Electrostatic Speakers Electrostatic Speakers Natalie Grace-Hansen - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Electrostatic Speakers Electrostatic Speakers Natalie Grace-Hansen Natalie Grace-Hansen John Griffith John Griffith Sio Meng Leong Sio Meng Leong John Mink John Mink

What Is It? What Is It? Alternative speaker Alternative speaker design that is more design that is more efficient and space- efficient and space- saving in comparison to saving in comparison to a traditional cone a traditional cone speaker speaker

How It Works How It Works • A nonconductive • A nonconductive diaphragm is placed diaphragm is placed between 2 capacitive between 2 capacitive plates that are oppositely plates that are oppositely charged charged • When the diaphragm is • When the diaphragm is negatively charged, it negatively charged, it moves towards the moves towards the positively charged plate positively charged plate • Vice versa when the • Vice versa when the diaphragm is positively diaphragm is positively charged charged

Electrostatic Principles Electrostatic Principles • Capacitance stores a constant polarization • Capacitance stores a constant polarization charge on the diaphragm charge on the diaphragm • Electrostatic Force pushes and pulls the • Electrostatic Force pushes and pulls the diaphragm to create the sound waves diaphragm to create the sound waves • Alternating audio signal fed down • Alternating audio signal fed down transmission line that changes charge on transmission line that changes charge on high voltage, capacitive plates called high voltage, capacitive plates called stators stators

Major Design Differences Major Design Differences • No heavy cones to • Dampening material • No heavy cones to • Dampening material limit frequencies and behind to reduce the limit frequencies and behind to reduce the less distortion resonance less distortion resonance • Lightweight design • Acts as a line source, • Lightweight design • Acts as a line source, from thin large coated not a point source from thin large coated not a point source diaphragm diaphragm • Diaphragm moves • Diaphragm moves between 2 stators between 2 stators

References References • www.soundlab-speakers.com • www.soundlab-speakers.com • www.howstuffworks.com • www.howstuffworks.com • www.beststuff.com • www.beststuff.com • mark.rehorst.com/ESLs • mark.rehorst.com/ESLs