Has anyone seen and/or thought about this:
Kyocera develops wafer-thin piezo film speaker for TVs, PCs, tablets
And a Youtube video demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2NG0eNabhQ&feature=em-uploademail
I looks like Kyocera has produced a set of piezo film drivers capable of covering 200 Hz - 20,000 Hz.
While conceived for computers and flatscreen TVs, would such drivers have any merit for high end audio reproduction?
Light weight, fast, loud, wide dispersion (they claim 180 degrees and as they look bi directional they ought to radiate 360 degrees), ... they could have a lot going for them if they really work.
The gizmag article has a number of illustrations worth seeing.
Any thoughts on the feasibility of building a speaker system from these.
Does anything else exist like them?
Any thoughts how why these should work and their advantages/disadvantages.
Cost?
Inquiring minds want to know ;-)
Gizmag writeup below:
Kyocera develops wafer-thin piezo film speaker for TVs, PCs, tablets
And a Youtube video demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2NG0eNabhQ&feature=em-uploademail
I looks like Kyocera has produced a set of piezo film drivers capable of covering 200 Hz - 20,000 Hz.
While conceived for computers and flatscreen TVs, would such drivers have any merit for high end audio reproduction?
Light weight, fast, loud, wide dispersion (they claim 180 degrees and as they look bi directional they ought to radiate 360 degrees), ... they could have a lot going for them if they really work.
The gizmag article has a number of illustrations worth seeing.
Any thoughts on the feasibility of building a speaker system from these.
Does anything else exist like them?
Any thoughts how why these should work and their advantages/disadvantages.
Cost?
Inquiring minds want to know ;-)
Gizmag writeup below:
"Japan's Kyocera Corporation has combined a piezoelectric actuator with a special resin film to produce a proprietary, piezo film speaker that is considerably thinner and lighter than conventional electromagnetic speakers, while boasting similar audio levels. The Smart Sonic Sound already provides the audio for LG's 55-inch curved-screen OLED TV and the company hopes it will give designers of future TVs, computers and tablets more scope to place speakers on the front face of products, enabling an overall size reduction and expanding design options.
View all
Smart Sonic Sound comes in three different sizes. The large speaker measures 70 x 110 x 1.5 mm, weighs 23g, and has a frequency range of 200 Hz to 20 kHz. The medium version measures 35 x 65 x 1.0 mm, weighs 7g, and has a frequency range of 500 Hz to 20 kHz. The smallest speaker measures a diminutive 19.6 x 27.5 x 0.7 mm, weighs just 1g, and outputs a frequency of 600 Hz to 20 kHz.
According to Kyocera, the directional projection of sound waves is more balanced than a traditional speaker as the piezo actuator and laminated film create sound through vibrations. The resultant sound quality and volume are delivered at almost equal levels within a 180 degree range creating a more precise audio representation. Kyocera says the Smart Sonic Sound is capable of reproducing “delicate and minute sounds such as raindrops and background effects, with greater clarity,” enhancing audio playback for a more true-to-life listening experience.
LG Electronics’s recently launched 55-inch curved-screen OLED TV is the first TV to use the Smart Sonic Sound piezo film speakers under license from Kyocera. The TV has an extremely thin edge thickness of 4.3 mm making it the ideal candidate with which to launch the new technology to the audio visual market.
Smart Sonic Sound is in fact the second piezoelectric actuator product brought to the digital arena by Kyocera. The Smart Sonic Receiver was introduced by the company in 2012 for smartphones sold in Japan and North America. It uses a ceramic actuator to send vibrations “via tissue conduction and traditional air conduction through display screens without the need for a traditional earpiece or loudspeaker.” The latest Smart Sonic Sound uses the same core technology but with “a different implementation that amplifies air conduction.”
In addition to the Smart Sonic Receiver and Smart Sonic Sound, Kyocera has developed a number of other piezo actuator products using the company’s fine ceramic and lamination technologies. Notable examples include actuators for diesel-engine vehicles and actuators used in the “world’s fastest” inkjet print head. Kyocera has big plans to further develop the use of its actuator technology in the automotive and digital device markets, particularly where size and weight restrictions are limiting design factors."
View all
Smart Sonic Sound comes in three different sizes. The large speaker measures 70 x 110 x 1.5 mm, weighs 23g, and has a frequency range of 200 Hz to 20 kHz. The medium version measures 35 x 65 x 1.0 mm, weighs 7g, and has a frequency range of 500 Hz to 20 kHz. The smallest speaker measures a diminutive 19.6 x 27.5 x 0.7 mm, weighs just 1g, and outputs a frequency of 600 Hz to 20 kHz.
According to Kyocera, the directional projection of sound waves is more balanced than a traditional speaker as the piezo actuator and laminated film create sound through vibrations. The resultant sound quality and volume are delivered at almost equal levels within a 180 degree range creating a more precise audio representation. Kyocera says the Smart Sonic Sound is capable of reproducing “delicate and minute sounds such as raindrops and background effects, with greater clarity,” enhancing audio playback for a more true-to-life listening experience.
LG Electronics’s recently launched 55-inch curved-screen OLED TV is the first TV to use the Smart Sonic Sound piezo film speakers under license from Kyocera. The TV has an extremely thin edge thickness of 4.3 mm making it the ideal candidate with which to launch the new technology to the audio visual market.
