Hello all,
As hinted at here and there, Mark has some new drivers on the horizon in the Alpair range.
18 months ago after we successfully released the Pluvia range of drivers, which have been well received, Mark set about the next design evolution. As some of you will know Mark's design ethos is mechanical efficiency, adding lightness and simplifying where possible. In these new drivers Mark has managed to achieve much more with much less.
One of the things that frustrated some of Mark's previous design efforts was the rear suspension being a pain in the ***. The necessity of it leading to design compromise. Freed from the necessity, drivers could be lighter, have tighter production tolerances and could be much more linear through the whole excursion range.
For these new drivers Mark has spent countless engineering hours trying to engineer out this need, not only did he find a solution but it helped him solve another long held desire - greater dispersion. For a long time now the drivers have used Aerospace grade alloys for stiffness, allowing shallower cone profiles. The multiform cone pressing process has allowed Mark to use complex cone profiles to enhance the stiffness further and increase dispersion. The new cones take this concept even further.
The removal of the spider means moving the centre of gravity of the whole drive train so that it can balance without the need for the spider at that centre. Removing the spider allows space for the magnet and the coil/former to move forward which helps, but the cone needed making shallower still. The answer to this answer also answered the question of increased dispersion as well, thus killing two birds with one stone. The new cone is negative camber, so not only is it very shallow but the outside edge actually comes back on itself.
The results of this new engineering leap are presented in the all new Alpair7 MS and big brother Alpair 11 MS where MS stands for Mono Suspension.
I've attached a teaser image here and over the next week or two we will get the PDF's uploaded for mass consumption and Scott will be working up some box designs as usual. the A11MS fits straight into a Frugal Horn XL acoustically although it is a little larger so modification will be needed. The 11 also does work in the Pensil 11 although the alignment isn't quite optimal, Scott is working on either a new design or a way we can all modify an existing cabinet, there will be other designs and obviously the A7MS will get the same treatment.
To start with these will be in VERY short supply but rest assured over time stock will increase and obviously the current drivers will still be available for some time to come as well.
As hinted at here and there, Mark has some new drivers on the horizon in the Alpair range.
18 months ago after we successfully released the Pluvia range of drivers, which have been well received, Mark set about the next design evolution. As some of you will know Mark's design ethos is mechanical efficiency, adding lightness and simplifying where possible. In these new drivers Mark has managed to achieve much more with much less.
One of the things that frustrated some of Mark's previous design efforts was the rear suspension being a pain in the ***. The necessity of it leading to design compromise. Freed from the necessity, drivers could be lighter, have tighter production tolerances and could be much more linear through the whole excursion range.
For these new drivers Mark has spent countless engineering hours trying to engineer out this need, not only did he find a solution but it helped him solve another long held desire - greater dispersion. For a long time now the drivers have used Aerospace grade alloys for stiffness, allowing shallower cone profiles. The multiform cone pressing process has allowed Mark to use complex cone profiles to enhance the stiffness further and increase dispersion. The new cones take this concept even further.
The removal of the spider means moving the centre of gravity of the whole drive train so that it can balance without the need for the spider at that centre. Removing the spider allows space for the magnet and the coil/former to move forward which helps, but the cone needed making shallower still. The answer to this answer also answered the question of increased dispersion as well, thus killing two birds with one stone. The new cone is negative camber, so not only is it very shallow but the outside edge actually comes back on itself.
The results of this new engineering leap are presented in the all new Alpair7 MS and big brother Alpair 11 MS where MS stands for Mono Suspension.
I've attached a teaser image here and over the next week or two we will get the PDF's uploaded for mass consumption and Scott will be working up some box designs as usual. the A11MS fits straight into a Frugal Horn XL acoustically although it is a little larger so modification will be needed. The 11 also does work in the Pensil 11 although the alignment isn't quite optimal, Scott is working on either a new design or a way we can all modify an existing cabinet, there will be other designs and obviously the A7MS will get the same treatment.
To start with these will be in VERY short supply but rest assured over time stock will increase and obviously the current drivers will still be available for some time to come as well.
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It's not quite as simple as that. The current line up will continue for a while but they are in the grandad stage of thier lifecycle so will eventually be pensioned off. They remain good drivers though and tommany people they are thier absolute favourite drivers.
