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Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit

135th AES Convention NY

by Wolfgang Klippel,

KLIPPEL GmbH Dresden University of Technology

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 1 OUR TOPIC TODAY

Small producing sufficient output at acceptable quality ...that‘s what most customers want !

How far away is this target ? Why is it so difficult to develop such products? How to cope with the physical limitations?

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 2 The Weakest Part of the Audio Reproduction Chain

Listening Environment transmission Recording Sound Environment Engineering source storage Listener media

because it • limits the acoustical output • causes significant linear and nonlinear distortion • varies with time due to fatigue and ageing • depends on climate condition • contributes to weight, size and cost • has low efficiency and produces heat

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 3 Electro-Acoustic Conversion

Range of Operation

Amplitude Overload

Large signal performance

Our fundamental problem with small Small signal loudspeakers: performance Power efficiency

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 4 Pass-Band Efficiency of direct-radiator loudspeaker in an infinite baffle

Example: Micro-speaker 2 2 Pa (Bl)  S 0 d η0 0.007 % 0   2 Re 7.80 Ohm Pe R M 2c e ms Bl 0.774 N/A for f >fs and ka<1, MMS 0.082 g radiation on one side considered Sd 1.03 cm²

effective DC transduction moving radiation resistance parameter 2a < 휆/πmass (force factor) surface Sd Re ka < 1 MMS q=Sdv v diaphragm acoustic output electric inputi power Pa power Pe pole plate

p=FL/Sd 2RAR(f) U Blv cBolil F=Bmliagnet FL=pSd Sd 7 μW 100 mW backplate

microspeaker

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 5 What makes the efficiency so low ?

force factor effective (Bl)2  S 2 radiation area Pass-Band Efficiency: 0 D 0  2 ReM MS 2c voice coil moving resistance mass

Re MMS q=Sdv

v ii Fi ≈F

2 p=FL/Sd 2RAR(f) U Blv Bl F=Bli FL=pSd Sd FL RMR  Sd ZAR( f ) acoustical radiation impedance

Re i > Blv

• acoustical load depends on radiation area Sd • inertia Fi of the moving mass MMS is larger than force FL at the acoustical load • electric power is dissipated in the resistance Re Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 6 Alternative Transducer Principles ?

volume voltage force velocity electro- mechano- sound mechanic acoustic field transducer transducer current velocity sound pressure

higher electro-static magneto-strictive mass lower mass electro-dynamic higher lower peak (moving coil, ribbon, resistance displacement planar magnetics) electro-magnetic (balance armature, piezo-electric moving iron, moving higher magnet) force higher price others

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 7 Leverage – a mechanical transformator

R e Re MMS MMS v2=v/r q=Sdv

v v i i

2 2 p 2RAR(f) U U Blv Blv Bl BlF=Bli F=Bli FFL L=pSd RrMR=l1/lr2 Sd Z AR (Ff )2=rSFdL

l1 FL Problem: electro-mechanical U Transducer v transducer increase of high moving mass l2 force F2 RMR lower v2 low v2 velocity force acoustical F2 source load higher velocity l F v r  1  2  impedance l2 FL v2 matching

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 8 Horn – an Acoustic Transformer to increase the passband sensitivity

Re MMS q=Sdv qM

v i Benefit: • strong acoustical load (F ≈ FL) • high efficiency (η> 50 %) 2 S 0c FL SD R (f)M RAR  U Blv Bl F=Bli FL=pSd RSd  pc=FL/Sd AR pM S MR 0 S M ST T Drawback: • large for bass reproduction

S q p M  M  ST q pM

ST FL SM >100 Hz U Transducer q pM p fx S(x)  ST e qM x l > λ/2

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 9 Efficiency at Low Frequencies

below the fundamental resonance frequency fs

efficiency versus frequency wavelength λ 20log () 10 efficiency versus frequency compressionbaffle driverof airin baffle 12dB/oct.

