Hi there,
Does anybody have an opinion on whether the concept of the inflatable travel type loudspeakers, could be scaled up for use with a much bigger system, say even a pa rig for easy touring….
I’m in the process of thinking up some novelty ideas for a uni project.
Cheers, dave.
Does anybody have an opinion on whether the concept of the inflatable travel type loudspeakers, could be scaled up for use with a much bigger system, say even a pa rig for easy touring….
I’m in the process of thinking up some novelty ideas for a uni project.
Cheers, dave.
I would wonder how the speakers are loaded unless they're using horns or each driver has its own ridge enclosure and the "ballon" is just providing a mounting structure.Cal Weldon said:
Googled and found them on ebay. Can't say that the enclosure is a replacement for wood but it does give you the option of decorating them such as the beer cans.
there were two types that i knew about
http://www.shoptronics.com/elhotairinsp.html
and one where the cabinet was inflated.
I have just read somewhere that a company called SoundTube is developing cabs for bands to take to gigs,
http://www.shoptronics.com/elhotairinsp.html
and one where the cabinet was inflated.
I have just read somewhere that a company called SoundTube is developing cabs for bands to take to gigs,
I hate to say it
but the idea is just silly. Sound will pass right through an inflatable membrane, almost by definition (ie an air pressure wave in a membrane supported by air pressure). Since the purpose of the enclosure is to absorb or at least change the frequency and phase characteristics of the wave coming off the back of the speaker, you cannot make one that is inflatable, at least not under the normal meaning of "inflatable."
but the idea is just silly. Sound will pass right through an inflatable membrane, almost by definition (ie an air pressure wave in a membrane supported by air pressure). Since the purpose of the enclosure is to absorb or at least change the frequency and phase characteristics of the wave coming off the back of the speaker, you cannot make one that is inflatable, at least not under the normal meaning of "inflatable."
Perhaps something more practical would be traditional solid cabinet speakers that can collapse or fold into a compact size. Even something as simple as snap-together panels - sure there would be compromises in sound quality/cabinet integrity, but for the intended purpose of the speakers it might make sense. At least you could still use "real" drivers in it.
I guess they would come with a notice on the box:
"Some assembly required"
I guess they would come with a notice on the box:
"Some assembly required"
Re: I hate to say it
Ha! Funny stuff. When I was an audio guy we always used to joke about inflatable an P.A. 😀
Houston, you got it right but missed the point. These are NXT type speakers. The membrane IS the speaker. The NXT stuff does not use a piston motion to produce sound, instead it uses overall modes or nodes in the vibrating surface. So the entire inflated surface would radiate.
At least that's the idea. The NXT stuff I've fooled around with never impressed me. But I never tried hot air. (why hot?)
houstonian said:
Ha! Funny stuff. When I was an audio guy we always used to joke about inflatable an P.A. 😀
Houston, you got it right but missed the point. These are NXT type speakers. The membrane IS the speaker. The NXT stuff does not use a piston motion to produce sound, instead it uses overall modes or nodes in the vibrating surface. So the entire inflated surface would radiate.
At least that's the idea. The NXT stuff I've fooled around with never impressed me. But I never tried hot air. (why hot?)
I would have thought 'speaker people' would have been all over the issue that as you put pressure behind a speaker, it pushes the cone forward. That would make it likely for the voice-coil to get pushed out of the magnetic gap, for 1/2 the cycle. ie, a good deal of non-linearity in reprodcution.
Re: These are NXT type speakers.
I don't claim to know anything at all ab out NXT speakers, but don't they require a rigid panel to vibrate as a part of the transducer? This seems a lot like trying to use a balloon as speaker cone.
I don't claim to know anything at all ab out NXT speakers, but don't they require a rigid panel to vibrate as a part of the transducer? This seems a lot like trying to use a balloon as speaker cone.
inflatable
AIR-O-Bass technology...
they could use mechanically biased speakers set to work at a certain pressure. like using springs to hold it in the middle.
it would need a bit more power to move the cone though..
AIR-O-Bass technology...
they could use mechanically biased speakers set to work at a certain pressure. like using springs to hold it in the middle.
it would need a bit more power to move the cone though..
Re: inflatable
(very apropos smiley of "cannotbe")
Yes, it occured to me too that they "could" .... but I wasn't willing to give them the benefit of the doubt | i.e. I seriously doubt they do @ that price point; they have those custom engineered one of a kind drivers made for them by someone?Jack Bruce said:
(very apropos smiley of "cannotbe")inflatable speakers
You can make a speaker out of a ballon for $19.95. Parts express sells nxt tranducers ( sometimes called "exciters" by industry flacks) for about $20 a pair. ( parts express Part Number 300-950)
I have attached them to doors, walls, pictures, plywood and yes, even a beach ball.
They work, sort-of.
The beach ball experiment created an pronounced ring at the resonant frequency of the inflated ball itself. Just tap on your inflated beach ball ( or basketball) and you will see what I mean. There is always a "ping" at the ball's resonant frequency which is a function of the material, size and the pressure or "tautness" of the ball. I suspect that any spherical object would create the same problems. If the beach ball lost air pressure, (as mine does) the sound changes dramatically, and for the worse.
All the scientific literature I have read verifies my personal experiments. The best results with distributed mode exciters come from rigid, lightweight, non-resonant materials. Inflatable object can't be rigid enough. If they are inflated to high pressures, they "ring."
You can make a speaker out of a ballon for $19.95. Parts express sells nxt tranducers ( sometimes called "exciters" by industry flacks) for about $20 a pair. ( parts express Part Number 300-950)
I have attached them to doors, walls, pictures, plywood and yes, even a beach ball.
They work, sort-of.
The beach ball experiment created an pronounced ring at the resonant frequency of the inflated ball itself. Just tap on your inflated beach ball ( or basketball) and you will see what I mean. There is always a "ping" at the ball's resonant frequency which is a function of the material, size and the pressure or "tautness" of the ball. I suspect that any spherical object would create the same problems. If the beach ball lost air pressure, (as mine does) the sound changes dramatically, and for the worse.
All the scientific literature I have read verifies my personal experiments. The best results with distributed mode exciters come from rigid, lightweight, non-resonant materials. Inflatable object can't be rigid enough. If they are inflated to high pressures, they "ring."
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