Drivers
They are the heart and soul of any speaker system. In a nutshell, these coverts supplied electric signal from an audio amplifier to audible sound via internal driver movement. Most can be broadly categorized into four genre based on their roles in the overall audio spectrum coverage.
 |
 |
 |
Midrange drivers: These cover the vocal range which is most readily picked up by our ears. Their sizes lie between a tweeter and woofer, though there are exceptions such as the woven Kevlar variant sported here. Other materials favored by the vendors can vary from inexpensive paper to exotic birch wood.
Low-frequency drivers: These are larger LF siblings of their midrange counterparts, tasked to deliver the extra oomph in rock albums and movie soundtracks. Their ability to go deep is somewhat related to the cone size, and thus the amount of air they move. While their performances are adequate for most music, don't expect them to rock for movies.
Full-range drivers: Not to be confused by their description, these are high- and midrange drivers rolled into one compact package. Usually found in smaller satellite speakers of the home-theater-in-a-box fame, they have to be paired with a dedicated subwoofer for balanced audio reproduction.
The various combinations of drivers determine the design of the speaker. Two-way speakers are equipped with HF and bass-enhanced midrange drivers, while a three-way equivalent will have all three variants fitted onboard. This convention is measured regardless of any multiple of the same driver class. For example, the dual 180mm woofers in the B&W DM604 do not constitute a four-way design.
