Omnidirectional speaker: the advantages
10/06/2020

Speakers come in all shapes and sizes and vary in price, we all know that. In the past, when choosing a new speaker, you only had to look at its size and design. The bigger the size, the louder the music. In today’s world there are many options to choose from. From the past we are used to speakers that radiate sound straight forward. However, the technology in speakers has been developed to such an extent that it is also possible to radiate sound all around. These kind of speakers are also called “omnidirectional speakers”. So, what is the big difference between an omnidirectional speaker like the VEDDAN Origin and a conventional one? Before we dive into that, it is good to tell something about sound and the technology used in traditional speakers.

NOTHING MORE THAN VIBRATIONS

A loudspeaker is a mechanical system, a so-called dynamic converter, which ensures that air starts moving by converting electric energy into kinetic energy. This is perceived through our ears as sound. Sound is the general name for acoustic vibrations. These vibrations (frequencies) are measured in Hertz (Hz), the number of vibrations per second.

“When the frequencies get higher than 300Hz, most speakers start bundling them.”

A newborn baby can hear frequencies between 20 and 20,000 Hz which is referred to as the ‘audible spectrum’. As we get older, humans’ hearing ability decreases resulting in being less susceptible to high frequencies. We call all frequencies below 20 Hz ‘infrasound’ and everything above 20,000 Hz ‘ultrasound’. Many animals are able to hear these frequencies. Also, it is important to know that low and high frequencies have different vibrations and therefore move differently in a room.

Audible spectrum
Image: What part of the audio spectrum can be perceived by the human ear?

OMNIDIRECTIONAL VS. TRADITIONAL SPEAKERS

The most common type of speaker is the dynamic ‘Moving Coil’ speaker. As soon as it receives an electrical signal, it is forwarded to the so-called voice coil, which is held in a powerful magnet and is attached to the speaker membrane. The voice coil and the varying strength of the magnetic field cause the speaker membrane to move back and forth. This membrane then sets the air in motion, which we perceive as music.

Most qualitative loudspeakers consist of three transducers that have to reproduce the entire frequency range as accurately as possible. A low-, mid- and high-frequency transducer. In some speakers the mid-frequency transducer is omitted, this frequency is then taken over by the low-frequency transducer. It is also possible that a speaker has only one transducer. These speakers are also referred to as ‘full-range speakers’.

THIS IS VEDDAN

Music that is so detailed, transparent and dynamic that you don’t notice any difference from live music? Our revolutionairy Ultra Fast Membrane-modules are capable of playing 99,5% of all frequencies between 20 and 24.000 Hz. A completely new way of experiencing music.

BEAUTIFUL, TO A DEGREE

But what happens in practice when three transducers have to work together to play all frequencies? Frequencies up to 300 Hz are played properly. When the frequencies get higher than this, most speakers start bundling frequencies. The frequency mix changes before it reaches our ears. We call this ‘coloration’ and it is very undesirable.

In VEDDAN speakers, the various transducers have been replaced by specially developed sound modules. These cover 99.5% of the total frequencies from 20 to 24,000. Lower frequencies are covered by a specially developed transducer with a conventional cone.

WHAT ARE OMNIDIRECTIONAL SPEAKERS?

The most important thing in the way we absorb sound is the first impulse. Our ears tell our brains exactly where the sound comes from using that first impulse. The reflections (indirect sound) that follow tell our brains in which room the sound is made, also known as ‘acoustics’. Without these reflections, our brains cannot create a good sound image.

VEDDAN Origin speaker is an omnidirectional speaker that radiates 360 degrees around
Image: VEDDAN Origin radiating sound all around.

By placing the VEDDAN Sound Modules in a circle around an imaginary vertical axis in the center of the speaker, it is possible to let sound arrive at your ears in exactly the same way as sound is created: radiating in all directions. As you can see on the picture on the right VEDDAN speakers radiate sound in 360 degrees around the speaker. This makes the sound very deep and detailed. Not only on a small ‘sweet spot’, but throughout your listening room.

Curious about how a omnidirectional speaker like the VEDDAN Origin sounds like? We are happy to tell you all about it while enjoying your favorite piece of music. Schedule a listening session now.