Accent 3

Accent 3

The Project

Producing small loudspeakers with extraordinary performance is a Dynaudio tradition. As early as 1984, Dynaudio created two compact loudspeaker systems which attracted favorable attention because of the innovative technology and performance capabilities offered. These systems became successful and contributed to the subsequent trend toward small, high-quality speakers.

Speaker Driver Selection

The driver units we decided upon were refined and improved until they exceeded anything we had ever done. When we were sure of their laboratory excellence, we began again matching the drivers to the cabinet requirements. Making our own drivers we are able to interface driver and cabinet instead of dealing in the crossover with countless components.

Woofers

For the low-frequency range, we have used a special version of the 17 W 75. This woofer has a balanced 1:2 ratio between the diameter of the piston and the diameter of the voice coil. In this case, the large voice coil allows very high power handling, and, at higher frequencies, the outer surface of the diaphragm is decoupled acoustically from the inner surface, so the mass of the dispersing surface becomes smaller as the frequency rises. The result is well-balanced dispersion and phase response that makes accurate stereo imaging possible. Every Facette is built according to the principle of non-parallel surfaces: the cabinet panels' influence on sound is almost eliminated.

Tweeter

Recently Dynaudio introduced the Esotar 330 D high-frequency transducer. This unit was the culmination of many years of development, and it has been used in state-of-the-art systems from several manufacturers. This tweeter's capability was taken into account when developing the Special One. Among the many qualities of special usefulness were the excellent pulse response. This is a result of the resonance damping of the swinging system through the use of special magnetic fluid in the air gap. Every cabinet is created by a master craftsman; you'll never find a production line on our premises.

Soft Dome

The support material of the dome is made of fine mesh fabric. Before use, it is carefully impregnated with a special fluid to give the dome the necessary stability. After mounting the dome and the voice coil in the magnetic system, it is given an additional coating to provide balanced damping and eliminate resonances. Dynaudio has continued to develop the soft dome technology because we know that metal domes' resonances inherent in the crystal structure of the material cannot be avoided. These resonances affect the reproduction accuracy.

Crossover Filter

The Special One crossover is responsible for the distribution of the signals between the woofer and the tweeter. But it must also direct a whole series of modifications of the drive response combination. Large coil and premium polypropylene capacitors are required to carefully filter small rest ripples in the response. The reserves of these premium parts provide sonic stability and tonal balance on any musical material.

Capacitors

For the last several years Dynaudio has been testing for the best film capacitors. We now think we have a special formulation that is clearly better than all other types. By using these capacitors we have improved the high-frequency reproduction; the dynamic resolution is sharper, while tendencies toward "sharpness" in sound disappear.

Impedance

Before developing the actual filter, the impedance response of the drivers was smoothed with the help of exactly calculated circuits. This enhances the cooperation between amplifier and loudspeaker. Even the tweeter's impedance rise above 15 kHz is audible if the drive unit is precise enough to reproduce these frequencies accurately. Because we take so much care in creating a steady impedance response, the phase correction circuit can respond close to its theoretical potential.

First Order Filters

Dynaudio developments are largely based on the application of 6 dB, or first-order filters. Often, promotional literature gives the impression that the use of filters with a high slope, 12 to 24 dB per octave, is a quality feature of loudspeaker systems. This approach has some validity when using drivers of standard construction and a narrow frequency range. But the higher the slope of the filter, the worse the pulse response of the drive unit.

Phase

By means of carefully directed structural parameters, the phase response of Dynaudio drivers is optimized. The remaining difference around the overlap of the woofer and tweeter is balanced by a very sensitive compensation circuit. Long-term stability is also a significant factor in the overall design of the compensation circuit. Researchers and manufacturers have discounted the influence of phase on the sound of a loudspeaker system. But from the very beginning, Dynaudio has considered the phase response of a loudspeaker to be just as important as any other aspect.

Impedance Correction

Even if all of the aspects discussed above are carefully observed, the impedance response will still have ripples that can only be controlled by an impedance compensation network. When properly constructed, the impedance response between 100 Hz and 1,000,000 Hz is linear at 4 ohms. The connected amplifier is presented a nearly pure resistive load, allowing it to be operated under ideal conditions.

Subjective And Objective Evaluation

Most audio enthusiasts have encountered components that share almost identical structure, design, and performance levels yet exhibit very different sonic properties. This is a phenomenon that we have often confronted in crossover design. In the design of the Special One, two different technical approaches were followed, and then each was refined for precise measurable fidelity to the original signal. For the first time ever, we used a PC board layout that had no conductor paths. All components are connected directly or with large cable diameters.

Inductors

Well-designed inductors with large wire diameters can often clearly improve response accuracy. During the design of the Special One, systematic tests with different coil formulations were conducted. We learned that "The thicker the wire, the better the results" was not always the case. We found that the Q (or quality) of the inductor influences the sonic results in the high-frequency range. Dynaudio developed coils with several conductors of different diameters in parallel, named CWC coils. Application of these coils makes precise bass reproduction with more dynamic range and less coloration possible.

The Result

The Special One sounds like no loudspeaker has in the past. It is unobtrusive but intense, allowing you to enjoy all music to its fullest potential. For those audio enthusiasts looking to improve the chain of high-fidelity reproduction, the Special One will stand up to a detailed evaluation. For those who love music, the Special One will be a joyful experience.