Glossary
Aluminum dome
Aluminum dome tweeters combine the wide dispersion characteristics and superior off-axis response of a dome design with firm, but lightweight aluminum. A staple of audiophile-grade speakers, the aluminum dome tweeter features low distortion, flat frequency response and smooth acoustic dispersion.
Amplifier
An electronic device which amplifies a signal that is sent to it, providing the power to make a speaker operate.
Boundary Compensation
The Veritas Boundary Compensation circuits eliminate the drawbacks of flush mounting wall or ceiling speakers. Midrange and treble controls on each speaker provide accurate adjustment to the room's characteristics. The result is in-wall performance that's a match for any box speaker you've heard.
Cone
The radiating area of the speaker, which moves the air, causing sound.
Convergent Source Module
The Convergent Source Module, or CSM, is the heart of Energy speakers. It provides wide dispersion, low distortion and amazing midrange performance. The speaker's midrange and tweeter are housed in separate chambers, lowering resonance and allowing higher power handling, as well as eliminating unwanted interaction with the other drivers.
Crossover
A complex series of resistors, capacitors and inductors, which is designed to separate the signals being sent to the speaker and send them to the appropriate driver. This protects the speakers from playing frequencies they are not capable of.
Dual Hyperdrive
These woofers feature a unique dual voice coil design to reduce distortion. This results in clearer, more accurate bass response.
Efficiency
Typically measured at 1 watt/1 meter, this measurement indicates how loud a speaker will play when one sends it 1 watt of amplifier power, and measures the volume when being 1 meter from the speaker. The only proper way to measure this is in an anechoic chamber, with the proper testing equipment.
Faceted Cone
The cones' facets increase rigidity while reducing weight, to reduce distortion and allow a deeper reach.
Frequency Response
The measurement oh how well a speaker reproduces every frequency in a human's audible spectrum. Since most humans can hear from approximately 20Hz to 20kHz (20 cycles per second which is deep bass, to 20,000 cycles per second which is very high frequencies), this measurement depicts how wide of a spectrum the speaker can reproduce. It is important to note that although some speakers can play a wide range of frequencies, the most important fact is ensuring it plays all frequencies at the same level. A speaker that, for example, reproduces more high frequencies than low frequencies will sound "bright" in comparison to speakers with a smooth response.
High frequency cut switch
Provides adjustment to reduce overly 'bright' high end frequencies that can occur in highly reflective rooms, such as those without drapes or carpeting.
Impedance
There are two major types of impedance, nominal and minimum. Unlike a resistor, a speaker does not have a constant "resistance", the impedance is always fluctuating as the speaker operates. The nominal impedance is the "resistance" that the speaker shows to the amplifier while the speaker is not moving. The minimum impedance is the lowest impedance that a speaker will exhibit, as it operates through its frequency range.
Kevlar
Using Kevlar for cone construction gives the woofer both light weight for quick reaction and superior rigidity to handle increased output levels.
Magnet
The magnet creates a magnetic field, which is constantly charged.
Power Handling
A measurement of how much power a speaker can accept. Since much of the signal sent to a speaker is converted into heat, this also relates to how much heat the speaker can dissipate. The Maximum Power rating is a measurement of how much clean power a speaker can accept, over a long period of time, without sustaining damage.
Rear venting
Vents—sometimes known as ports—are openings in the cabinet that extend bass response by delivering sound from the front, rear or both sides of the cabinet to the listener.
Ribbed Elliptical Surround
The patented Ribbed Elliptical Surrounds that encircle our products' woofers are unlike any other. By changing the shape of the speaker surround to an ellipse, rather than the traditional 'half roll', distortion is reduced dramatically. Side benefits include increased excursion and larger piston area, allowing for greater efficiency. Our cast basket woofers also feature this technology, allowing the surround to stretch and contract as it moves, eliminating dimpling.
Soundfield Management System
Adaptable to any environment, the Soundfield management System's control panel allows adjustment of the surround field from monopole to bipole or dipole. Level adjustment of the ambient information compensates for speaker placement problems or acoustic deficiencies.
Swiveling
Adaptable to any environment, the swiveling tweeter and woofer allow maximum adjustment to optimize speaker performance to the shape and acoustics of the room.
Tapered Crossover
To ensure excellent midrange performance from multiple woofers, the tapered crossover is used. With this technology, the top woofer acts as both a midrange and woofer, while the lower one acts only as a woofer.
Tweeter
A small driver, which plays the highest of frequencies. Its size limits the amount of power it can handle, as well as how low it can play.
Venting
Vents—sometimes known as ports—are openings in the cabinet that extend bass response by delivering sound from the front, rear or both sides of the cabinet to the listener.
Voice Coil
Copper winding which amplifier current flows through, in turn causing a reaction with the magnet.
Woofer
A large driver, which plays the lowest to midrange frequencies. Its physical size limits how quickly it can move and therefore how high and low a frequency it can reproduce.
