Diagnosing Design Issues Using the Klippel Distortion Analyzer

The founder and principal of Redrock Acoustics, renowned for offering engineering and design services, Patrick Turnmire has tested thousands of driver samples during his career, including countless for Voice Coil's Test Bench. Having recently reopened access to its Klippel testing and transducer analysis services, Turnmire shares his vast experience, advising on how to make sure the tests are robust enough to clearly see the loudspeaker performance.

In the first issue of Voice Coil for 2024, Patrick Turnmire writes about "Diagnosing Speaker Design Issues Using the Klippel Distortion Analyzer." James Croft reviews a Devialet patent. And in Test Bench, Vance Dickason characterizes the new DE350-8 Ultra-Compact 1" Compression Driver from B&C Speakers, and the new LM10n Wide Band Ribbon Transducer from Radian Audio Engineering. This issue also features an updated directory of 2024 Earphone and Headphone Manufacturers and Parts Suppliers.

Redrock Acoustics, the company founded by Patrick Turnmire, announced the launch of a new website that also signals the return of the company to offering loudspeaker testing services. Renowned for offering engineering and design services, Redrock Acoustics is again opening access to services that include Klippel testing and transducer analysis. Visitors to the new website will find information about all services, and the SpeaD transducer development software, as well as other design tools.

This edition of Test Bench characterizes Dayton Audio’s new 6” diameter ultra-low-profile midwoofer, the LW150-4. This is a new ultrathin profile cone 6” diameter midbass driver featuring a six-spoke cast-aluminum frame with a 1.5” total depth. The depth reduction is significant as the motor assembly is housed inside the frame and uses a neodymium slug and a 1.5” diameter return cup that incorporates a T-pole. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, March 2016.

This interview was published in Voice Coil August 2013. Nearly 10 years since Patrick Turnmire, of Redrock Acoustics, had started providing Voice Coil with valuable Klippel data for Vance Dickason’s the Test Bench column. In this interview Patrick Turnmire explains his work with his company, Redrock Acoustics.

The amount of flux running through the pole in a conventional “Hamburger” motor structure is a key loudspeaker design element that is often a limiting factor in the design process. PoleSolver is a design tool from Redrock Acoustics that makes all the different calculations quick and easy. An article originally published by Voice Coil, August 2010.