Test Bench: SB Acoustics’ Satori MW16TX-8 Textreme Woofer

This Test Bench article characterizes the SB Acoustics Satori MW16TX-8 TeXtreme Cone 6.5” Woofer, the third diaphragm transducer in Test Bench using this material, following the Eminence N314X-8 compression driver, and the SB Acoustics TW29TXN-B-4 dome tweeter. TeXtreme diaphragms are definitely finding acceptance among loudspeaker manufacturers. The MW16TX-8 is part of the SB Satori line of high-end transducers and has a substantial feature set. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, June 2021.

This Test Bench characterizes an ultra-compact 1.4” compression driver design from Eighteen Sound, the NSD1424BTN, combined with the brand's XT1464 60°x50° horn. This driver is driven by a 62mm diameter edge-wound voice coil, proprietary True Pistonic Motion (TPM) Tin (nitrate compound)-coated titanium diaphragm, 3P phase plug design with short openings and a high flare rate to reduce distortion and improve mid-range detail. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, May 2021.

The AUGWL0006-JN01 is a new 2.25" woofer from Eastech’s Punktkilde lineup. With a depth of 7/8", the AUGWL0006-JN01 is part of the Ultra-Thin Series. The feature set is rather clever, using a black anodized aluminum cone assembly and dust cap, suspended with a NBR surround. A 25mm round foam surround supplies the additional compliance, and a large 35.5mm diameter under hung voice coil rides inside a double set of neodymium ring magnets. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, February 2021.

SEAS continues hard at work, expanding its Excel Graphene driver series with new models that fully explore the benefits of its proven magnesium cones enhanced with graphene coating that effectively eliminates resonances and makes them more resistant. SEAS now introduced the Excel Graphene W12CY004 (E0070-08), a very compact (4" cone) driver featuring a state-of-the-art FEA optimized motor-design that can be used both as a dedicated midrange and as a woofer in a small compact speaker.

The driver under test in this Test bench is the SDx10 home audio woofer from Creative Sound Solutions (CSS) Audio, using XBL^2 dual gap motor technology licensed from inventor Dan Wiggins. The CSS SDx10 also has a well-appointed feature set that includes a very stiff coated black paper/carbon fiber blended composite cone with a convex black hard paper dust cap, NBR surround, and semi-progressive cloth spider. All this is driven by a (2.4" six-layer voice coil with two 12mm thick ferrite magnets sandwiched between a thick XBL-configured front plate and black-plated thick T-yoke. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, November 2020.

SEAS had a busy 2020, signaling the company's 70th Anniversary and fulfilling on its anticipated plan of updating the existing product line with new improved models, as well as refreshing old industry favorites carefully crafted by its Norwegian engineering team. The new W18NX003 (E0096-08) continues SEAS' high-end paper cone heritage with the 2-layer Nextel coating technology, combined with an improved magnet system design and titanium voice coil formers.

For this Test Bench, Vance Dickason characterizes the new WAN103.01 10" woofer from Italian OEM transducer manufacturer, LaVoce. All LaVoce products are designed at its headquarters in Potenza Picena, Italy, but with the logistic and price advantage of being manufactured at its purpose-built ISO 9001-certified production facility in China. The WAN103.01 is a high-sensitivity and high-power 10" driver, with a substantial feature set, which has been designed with line array and mid-bass applications in mind, using an elegant heavy duty die-cast basket and FEM optimized motor structure and suspensions.

BDNC Holding Ltd is now in production of its highly advanced flat glass-composite diaphragm woofer. Available through Digikey under the brand STAPEZ, this new innovative drivers use ultra-thin tempered glass as the diaphragm, combined in a low-profile woofer able to produce extended bass response. At present, the smallest size is 80 mm × 20 mm × 7.2 mm but BDNC is also working on smaller models and already launched a 40mm headphone driver using the glass-composite technology.

For this Test Bench, Dickason characterizes the PD.124NR1, a new high power 12” neodymium driver from Precision Devices. The PD.124NR1 finds applications as a midbass driver in multiway systems or as a dedicated woofer bass reflex or horn-loaded designs. Its feature set is like most high performance pro sound drivers, fairly substantial. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, September 2019.

This month’s driver on Test Bench, from high-end OEM manufacturer Wavecor is the WF152BD03/04 6″ midwoofer. This is another characterization from the Voice Coil archives. This 6″ paper cone midbass woofer, like the previously reviewed Wavecor WF120, highlights Wavecor Balanced Drive system design, a proprietary distortion reducing motor technology, which results in a more symmetrical Bl curve. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, December 2010.