Innovative Speakers and Headphone Drivers in Voice Coil January 2023

For this first issue of 2023, Voice Coil compiled a set of valuable headphone and earphone driver vendor directories, updated with the latest factories. The remainder of this issue is centered on Test Bench characterizations of two very innovative drivers that Vance Dickason has received. The first one on the Test Bench was the PTT6.5M08-NFA-01 6.5" Midrange from Purifi Audio; The second driver was the already popular SW26DBAC76-4 10" shallow subwoofer from SB Acoustics.

Listen is the first test and measurement company to automate measuring loudspeakers to the new AES75-2022 (M-Noise) standard for Maximum SPL. This removes subjectivity, increases reliability, and saves time. The test sequence, developed for use within the company’s popular SoundCheck audio test and measurement system, is available free of charge on Listen’s website. And Listen is now offering the new Portland Tool & Die MDT-4000 audio measurement turntable, fully controllable from within SoundCheck.

SoundCheck 18, the latest release of Listen, Inc.’s flagship audio test and measurement system, contains many new features focused on automation and simplicity. Some of these are specifically designed for large-scale integration in factory environments, while others are designed to accelerate R&D testing, particularly where multiple channels are required and/or voice-activated devices are being tested.

The updated BTC-4149 Bluetooth measurement interface, available worldwide exclusively from Listen, Inc., together with its SoundCheck 17 software, now supports aptX HD and aptX-Low Latency Bluetooth protocols for accurate measurement of high definition and low latency Bluetooth devices. This enables manufacturers of Bluetooth audio devices to accurately test the audio of the latest high performance Bluetooth sink and Bluetooth source devices, making the same measurements as on traditional audio devices.