ΔV= 1 liter F 95 dB SPL transducer 3 m distance f 20 Hz f s f T ka 1 bass pass-band

20log () Benefits: 10 efficiency versus frequency • minimal enclosure volume • constant displacement for f< f F T • equalization possible for 1-2 octaves

Drawbacks: • low efficiency f f s f T ka 1

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 10 Compressing Air by an Additional Resonator extending the bandwidth to lower frequencies

efficiency versus frequency 20log10() efficiency versus frequency using a box volume V Helmholtz F 24 dB/oct. (air compliance Resonator CAB) vented box + System bass air mass M AP ff f s ka 1

smaller box Benefits: V < V 2  lower compliance • increases efficiency at fs C F F AB F Drawbacks:  higher mass MAP • system alignment  longer port passive radiator • air noise (port) • cost (passive radiator)

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 11 Efficiency at High Frequencies Exploiting Modal Vibration

break-up modes increases efficiency 2020loglog1010(()) efficiency versus frequency

Full Band rigid radiator 6 dB/oct. Loudspeaker

Slim (TV Speaker) high frequencies ff ff ss kaka11

Flat (Automotive) speaker surround geometry break-uprigidmodes piston deformed Distributed Mode Loudspeaker (flat panel)

other surfaces used as radiator (enclosure, window, post card) Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 12 Assessing the Mechanical Vibration

stimulus (input) output

mechanical vibration

Simulation (FEM) Measurement (Laser)

electro-mechanical mechano-acoustical efficiency efficiency Mechanical power (AAL) electrical power Electro-acoustical sound power efficiency

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 13 Assessing the Mechanical Power by using the Accumulated Acceleration Level (AAL)

850 Hz 90 3.8 kHz AAL 11 kHz 85 6.4 kHz rigid body mode 80 peaks in AAL show the natural 75 frequencies of the modal resonances 70

65

60 Sound Power

55 dB for 1.00V, 0.4 m 0.4 1.00V, for dB 50

45

40

35 20 Hz - 600 Hz break-up modes

30 0.1 1 10 f [kHz]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 14 Mechano-Acoustical Efficiency

90 AAL 1078,1 Hz q2 dB 80

70

60

50 q Sound 1 40 Power

30 0.1 f [kHz] 1 10 q1+q2=0 acoustical cancellation Problem: • sufficient mechanical vibration generates low sound power output • node divides radiator in two areas producing a positive and negative volume velocity generating a dip in the power response

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 15 Sound Distribution in the 3D Space

Range of Operation

Amplitude Overload

Large signal performance

Generating the desired Small signal performance Sound pressure field

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 16 Directivity of the Loudspeaker assessing the radiated direct sound in the far field

distance r = 0.4 m, Input voltage u= 1Vrms dB

90 KLIPPEL

85 Omni-directional behavior (like a point source) 80

75 SPL on-axis 70 Power

65

60 SPL 30 degree

55 270° SPL 60 degree Directivity 50 Index 180° SPL 90 degree 0° 45

90° 40 

35

30 0.1 1 10 f [Hz] Example: woofer

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 17 Sound Pressure Distribution on a sphere in the far field

SPL 4.1 kHz at distance r=4m 6.1 kHz at distance r=4m

90° on-axis 

270° azimutal angle angle azimutal

180° 0°

frequency 90° 

-90° Balloon Plot

Beam Pattern Distance r >> dimensions d of the loudspeaker Distance r >> wavelength

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 18 Complete 3D Information Required

Sound Pressure at 7.6 kHz

In the following application the listerner is far field data closely located to the source: are less important • personal audio equipment (smart phone) • multimedia (tablet, notebook) • studio-monitor Near Field

• car audio loudspeaker

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 19 Example: Evaluation of a Notebook Using nearfield Acoustical Holography

far3. fieldExtrapolation of the sound pressure at any 1. Measurement of the sound point2. Expansionoutside the intoscanningsphericalsurfacewaves pressure distribution

near field r

 r0

r s

scanning surface close to the source

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 20 The Loudspeaker at Higher Amplitudes

Range of Operation

Amplitude Overload

Thermal Maximal Output Large signal and performance Nonlinear Distortion Model Compression Stability

Small signal Linear performance Model

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 21 Compression of SPL Output SPL output at maximal permissable input

Sound Pressure Response 130 Linear response 125 linear response +20dB dB predicted from a 120 small signal measurement 115 (-20dB) 110

105 Long Term Response (1 min) Long term response 100 measured after 95 amplitude compression caused applying the by nonlinearities and voice coil 90 sinusoidal chirp for 1 heating min 85

