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 LB Series White Paper Description The NEAR® LB Series is a line of four full-­‐range speakers purpose designed for use outdoors or in high humidity, extreme temperature indoors locations. Goals When considering the design of NEAR outdoor loudspeakers, we started by defining the goals. The first of our goals was: they must sound great to everyone on the patio or deck, at every volume level, without fatigue…outdoors. Outdoors is an incredibly noisy environment where there are few walls, an infinite floor and no ceiling⎯all of which have enormous implications on how sound is produced and perceived. Second on our list was: they must endure…for years, even decades of full exposure to often nasty weather. They must do more than just work, they must sound fantastic and look great doing it over their entire lifespan, without yellowing, rusting or fading. And yet many outdoor speakers are really indoor speakers adapted for outdoor use. Look at our competitors’ literature – they actually brag about bringing their brand’s indoor sound outdoors. No, no, no. For truly great, awesome, your-­‐guests-­‐will-­‐talk-­‐about-­‐it-­‐
after-­‐they-­‐leave-­‐the-­‐pool-­‐party outdoor sound you need a completely different approach, one with the realities of outdoor sound foremost in mind. You need NEAR. The NEAR Outdoor Heritage New England Audio Resource was founded by Bill Kieltyka, a former engineer with the legendary high-­‐end speaker company Bozak, a company known for its innovative curvilinear aluminum speaker cones and the world’s first high quality, full range, residential outdoor loudspeaker⎯the Bard. After leaving Bozak, Bill founded New England Audio Resource (N.E.A.R.) in 1988 and designed the company’s first product – the outdoor AEL-­‐2.0 (All Environment Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com Loudspeaker), featuring, of course, aluminum cone woofers and tweeters. The AEL series was a big success in residential and commercial applications including Universal Studio’s Jurassic Park® and Islands of Adventure® theme parks, as well as atop New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington, a place reputed to “enjoy” the worst weather in North America. In 1997, the audio quality and weather resistance of N.E.A.R speakers caught the attention of Bogen Communications, Inc. NEAR AEL on Mt. Bogen recognized the advantages of the N.E.A.R technology for Washington their commercial applications, and acquired the company with Bill continuing as the lead designer for NEAR®-­‐branded products. Today, the NEAR® designs take advantage of 25+ years of single-­‐minded dedicated development of outdoor loudspeakers. From frigid mountain-­‐tops, to high-­‐humidity habitats in Central America, NEAR has seen it all. NEAR speakers have been exposed to (and survived) indoor pools with high chlorine content, fertilizer spray, bug and animal infestations. All were learning experiences that advanced the state of outdoor sound art. Bill and the team analyzed every part failure over the decades and said, “we can do better,” and we did! Todays NEAR products are the beneficiaries of decades of past successes and failures. And we’re just getting started! Woofer Design The woofer drivers in the NEAR LB series were designed and refined by Bill Kieltyka over decades of R&D effort. They are unique and exclusive – you will never find any other driver as sophisticated or so ideally suited for outdoor use as the NEAR woofer. Basket – Cast aluminum is the ideal basket material; it is rigid and strong, doesn’t rust, and is non-­‐magnetic. Compare those qualities to rust-­‐prone steel that is magnetic which draws magnetic energy away from the voice coil gap. We’ve seen some brands use plastic baskets. While rustproof, plastic softens in high heat, turns brittle in cold, fractures and warps easily. Magnetic Liquid Suspension – Years ago Bill tried an experiment that proved critical to understanding how to design better sounding speakers. He removed the cone from a midrange speaker and played it. To his surprise the speaker made sound! The spider suspension moved the air in front of it as a normal cone would but the sound was highly distorted and nasty. Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com Later tests concluded that the distortion of the spider bleeds through the cone (albeit at a much reduced level) and adding a subtle veil to the music. All speakers with spiders (almost every non-­‐NEAR® speaker in existence today) have distortion caused by spider non-­‐linearity. See and hear the MLS video That experience convinced Bill that a spider-­‐less driver would have less distortion than the conventional approach. After years of research and trials, N.E.A.R. was awarded a patent in 1993 for Bill’s innovative MLS technology. Magnetic Liquid Suspension (MLS) is a superior method for guiding a speaker's voice coil assembly through the magnetic field. MLS eliminates the traditional mechanical "spider" and replaces it with an advanced high magnetic density, low viscosity Ferro-­‐magnetic fluid that stays permanently suspended in the gap, allowing the voice coil to remain centered and to operate with superior linearity. In fact, the louder it plays, the more accurate the centering forces become. The results are lower distortion, greater linearity, more consistent long-­‐term performance and longer cone excursions. Thanks to their long-­‐throw capability