BUILDING BETTER SPEAKERS

Florian Marmisse, Junior Electroacoustic Engineer with Sonus faber, gives EI a behind the scenses look at how the company designs and creates its speakers, overseen by Mario Passarelli (R&D Manager).

The mix of new technologies/simulations/experiments and knowledge is the basis of how to design the high-end audio product in the Sonus faber R&D department.

The 20 years of loudspeaker design from Mario Passarelli (R&D Manager) allows design efficient drivers, from the first coil wiring to the shore of the surround. His knowledge allows Sonus faber to start every project with a good and solid basis : the loudspeaker.

Once designed and produced, using KLIPPEL Analyser, the acoustic team can understand the physical behavior of the driver and its limits. DC Offset? Non symmetrical force factor or stiffness? Distortion? Compression? Nothing escape Mario’s watchful eye. Then, thanks to F.E.M. simulations, electroacoustic engineers can proceed of the optimisation of the loudspeaker. Motor non linearity optimisation, Spider and surround shape design, turbulences of reflex ports are among other what can be improved with the help COMSOL Multiphysics software.

Together For Cinema is an AV industry good cause enterprise with a focus on designing and installing home cinema rooms in children’s hospices and other deserving locations across the UK. These rooms not only benefit the children and young adults, but also their families, carers, staff and volunteers.

The recycling of second hand and B-stock is in plan and some items have already been donated and installed.

Together For Cinema has excellent support and backing from the AV industry, but more can be done. Please contact us to donate product, to assist with an installation or to consider becoming a sponsor of this AV industry good cause.

Spearheaded by founder Ian Morrish, Together For Cinema has so far completed 29 cinema rooms at a normal installation value of over £620,000. Our target of 50 rooms and £1m worth of installations is scheduled for completion by 2026.

Essential Install are proud to support this great cause and be a lead Media Partner.

“Together For Cinema – together for better”

Show your support today by visiting www.togetherforcinema.co.uk

Proud Media Partners of Together For Cinema

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Beside more than the loudspeaker itself, Sonus faber has a particular attention to what’s happening inside the cabinets. Analysing the internal acoustic modes of an enclosure allows us to ensure that no resonances will be played through the duct in a bass reflex configuration for instance. The lute shape, internal braces and clever position of damping material are good solutions to study to limit it. Once the drivers and the cabinet are tested and approved, we start the crossover design. An internal Sonus faber chart defines the optimal frequency response shape and the acceptable relative phases gap between drivers to obtain the beautiful stereo image and soundstage. To do so, simulations are once again needed. Importing inside the simulator near field / far field / on axis and out of axis measurement of the drivers in enclosure, we are able to draft a x-over that respect the Sonus faber chart.

After the simulation, the crossover is built in order to be tested and verified. In parallel with the measurements, comparative listening sessions are always performed involving all members of the design lab with different opinions on the evaluation given. Doing so, we ensure the Sonus faber sound signature is respected.

At the end of the process, the complete assembled pair of speaker (with crossover included in cabinet) goes from the lab measurement area to the listening room. This room, completely decoupled from floor, walls and ceiling is built as a room in a room in order to control the vibration transmissions through solid surfaces.

Moreover, an optimal acoustic treatment has been engineered in this room with the philosophy to rather diffuse the sound than absorb the acoustical energy.

This room is where the team spend the most time at the end of the project, enjoying the work every person has contributed to, listening to good music and already thinking to what amazing project will come next.