80 20 50 200 500 2k Frequency [Hz]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 22 Compression of SPL Output SPL output at maximal permissable input

Sound Pressure Response 130 Linear response 125 linear response +20dB dB predicted from a 120 small signal Short Term Response (1 s) measurement 115 (-20 dB) 110

105 Long Term Response (1 min) Short term response 100 measured within 1 s 95 (without voice coil heating) 90 amplitude compression caused 85 by nonlinearities only 80 20 50 200 500 2k Frequency [Hz]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 23 Nonlinear Symptom: New Spectral Components

spectrum of twoResponse-tone 1 Stimulus Frequency Domain Response 1 spectrum of reproducedFrequency Domain stimulus

20 10 output 20 0 input 10 -10 0 -20 -10

-30dBu (Uo = 1V) -20 -40 -30 -50 dBu (Uo = 1V) 101 102 103 -40 f [Hz] -50 101 102 103 f [Hz] Nonlinear System

Amplitude

sound pressure spectrum

Intermodulation nd 2nd 2 2nd Distortion 3rd 3rd 3rd

nth nth nth harmonics difference tones summed tones

frequency nf f2  (n 1) f1 f2  f1 f2  f1 f  (n 1) f 2 f1 1 2 1 f1 f2 “bass component” “voice component”

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 24 Example: Visible Nonlinear Symptoms Generated by a Loudspeaker

stroboscope

Generator tone at f scale

pointer Resonance

frequency fs

1. Experiment 2. Experiment 3. Experiment

f < fs f  fs f > fs

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 25 Vibration Behavior

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 26 Nonlinear Symptom: Amplitude Compression

Fundamental component | X ( f1, U1 ) |

23.4 Hz 2,5 Linear System KLIPPEL

2,0

1,5

1,0

X [mm] (rms)

0,5

0,0 0,0 2,5 5,0 7,5 10,0 12,5 15,0 Voltage U1 [V]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 27 Nonlinear Symptom: Instability

Small Signal Domain Large Signal Domain x x

t t

Bifurcation into two states Stimulus: Single tone (f = 1.5fs ) at high amplitude

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 28 Stiffness Kms (x) of Suspension

K 6 N/mm total 5 suspension

4 F x 3 F

2 spider 1 surround x

-10.0 -7.5 -5.0 -2.5 0.0 2.5 5.0 7.5 10.0 diplacement x mm

Kms(x) determined by • suspension geometry F  Kms (x)x restoring • impregnation force displacement • adjustment of spider and surround

x Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 29 Distortion generated by Kms(x)

linear transfer systems -1 -1 MMmmss RRmmss KKmmss(x) LLee RRe e

vv i i

HH(f(,fr,1r)1) u Blv Bl Bli p(pr(1r)1) u Blv Bl(x) F=Bli Stimulus sosuonudn d fiefiledld

HH(f(,fr,2r)) 2 p(pr(2r) ) u 2

Nonlinear HH(f(,fr,3r)3) System p(pr(3r)3) uD

K 6 N/mm nonlinear suspension 5 Nonlinear

4 Distortion

3

2 Linear suspension suspension Variation of stiffness Kms(x) versus 1 displacement x generates distortion at low frequencies -10.0 -7.5 -5.0 -2.5 0.0 2.5 5.0 7.5 10.0 displacement x mm  makes the reproduced bass signal „harder“ and more „aggressive“

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 30 Nonlinear Force Factor Bl(x)

BlBl [N/A] [N/A] 3,03,0

2,52,5 force factor 2,02,0 of a linear loudspeaker

1,51,5 back plate pole plate 1,01,0

0,50,5 Φdc 0,00,0 --66 --44 --22 00 22 44 66 DisplacementDisplacement XX [mm][mm] magnet Bl(x) is a nonlinear function of B-field displacement x depending on F coil • Magnetic B field pole piece • Gap geometry (depth) displacement • Height of the coil 0 mm x • Voice coil rest position

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 31 Distortion generated by Bl(x)

linear transfer systems --11 Mmss Rmmss Kmmss Le Re

v i

HH(f(,fr,1r)1) u BBl(xlv)v BBl(xl ) F=Bll(ix)i p(pr(1r)1) Stimulus sosuonudn d fiefiledld

