A typical speaker emits sound from the center of a cone-shaped diaphragm. The sound produced interferes with each other within the cone, causing air resonance, causing disturbance in frequency characteristics, and due to the mortar shape, it can cause muddy and distortion, such as time differences in reproduction sound. On the other hand, in the case of planar diaphragms, all frequency bands are emitted evenly from the entire area without delay, so problems such as sound time differences and interference are eliminated. I believe that various companies have developed flat speakers because of their excellent characteristics, such as allowing for more faithful playback.
While the flat diaphragm has advantages such as excellent phase characteristics, low energy loss, and a clear sound without distortion, it is difficult to ensure the rigidity and durability required for the diaphragm, which makes the diaphragm heavy and the structure to solve the weight of the diaphragm complicated, making it difficult to manufacture and gradually disappear.
Nowadays, some manufacturers continue to carry out their own research and development and manufacture flat speakers that have evolved. Our store carries two manufacturers: FAL and Teragaki Lab. Although each has different structures, materials and manufacturing methods, the basic concept of flat diaphragms is almost the same.
Click here for the FAL speaker product page
https://www.exclusive-audio.jp/shop/products/list.php?category_id=16
Teragaki Lab speaker product page is here
https://www.exclusive-audio.jp/shop/products/list.php?category_id=35
FAL is Japan's leading manufacturer of flat speakers, having been researching and developing fully-driven, flat diaphragms with excellent phase characteristics for over 40 years. To achieve a fully-driven flat diaphragm, the N48, the most powerful neodymium magnet, is adopted, even more powerful than ever before, to obtain satisfactory power for the fully-driven flat diaphragm. DuPont voice coil bobbins are hand-wrapped with silver wire on the outside and inside. The diaphragm is made of papyrus made from reeds on the surface of lightweight, highly rigid styrofoam (strength as strong as concrete!), and the front and back edges are sandwiched between the edges on the front and back to form a double edge. To maximize its response and driving force, the frame is made of aluminum die-cast with a lightweight, robust structure. FAL has solved the problem that was once said to be a weakness of flat diaphragms using its own unique method.
The above structure provides both linearity, high efficiency, and high input resistance. The square unit shape is said to have better directionality than the circular one.
A typical cone-type speaker has a sound emission angle of about 60°, while a FAL flat driver is over 120°. This makes the sound field more wider and the stereo area is also vast. Another major feature is that the stereo positioning is not easily biased even when positioned out of the center of the left and right speakers. To play using the entire diaphragm, even small sizes can play sufficient bass. The 148 x 128 x 55 mm size FLAT-C60 is comparable to a woofer of about 30 to 40 cm. The spatial expression with accurate phase characteristics and excellent localization creates a rich sense of realism that reproduces the texture and depth of each instrument and vocal music in the composition, making it very popular among classical and jazz enthusiasts. It is also highly efficient, so we recommend a small-output single vacuum tube amplifier, which is energetically compatible.
This is about speakers that use flat diaphragms. Around the 1980s, there were quite a few lineups from major manufacturers such as Sony.
A typical speaker emits sound from the center of a cone-shaped diaphragm. The sound produced interferes with each other within the cone, causing air resonance, causing disturbance in frequency characteristics, and due to the mortar shape, it can cause muddy and distortion, such as time differences in reproduction sound. On the other hand, in the case of planar diaphragms, all frequency bands are emitted evenly from the entire area without delay, so problems such as sound time differences and interference are eliminated. I believe that various companies have developed flat speakers because of their excellent characteristics, such as allowing for more faithful playback.
While the flat diaphragm has advantages such as excellent phase characteristics, low energy loss, and a clear sound without distortion, it is difficult to ensure the rigidity and durability required for the diaphragm, which makes the diaphragm heavy and the structure to solve the weight of the diaphragm complicated, making it difficult to manufacture and gradually disappear.
Nowadays, some manufacturers continue to carry out their own research and development and manufacture flat speakers that have evolved. Our store carries two manufacturers: FAL and Teragaki Lab. Although each has different structures, materials and manufacturing methods, the basic concept of flat diaphragms is almost the same.
Click here for the FAL speaker product page
https://www.exclusive-audio.jp/shop/products/list.php?category_id=16
Teragaki Lab speaker product page is here
https://www.exclusive-audio.jp/shop/products/list.php?category_id=35
FAL is Japan's leading manufacturer of flat speakers, having been researching and developing fully-driven, flat diaphragms with excellent phase characteristics for over 40 years. To achieve a fully-driven flat diaphragm, the N48, the most powerful neodymium magnet, is adopted, even more powerful than ever before, to obtain satisfactory power for the fully-driven flat diaphragm. DuPont voice coil bobbins are hand-wrapped with silver wire on the outside and inside. The diaphragm is made of papyrus made from reeds on the surface of lightweight, highly rigid styrofoam (strength as strong as concrete!), and the front and back edges are sandwiched between the edges on the front and back to form a double edge. To maximize its response and driving force, the frame is made of aluminum die-cast with a lightweight, robust structure. FAL has solved the problem that was once said to be a weakness of flat diaphragms using its own unique method.
The above structure provides both linearity, high efficiency, and high input resistance. The square unit shape is said to have better directionality than the circular one.
A typical cone speaker has a sound radiation angle of about 60°, while a FAL flat driver is more than 120°. Therefore, the sound field expression is wider and the stereo area is also vast. Another major feature is that the stereo positioning is difficult to bias even when the left and right speakers are off-center. In order to reproduce using the entire diaphragm, it is possible to reproduce sufficient bass even with a small size. Even the FLAT-C60 with a size of 148×128×55mm is comparable to a woofer of about 30~40cm. The spatial expression with accurate phase characteristics and excellent localization is very popular with classical and jazz enthusiasts because it realistically reproduces the texture and depth of each instrument and vocal music performed in the orchestration. In addition, it is highly efficient, so it is recommended that a single tube amplifier with low output can be used energetically.
