The following is just an idea I have been mulling over since the Back EMF thread got going awhile back. It may be a stupid idea with no validity at all, I don’t know. But here goes.
Generally there are speakers and there are amplifiers. The usual line of thought for audio customers has been to find the speaker of choice, and then an amplifier to drive the speaker. There are speaker designers, and there are amplifier designers, with companies to match. But the only combination of both amplifier and speaker into a single unit seem to be “active speaker systems”. There is no combination, of which I am aware, of amplifier, passive crossover, and speaker. But why not?
Most audio listeners have an amplifier with a passive crossover-piston coned speaker. The passive crossover filters are a part of the speaker, and the amplifier is a separate unit. And the listener is left to mix and match trying to find a suitable combination.
One can often hear the phrase “amplifier/speaker synergy” in various places. But what does this mean? As I’ve discussed this with Hugh, the “amp/speaker system” is a direct connection from amplifier power supply to driver voice coil. In between there is the amplifier output stage and the speaker filter networks. The speaker filter networks are customized for the combination of drivers selected in the enclosing cabinet.
Now, amplifiers are usually designed to meet the most universal demands necessary so as to make them suitable for as many applications as possible. However, the customer does not need “as many applications as possible”, but only has one application and speaker.
Could not an amplifier power supply and output stage be custom designed, and somewhat simplified for a particular loudspeaker, rather than fully engineered for everything down to almost a dead electrical short?
I bring this up because Hugh will soon have his new VSonics speaker ready. There is a specific impedance curve and “other factors” associated with only this particular speaker. Much of this has come up in the Back EMF thread, and is what has had me thinking this. Could there not be a V Sonics amplifier, to be sold only for use with this speaker? And I would be thinking here more of constructed modules, rather than a complete amplifier, so as to keep costs somewhat in line with speaker costs.
I have no real idea if this is a reasonable idea or not. It could be completely stupid and silly. By posting this, I’m sure things will get sorted out quickly.
