Italian R&D Center

PURE POTENZA:

At our state-of-the art R&D center in Potenza Picena, Italy, our Ph.D. infused Research Department and experienced R&D team are focused on innovation in every aspect, continuously pushing the boundaries of sound quality, product reliability and consistency of electroacoustic performance, whilst ensuring each product has that distinct cost-effective edge and design elegance synonymous with LAVOCE.

ITALIAN R&D CENTER

ENCOMPASSING THE SAME HIGH LEVEL OF CARE AND USING THE VERY LATEST DESIGN VALIDATION TOOLS, OUR R&D TEAM WORKS TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS TO CUSTOMIZE OUR STANDARD PLATFORMS TO MEET THEIR TARGET SPECIFICATIONS OR CREATE COMPLETELY NEW GROUND UP DESIGNS, MAKING US A ONE-STOP SOURCE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE PROFESSIONAL AUDIO OEM OR ODM TRANSDUCER SOLUTIONS.

Italian R&D department

HF simulation suite

LOUDSPEAKER DESIGN SUITE

To increase efficiency and accuracy in the design validation process, our Research team developed five proprietary FEM applications within COMSOL® Multi physics Modelling Software for simulating specific aspects of low frequency loudspeaker design: Lumped Parameters, Electromagnetic, Suspension, Vibro acoustic and Thermal.

These applications culminate into a tailored graphical user interface which can realize an unlimited number of virtual prototypes, all within 5% of their physical prototype.

Adopted daily by our engineers, this valuable design tool optimizes the lead-time from receipt of a customized project and performance target to supplying physical samples for approval, so our customers can plan their own project development schedule with confidence.

To aid the electroacoustic design of high frequency compression drivers, our team developed an advanced ‘nonlinear’ modelling technique using an elasto plastic model for moving parts and an acoustic model for phase plug channels, compression chamber and horn, which can predict the real-world frequency response and 2nd harmonic distortion of a physical prototype. And by adding the development of advanced ‘linear’ modelling techniques using a finite element model (2D-axi) and an optimization routine for phase plug design, our team can reduce development time and produce versatile HF devices with low distortion, linear frequency responses and the flexibility to perform equally well on differing horn flares.

HF and LF 3D scanning

ACOUSTICS LABORATORY

HERE OUR R&D TEAM USE A COMPLETE FRAMEWORK FOR LOUDSPEAKER DIAGNOSTICS AND OPTIMIZATION BASED ON MATHEMATICAL MODELS THAT ACCURATELY DESCRIBE THE MULTI-PHYSICAL BEHAVIOUR OF TRANSDUCERS.THIS ENABLES QUANTITIES THAT ARE NOT PHYSICALLY OBSERVABLE TO BE MEASURED AND PROVIDES VALUABLE INFORMATION ON EVERY PHASE OF THE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE.

Measurement room

Embracing the Klippel R&D System with the KA3 Analyser platform, our team developed techniques and practices for the experimental measurement of all the physical quantities that govern loudspeaker behaviour in all physical domains, emphasized by the following operations:

SCAN OF THE 3D MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE AIR GAP USING KLIPPEL B-FIELD SCANNER (BFS).
DISTORTION MEASUREMENTS IN ALL MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND ACOUSTICAL DOMAINS, WITH BOTH SYNTHETICAL AND MUSICAL STIMULI.
ASSESS HEATING AND AGEING OF TRANSDUCERS.
IDENTIFY THE LINEAR TRANSDUCER MODEL (THIELE/SMALL PARAMETERS).
IDENTIFY LARGE SIGNAL MODELS OF THE TRANSDUCER (NONLINEARITIES VS DISPLACEMENT).
SCAN THE 3D GEOMETRY AND MECHANICAL VIBRATION FIELD ON THE SURFACE OF THE RADIATOR.
ANALYSE VIBRATION CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOUND PRESSURE OUTPUT.
3D POLAR AND BALLOON ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS IN THE FAR FIELD OF THE TRANSDUCER MOUNTED ON STANDARD BAFFLE OR IN A DEDICATED ENCLOSURE.

In addition to these measurement techniques and practices, unique methodologies have been developed for the analysis of the magnetic field, the modal analysis of diaphragm vibration and the radiation analysis of the spatially distributed acoustic field. This has resulted in a user-friendly and comprehensive diagnostics package for our R&D team to use and an industry-leading optimization capability that offers efficiency and accuracy for our customers.

Listening test: from mathematical models to field-testing

LISTENING TESTS AND SONIC TUNING

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR DESIGN VALIDATION PROCESS IS TO LISTEN TO THE PHYSICAL PROTOTYPES WE PRODUCE TO IDENTIFY DEFECTS NOT CAUGHT BY MEASUREMENTS AND TO FINE TUNE THE DRIVER TO PRECISELY MEET CUSTOMER NEEDS, TECHNICALLY AND SONICALLY.

TRAINED ENGINEERS CONDUCT THESE LISTENING TESTS IN A DEDICATED AND CONTROLLED LISTENING ROOM EQUIPPED WITH CUSTOM CALIBRATED INSTRUMENTS TO ENSURE THEY ARE CONSISTENT AND REPEATABLE.

To enhance this validation process, our team have researched and developed a machine learning measurement technique to predict distortion severity, which is trained on listening test data from a wide range of transducers. This technique establishes a correlation between subjective perception of distortion and objective measurement metrics with definitions of distortion’s severity classes for THD, bass-tone and voice-tone inter modulation (based on IEC 60268-21), and non-coherent distortion.