© Hybrid Audio Technologies, 2010
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Imagine Individual Component Parameters
Your Imagine system contains speaker drivers and a tweeter passive crossover network that
were developed and assembled with a significant effort in research and development,
materials science engineering, an exhaustive level of sampling and prototyping, real-world
testing, and obsessive attention to detail. The specifications and parameters of your Imagine
component system is detailed as follows:
Midbass Speakers (Imagine I5)
Frame:
Cast ABS
plastic.
The basket is a high-quality cast ABS design, which plays a critical role in
aligning the voice coil in the magnetic circuit. Additionally, the cast ABS
frame allows for better clamping strength verses typical stamped steel
frames, and ensures that the voice coil remains centered in the former.
Cone:
Pressed paper
with water proof
treatment
Hybrid Audio Technologies believes that the pressed paper cone is the best
marriage of lightness, stiffness, and ability of the cone to damp unwanted
cone and edge modes and resonances (read: distortion). All of our designs
use pressed paper cones. The paper cone, known for its excellent sonic
attributes, is water proof, thanks to a polymer developed exclusive and is
proprietary to Hybrid Audio Technologies. The treatment does not change
the look and parameters of the driver like old-fashioned “glossy” polymers
which added an appreciable amount of moving mass and significantly
colored the sound. No, the Imagine cones look like any “normal” paper
cone, but in reality are likely the only high-performance water proof paper
cone car audio speaker systems on the market. The treatment protects the
cone from periodic drips (such as inside a door panel), as well as accidental
splashes to the front of the cone.
Phase Plug:
Cast
ABS plastic.
When using the midbass in component set mode, the tweeter pole piece is
replaced with an ABS extended phase plug pole piece. The extended phase
plug pole piece is critical for focusing high-frequency information at the
center of the cone. This design ensures the speaker’s response remains
linear into the lower- to mid-treble frequencies.
Surround:
Inverted
high-loss rubber
surround.
The inverted high-loss rubber surround (in concert with the spider, detailed
below), helps to provide the compliance and “restorative force” needed for
the Imagine drivers to play effectively into the lower midbass, and even
upper subbass frequencies (depending on in-car cabin gain and other
factors). You'll also know a Hybrid Audio midrange and midbass design by
its inverted surround; this design feature allows for the use of a smaller
height grille, better clearance with OEM panels, and more flexibility in
mounting options.
Spider:
Phenolicized
fabric and tinned
tinsel leads.
The spider is the brownish/yellow corrugated (rippled) fabric that attaches
the cone and voice coil. The spider for the Imagine designs was the subject
of a considerable amount of our research and development. The spider is a
phenolic symmetrically-rolled fabric which provides excellent restorative force
during excursion. The spider is vented courteous of the speaker frame; a
design element not typically found in this price range of speaker system.
The spider venting increases the thermal power handling of the I5 driver.
The tinsel leads are connected to real epoxy PCB, not flimsy cardboard.
