NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speaker work?

Five small, mathematically-positioned motors (exciters) generate bending waves across the entire surface of a thin stiff panel (membrane). The movement of the panel creates a diffuse sound field that provides an unparalleled, immersive audio experience. The exciters used in the NlightN speakers are conventional moving voice coils.

What competitive advantage does the NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speaker offer?

Design benefits. NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers are lightweight (17 pounds each) and compact. Free of the heavy magnets of conventional speakers, NlightN panels can be transported more easily.

In addition, NlightN panels are capable of carrying images and pictures, such as the logo of a band or entertainer. In architectural environments, NlightN speakers can be painted to blend in with the room décor. NlightN speakers can be hung on the wall, like a picture frame.

Audio benefits. In public address and architectural applications, the prime requirement is for even audience coverage in terms of both spectral balance and loudness. The dispersion from an NlightN speaker is nearly omnidirectional across all frequencies within its bandwidth. There is no change in the clarity of the audio output, irrespective of the listening angle.

Conventional speakers, on the other hand, project higher frequencies - the frequencies at which human hearing is most acute and the voice most often pitched - in a narrow beam such that, unless the listener actually stands in front of the speaker, the full listening experience is lost.

In addition, sound pressure level (in layman's terms, "volume") is better maintained over distance by NlightN panels. Unlike a conventional speaker, a listener situated several yards from the NlightN speaker can still hear the sound without the person next to it being deafened. The better maintained, more uniform loudness has the benefit of reducing the usual disparity in sound intensity between listeners close to the flat panel speakers and those further away. As well as making things more comfortable for the audience, this reduces the risk of ear damage that can result from prolonged exposure to high-intensity sound.

The NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speaker opens up a whole new area of possibility to designers in the home audio field. Because of their wide directivity, NlightN speakers can be placed around a room in a much more flexible way. This is particularly valuable given the growing penetration of DVD with its associated 5.1 audio systems.

In home theatre systems, NlightN panels have the additional advantage that the inherently diffuse nature of their sound radiation assures the required surround-channel diffusion, so that listeners are not conscious of the surround speakers as distinct entities.

The traditional image of the hi-fi enthusiast sitting in splendid isolation, listening to his system from the tiny stereo "sweet spot" is increasingly untenable in a modern context as listening to music or watching a movie is as likely to be a family activity as something enjoyed alone.

NlightN Flat Panel Speakers, used either as part of a two-channel stereo system or within a multi-channel surround sound set-up, offer the benefits of wider dispersion, more uniform loudness and reduced room interaction. These characteristics combine to guarantee a larger listening area, across which the sound maintains the tonal accuracy and believable virtual image previously associated with the stereo hot seat.

Finally, NlightN speakers suffer much less from feedback when working with a microphone, making them ideal for live events and concerts.

Cost benefits. NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers offer cost savings in many architectural situations. Fewer speaker panels are required to cover any given area in intelligible sound, because of the broad dispersion pattern of the NlightN panel.

In the more complex audio systems where conventional systems use mixed-size drivers, NlightN speakers can be doubly attractive to the designers, as a single panel will replace both a tweeter and mid-range unit and their associated crossover components.

Generally speaking, because of its dispersive sound qualities, NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers are able to offer, much better performance at any given price point than traditional speakers. The flat panel speaker design establishes a new standard in price performance.

In what sort of commercial environments have NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers been installed?

NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers are currently being used in areas requiring dance and background music, paging, sound masking, sound reinforcement, karaoke, and even small band sound systems.

NlightN panels have been installed in a wide variety of venues, including restaurants, bars, night clubs, health clubs, museums, retail outlets, churches, hospitals, banks, government facilities, meeting rooms, theatres, and office buildings.

What SPL (sound pressure level) and bandwidth can be achieved?

NlightN Panels can generate sound pressure levels comparable to conventional loudspeakers. As an added bonus, due to the in-room performance of a NlightN panel, the volume over distance is maintained better than with a conventional drive unit.

However, bandwidth for a single NlightN module can be considerably wider than a conventional cone-type speaker (typically 8 octaves verses 4 - 6 octaves).

Do NlightN panels need special amplification?

No, the model behavior of NlightN can be stimulated through various methods; the most popular of these use electrodynamics (voice coil) exciters, which are fully compatible with existing amplifiers.

Do NlightN Flat Panels need a separate bass speaker?

If NlightN panels are to be used for "public address" only, they can handle the frequencies required quite suitably. However, if the sound system is designed to be used for music, then we would recommend using an additional bass unit.

Very low frequencies are best handled by a conventional woofer or sub-woofer. As a rule of thumb, frequencies below around 300 Hz are cut or rolled off to a low frequency unit. In any event, sound reproduced by a separate bass speaker does not carry much directional information. A powered subwoofer, the "Slammer," has been designed to offer a complete NlightN sound system. This single subwoofer, with its integrated 3 channel amplifier and crossover, will power two NlightN panels, as well as the bass speaker.

Are 'quiet' spots produced, when NlightN panels are connected in series?

No, the integration of sound from NlightN speakers is seamless. Flat panels do not produce the usual problems with dispersion patterns of multiple speakers. Consequently, you can use fewer NlightN panels to cover the same area.

Can the panel be painted to blend in with the decor?

Yes, NlightN Panels can be finished with a water-based non-textured paint (latex or acrylic), without compromising the sound quality. NlightN panels are available in black (with protective grille) or white (without a grille) paint. Panels can also be ordered unpainted.

Can posters, prints, photographs, and decals be glued to the NlightN speaker panel?

Yes, as long as the weight of the paper is not too heavy, i.e. below 250 gsm. (See "Paper Weights and Conversion Tables."

Do Surface Sound technology products have overload protection?

For excessive amplification, NlightN Revolutionary Flat Panel Speakers have an internal protection circuit (which temporarily reduces volume). A quick-blow fuse is used to combat surges of electrical power or continuous over-amplification. (Note: The reduction in volume initiated by the internal protection circuit is an indication to the operator that the power level needs to be reduced.)