Voice Coil February 2022 Highlights Innovation in Speaker Diaphragms

The February 2022 edition of Voice Coil is now available and brings the latest information about speaker diaphragms and all the innovations in cones, domes, and surrounds. Martin Turesson tells the story of Composite Sound and its second-generation Metamodal TPCD technology, while Mike Klasco discusses advancements in materials and processes for speaker diaphragms and surrounds. And in Test Bench, Vance Dickason characterizes the latest Satori MW19TX-8 midbass woofer by SB Acoustics using TPCD (TeXtreme) technology, before addressing the latest Industry updates.

We're off to a great start in 2022. Starting with details about the promise of Iron Nitride (FeN) magnets, followed by an article about Liquid Injection Molding Silicon for Next-Generation Headphone Surrounds. Next up, James Croft reviews a surround speaker patent granted to Klipsch, and Vance Dickason characterizes the Satori MW13TX-4 TPCD-cone woofer from SB Acoustics and the high-power WF275BD01 10.75" woofer from Wavecor. All articles now available to read online, PDF and print.

This Test Bench article characterizes the SB Acoustics Satori MW16TX-8 TeXtreme Cone 6.5” Woofer, the third diaphragm transducer in Test Bench using this material, following the Eminence N314X-8 compression driver, and the SB Acoustics TW29TXN-B-4 dome tweeter. TeXtreme diaphragms are definitely finding acceptance among loudspeaker manufacturers. The MW16TX-8 is part of the SB Satori line of high-end transducers and has a substantial feature set. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, June 2021.

This Test Bench characterizes an ultra-compact 1.4” compression driver design from Eighteen Sound, the NSD1424BTN, combined with the brand's XT1464 60°x50° horn. This driver is driven by a 62mm diameter edge-wound voice coil, proprietary True Pistonic Motion (TPM) Tin (nitrate compound)-coated titanium diaphragm, 3P phase plug design with short openings and a high flare rate to reduce distortion and improve mid-range detail. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, May 2021.

Voice Coil June 2021 explores the CTA-2010 Standard Method of Measurement for Subwoofers, and follows with a scheduled directory of Headphone Test & Measurement Equipment suppliers and solutions. James Croft reviews an interesting patent exploring a combination design with dual-diaphragm compression drivers, and Vance Dickason characterizes the much-anticipated SB Acoustics Satori MW16TX-8 Textreme Cone 6.5" Woofer, and the very original BDNC BGF-46166-18-4-003 Glass-Composite Diaphragm Woofer. Now available in print and digital.

PerListen Audio, a new audio company founded by an experienced team of industry professionals, announced its intention to develop and bring to market a full line of THX Certified loudspeakers, bridging the gap between large home theater speakers and those used in movie theaters worldwide. All the new PerListen speakers feature state-of-the-art drivers, including beryllium tweeters, TexTreme woofers and carbon fiber midranges with advanced waveguides, all designed using advanced Comsol acoustic modeling.

We looked at the most-read articles of 2020 in audioXpress.com (which also includes selected articles from Voice Coil magazine), and we created this Top 10 list of news stories and online articles. 2020 was another record-breaking year for audioXpress.com, with visitors from all over the world returning often to read the more than 6,600 stories available. Which of the topics and stories published online in 2020 were the most popular? Here are the results!

In this Test Bench article, Vance Dickason focused on a home audio TeXtreme diaphragm tweeter from SB Acoustics' Satori line, the TW29TXN-B-4. What makes this tweeter so special is that it has a new TeXtreme diaphragm, a novel type of material that is used in applications that require a high degree of stiffness performance in combination with ultra-light weight. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2020.

This is certainly a very heterogeneous edition of Voice Coil. It features a special report about manufacturing in Vietnam, complete with a directory and a list of trade shows. Igor Levitsky returns to offer valuable details about the latest Radian Audio Engineering LT2/LT6 Ribbon Planar transducers. James Croft reviews a "Venting System for Vehicle Speaker Assembly patent," recently granted to Harman. And, Vance Dickason characterizes the ND45 1" compression driver from Oberton, and the TW29TXN-B-4 TeXtreme diaphragm tweeter from SB Acoustics' Satori line. Voice Coil September 2020 is now available online and in print.

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.