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Plasma arc loudspeaker

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	Topics Plasma arc loudspeaker Topic Home A plasma arc loudspeaker or plasma-dynamic loudspeaker is a loudspeaker that creates sound by varying air pressure through a corona dischargeCorona discharge In electricity, a corona discharge is an electrical discharge brought on by the ionization of a fluid surrounding a conducto... or electric arcElectric arc An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing plasma discharge, similar to the instant spark... . It is an evolution of William DuddellWilliam Duddell Born in 1872 in Britain, William Duddell was an electro-physicist.... 's "singing arc" of 1900 and, in recent times, modern research into spacecraft propulsion in the form of the ion thrusterIon thruster An ion thruster , one of several types of spacecraft propulsion, uses beams of ions — electrically charged atoms or mo... . Plasma tweeters are claimed to be an improvement on traditional tweeter designs because the driver has very little mass, and so low inertiaInertia The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental laws of classical physics which are used to describe the motion of ma... , reducing distortion and increasing transient response. Because of their inability to move large volumes of air, they are limited to reproducing only very high frequencies, and are therefore usable only as tweeters. Most of those who have heard them claim they are notably sharp and clear. The operation of the speaker requires a continuous supply of ionizable gas. One model used heliumHelium \|-\| 3He \|\| 0.000137%* \|\| colspan="4" \| He is stable with 1 neutron... ; with the attendant problems of handling and refilling the gas cylinders. The plasma by-product, ozoneOzone Ozone is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms.... , can reach hazardous levels in closed rooms. Due to their high cost, limited range, frequent maintenance requirements, and limited utility, they are rarely used in modern loudspeaker equipment, and are instead considered a novelty, perhaps with desirable aesthetic characteristics. See also ZeusaphoneZeusaphone A zeusaphone, also called a thoremin, is a high-frequency, solid state Tesla coil, when its spark discharge is digital... , a similar device using two tesla coils to provide stereo sound, although with reduced quality. External links A site tracking, among other things, past and present brands of ionic speakers.