audioXpress.com - The Most Popular Stories of 2021

We looked at the most-read articles of 2021 in audioXpress.com (including selected articles from Voice Coil magazine), and we created this Top 10 list of news stories and online articles. 2021 expanded slightly on the record-breaking year that was 2020 for audioXpress.com, in terms of number of visits and regular users of the website. Visitors from all over the world returned more often to read the more than 7,700 stories available. Which of the topics and stories published online in 2021 were the most popular? Here are the results!

This Test Bench focuses on Eighteen Sound’s latest ND2T, a 1.4” neodymium compression driver, combined for characterization with the XT1464 elliptical-shaped horn, also from Eighteen Sound. This ultra-compact compression driver features a 2.4” diameter edge-wound voice coil wound with aluminum wire on a non-conducting Nomex former with a proprietary treatment. This assembly drives a field-replaceable pure titanium diaphragm and proprietary tangerine radial phase plug design. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, October 2021.

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.

This Test Bench combines three new 25mm high-frequency transducers from German brand BlieSMa into a single characterization: the BlieSMa T25S-6 Silk Dome, the BlieSMa T25B-6 Beryllium Dome, and the BlieSMa T25D-6 Diamond Dome. All three tweeters appear to be built on the same platform, but optimized for each diaphragm material, and all three share pretty much the same feature set. BlieSMa was founded in January 16, 2018 by former Morel and Accuton engineer, Stanislav Malikov. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 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 edition celebrates 35 years of Voice Coil, the Periodical for the Loudspeaker Industry. We discuss a new earphone technology for Balanced Frequency Range, Mike Klasco writes about Subwoofers and Bass, and James Croft reviews a new loudspeaker patent from Tymphany. Finally, Vance Dickason places Purifi Audio’s PTT4.0X04-NFA-01 Home Audio Midbass, and Eighteen Sound’s AMT200P AMT driver and XMT200 waveguide on the Test Bench. Now available in print or download.

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.

This Test Bench characterizes the Beyma 12LEX1300Nd 12" driver from Beyma's new LEX Series. This latest design features a FEA-optimized neodymium magnet structure and 4" voice coil, and is targeted at two- and three-way PA speakers, or band-pass subwoofer designs. The entire woofer is optimized with a substantial set of features for very high-performance, including the company's unique Maltcross forced convention cooling system. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, July 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.

The Purifi Audio PTT6.5X04-NFA-01 midbass transducer is an over-achiever, and to help understand why, Dickason talks with Lars Risbo about the research and thought process that lead to many of the features found in this woofer. Including the unique cone assembly that consists of a mildly curvilinear paper cone made with a proprietary fiber mix, a 3.13” concave dust cap, and a V-shaped edge reinforcing ring, the NBR surround, and what Dickason calls "probably the most unique surround in the history of Voice Coil’s Test Bench. This article was published in Voice Coil July 2021.