Speakers

Basic Description

Speakers first appeared in cars when the first automotive radios were introduced in early 1930s. Car speakers are similar to household loud speakers, but they are designed for the harsher automotive environment. They are also tend to be more compact so that they can be packaged in the automotive cabin.

Speakers generally consist of a diaphragm and voice coil. The voice coil is enclosed in a permanent magnet. The diaphragm is suspended in the structure so that it can move. Currents in the voice coil create a magnetic field that interacts with the permanent magnet to push or pull on the diaphragm depending on the polarity of the current. The continuous attraction and repulsion between the voice coil and the permanent magnet vibrates the diaphragm, which in turn generates the air vibrations required for sound.

Manufacturers

Alpine, Bose, Fusion, JVC, Nakamichi, Pioneer

For More Information

[1] How Speakers Work, Tom Harris, HowStuffWorks.com, Feb. 2, 2001.

[2] Vehicle Audio, Wikipedia.

[3] Car Audio Speakers, Caraudiohelp.com.

[4] Flexible Paper Speakers on the Way, IEEE Spectrum, Sept. 2009.

[5] How Do Speakers Work?, YouTube, Feb. 24, 2015.