Smart Sonic Sound is in fact the second piezoelectric actuator product brought to the digital arena by Kyocera. The Smart Sonic Receiver was introduced by the company in 2012 for smartphones sold in Japan and North America. It uses a ceramic actuator to send vibrations “via tissue conduction and traditional air conduction through display screens without the need for a traditional earpiece or loudspeaker.” The latest Smart Sonic Sound uses the same core technology but with “a different implementation that amplifies air conduction.”
In addition to the Smart Sonic Receiver and Smart Sonic Sound, Kyocera has developed a number of other piezo actuator products using the company’s fine ceramic and lamination technologies. Notable examples include actuators for diesel-engine vehicles and actuators used in the “world’s fastest” inkjet print head. Kyocera has big plans to further develop the use of its actuator technology in the automotive and digital device markets, particularly where size and weight restrictions are limiting design factors."
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Taket of Japan has been making piezo polymer film audio products for a few years now: TAKET
Their H2+ headphone has been well received from what I've read on it. It's too costly IMO, but I would love to get a set for professional audio work.
Someday I would love to build a full range AMT piezo polymer speaker the size of an Apogee Duetta. That could be something special.
Their H2+ headphone has been well received from what I've read on it. It's too costly IMO, but I would love to get a set for professional audio work.
Someday I would love to build a full range AMT piezo polymer speaker the size of an Apogee Duetta. That could be something special.
Pity the electret concept never made it past headphone R&D. Not sure as I yet understand why.
As I posted in the gel speaker thread (beneficially linked by Pano above), I think the Rice-Kellogg cone driver concept has been a 90 year blind alley. But there's no need to "preach to the converted" over in this forum.
Without getting all high falutin' theoretical here, maybe the nano engineering (or even the new 3D printers) can make dialectric/planar force drivers competitive with magnetic-force drivers in ways not possible earlier.
Ben
As I posted in the gel speaker thread (beneficially linked by Pano above), I think the Rice-Kellogg cone driver concept has been a 90 year blind alley. But there's no need to "preach to the converted" over in this forum.
Without getting all high falutin' theoretical here, maybe the nano engineering (or even the new 3D printers) can make dialectric/planar force drivers competitive with magnetic-force drivers in ways not possible earlier.
Ben
We have been over this ground a few times before.
The issue is that current electrets are not capable of holding enough charge to provide useful SPL output from ESLs with larger gaps.
A follow diyAudio member brough my attention to a recently developed electret type "super" tweeter marketed by Engima Acoustics.
Welcome to ENIGMAcoustics
Here are a few quotes from some links off their website:
“ENGIMAcoustics' contribution to the electrostatic speaker art is a new hi-tech coating for a non-conductive membrane foil. This advance garnered them a 2013 CES Design and Engineering Showcase Honors award. Their solution permanently impregnates a self-maintained nano-particle electron charge on the diaphragm to—puff—eliminate the traditional requirement for an externally applied bias of several kilovolts.”
“ENIGMA's self-biased charge produces insufficient voltage to generate high output and already requires tighter-than-usual stator spacing to minimize these limits. Until this technology can hold higher voltages without falling back on the ubiquitous external supplies, we'll probably not see anything other than tweeters with it.”
"It's a proven fact that our patented SBESL™ possesses significant advantages over traditional ESL by eliminating their active bias circuitry. Our solution however comes at the cost of limited panel dimensions for our lower bias voltage and smaller gap between stators and diaphragm. This is why we've only exploited it for super tweeter applications thus far.”
So there's progress on the electret-like front. Great.
I think it is fair to say that the physics of ESLs pose obvious limitations that have no obvious solutions, for the moment (and Hunt said so many years ago too). But between graphene and nano-technology, there are still possibilities with electrets, as Bolserst has kindly posted.
In another thread, a fellow called my 12kv bias Dayton-Wrights "antiques" and definitely compared to his latest cone drivers. To me, rather small advances since Rice-Kellogg (1924) and barely visible improvements since my 1960 Stephens edge-wound 4-inch voice coil woofer.
While I am no fan of waving-cardboard drivers, I think there is still some small progress that can be made with cone materials.
Ben
I think it is fair to say that the physics of ESLs pose obvious limitations that have no obvious solutions, for the moment (and Hunt said so many years ago too). But between graphene and nano-technology, there are still possibilities with electrets, as Bolserst has kindly posted.
In another thread, a fellow called my 12kv bias Dayton-Wrights "antiques" and definitely compared to his latest cone drivers. To me, rather small advances since Rice-Kellogg (1924) and barely visible improvements since my 1960 Stephens edge-wound 4-inch voice coil woofer.
While I am no fan of waving-cardboard drivers, I think there is still some small progress that can be made with cone materials.
Ben
A korean company is selling piezo film speaker kits, they also include an amplifier to drive the speaker.
:: WELCOME TO FILS ::
~Env
:: WELCOME TO FILS ::
~Env
Ye old Pioneer HPM500's used a piezo film tweeter. They were prone to oxidation on the aluminum contact strip used to attach the film. After a while they simply went south loosing efficiency.
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