Test Bench: The 140FCD 1” Compression Driver from REDCATT

This Test Bench edition characterizes the 140FCD 1" compression driver from REDCATT, a relatively new OEM pro sound driver manufacturer - a privately held, international company established in 2014 and based in FuMing Industrial City, DongGuan, China. The core management team at REDCATT has been sourcing and building transducer components, sub-assemblies and systems in China for more than 25 years, and its team members have been working around the world for the biggest companies in the audio market with direct R&D and manufacturing experience. This article was published originally in Voice Coil, August 2020.

This Test Bench article addresses an interesting home audio tweeter from Creative Sound Solutions (CSS). The company sent Voice Coil its latest high-end tweeter, the LD25X, a special driver with a unique dual-gap patented XBL2 motor. CSS licenses the XBL2 technology from inventor Dan Wiggins for two of their woofers and for the LD25X tweeter. The XBL2 motor features a short voice coil traveling between two gaps, allowing for a higher Xmax than most conventional motors can provide. The LD25X tweeter features a 25mm silk dome diaphragm and flat silk surround, in a 73 mm diameter six screw cast-aluminum faceplate anodized semi-flat black. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 2020.

In this edition of Test Bench, Vance Dickason characterizes the recently announced SEAS L19RNX1 woofer from the company's new Prestige Titan Series. The L19RNX1 is the second woofer in this new 19 cm series of SEAS woofers, the first being the W19NX001 Excel Graphene-coated magnesium cone woofer. The L19RNX1 7” woofer uses a frame that is completely open beneath the spider mounting shelf, and with a small 12 mm diameter pole vent, so substantial air can be pumped past the voice coil and over the front plate. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 2020.

For this Voice Coil Test Bench, Vance Dickason characterized the ND45 compression driver from Oberton, which has been in development for some time, and is an improved version of the company's previous ND2545 design. The ND45 was submitted along with the H-960 1" throat PBT-PET 90x 60º constant directivity horn. The ND45 has a 44 mm (1.75”) diameter two-layer voice coil wound with aluminum wire wound onto a Kapton former driving a polyester sandwich diaphragm and vented surround, with the entire assembly being field replaceable. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2020.

In this article, Vance Dickason measures the Radian Audio Engineering's LT6 Horn-Loaded Ribbon Device, part of an expanding series designed by 35-year loudspeaker engineering veteran Igor Levitsky for the Californian manufacturer. The LT6 is a pro sound driver but was designed to be a more hi-fidelity substitute for 1" compression drivers, and that is a direct result of Levitsky extensive experience in designing high-end residential, and cinema sound systems. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, June 2020.

This Test bench measures the massive Eminence NSW6021-6 21" neodymium low-frequency woofer, part of the company's recently announced Tour Grade series. This family of pro audio woofers consists of two 18" options, including the Ferrite Magnet FSW4018-8, and the Neodymium Magnet NSW4018-8 that appeared in the March 2020 Test Bench. The NSW6021-6 is a very high power handling 21" woofer, designed over two years to support the requirements of touring sound professionals who want to move more air, more efficiently, and without failures in a wide range of applications and venues. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, June 2020.

This Test Bench focuses on a very special new Eminence product, the new N314X 1.4" compression driver. The N314X is the first compression driver that uses TeXtreme composite for a diaphragm. TeXtreme thin-ply carbon is a novel type of material that is used in applications that require a high degree of stiffness performance in combination with ultralight weight. Designed for use with 1.4” throat horns, the N314X compression driver has a 35.6 mm (1.4”) throat diameter driven by a 3" diameter voice coil wound with round copper-clad aluminum wire (CCAW) on a non-conducting polyimide former driving the TeXtreme diaphragm and PEN surround. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, May 2020.

Vance Dickason characterizes a very high power handling 18" woofer from Eminence’s recently announced Tour Grade pro sound product line, the NSW4018-8. The Tour Grade family consists of two 18" options, including the ferrite magnet FSW4018-8, the neodymium magnet NSW4018-8, and the massive neodymium magnet 21” NSW6021-6, and was developed over two years to support the undisputed growth of professional audio. Applications for the new Eminence NSW4018-8 include use as a bass driver in multiway systems, or as a dedicated subwoofer in bass reflex designs. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, May 2020.

The transducer Celestion sent for this Test Bench joins the extensive CDX line of neodymium motor compression drivers. Designed for use with 1.4” throat horns, the CDX14-3040 is driven by a 75 mm (3") diameter voice coil wound with edge-wound copper clad aluminum wire (CCAW) on a non-conducting former driving a single-piece titanium diaphragm and surround. Celestion also supplied its new 1.4” H14-7050 70°x50° constant directivity horn. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, April 2020.

In this Test Bench, Vance Dickason receives the latest 18NDXL Imperium, a very high power handling 18" low-frequency woofer from British brand Fane. Designed by this revitalized company with a rich history, the 18NDXL Imperium includes uses as a bass driver in multiway systems or as a dedicated woofer in bass reflex or horn loaded designs. The feature set for the 18NDXL is like most high-performance pro sound drivers, rather substantial. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, April 2020.