HH(f(,fr,2r)) 2 p(pr(2r) ) u 2

Nonlinear HH(f(,fr,3r)3) System p(pr(3r)3) uD BlBl [N/A] [N/A] 3,03,0

2,52,5 force factor Nonlinear 2,02,0 of a linear loudspeaker Distortion 1,51,5

1,01,0

0,50,5

0,00,0 Nonlinear Bl(x) causes a multiplication of --66 --44 --22 00 22 44 66 DisplacementDisplacement XX [mm][mm] displacement x and current i  generates amplitude intermodulation Electro-dynamical F  Bl(x)i Voice coil current distortion in the audio band driving force  perceived as roughness in the sound

Back EMF U EMF  Bl(x)v Voice coil velocity

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 32 Voice Coil Inductance Le(x)

4.0 Without shorting rings Le [mH] Φcoil(+9 mm) 2.5 Φcoil(-9 mm) With shortingrings 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 voice coil displacement << Coil in X [mm] coil out >>

-9 mm 0 mm 9 mm x

Le(x) depends on • geometry of coil, gap, magnet • optimal size and position of short cut ring

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 33 Distortion generated by Le(x)

linear transfer systems -1-1 Frel(x,i) MMmmss RRmmss KKmmss LLee(x) RRe e

vv i i

HH(f(,fr,1r)1) u Blv Bl Bli p(pr(1r)1) u Blv Bl F=Bli Stimulus sosuonudn d fiefiledld

HH(f(,fr,2r)) 2 p(pr(2r) ) u 2

Nonlinear HH(f(,fr,3r)3) System p(pr(3r)3) uD 4.0 Without shorting rings Le [mH]

2.5 With shortingrings Nonlinear 2.0 Distortion 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Nonlinear Le(x) causes multiplications of -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 << Coil in X [mm] coil out >> displacement with current

 generates amplitude intermodulation d(x,i) dL(x)i U ind   Differentiated distortion at high frequencies dt dt Magnetic flux

i 2 (t) dL(x) Reluctance  perceived as roughness in the sound F   rel 2 dx force Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 34 Root Cause Analysis of Displacement

measured by DIS using Laser and predicted by SIM using all nonlinearities identified by LSI

Kms(X) 80 KLIPPEL

70 60 Kms(x) 50 Peak and Bottom Displacement

40

Kms [N/mm] Kms 30

20 5

10 L(x,i)

0 linear) -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Displacement X [mm] X Force factor Bl vs. displacement X Bl(x) Bl(X) 3,0 KLIPPEL mm Kms(x) 2,5 Bl(x) 2,0 measuredpredicted 1,5 Bl [N/A]Bl 2 measured 1,0 0,5 1 0,0 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 Displacement X [mm]

0 Le(X)

KLIPPEL 0,30 0,25 L(x) -1 0,20

0,15 Le [mH] Le measured measuredpredicted 0,10 -2 0,05 Kms(x)

0,00 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Displacement X [mm] -3

L(I) (relative) Bl(x) fundamental 1,0 KLIPPEL 0,9 -4 resonance 0,8 0,7 L(x,i) frequency 0,6 L(i) 0,5

L(I) /L(I) Le(0) -5 0,4

0,3 0,2 10 100 0,1

0,0 Frequency [Hz] -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 I [A]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 35 Root Cause Analysis of Harmonics in Sound Pressure

measured by DIS and a microphone predicted by SIM using a nonlinear model

Kms(X) 80 KLIPPEL

70 60 Kms(x) 50 Relative third-order harmonic distortion ( dh3 ) 40

Kms [N/mm] Kms 30

20 100

10

0 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 Displacement X [mm] measured Force factor Bl vs. displacement X Bl(X) 1 predicted 3,0 KLIPPEL 2,5 Bl(x) 0.1 2,0

1,5 Bl [N/A]Bl 0.01- 1,0

0,5 Percent L(i)

0,0 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 L(x) Displacement X [mm] 10-4

Le(X)

KLIPPEL 0,30 10-5 0,25 L(x) Bl(x) 0,20 10-6 0,15

Le [mH] Le 0,10 10-7 0,05 Kms(x) -8 0,00 fundamental -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 Displacement X [mm] resonance L(I) (relative) 1,0 -9 KLIPPEL 10 0,9 frequency

