News

Tymphany Packs Subwoofer Sound into Less Space and Totally New Shapes (2/11/2004)

Tymphany(TM) Corporation today announced at the Audio Engineering Society (AES) conference an innovative 'high-density' loudspeaker technology that packs bass into one third the space of existing audio transducers. The Tymphany Linear Array Transducer (LAT) technology infuses the low frequency response of a subwoofer into a full range woofer with a highly efficient and novel tubular form factor. The Tymphany LAT makes it possible to achieve lower frequencies from today's space sensitive products and to develop more highly integrated consumer and professional audio products in the future.

"More bass in smaller spaces has been the holy grail of the audio world for some time," said John Carter, Tymphany Board Member and former Chief Engineer at Bose. "The Tymphany LAT technology finally makes it possible to achieve this goal by eliminating the subwoofer and putting bass in places where it has never been before. Now consumers can look forward to flat panel TV displays with fully integrated 'movie theater' quality bass without a big black box sitting on the floor. Architectural sound systems can now include the sound of a 12-inch subwoofer in a 3-inch wall, without shaking the wall. From consumer to professional applications, Tymphany is changing the shape of deep bass."

"Over the past 25 years, improvements in sound have been in transmission not generation. Tymphany decided it was time to find new ways to generate sound for today's space-constrained devices," said Kenneth L. Kantor, Tymphany Chief Technology Officer and Chief Audio Systems Architect. "The Tymphany LAT conforms to the physics of loudspeakers, but changes the conventional shape and method of how air is moved. The result is the most innovative transducer to address bass since the inception of the horn."

The Tymphany LAT Technology

In a dramatic departure from conventional cone loudspeakers that displace air across a single diaphragm, the Tymphany LAT technology displaces air using a linear array of multiple smaller diaphragms to generate sound at high decibel levels across a wide range of frequencies -- from 20 Hz to above 4 kHz. Sound radiates through multiple flow ports along the side of the housing. The Tymphany LAT delivers high quality sound, and deep bass, in one third the size of a traditional cone transducer.

The Tymphany LAT technology features a balanced drive design comprised of a series of coupled diaphragms that are driven by opposing end motors. One motor drives half of the diaphragms, while the other motor drives the other half simultaneously, in opposition. The opposing end motors cancel out structural vibration so that the transducer will not shake or transmit structure-born vibrations to critical circuitry.

The Tymphany LAT technology is highly scalable -- scaling down to 2 inches and up to 12 inches in diameter at any length. It can be stacked into large clusters for even more power. Its form factor fits into rectangular spaces more efficiently than traditional cones and it is significantly lighter than traditional drivers with comparable output. The Tymphany LAT technology is compatible with existing electro acoustic driver design tools and processes and works with vented box, transmission line, infinite baffle and sealed enclosures to provide thorough ease of design.

Tymphany's LAT technology will enable such audio solutions as pro audio speakers that deliver mega-woofer sound from a truly portable box; car audio systems featuring bass accuracy and depth previously not possible in this space constrained environment; home theater surround sound with the subwoofer driver embedded in the front speaker stands, removing the need for a separate subwoofer box; and external PC speakers with bass that rivals high-end home theater systems, embedded in the speakers.

www.tymphany.com