Description
The acoustic-suspension woofer (sometimes known as “air suspension”) uses the elastic cushion of air within a sealed enclosure to provide the restoring force for the woofer diaphragm.
Unlike the stiff suspension of conventional speakers, the trapped air inside the sealed-loudspeaker enclosure provides a more linear restoring force for the woofer's diaphragm, enabling it to oscillate a greater distance (excursion) in a linear fashion. This is a requirement for clean reproduction of deep-bass tones by drivers with relatively small cones (e.g. smaller than 12-16 inches in diameter) not mounted in a horn or similar for increased coupling at low frequencies enclosure. Acoustic suspension cabinets are not entirely airtight. A small amount of airflow must be allowed so the speaker can adjust to changes in atmospheric pressure.
Acoustic suspension woofers were once very popular in hi-fi systems, due to their low distortion. However, as bass reflex cabinet design has improved, speakers with ported enclosures have become more common, especially in home theater and mid-level stereo systems.
Read more about this topic: Acoustic Suspension
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