Wharfedale opus - Manual (Page 19)

opus
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THE DRIVE UNITS
THE BASS DRIVERS
The bass driver(s) incorporates a new design of cone utilising our own new bi-carbon weave process.
Carbon fibre has immense longitudinal strength and is used in many structures where high strength
and light weight are key attributes. Carbon fibre can be found liberally used in Formula 1 Racing Cars,
Aeroplanes, Boats, Spacecraft and even Golf Clubs.
These bundles are woven and impregnated with special bonding resins that are subsequently pressure
formed and heat cured. The resulting material is stiff, rigid and exhibits very low levels of internal
resonance. Consequently, energy losses in the cone transfer mechanism are very low.
Similarly, lateral voice coil strength is very high. We use a combination of half hard aluminium and
resin bonded glass fibre. This, in turn, contributes towards some of the lowest distortion figures ever
seen in conventional drivers. The dust cap/cover is of the same material as the cone.
The bass drivers operate only over the low frequency range. They are only used over their true pistonic
range. The cone is terminated with a conventional large half roll of synthetic butyl rubber with excellent
inherent damping qualities.
A high performance traditional ferrite magnet system is used. Motional noise can be a problem with
high output bass systems. We address this by moving air through vents in the voice coil. The magnet
systems is also fully vented throughout.