Electronic – Does driving a speaker with a DC offset AC signal matter
dc-offsetspeakers
Do these two input signals have different effects on a speaker?
An AC signal with some value of DC offset.
Same AC signal but centered at 0 V.
Best Answer
Yes.
Figure 1. Cutaway view of a dynamic loudspeaker for the bass register.
1. Magnet,
2. Voicecoil,
3. Suspension,
4. Diaphragm. Source: Wikipedia.
A DC component in the signal will cause:
Bias of the speaker cone (4) and the suspension (3) from the neutral position. This means that the cone will reach the limit of its travel - or at least where it becomes highly non-linear - in one direction in a shorter distance compared with the other.
Maximum undistorted volume will be decreased as a result.
The coil (2) will be heating even when no audio is playing.
Or build your own with a regular amplifier and an appropriate audio transformer. For yours, the transformer would be something like this or this (the latter has tap for 25V-5W too and is half-price of dedicated 4W one), assuming you don't want to power more speakers from the same amp/transformer. I have to warn you from my own experience[s] with similar 100V PA transformers that the labeling of the wires tends to be effing confusing and no two manufacturers seem to agree on where to put the ohms where the watts on those taps. So if you go this route, read the [usually skimpy] datasheet carefully and have a [AC] multi-meter handy.
Best Answer
Yes.
Figure 1. Cutaway view of a dynamic loudspeaker for the bass register. 1. Magnet, 2. Voicecoil, 3. Suspension, 4. Diaphragm. Source: Wikipedia.
A DC component in the signal will cause: