Loudspeakers

Over the years many methods have been employed by loudspeaker designers to manage cabinet resonances, from the controlled flexure of lightweight plywood panels to lattice-like internal bracing or the constrained layer damping favoured by the heavyweight brigade. Here a very 'lossy' polymer layer is sandwiched between panels of fibreboard, wood or alloy, or a brace and panel, to convert this vibration to heat. AVID, by contrast, meets this unwanted mechanical energy at source, using 'tuned mass dampers' to suppress resonances in the driver frames themselves.

Computer modelling predicts the mass, shape and position of these vibration-suppressing masses, seen here [red] clamped to the rear of the bass/mid drivers via decoupled risers [green]. All that remains are the two diagonal side-wall braces and downward-firing reflex ports. PM