Component specific information, Midbass, t, Attributes, specifications, parameters – Hybrid Audio Technologies Clarus Series Components User Manual
Page 4: Midbass attributes, Clarus component systems

Your Clarus system 
contains speaker drivers 
and passive crossover 
networks that were 
developed and assembled 
with a significant 
effort in research and 
development, materials 
science engineering, 
an exhaustive level of 
sampling and prototyping, 
real-world testing, and 
obsessive attention to 
detail. The specifications 
and parameters of your 
Clarus component system 
is detailed on these pages.
Midbass Attributes
Clarus C5 & C6
Frame
Cast aluminum with black powder-texture surface 
coating. The basket is a high-quality cast aluminum 
design, which plays a critical role in aligning the 
voice coil in the magnetic circuit. Additionally, the 
cast aluminum frame allows for better clamping 
strength verses typical stamped steel frames, and 
ensures that the voice coil remains centered in the 
former. The black coating on the frame protects 
it from abrasion and oxidation. The frames are 
similar in size and format to the Mirus, Imagine, and 
Clarus-series drivers, allowing for upgrade potential 
from these product lines to the Clarus series.
Cone and Dust Cap
Pressed paper, untreated on the front side 
and treated on the rearward side. It is widely 
acknowledged that pressed paper cones are the 
best marriage of lightness, stiffness, and ability 
of the cone to damp unwanted cone and edge 
modes and resonances (read: distortion). The 
damping afforded by the paper cone ensures the 
midbass speakers can play lower treble frequencies 
effortlessly, without significant cone “breakup.” Our 
approach to “point-source imaging” is to rely on the 
midbass driver to effectively reproduce the lower 
treble frequencies, where the human vocal range 
extends, as well as other imaging-critical musical 
instruments, ensuring phase-coherent imaging and 
stable, lifelike staging character.
The paper cone, known for its excellent sonic 
attributes, is water resistant, thanks to a polymer 
developed exclusive and proprietarily by Hybrid 
Audio Technologies. The treatment does not 
change the look and parameters of the driver like 
old-fashioned “glossy” polymers which added 
an appreciable amount of moving mass and 
significantly colored the sound. No, the Clarus cones 
look like any “normal” paper cone. The treatment 
protects the cone from periodic drips (such as inside 
a door panel), as well as accidental splashes to the 
front of the cone. 
The dustcap covers the voice coil to keep dirt and 
debris from fouling the voice coil gap. Since high 
frequency information emanates from the center 
of the cone, a paper dustcap was utilized in concert 
with the pressed paper cone diaphragm to ensure 
that the speaker’s response remained linear into the 
lower- to mid-treble frequencies.
Surround
Inverted high-loss rubber surround. The inverted 
high-loss rubber surround (in concert with the 
spider, detailed below), helps to provide the 
compliance and “restorative force” needed for the 
Clarus drivers to play effectively into the lower 
midbass, and even upper subbass frequencies 
(depending on in-car cabin gain and other factors). 
You’ll also know a Hybrid Audio midrange and 
midbass design by its inverted surround; this 
design feature allows for the use of a smaller height 
grille, better clearance with OEM panels, and more 
flexibility in mounting options. The surround is a 
shared technology with the Imagine series coaxial 
and convertible component sets.
Spider
Phenolic fabric and tinned tinsel leads. The spider 
is the brownish/yellow corrugated (rippled) fabric 
that attaches the cone and voice coil. The spider for 
the Clarus designs was the subject of a considerable 
amount of our research and development. The 
spider is a phenolic symmetrically-rolled fabric 
which provides excellent restorative force during 
excursion, and the woven tinsel leads, often not 
found in speakers in this price range, are an asset to 
the Clarus line because the leads are protected from 
physical damage and accidental short circuit. The 
tinsel leads are connected to real epoxy PCB, not 
flimsy cardboard.
Voice Coil and Motor System
1” (25mm) (C5) and 1.4” (35mm) (C6): complimentary 
design. The voice coil used in the Clarus midbass is 
a 2-layer aluminized copper wire coils on a round 
former. An “overhung” voice coil was selected to 
improve sensitivity while still keeping distortion 
to a minimum. The motor system utilizes a ferrite 
magnet with rubber protective boot (which 
can be removed to improve mounting depth), 
complimented by design with a back plate and 
rear venting chamber to improve the speaker’s 
thermal power handling and improved ability of the 
midbass to play at high amplitudes.
Continued on following page...
Clarus
Component
Systems
© Hybrid Audio Technologies • Cumming, GA • 770.888.8200
© Hybrid Audio Technologies • Cumming, GA • 770.888.8200
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