NEAR® woofers produce more bass for a given size than competitive outdoor speakers. The NEAR 6-­‐1/2 inch woofer matches or exceeds the output of many typical 8-­‐inch speakers. Without the burden of overcoming the resistance of mechanical spiders, MLS woofers respond more quickly to musical impulses for the kind of clarity and minute detail retrieval usually found only in ultra high-­‐end indoor speakers. What’s more, the clarity and detail are there even at low volume levels and at every ambient temperature. Where traditional speakers don’t start sounding good until cranked to a moderately loud level, NEAR speakers sound clear and intelligible from late-­‐night whisper to rock concert loud. Where traditional speakers perform poorly in extreme heat and cold, NEAR speakers sound great from below freezing to desert hot (-­‐20 to +160 degrees F; -­‐29 -­‐ +71 C). There’s Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com nothing like ice fishing to the sound of Reggae pumping from your NEAR® speakers. MLS also contributes to NEAR speakers’ legendary reliability. The fluid prevents debris from entering the gap, preventing rubs and buzzes that drive homeowners and integrators crazy. In addition, the fluid draws heat from the aluminum voice coil, increasing power handling and reliability as well as minimizing impedance shifts that roughen frequency response and lead to compressed sound. Lastly, MLS eliminates other failure opportunities – that of the spider material breaking down due to temperature and humidity stress, and failure of the glue used to secure the spider to the basket and voice coil. Unlike fabric spiders NEAR’s magnetic solution does not break down or change in any way, even when subjected to years of environmental stress. NEAR speakers perform consistently over time. Metal Diaphragm Technology Cone – The ideal speaker cone would be infinitely rigid to promote the piston movement necessary for great sound. At the same time an ideal cone would be light so that it can start and stop instantaneously in response to music for perfect clarity. And it should be well damped to avoid “ringing” and midrange distortion. NEAR’s Metal Diaphragm Technology (MDT) cone is layered ceramic/aluminum/ceramic alloy formed to a catenary dome shape to increase rigidity. Specially designed geometric ribs further stiffen the cone and break up resonance modes. The end result is a driver that excels at both low frequency and midrange reproduction without the harsh “metallic” distortion often heard in metal diaphragm drivers. And of course hardened aluminum alloy makes a great outdoor speaker material from a durability point of view, as it is impervious to moisture, oxidation and contaminants. For instance, as the ambient temperature increases, metal alloys remain virtually unchanged. Compare that to a polypropylene cone that softens as it warms up, creating a less-­‐than-­‐ideal joint connection between the voice coil and cone. The result is loss of detail and clarity as well as bass transient impact. Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com See MDT cones stand up to the heat SupraPolymer Surround – A woofer’s surround is a vital component of its performance and a common failure point for outdoor speakers. In the NEAR® “spiderless” design it plays an even more critical role. NEAR’s surround design is the product of decades of intense research. It starts with a polymer material that is impervious to salt, fertilizers, chlorine, UV, temperature extremes and the other environmental elements that destroy typical rubber surrounds. There is no speaker better for indoor or outdoor pools, marine, lawn or garden applications than NEAR. The NEAR SupraPolymer surround is specially tuned to absorb residual cone resonance modes, preventing them from radiating back through the cone. The sound is always pure and free from the resonances that can make speakers sound harsh and fatiguing. Over years of use and exposure to the elements, there is little change to these characteristics. NEAR speakers sound the same many years down the road as they did on day one. Tweeter Design Like the woofers, the NEAR tweeter is an exclusive design, refined over decades of research. It uses a titanium alloy dome diaphragm suspended by the same stable and robust SupraPolymer surround material as the NEAR woofer. Ferro-­‐magnetic fluid in the gap keeps the voice coil centered and cool while keeping debris and other contaminants out. Durability and Enclosures No matter where you live the outdoors is a tough environment for a loudspeaker. Sitting in the ground in a sunny environment, a speaker’s interior chamber temperature can easily reach beyond 150 degrees F (66C), even BEFORE any power has been applied to the woofer. We have already introduced many of the materials and techniques that make Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com NEAR® speakers the most durable and longest lasting outdoor music speakers you can buy. But there’s even more to the story. NEAR’s association with professional audio brand Apogee Sound proved helpful in making our speakers even more robust. The adhesives used in NEAR drivers are the same high-­‐
