Speaker terminology explained
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|
Part |
Constructed from |
Purpose |
| Dustcap |
Paper, cloth, aluminium or foam
|
Prevents foreign particles from entering the magnetic gap.
|
| Trim ring or gasket
|
Paper or hard foam
|
Common on older speakers, this was used to provide a seal between the speaker
and cabinet to prevent air leaks on rear mounted speakers. Somewhat
anachronistically, gaskets have persisted but no longer serve any function on
front mounted speakers.
|
| Cone |
Paper, hard plastic, graphite, kevlar or aluminium |
The diaphragm that moves the air and creates sound waves. |
| Surround |
Foam, rubber, paper or cloth
|
Holds the cone at its extremity and allows free movement forward and backwards |
| Braids |
Flexible wire
|
Provides a connection between the speaker's terminals and the voice coil
|
| Voice coil
|
Aluminium, Nomex or Kapton former with copper or aluminium windings |
Amplifier current passed through the voice coil reacts against the magnet's
force and causes forward or backwards motion in the moving assembly. |
| Spider |
Stiffened fabric
|
The inner suspension component dampens the cone's movement and centres the
voice coil precisely.
|
| Frame or basket
|
Steel, aluminium alloy or hard plastic
|
Speaker's basic building block
|
| Magnet |
Ceramic or alnico
|
Provides the magnetic force against which the voice coil reacts.
|
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