A Survey of Unusual Transducers

Standard dynamic transducers form the basis of mainstream loudspeaker system design. Indeed, there are few other principles of transduction that exhibit either the linearity or the acoustical output capability to form a basis for general loudspeaker design. Nonetheless, there is continuing interest in transducers based on other physical principles, or unusual variations of conventional technology. There are a number of reasons why a manufacturer might want to develop a new transducer, among them: 1. An exotic driver, purely for its own sake, may have possible marketplace appeal and other advantages. 2. Many exotic drivers are designed for 360° radiation in the horizontal plane, and this is considered an advantage by some systems designers. 3. In a few cases, an exotic driver has provided the basis for an entirely new extended range systems approach, thus enabling the manufacturer to make a major design-performance statement.