Intelligent Acoustic Experience
The S3i system is built on acoustic drivers that are about the size and shape
of a tea cup. The drivers generate sound in a way similar to how
a guitar string generates sound. When a guitar string is plucked, it vibrates
the body of the guitar and creates the sound. Similarly, S3i's acoustic
drivers vibrate the "body" (practically any structure or surface) which then
creates the desired sound. If drivers are targeted to vibrate the surfaces
surrounding a particular environment (like a hot tub or wall), listeners
experience the same sound quality regardless of the listener's location
in a particular defined environment.
The acoustic drivers are composed of special metals that expand and contract under a magnetic
field. As these materials expand and contract, they can generate great force. The drivers do not
have moving coils or moving parts to generate sound and the materials of construction are not
subject to failure or heat build-up.
The driving force behind the S3i technology is a product called Terfenol-D® which is a
magnetostrictive material. It exhibits certain predictable and repeatable properties within a
magnetic field. Magnetostriction is the property that causes certain ferromagnetic materials to
change shape in a magnetic field. Terfenol-D is said to produce "giant" magnetostriction
— strain greater than any other commercially available smart material. Magnetic domains in
the crystal rotate when a magnetic field is applied, providing proportional, positive and
repeatable expansion in microseconds.
It wasn't until the early 1990's that production quantities of Terfenol-D were made available
for public use, but it was still very expensive. The material is produced today by Etrema Products,
a sister company to S3i Sound. Major breakthroughs in the production of Terfenol-D occurred in
2001 that have allowed the use of Terfenol-D in consumer audio products. Etrema patents protect the
manufacture of Terfenol-D, and S3i patents protect the application of the technology.
The S3i system is comprised of components designed to meet specific frequency requirements. A typical
system will be comprised of multiple drivers.
|
|
| The SolidDrive™ D Drive: |
| Frequency Response |
3,000 Hz – 18,000 Hz |
| DC Resistance |
6 Ohm |
| Active Material |
Terfenol-D |
| Weight |
1.43 lbs (650 grams) |
| Blocked Force |
448 N |
| Dimensions |
53 mm Diameter x 43 mm Long |
|
 |
|
| The SolidDrive™ X Drive: |
| Frequency Response |
150 – 3,000 Hz |
| DC Resistance |
6 Ohm |
| Active Material |
Terfenol-D |
| Weight |
1.43 lbs (650 grams) |
| Dynamic Force |
148 N |
| Dimensions |
53 mm Diameter x 43 mm Long |
|