Prices aren't quite fixed yet but they will be more expensive than the current driver's.
Prices aren't quite fixed yet but they will be more expensive than the current driver's.
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hmmmmmm, I looked at the website for the first post. They sell the CHN-70 and call it "2 – Natural sound (near flat response)" - it's one of the more dissapointing sounding drivers I've ever purchased. There has been quite a bit of traffic on this forum about it. Not sure how it can be advertised as 'Natural sound'. I'll be looking for some independent evaluation of these new drivers before I'd risk jumping in.
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Joined 2009
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is there anything to align the voice coil in the motor's gap? - or does the surround take care of everything ? What's the cone diameter of the largest driver in this series?
I believe this is the case. 1st practice is the Alpair 5.2, the 1st key figuring out how to get past ferrofluid being verbotten in Europe.
dave
Ever since first getting our hands on a pair of the 5.2s last year (or so?), we were very curious about how far that feature could be upscaled. Based on what we heard with the little guy, and provided durability under the higher work load can be maintained, these new MS drivers could be - and I hesitate to type the following - game changers ?
Freddi, following Mark’s typical model designation format, I’d say the largest cone - and perhaps frame size would be approx the same as Pluvia11.
Freddi, following Mark’s typical model designation format, I’d say the largest cone - and perhaps frame size would be approx the same as Pluvia11.
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Nice pics Stefan, and as Mark mentioned in his talk, the profile is shallow indeed.
Also no spider! 🙂
Also no spider! 🙂
To answer a few questions. Yes the front suspension acts to do all of the balancing and centring of the coil in the gap which has been made possible in part by moving the centre of gravity so far forward.
Yes the Alpair 5.2 (which happens to be my favourite driver by a country mile) was the first of these drivers to be sans spider. Mark has been chomping at the bit to bring the goodies to larger drivers.
Size wise, the A11MS is the same physical size as the Pluvia11, in fact the first time Scott and I got to listen to either of these drivers was at the North West Audio Show we put them in the Pensil 11 I had at the show after the first day closed. We only meant to have a quick listen but put tune after tune on until about midnight. At one point Scott said 'They might just be the best full range driver I have ever heard' The way they loaded the room just seemed so right.
Re the CHN-70, I'd prefer to keep comments about other drivers out of this thread which is to discus these new drivers, however I will say that last year I sold twice as many CHN-70 as any other drivers, people typically buy a pair and then come back and buy more and more pairs. They are as cheap as chips so I think we can only expect so much.
Stefan
Yes the Alpair 5.2 (which happens to be my favourite driver by a country mile) was the first of these drivers to be sans spider. Mark has been chomping at the bit to bring the goodies to larger drivers.
Size wise, the A11MS is the same physical size as the Pluvia11, in fact the first time Scott and I got to listen to either of these drivers was at the North West Audio Show we put them in the Pensil 11 I had at the show after the first day closed. We only meant to have a quick listen but put tune after tune on until about midnight. At one point Scott said 'They might just be the best full range driver I have ever heard' The way they loaded the room just seemed so right.
Re the CHN-70, I'd prefer to keep comments about other drivers out of this thread which is to discus these new drivers, however I will say that last year I sold twice as many CHN-70 as any other drivers, people typically buy a pair and then come back and buy more and more pairs. They are as cheap as chips so I think we can only expect so much.
Stefan
Stefan,
Thanks for sharing some early listening impressions on the A11MS.
If you don't mind me probing a bit further, what genres did you guys listen to? Good to hear you got that "one more track" feeling while at it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing some early listening impressions on the A11MS.
If you don't mind me probing a bit further, what genres did you guys listen to? Good to hear you got that "one more track" feeling while at it. 🙂
Lots of different stuff, we actually had a go at trying to break them so it ranged from heavier stuff like Krafwerk and Bob Marley through to Eva Cassidy. We were a bit punch drunk from a VERY long day though so I can't really remember all of it but I did actually put some of the stuff in a Tidal play list so here you go.
TIDAL: Listen to NWAS on TIDAL
TIDAL: Listen to NWAS on TIDAL
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I don't know about already, but nominal sensitivty on the 7MS is rated as 86.324dB 1m/2.83v, the 11MS at 88.068dB 1m/2.83v.