SEAS High-Performance Prestige Line
Dome Tweeters
SEAS Prestige dome tweeters are produced in 19 and 25 mm voice coil
versions, using both wide and narrow surround diameters. SEAS offers
dome materials of cloth, aluminum, and titanium. Soft surround
materials of textile or plastic are employed to suspend the dome
diaphragm in a precise and dependable manner. All cloth and non-anodized
aluminum diaphragms, as well as all dome surrounds, are
produced in-house.
The rigid chassis (front plates) are injection molded from glass-filled
engineering grade plastic. The cosmetic standard of the SEAS chassis is very
high, and allows for custom designs in specified shapes, surface
finishes, fixing holes, logos, etc. within wide limits. The corresponding
tooling expense for customized designs is very cost effective.
Aluminum diaphragms may be protected by wire mesh or perforated
metal grilles, or by plastic diffusers, integrated into the chassis.
Diffusers can also be optimized to flatten the high frequency response
to an amazing degree.
25 mm voice coil dome tweeters with ferrite magnets may be equipped
with a damped hole in the magnet pole and with a rear chamber,
thereby offering a lower resonance frequency. The voice coil may also
be fitted with braided lead out wires for applications that involve larger
coil excursions.
The Prestige product range also offers compact dome tweeters with
25mm voice coils that use highly efficient magnet material made from
Neodymium, lron and Boron. These are available in both textile and
metal dome materials, with applications as individual tweeters or for
use in SEAS Coaxial drivers.
All SEAS tweeters are available with magnetic fluid in two different
viscosities that dramatically improves heat transfer from the voice coil
to the pole piece. The magnetic fluid also provides mechanical
damping for the voice coil, thereby smoothing the impedance curve,
and allowing for simpler crossover design.
Cone Drivers
Prestige cone drivers are built on injection molded zinc chassis in sizes
from 12cm to 26 cm, The molding process allows the material to be
located exactly where it is needed for stiffness and strength, which is
essential to high quality sound reproduction. The chassis are protected
using an attractive and durable powder coating process.
Prestige drivers are offered in a wide range of cone materials:
- Aluminum, yet reasonably light.
- Paper-available in a wide range of pulps, with or without coating.
- Polypropylene-unfilled or mica impregnated for extra stiffness.
- XP-an optically transparent polymer material that is light, stiff, and
- well damped.
- Glass Fibre-a woven material that is impregnated for stability and dynamic control.
- Surround materials are available in a wide range of consistencies, from
low loss natural rubber for specialized woofers, to high loss synthetic
compounds intended for the highest possible accuracy at midrange
frequencies.
Spiders
Impregnated fabric spiders are generally flat, with a slightly progressive
stiffness characteristic, for EXCELlent linearity and stability.
Voice coils are made from copper wire with duroplastic coating, to
withstand coil temperatures of 220-250 degrees centigrade without
disintegration. Voice coils made with copper clad aluminum wire
(CCAW) are also available for applications where lower moving mass is
desired. Most Prestige line cone drivers are equipped with two layer
voice coils, except in situations where higher inductance and reduced
high frequency output are desirable. In these cases, four layer voice
coils may be specified.
Voice Coils
Voice coils are generally wound on aluminum formers for high strength
and heat dissipation. For certain applications, SEAS also supplies highly
stable non-conducting formers made from Kapton, Nomex or glass
fibre.
Voice coil lead-out wires are made from high quality materials for
durability and dynamic control. SEAS also takes great care in dressing the
wires so that they flex in a smooth, controlled way, without buzz or
vibration.
Dust Caps
The dust cap is critical to the performance of a drive unit, particularly at
higher frequencies. The SEAS soft dust caps are made from various paper
formulations or from textile fabric. Furthermore, these can be coated
for improved dynamic control. Where stiffer dust caps are required, SEAS
can supply them in Polypropylene, Aluminum and various grades of
PVC.
As an excellent alternative to dust caps, SEAS can also supply phase plugs,
which eliminate the cavity inside the coil former, thereby lowering
sound coloration. Phase plugs improve air circulation around the coil
windings, improving power handling, while reducing voice coil
temperature variation and sensitivity modulation.
Magnet Systems
Magnet systems for Prestige drivers are based on high quality barium
ferrite magnets, and soft steel parts that are either precision turned or
fine blanked, to ensure the tightest dimensional tolerances in the
critical gap area. The parts are bonded together with a heavy-duty
two-component adhesive.
Optional compensated magnet systems are offered for AV applications
where a CRT is in close proximity. For the lowest possible stray field, a
shielding cup enclosing the compensated magnet system may be
added. Separate shielding kits are also offered for DIY or aftermarket
shielding applications.
Assembly Process
Assembling all the components of a loudspeaker consistently, and in a
durable way, requires the use of high quality specialized adhesives,
applied in a highly precise manner. Many glue joints, especially those
involving the cone and surround, are critical to the acoustical
performance of the driver. SEAS therefore uses automated application
equipment that precisely meters the amount of adhesive to be applied.
During the curing process, precision jigs and fixtures hold all parts
firmly in position, ensuring that the driver you purchase has all the
performance and consistency for which SEAS products are famous.
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