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We all know that a speaker reproduces sound from an audio device, but what is sound?
Sound is a longitudinal wave that propagates through a natural medium (solid, liquid, or gas). The frequency audible to humans ranges approximately between 20 and 20,000 Hertz.
Sound phenomena are related to the vibrations of material bodies. In our case, it would be the speaker. Whenever a sound is heard, there is a material body that vibrates and produces this phenomenon. This vibration displaces air particles at a certain frequency, reaching our ears and being interpreted by the brain as different sounds.
... so, how does a speaker generate that vibration to produce sound? The secret lies in the interaction between two magnetic fields. On one hand, we have a fixed magnetic field, which is a magnet, and on the other hand, a variable magnetic field created by a coil. The coil alternates its polarity, generating movement, and it is this movement that subsequently creates the vibration and, consequently, the sound.
... well, this coil is located within a fixed part called the gap. The movement of the coil moves a cone, the suspension, and the spider, which are responsible for generating the vibrations we mentioned earlier and, therefore, creating sound.
The suspension consists of a rubber or plastic ring, performing a similar role to the centering ring, allowing only the axial movements of the cone along with it.
The chassis on which the magnet is mounted is made of metal sheet or cast aluminum. Cast aluminum is more advisable because, being stronger, it allows for larger magnets.
The mission of the suspension and the spider is to limit the diaphragm's movement to prevent the coil from leaving the gap and, at the same time, keep the coil perfectly centered in the gap to avoid rubbing against the walls.
The cone core of the speaker is a powerful permanent magnet. The larger the magnet, the less electrical energy it will need to produce the same volume.
The voice coil is made up of aluminum or copper windings.
The cone or diaphragm can be made from a multitude of materials to ensure it is as rigid and inert as possible. The surface of the cone will depend on the frequency range it reproduces, its directivity characteristics, and partly the admissible power of the speaker.
The types of speakers that exist are:
FULL RANGE: Highly efficient speakers capable of reproducing nearly the entire sound spectrum without the need to add another speaker, thereby making a frequency divider filter unnecessary. They are typically used with triode amplifiers like the 2A3 or 300B types.
CONVENTIONAL: Those specialized in reproducing a specific range of the sound spectrum, requiring additional units and a filter to reproduce the entire spectrum.
Tweeters are responsible for reproducing high frequencies. They can be ribbon or dome types.
Mids are of intermediate size and have a frequency response between 100Hz and 5-6kHz, depending on the model. We must mention the Mid-Bass speakers, which range from 40Hz to 1.5-4.5kHz in depth, acting both as speakers and bass units.
Woofers are large in size and handle low frequencies, below 400-500Hz.
Subwoofers have two main missions: reproducing low frequencies without distortion that other speakers cannot reach and reproducing the sound stored in the .1 tracks of multichannel formats. This .1 is also known as the Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel and contains sub-bass sounds (below 40Hz). In other words, it makes us vibrate with effects like explosions and gunfire, but also recreates a realistic environment by reproducing very low-frequency sounds of engines, closed spaces, outdoor scenes, etc.
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