R&D Stories: Future Shock. Powersoft Audio’s Amplifier Technologies

Stuart Yaniger details the amplifier technologies developed and perfected by Powersoft Audio, the Italian company based in Scandicci, Florence. From the introduction of Class-D amplification to the unique company philosophy, Yaniger discusses how Powersoft Audio strived to define the technological edge of its markets rather than follow trends. This article was originally published in audioXpress, August 2014.

With a very discreet announcement on their own website, SEAS Fabrikker has stepped ahead of many other major loudspeaker manufacturers with the commercial introduction of a graphene-coated 5-inch woofer. And the new W16NX003 model also signals the launch of a completely new series of Excel Graphene woofers, as the company confirms. "More than a thousand engineering hours and significant investments have been put into the Excel Graphene product line, and the W16NX003 is the first one," they state.

In order to generate a sound, a driver must vibrate. But what happens when one or more drivers are placed on the same baffle? In the exact moment that the cone begins to move, it starts to transmit — through the frame and the screws — vibrations to the cabinet and to the other drivers that are fixed on it. This article discusses multiples approaches to handle the problem, working on material, dimension, thickness, density, rigidity, and damping of the panels to be used. This article was published in audioXpress, February 2008.