Radio age (Jan-Dec 1926)

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18 RADIO AGE for October, 1926 ever, alter its characteristics in any way other than to slightly improve the tone due to decreased sound reflection at this point. These types of horns may be curved into any conceivable shape without altering their general behavior provided that the turns are not too sharp. Figure No. 3 shows the two most common types of curved horns. Speaker No. 1H is the type generally encountered in the cheap horns, and is fairly satisfactory. Due to the distinct limitations of this form, however, which are partly caused by the deadening effect of the soft horn material and partly by the usual small size of horn in this type, it is apt to be harsh and unpleasant, or thin and whiney, as the case may be, in the upper musical registers. The lower tones are invariably slighted and often almost missing in this type of speaker due to the same defects which are discussed above. If your pocket book permits it is wise to shun this type of speaker as it is considerably inferior to the more advanced types, and will seriously handicap the tone qualities of any receiver. Type No. 2H is without doubt the poorest speaker on the list, and No. 3H (while it is slightly better due to its exponential type of horn in which there is less sound reflection and interference, and consequently less metallic vibration) is almost as bad. Due to the manifestly poor tone of this type of loud talker (regardless of the set it is used with) it has been practically driven off the market and probably will never be encountered. Similar Tonal Quality IN spite of the widely differing materials used in the horn construction of types No. 4H, all five of these have almost identical tone characteristics, and have consequently been included under the one number, as it is our purpose to classify horn types by tone and volume attributes. These No. 4H type horns have proven to be one of the most highly successful forms yet evolved, due principally to their mellow, even tones, even in the very high notes and overtones. The lower register, while it does not strongly reproduce, is definitely present. Type No. 5H is somewhat similar to No. 4H, but the tone, while pleasingly mellow, is somewhat more brilliant, and reproduction is considerably evener over the entire musical range; high, middle, and low notes and overtones being reproduced with marked fidelity and strength. Low tones are brought out in this type far better than in type No. 4H, but unless very carefully designed it may show a slight shrillness on soprano solos and the like. The Magazine of the Hour Coming now to cone type speakers, Figure No. 4 shows the different general types: also, as in the case of Figure No. 3, in cross section. The face view of a pleated parchment disc is also shown, as this type is probably less familiar than the other cone types. The variation of tone quality is less pronounced among cone type speakers than among horn type reproducers, but this variation is, nevertheless, existent to such an extent that best results can be obtained only by paying attention to it. Once more referring to the table, cone reproducer No. 1C gives its best response in the middle and lower registers, sometimes rattling a little on the very high tones, as the production of sound in this type of loud talker depends principally upon the flexing of the material of which the cone is composed. This same flexure of the material composing the cone also tends to produce a pronounced "paper crackle" when heavy static discharges are encountered. Due to both of these reasons, the cone proper is usually constructed of a comparatively soft grade of paper. This in turn leads to a certain flatness or dullness of tone, and occasionally causes a slight muffling of the spoken word. Types No. 2C, the free edge cones, are constructed in three Figure No. 1 CLASSIFICATION of LOUD SPEAKER TYPES HORN SPEAKERS CONE SPEAKERS No. Shape of Horn Horn Made of Diaphragm Made of No. 1C 2C 3C Type of Cone Cone Made of 1H Conical or Exponential Papier mache or Fibre Metal or Mica Rigid Edge, Single or Double Cone Heavy-Cold Pressed-Medium Hard-Long Fibre Paper. 2H Conical Thin Metal Metal or Mica Free Edge, Single or Double Cone Heavy-Cold Pressed -Hard Long Fibre Paper or Parchmentized Paper. 3H Exponential Thin Metal Metal or Mica Rigid Edge, Single or Double Pleated Disc. (Lumiere Type) Parchmentized Paper or Varnished Fabric or Genuine Parchment. 4H Exponential Heavy Metal or Heavy Metal and Wood or Hard Rubber or Special Horn Fibre or Bakelite Metal or Mica 5H Conical Throat, Exponential Body and Bell. Wood with Drawn Brass Throat Metal or Mica