Acoustics 6.5” MR16P-4 Satori midrange, and the 6.5” 6MBX44 midwoofer from B&C Speakers.

November 2016 marks the beginning of Voice Coil’s 30th year and this issue celebrates it accordingly! The November 2016 issue is filled with great articles including a Spotlight by Mike Klasco on MEMS Microphones, and an extensive directory of Mic Capsule Vendors. In this month’s Acoustic Patents, James Croft reviews two different patents, which apparently should have been scrutinized by industry experts - and weren’t. While this month’s Test Bench features new drivers from two of the premier Italian Pro Sound OEM manufacturers, Faital Pro and B&C Speakers.

The driver I examined this month was Italian Pro Sound OEM manufacturer B&C Speakers’ new high temperature polymer diaphragm DE110-8 compression driver coupled with B&C Speakers’ ME10 90° × 60° hyperbolic cosine flare horn (see Photo 1). The ultra compact DE110-8 joins B&C Speakers’ extensive series of 1” throat compression drivers. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 2015.