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Companies do a great job of innovating and pushing the audio industry forward, but sometimes, nothing pushes the industry further than a collaboration between companies. xMEMs and AMPACS partnered to bring a two-way over-the-ear headphones reference design. This is an industry-first.
It’s important to note that we’re not talking about a pair of headphones like most other companies. We’re talking about a reference design for headphones. Think of reference designs as templates that companies can use to build their headphones around. The companies can make changes, but the reference design can be the infrastructure that they build around.
xMEMS and AMPACS partnered to bring the first two-way over-the-ear headphone reference design
xMEMs and AMPACS are two popular companies in the audio industry. The former is a company that designs high-quality solid-state MEM microspeakers. They’re designed to be smaller than typical conical drivers. This means that headphones can be smaller. Also, companies can fit more drivers into the headphones that focus on different frequencies, leading to better audio overall.
AMPACS is a brand that offers several business and design solutions for companies that want to develop headphones. In this partnership, AMPACS will use xMEMS’ Cowell microspeaker. This is the smallest microspeaker from the company, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a quality driver.
Along with that microspeaker, the reference design will also use AMPACS’ Dynamic Driver. The Cowell driver will handle the high and mid-tones while the Dynamic Driver will handle the bass. This driver is a smaller-than-usual (for high-end headphones) 40mm, and it will create a rich and nuanced sound.
Benefits of this design
This two-way design benefits the audio much more than any single-driver solution. There will be separation between the highs/mids and bass. Audiophiles will enjoy them along with gamers and casual listeners.
The dedicated Cowell driver will boost the higher tones so that you can expect cleaner vocals. The Dynamic Driver can be individually tuned to produce a sound that compliments the higher tones.
This is a convenient and modular design that headphone makers can use with several types of headphones. These include open-back, closed-back, wired, and wireless. It’s a versatile reference design.
Also, this design means that the headphones being built can be smaller. This means that they can be more lightweight and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
The materials used will replace the graphene materials used in traditional speakers. This, depending on the materials used, might actually cut the cost of production. Those cost savings may possibly lead to more affordable headphones. Again, that depends on the company making the consumer-facing product.
A solid-state future
xMEMS is aiming toward a future where solid-state drivers are the default across the industry. “…in creating this 2-way design, we’re moving the headphone market one step closer to a solid-state future“, stated xMEMS’ VP of Marketing and Business Development Mike Housholder.
There are several different types of microspeakers on the market, and many of the cheaper headphones still use the standard conical speaker design. However, xMEMS is looking to change that. This partnership might be the next step toward that future.
If you’re interested in looking at this reference design, click the link below.