Diaphragm VS Armature

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade I revised my description of the Dynamic and Balanced Armature drivers based on your input. Hope, I got it right this time. For me the key question is why a Balanced Armature driver is an improvement (sonically) over a Dynamic driver (or is it)? Does it in fact lessen the inertia of the diaphragm by making it lighter or does it just exert more control over the diaphragm (or neither; maybe improved sound has nothing to do with it); maybe it just enables them to design a smaller IEM?

BTW, your definition of a dynamic driver is still incorrect. The magnetic field from the magnet is static. It does not fluctuate/oscillate in any way.

I will post a collection of Balanced Armature info shortly. Meanwhile, the "Headphone" dynamic driver definition in Wikipedia is now correct, but incomplete.

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth BTW, your definition of a dynamic driver is still incorrect. The magnetic field from the magnet is static. It does not fluctuate/oscillate in any way. I will post a collection of Balanced Armature info shortly. Meanwhile, the "Headphone" dynamic driver definition in Wikipedia is now correct, but incomplete.

I changed it to "fluctuating magnetic field". Does that make more sense?

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade I changed it to "fluctuating magnetic field". Does that make more sense?

As you have it stated, it is fundamentally incorrect. The magnetic field from the permanet magnet does not fluctuate.

See:
Wiki definition for Dynamic headphone driver

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth As you have it stated, it is fundamentally incorrect. The magnetic field from the permanet magnet does not fluctuate. See: Wiki definition for Dynamic headphone driver

I see your point? It's the coil's magnetic field that is fluctuating? Made the corrections?

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade I see your point? It's the coil's magnetic field that is fluctuating? Made the corrections?

By george, you've got it!

 

[tucker71]

Do armatures vibrate to the point that you could physically FEEL them working, or is the vibration far too weak for that?
If yes, would an armature that was placed near the outside edge of a custom IEM provide a vibrating subwoofer sensation?

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tucker71 1. Do armatures vibrate to the point that you could physically FEEL them working, or is the vibration far too weak for that? 2. If yes, would an armature that was placed near the outside edge of a custom IEM provide a vibrating subwoofer sensation?

Yes, to the first question, and no to the second.

 

[setmenu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade For me the key question is why a Balanced Armature driver is an improvement (sonically) over a Dynamic driver (or is it)? Does it in fact lessen the inertia of the diaphragm by making it lighter or does it just exert more control over the diaphragm (or neither; maybe improved sound has nothing to do with it); maybe it just enables them to design a smaller IEM?

One of the main advantages of the balanced armature design is the separation
of the motor assembly from the diaphragm.
Separating the relatively heavy coil assembly means it no longer imparts it's
mass to the diaphragm, this allows the designer much more freedom with
choice of wire guage and number of coil turns.
It is now far easier to design super powerful motors that can be efficiently
driven from a larger range of power sources.
[ This advantage of the balanced armature design may have also been
due to the lack of high power permanent
magnets in times past, modern neodymuin magnets are incredibly powerful
for a given volume, reducing the need for big coils ]
Powerful motors are especially important for the balanced armatures primary
market which requires very tiny high power/spl drivers, that of of hearing aids.
If you examine the frequency response of the the drivers sold by the likes of
Knowles you will see the naked response has a pronounced hump within the
frequencies of interest to the latter market.[spls of 140db are often quoted ]

It seems that most if not all of our favorite iems have been based around
these hearing aid transducers, implemented to best achieve a wider
bandwidth to suit the professional/consumer audio industry.
I believe I read on the boards [maybe form our friend at Shure] that
manufacturers are now intending to develop more specialist transducers
designed primarily for the reproduction of music?




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