temperature, stress-­‐resistant type found in arena and musical instrument professional loudspeakers. The LB series enclosures are fabricated from color-­‐through, mica-­‐loaded polypropylene that sheds moisture, dirt and chemicals. The UV inhibitor pigments are embedded uniformly throughout the material so the sun won’t fade the color and garden tools won’t harm their looks. LB series are available in white and black and can be painted to match the surroundings. The “ribs” you see molded into the enclosures are more than mere decoration. This patented innovation (D432522) serves to stiffen the enclosure and break up panel resonance for pure and undistorted sound. LB series speakers are vented designs for greater sensitivity and more robust bass. Special hydrophobic fabric stretched over the port allows soundwaves to exit but shuns water, debris and wildlife. The grille is either oxidation-­‐resistant heavy gauge powder-­‐coated stainless steel (LB6 & LB8) or powder-­‐coated aluminum (LB4 & LB5). Look closely and you’ll notice that the grille holes are rectangular. That was not a random choice. When water (or any fluid) gets onto a round perforated screen, the holes become plugged with the fluid and tend to stay that way due to the liquid’s surface tension. It takes a fair amount of external force to clear liquid from round holes. In the case of a speaker, the liquid blocks high frequencies, creating dull sound. NEAR’s rectangular perforations create unequal surface tension making the liquid easier to clear. Usually just the soundwaves themselves or a little breeze is enough to clear water from the NEAR® grille. Mounting Bracket The LB series mounting brackets are engineering masterpieces that installers love for their time and effort-­‐saving qualities. The LB5, LB6 and LB8 use the NEAR exclusive “Lever Bracket” system consisting of a bracket clamp and curved bracket. Input wires are connected to the bracket clamp, which in turn attaches to the mounting surface or to a preinstalled electrical box. The bracket is pre-­‐installed on the speaker; all the installer has to do is slide the bracket through a channel on the bracket clamp and flip a lever to secure the bracket to the clamp. This method is far easier, faster and safer for one Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com installer on a ladder to accomplish than the typical method of installing the bracket to a surface and then wrestling with a heavy speaker to screw in two bracket knobs. The NEAR® method also allows for more aiming angles than traditional methods that only allow adjustment in one plane. See the LB lever bracket video Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com The LB4 employs NEAR’s “Signature” ball and socket mounting system that also saves ladder time and effort. See the LB4 mounting video Terminations and System Configuration One of the most vexing problems with outdoor speakers is that of input termination. Traditional methods are clumsy for the installer and notoriously subject to oxidation and failure. NEAR’s plug-­‐
in receptacle and connector solve both problems. The connector is keyed allowing an installer to orient the plug for correct polarity even when “blind.” A quick half-­‐turn of the ring locks the connector to the speaker, effectively shielding the terminals from moisture and debris for years of trouble-­‐free operation. ®
All NEAR LB models are available either in 8-­‐Ohm only or 8-­‐Ohm/70 Volt (“T”) versions. In 70V operation there is no need to use external transformers; a rear-­‐mounted switch allows an installer to choose the appropriate power input from a 70V amplifier. See the LB Series set-­‐up manual for more information. Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com The Sound You want your speakers to deliver great sound, every time you turn them on, regardless of ambient temperature and volume level. Whether you are listening for five minutes or five hours, well-­‐engineered speakers will continue to draw you in, pleading to be played again and again. Traditional outdoor speakers can’t deliver this kind of listening experience. Their reliance on mechanical suspensions (spiders) causes them to sound different in cold weather than hot, at soft volume than loud. Their increased distortion makes them fatiguing to listen to for extended periods of time, and their directional dispersion is an impediment to full stereo enjoyment and relaxed conversation throughout the listening area. NEAR’s spider-­‐less MLS woofer design, superior materials, coincident driver arrays and other advanced technologies overcome these obstacles. Whenever you turn on NEAR speakers the sound is perfectly balanced from octave to octave, regardless of the volume level, environment and listener’s position. Although the midrange dominates the number of octaves, and dictates the accuracy of many of the instruments (especially vocals), the bottom and top of the spectrum along with the harmonics are all important. The octave-­‐
to-­‐octave balance will predict whether the sound is as close as possible to the original instrument, or whether the instrument becomes thin and “bright” (too much treble or upper midrange), or lumpy and thumpy (misaligned bass). With NEAR® speakers bass is strong, impactful yet tight and musical. Vocals and midrange are clear and articulate; highs are present but never harsh. In short they sound like real music. Judge them by absolute standards of accurate reproduction of reality as you would judge an expensive audiophile-­‐grade indoor speaker. They sound great, not just “pretty good for an outdoor speaker.” As the NEAR motto says, “Nothing comes closer” to the sound of real life. Copyright 2015 NEAR is a division of Bogen Communications, Inc. www.nearspeakers.com