R&D Stories: Motion Feedback Desktop Subwoofers for Nearfield Studio Monitors

In this article, Zami Schwartzman shares his personal journey to design and perfect his own accelerometer-based motion feedback desktop subwoofers, including plate amplifiers with MFB control, crossover and voice coil thermal protection that can be matched with any low frequency MFB driver. The proof of concept demonstrated the ability to perfectly complement popular active nearfield monitors, mitigating the effects of room reflection. This article was originally published in audioXpress, September 2022.

Following extensive research, Klippel GmbH has announced its new Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) technology. This is an integrated approach that leverages the company's software and hardware tools for development, measurement and evaluation of new-generation loudspeaker systems, providing mechanical and thermal protection, automatic system alignment, active compensation of transducer nonlinearities and stabilization of the voice coil rest position. In other words, enabling research towards the speakers of the future.

Maxim Integrated Products introduced the MAX98390 smart amplifier with integrated Dynamic Speaker Management (DSM) algorithm to efficiently deliver louder, clearer, richer sound at the lowest quiescent power in the market. The boosted, digital Class D DSM smart amplifier unleashes a system's full audio potential by safely driving higher power levels (up to 5.1W) into tiny speakers typically rated for much lower power between 1 to 3W.