Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

What!???


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein

Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

What!???

They're fairly common. Several companies sell them, including one in Seattle.

Basically, they're ribbons backed with Kapton, Mylar, etc. (A true ribbon is a
pure metal strip, with no backing.) The backing eliminates the ribbon's
fragility and adds mass that lowers the driver's fundamental resonance.

The classic Infinity EMIT and EMIM drivers are orthodynamic. The drivers in
Apogee speakers are orthodynamic, not ribbon (except for the tweeter used in the
Diva and one or two others). There have been orthodynamic headphones, such as
the Yamaha YP-1 [sic] of a few years back.

Orthodynamic drivers have much of the "speed" and low coloration of
electrostatics. Having owned Acoustat Sixes and Apogee Divas, I actually find
the latter to be (subjectively) more accurate -- and the Sixes were hardly
chopped liver.

If you look in audio eXpress, you'll see ads for companies selling hybrid
systems comprising a long orthodynamic "stick" on top of a dynamic woofer. If
they're well-designed and executed, they should be very good speakers -- no
cabinet, excellent loading by the air mass, etc.

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.


What!???


They're fairly common. Several companies sell them, including one in Seattle.

Wierd that Googling "orthodynamic speaker" or "orthodynamic
loudspeaker" turns up nothing.


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein

Here's one:

http://www.newformresearch.com/

-------------

Bob Cain wrote:


William Sommerwerck wrote:

Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.



What!???



They're fairly common. Several companies sell them, including one in
Seattle.


Wierd that Googling "orthodynamic speaker" or "orthodynamic loudspeaker"
turns up nothing.


Bob

Don Richardson wrote:

Here's one:

http://www.newformresearch.com/


Not even in their glossary. Is "orthodynamic" just another
name for "ribbon."?


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein

"Don Richardson" wrote in message
...
Here's one:

http://www.newformresearch.com/

Have you heard these?



Bob Cain wrote:


William Sommerwerck wrote:

Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 00:52:27 -0800, Bob Cain
wrote:

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

What!???

They're fairly common. Several companies sell them, including one in Seattle.

Wierd that Googling "orthodynamic speaker" or "orthodynamic
loudspeaker" turns up nothing.

I get 37 hits - maybe you need a new ISP? :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 00:52:27 -0800, Bob Cain
wrote:


William Sommerwerck wrote:


Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

What!???

They're fairly common. Several companies sell them, including one in Seattle.

Wierd that Googling "orthodynamic speaker" or "orthodynamic
loudspeaker" turns up nothing.


I get 37 hits - maybe you need a new ISP? :-)

Ah, I was searching on them as a phrase rather than as
either word appearing independantly. Looked at all 37 and
the word seems to be used a fair bit but not defined often.
Two sources indicated that orthodynamic and isodynamic are
a distinction based on how the force is applied. They both
say that orthodynamic is when it is applied to a single
point (or ring) and would encompass cone and dome speakers.
They say that isodynamic drivers are those that have their
whole surface driven and would encompass, electrostatics,
magnaplaner and ribbons.

The audiophile use is vice versa with orthodynamic meaning
surface driven.


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein

"William Sommerwerck" wrote in message
...
Orthodynamic speakers -- ie, a conductor on a flat plastic substrate.

What!???

They're fairly common. Several companies sell them, including one in
Seattle.

Basically, they're ribbons backed with Kapton, Mylar, etc. (A true ribbon
is a
pure metal strip, with no backing.) The backing eliminates the ribbon's
fragility and adds mass that lowers the driver's fundamental resonance.

The classic Infinity EMIT and EMIM drivers are orthodynamic. The drivers
in
Apogee speakers are orthodynamic, not ribbon (except for the tweeter used
in the
Diva and one or two others). There have been orthodynamic headphones, such
as
the Yamaha YP-1 [sic] of a few years back.

Orthodynamic drivers have much of the "speed" and low coloration of
electrostatics. Having owned Acoustat Sixes and Apogee Divas, I actually
find
the latter to be (subjectively) more accurate -- and the Sixes were hardly
chopped liver.


Hi William,

Do you still have the Divas? If not, I'm curious to know what speaker
bettered them...

Cheers,

Margaret