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Just how big is that driver?


hi All,

I'm wondering just how to measure drivers physical dimensions. Are drivers measured only to the surrounds inner perimeter? Or, in other words, are they in fact measured to the overall extension of only the material making up the cone itself, and NOT the surround/supportive construct?

Or, in fact, is it�s actual dimensions, the whole overall exposed, structure, right out past the screws holding it to the baffle?

To my way of thinking, a cone or dome driver's size is just that part up to but not including the surround, if any, regardless the actual materials being used.
blindjim
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Size of the hole cutout in the enclosure.
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 
it's always refreshing to have exacting standards being employed in such an esoteric and affluent market, huh?

Spec sheets should only contain info on color, weight, size, and perhaps price. Everthing else is subjective apparently.
markphd
667 posts
 
There is a high degree of variability in how specs are measured as well, which is why audiophile types generally prefer their ears over measured specs. Otherwise, everything that measures the same should behave the same and sound the same.

Tolerancess for connectors are also a bit loose which is why some bananas are, well, loose.
undertow
1,033 posts
 
Most 10" drivers are at the outer most part of the frame measured(a bit deceiving for sure), normally the surround and cone make up only about 8.75" to 9" of it actually. And yeah they still consider them 10's commercially.. some european drivers these days seem to fess up and call them 9" drivers instead.
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
This is a good quest as my Silverline Audio SR-11s have a woofer specified at 4" while my Usher S-520's woofer is specified at 5". Why do I mention this? I've measured the woofers in both speakers and the Silverline woofer is actually bigger. They are both very close to 5 inches if the driver's frame is taken into account.
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