0,8 0,7 10-10 0,6 L(i) 0,5

L(I) /L(I) Le(0) 0,4 10-11 0,3

0,2

0,1 0,1 1 10 0,0 Kms(x) -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 Frequency [kHz] I [A]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 36 The Impact on Sound Quality

Range of Operation

Amplitude Overload

Thermal Auralization Large signal and performance Nonlinear Perceptual Model Evaluation

Small signal Linear performance Model

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 37 Auralization of Signal Distortion

Parameters

Force factor Bl (X)Stiffness of suspension Kms (X) -Xprot < X < XprotXp- < X < Xp+ 6 KLIPPEL 5 -Xprot < X < XprotXp- < X < Xp+ 4 2,25 KLIPPEL gain S 3 2,00 2 Bl [N/A] 1,75 DIS 1 1,50 0 -7,5 -5,0 -2,5 0,0 2,5 5,0 7,5 1,25 X [mm] 1,00 0,75 0,50 Kms [N/mm] 0,25 0,00 • scales the distortion in the -7,5 -5,0 -2,5X 0,0[mm]2,5 5,0 7,5 Linear Postfilter

pp((rr11)) output signal HH((ff,,rr22)) UU((ff)) Music LLiisstteenneerr • does not affect the state Test signals iinn ssoouunndd field variables (displacement ) NNoonnlliinneeaarr field SSyysstteemm H(f,r ) H(f,r11) • does not affect the

pp((rr22)) SDis generation of the nonlinear distortion in the H(f,r2) feedback loop Listener with headphone Linear Signal

H(f,r1) auralization Distortion output

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 38 Finding Audibility Thresholds

histogram of the audibility thresholds of 55000 participants of a listening test at www.klippel.de

weighted up and down method

low distortion S audibility threshold enhanced DIS attenuated SDIS=-15 dB

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 39 Subjective and Objective Evaluation in Transducer Development

Objective Subjective

Engineering Evaluation Evaluation Marketing Management Listening Test + Auralization

Perceptual Modeling SDIS Physical Data • Distortion, Maximal Output Audibility of distortion • Displacement, Temperature Preference,

• Evaluation of Design Choices • Defining target performance • Clues for Improvements • Tuning to the market

Performance/cost ratio

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 40 Improving Loudspeakers by Electrical Means

Range of Operation

Amplitude Overload protection

Large signal linearization performance Exploiting of the useable working range Small signal performance

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 41 Loudspeaker Control

Controller audio input Objectives: • More acoustical output  increased sound power • Optimal sound distribution in 3D space  directivity • Acceptable quality  reduction of signal distortion • Lower power consumption  increased efficiency of the overall system • Small, slim, flat, light  considering geometrical constraints • Lower cost  optimal use of resources, simplified transducer manufacturing • Overload protection  detection of thermal and mechanical limits • Long-term stability  coping with climate, aging, fatigue

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 42 Nonlinear Control Structure

Active Control Transducer

parameters H(f,r1) p(r1) mirror symmetry sound field

H(f,r2) p(r2) z - u

Nonlinear Nonlinear H(f,r3) System System p(r3) uD uD

synthesized distortion

• Control structure derived from loudspeaker modeling • using loudspeaker parameters (Bl(x), Mms, Kms(x), Re, ...) • interpretable state variables (displacement, velocity,..)

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 43 Problem: Variation of Loudspeaker Parameters

voice coil voice coil pole plate pole plate Influence of magnet Gravity magnet

Suspension Stiffness Force Factor [N/m] 4500 2,5 Motor

4000 2,0 3500 Voice coil offset 3000 1,5 Load induced aging,

2500 [N/A] Bl fatigue over time 1,0 2000

1500 0,5 1000 0,0 500 -4 -3 -2 -1 -0 1 2 3 4 << Coil in X [mm] coil out >> -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 displacement x [mm]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 44 Resonance Frequency depends on ambient temperature

Resonance frequency of two woofers used in cars Influence of the Loudspeaker System Alignment

80° C

woofer B 30 dB

2 octaves -30° C

woofer A

winter summer

Properties of the mechanical suspension depend on humidity, temperature  voice coil displacement cannot be predicted by time-invariant parameters  learning process required

