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Speaker

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Electronman

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HI,

Just want to see if there is any capacitive speaker in the real world?
most of electronics stuff can be as both inputs and outputs (like dynamic speakers and Mikes), So what about capacitive speakers?

Thanks
 
piezo electrics have some capacitive properties as well.
 
How do they work? How does the cone vibrate when a signal is coming?

They don't really have a cone, capacitive transducers may have a thin metallic diaphragm or plate or foil of some kind, separated from another with a dialectric material. They work off of electrostatic changes in potential due to oscillations in the gap of the plates, to boil it down to the nuts and bolts at least. Think of them as audio frequency variable capacitors.
 
Actually, I kind of said it backwards. when used as a microphone element they work that way. The opposite occurs when driving them as a speaker. oscillating charge potentials cause the diaphragm or foil to vibrate mechanically.
 
I have seen a lot of capacitive Mikes but never have seen a capacitive speaker! Any link for it please? I even Doubt how they are able to work!?
 
I have seen thousands of electret microphones but have never seen an electret earpiece.

Very high quality electrostatic speakers were made in England. Their loudness was low and they used a stepup transformer to activate the diaphragm.
 
I have seen thousands of electret microphones but have never seen an electret earpiece.

Very high quality electrostatic speakers were made in England. Their loudness was low and they used a stepup transformer to activate the diaphragm.


Really?
Well, they do exist. They are more expensive and require high voltages to work properly, but they do exist.
 
Aren't those earpieces that come with crystal radio kits electret speakers, or is it just a highly wrapped coil?
Also wouldn't the bass reproduction be absolutely horrible on those speakers? If it's transformer coupled you'd lose all the low frequencies.
 
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Aren't those earpieces that come with crystal radio kits electret speakers, or is it just a highly wrapped coil?
Also wouldn't the bass reproduction be absolutely horrible on those speakers? If it's transformer coupled you'd lose all the low frequencies.

Honestly I'm not sure about the crystal radio earpieces. But I have heard audio through electret earphones and the reproduction is remarkable. I just think they are inconvenient and pricey so not something you will see at walmart.

I've listened to several amateur radio conversations about various homebrew experiments saying the fidelity is good, particularly in audiophile circles.
 
In the old days maybe an electrostatic speaker was loud enough. Not today.

It is too expensive because it needs a very high quality stepup transformer. Good sound systems don't use transformers today.

Excellent coil and magnet speakers are manufactured by the millions today. How many electrostatic speakers are produced each month? Two??
 
A piezo transducer used in watches and in smoke detectors is not a speaker and is not electrostatic.
 
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