Your Clarus system
contains speaker drivers
and passive crossover
networks 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
Clarus component system
is detailed on these pages.
Midbass Attributes
Clarus C5 & C6
Frame
Cast aluminum with black powder-texture surface
coating. The basket is a high-quality cast aluminum
design, which plays a critical role in aligning the
voice coil in the magnetic circuit. Additionally, the
cast aluminum frame allows for better clamping
strength verses typical stamped steel frames, and
ensures that the voice coil remains centered in the
former. The black coating on the frame protects
it from abrasion and oxidation. The frames are
similar in size and format to the Mirus, Imagine, and
Clarus-series drivers, allowing for upgrade potential
from these product lines to the Clarus series.
Cone and Dust Cap
Pressed paper, untreated on the front side
and treated on the rearward side. It is widely
acknowledged that pressed paper cones are the
best marriage of lightness, stiffness, and ability
of the cone to damp unwanted cone and edge
modes and resonances (read: distortion). The
damping afforded by the paper cone ensures the
midbass speakers can play lower treble frequencies
effortlessly, without significant cone “breakup.” Our
approach to “point-source imaging” is to rely on the
midbass driver to effectively reproduce the lower
treble frequencies, where the human vocal range
extends, as well as other imaging-critical musical
instruments, ensuring phase-coherent imaging and
stable, lifelike staging character.
The paper cone, known for its excellent sonic
attributes, is water resistant, thanks to a polymer
developed exclusive and proprietarily by 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 Clarus cones
look like any “normal” paper cone. 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.
The dustcap covers the voice coil to keep dirt and
debris from fouling the voice coil gap. Since high
frequency information emanates from the center
of the cone, a paper dustcap was utilized in concert
with the pressed paper cone diaphragm to ensure
that the speaker’s response remained 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
Clarus 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. The surround is a
shared technology with the Imagine series coaxial
and convertible component sets.
Spider
Phenolic 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 Clarus 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, and the woven tinsel leads, often not
found in speakers in this price range, are an asset to
the Clarus line because the leads are protected from
physical damage and accidental short circuit. The
tinsel leads are connected to real epoxy PCB, not
flimsy cardboard.
Voice Coil and Motor System
1” (25mm) (C5) and 1.4” (35mm) (C6): complimentary
design. The voice coil used in the Clarus midbass is
a 2-layer aluminized copper wire coils on a round
former. An “overhung” voice coil was selected to
improve sensitivity while still keeping distortion
to a minimum. The motor system utilizes a ferrite
magnet with rubber protective boot (which
can be removed to improve mounting depth),
complimented by design with a back plate and
rear venting chamber to improve the speaker’s
thermal power handling and improved ability of the
midbass to play at high amplitudes.
Continued on following page...
Clarus
Component
Systems
© Hybrid Audio Technologies • Cumming, GA • 770.888.8200
© Hybrid Audio Technologies • Cumming, GA • 770.888.8200
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