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 45 Identification of Speaker Parameters

amplifier transducer Equalization Protection Solution: audio Linearization signal - 1) Adaptive Modeling

voltage • self-lerning system Adaptive Music Parameter • permanent updating transducer Identification tranpsardaumceeterrs parameters current 2) Speaker used as Sensor Diagnostics • high accuracy • ambient noise immunity

messages • robust sensor, minimal hardware • low cost

Objectives: • optimal speaker control (linearization, equalization, protection) • compensation of parameter variation and time dependency (aging, climate) • detection of critical working condition (wrong polarity, blocked port, leak in enclosure) • early detection of loudspeaker defects (rub & buzz) • generation of diagnostic information

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 46 Reduction of Harmonic Distortion

Force factor Bl (X) Stiffness of suspension Kms (X) 00:11:33 00:11:33 -Xprot < X < Xprot Xbottom < X < Xpeak Bl (-X) -Xprot < X < Xprot Xbottom < X < Xpeak Kms (-X) 0,9 3,0 KLIPPEL KLIPPEL 0,8 2,5 0,7

2,0 0,6 0,5 1,5

Bl [N/A]Bl 0,4

Kms [N/mm] 1,0 0,3

0,2 0,5 0,1

0,0 0,0 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 X [mm] X [mm]

3rd-order Control 2nd-order Harmonics Signal at IN1 Signal at IN1 LINEAR CONTROL NONLINEAR CONTROL NONLINEAR CONTROL LINEAR CONTROL 30 KLIPPEL KLIPPEL 70 without Control 25 without Control 60

20 50

40 15

[Percent]

[Percent] 30 10 20

5 10 with Nonlinear Control with Nonlinear Control

0 0 50 100 200 500 50 100 200 500 Frequency [Hz] Frequency [Hz]

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 47 Reduction of Intermodulation Distortion

Relative second-order intermodulation distortion ( d2 ) Relative third-order intermodulation distortion ( d3 ) Signal at IN1 Signal at IN1 NONLINEAR Control LINEAR Control NONLINEAR CONTROL LINEAR Control KLIPPEL 35 KLIPPEL 25 without Control 30 20 25 without Control 15 20

[Percent]

[Percent] 15 10 10 with Nonlinear Control with Nonlinear Control 5 5

0 0 2 2 2 2 3 2*102 4*102 6*102 8*102 103 2*10 4*10 6*10 8*10 10 Frequency f1 [Hz] Frequency f1 [Hz]

Waveform IN1 Waveform IN1 f1 = 1007.8 Hz U1 = 0.40 V f1 = 1007.8 Hz U1 = 0.40 V IN1 (t) IN1 (t) KLIPPEL 0,15 0,15 The bass tone at 50 Hz 0,10 0,10 intermodulates the 1kHz 0,05 0,05 tone 0,00 0,00 without Control with Nonlinear Control

IN1 [V] [V] IN1

IN1 [V] -0,05 -0,05

-0,10 -0,10

-0,15 -0,15

-0,20 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Time [ms] Time [ms] Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 48 Can We Fix Loudspeaker Defects by nonlinear control ?

Loose particle Coil hitting Buzzing loose Rubbing Flow noise at air hitting backplate joint voice coil leak membrane

vibration

Loose particle

deterministic IRREGUAL DISTORTION („Rub & buzz“ ) random

• caused by overload, damage, manufacturing and design failures • generates high frequency components (harmonics, noise) • unpleasant, high impact on perceived sound quality • unacceptable when detected by a human ear ! • no accurate modeling and compensation possible

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 49 Protection System Prevents Generation of Irregular Distortion

attenuator amplifier transducer audio ProtectioVnariable Equalization Example: signal SystemHigh-pass Linearization

transducer parameters voltage offset in the Adaptive Thermal Mechanical Voice coil Parameter rest position of Protection Protection Identification the coil displacement current

State voice coil temperature Predictor

backplate

Voice coil REMEDY:

Control system • identifies the coil‘s rest position • determines the maximal peak displacement without bottoming backplate • activates a high-pass filter to attenuate low frequency components bottoming at • shifts the coil to the optimal rest position (dc coupled amplifier the backplate required

