Exploring Common DIY Terminology - Le

Le (Thiele/Small Parameter)

Le refers to the voice coil inductance of a loudspeaker driver. It is an electrical property that plays a significant role in the driver's performance and behavior. The voice coil is a wire wound around a hollow cylinder called the former and is attached to the loudspeaker's diaphragm or cone. When an audio signal is passed through the voice coil, it interacts with the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet or electromagnet surrounding the voice...

Coaxial Driver

A coaxial driver is a type of speaker driver that incorporates two or more drivers mounted concentrically within a single chassis. It typically consists of a tweeter mounted at the center of a larger driver, such as a woofer or mid-range driver. The coaxial design aims to provide improved integration and coherence between the different frequency ranges, resulting in more accurate and coherent sound reproduction.

Advantages of coaxial driver design:

• Point

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Excursion

Excursion refers to the movement of the speaker's diaphragm or cone. It represents the maximum distance the diaphragm can travel back and forth from its resting position when driven by an electrical signal. Excursion is typically measured in millimeters and is an important specification in loudspeaker design. It determines the maximum displacement capability of the diaphragm, which directly affects the loudspeaker's ability to reproduce low-frequency content accurately and...

Phase Plug

A phase plug is a stationary structure placed at the center of the loudspeaker driver's diaphragm, just in front of the voice coil. It is typically a cylindrical or conical-shaped object made of materials like plastic, metal, or wood. The phase plug's design may vary depending on the specific driver and its intended application. Its primary purpose is to improve the driver's performance by addressing issues related to phase cancellation and dispersion. The function of the...

Magnetic Shielding

Magnetic shielding is a technique used in loudspeaker design to prevent the magnetic field generated by the driver's magnet from interfering with nearby electronic devices, particularly CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) displays. When a loudspeaker's magnet is positioned close to a CRT screen, it can distort the image by deflecting the electron beams in the CRT, causing color shifts and geometric distortions. The concept of magnetic shielding was developed to address this issue...

Ribbon

A ribbon tweeter is a type of high-frequency transducer used in loudspeakers to reproduce the treble and upper midrange frequencies. It is called a "ribbon" tweeter because its diaphragm is typically a thin, narrow strip of metal foil or film that resembles a ribbon. The ribbon diaphragm is suspended in a magnetic field, and when an electrical current passes through it, it vibrates back and forth to produce sound. This design comes with several advantages:

• Lightweight

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Radiation Pattern

The radiation pattern, also known as the directivity pattern, is a graphical representation of how sound radiates into space. It shows the distribution of sound as a function of direction and is typically presented in polar coordinates. In the context of loudspeakers, the radiation pattern describes how the sound is dispersed from the speaker in different directions. It is important for understanding how a loudspeaker interacts with its environment and how the sound...

Xmax (Thiele/Small Parameter)

Xmax refers to the maximum distance the diaphragm can move from its resting position in a linear manner without causing undesirable effects such as distortion or damage to the loudspeaker. Excursion of the diaphragm is crucial determinant of a driver's performance, as it determines its ability to reproduce low-frequency sounds with sufficient volume and accuracy. Xmax is typically specified in millimeters (mm) and is measured as the peak-to-peak distance...

Coloration

Coloration refers to the alteration or distortion of the sound produced by a speaker system, resulting in a deviation from the original audio signal. It is characterized by an emphasis or de-emphasis of certain frequencies or frequency ranges, which can lead to an unnatural or colored sound reproduction. Coloration can be caused by various factors, including resonances, frequency response irregularities, phase issues, and nonlinear distortion. To minimize or eliminate coloration...

Faraday Ring

The Faraday ring, named after the English scientist Michael Faraday, is an electromagnetic component used in loudspeakers and other audio systems. It serves to minimize electromagnetic interference and distortion caused by eddy currents induced in the voice coil and pole piece of a loudspeaker driver. Faraday rings are typically made of conductive materials, such as copper or aluminum, and are placed around the pole piece of a loudspeaker driver.

When an alternating...