Electromagnetic magnepan equivalent

[Iamimdoc]

Just asking: would it be feasible, has it been tried, etc, etc:

To devise a planar speaker that would use wires carrying current (to function as electromagnmets) to replace the magnets in magneplanars?

I suspect yes and it does not work is answer but thought I would ask

Thanks

[Ed Holland]

I should think it can be done. Years ago in the days of tube/valve radio sets, there were moving coil cone loudspeakers which required DC passing through a field winding to generate the magnetic field. In this case the DC was often the high voltage supply for the circuit, and passing it through coil to magnetise the loudspeaker formed part of the power supply smoothing circuit.

For a planar speaker, you'd need a lot of current in the DC winding, or a large system of pole pieces to enhance/concentrate the B field (just as for any electromagnet). That would probably make it heavy, expensive and impractical. Magnaplanar's approach is quite elegant in comparison - with permanent magnets arrranged in vertical strips, attached to a perforated steel plate.

Of course, I'd love to re-engineer some Maggies with neodymium-iron-boron magnets in place of the originals....

Just my opinion, of course

Ed

[geraldfryjr]

I read a thread discussing this quite a while back.

It is certainly possible but it would be hard to match the performance of using some Neo's, For Sure!!

Not to mention the power used up in the electromagnets.

jer