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 50 Towards Green Speakers

Range of Operation

Amplitude Overload

Large signal performance Optimal Use of Resources - minimal hardware  lower cost, weight, size - low power consumption  longer battery life time Small signal performance

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 51 Software or Hardware Solution ? New Degrees of Freedom in Loudspeaker Design

Active Speaker System

Signal Passive Processing Transducer

Size, weight, shape (slim, flat) Overload Protection Sound output (power, directivity) Linear and Nonlinear Distortion Optimal Design Robustness (rub & buzz) Efficiency Cost

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 52 Example: Loudspeaker Magnet Materials

Ferrits Neodymium

Neodym-Magnets are the most powerful magnets which are currently available

better A magnet made of neodym can lift up a mass Performance ! 2000-times more than it‘s own weight

A human (75 kg) has to lift up a Boeing 747 (150.000 kg) higher Cost !

Magnets made of ferrits dominated the loudspeaker 500% magnets for a long time

price over the last three years

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 53 Optimal Motor Topology for Control ?

gap depth voice coil gap depth

coil pole plate coil height height pole magnet piece equal-length configuration over-hung coil under-hung coil

dual voice coil dual gap variable coil density

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 54 A nonlinear motor is more efficient !

constant coil height 10 mm Amplitude 18 Bl(x) 16 10 mm gap (same length coil & gap) N/A 14 5 mm gap 12 (overhang coil) 15 mm gap 10 (underhang coil)

8 20 mm gap 6 (very underhang coil)

4

2

0 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10

voice coil displacement X mm

FEM derived graph of force factor BL(x) for 10mm height x 50mm diameter voice coil with 88 turns in various depth gaps. NdFeB magnet volume unchanged. Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 55 Towards Green Speaker

Equal-length Configuration (Coil height hcoil  gap height hgap )

f orce f actor b(x) force factor Bl(x) h -x_max < x < x_max coil KLIPPEL 3,5 h gap 3,0 magnet 50% 2,5  h pole plate coil 2,0

voice coil b [N/A] 1,5

1,0

0,5

0,0 pole piece -7,5 -5,0 -2,5 0,0 2,5 5,0 7,5 << coil in x [mm] coil out >> x Advantages: Disadvantages: • highest Bl(x≈0) for small displacement, • early decay of the force factor • low voice coil mass • significant 3rd-order distortion

• low DC resistance Re • sensitive to offset in rest position • low voice coil inductance • sensitive to instabilities f>fs • low ac flux modulation by Le(i), Bl(i)  nonlinear control required

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 56 Power Required for Linearization ?

Target: force factor becomes H(f,r ) amplifier 1 p(r ) 1 sound Nonlinear Force Factor constant virtually field

H(f,r2) p(r ) 3.5 z - u 2 3.0 Nonlinear Nonlinear uD H(f,r ) System System 3 p(r ) u 3 D 2.5

synthesized 2.0 300 % Distortion compensation

Bl [N/A] Bl 1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 -0 1 2 3 4 5 The input power depends on the << Coil in X [mm] coil out >> probability density function of the Probability Density Function displacement ! 1.5 Music: • The coil is most of the time in the gap 1.00 exploiting the high Bl-value

PDF PDF [1/mm] 0.50 • Linearization requires a small amount of additional input power 0.00 protection • The total system provides higher -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 -0 1 2 3 4 5 << Coil in X [mm] coil out >> system efficiency at low distortion ! just active MUSIC

maximal displacement Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 57 Digital Signal Processing dedicated to Loudspeakers

• transmission Linear • crossover processing • time alignment • equalisation Multi • directivity Channel processing • room correction • protection • linearisation Nonlinear processing • voice coil rest position adjustment • perceptual loudness correction • artificical bass enhancement

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 58 Sources for Loudspeaker Innovations

Research Manufacturing new principles Marketing cost, quality, of operation Target performance, automation Tuning to the market

Signal HowLoudspeakershould–we Transducer processing an interdisciplinary Design work together ? FEA, BEM, other transducer related product simulations

New Materials Electronics Assessment motor, radiator, amplification, power measurement suspension, supply, wireless techniques enclosure

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 59 Thank you !

Small, Loud-Speakers: Taking Physics To The Limit, 60