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The Corona Wind Loudspeaker

The discovery in England of a method of controlling the wind produced by a corona discharge provides the basis for a new loudspeaker design having no moving parts and offering other potential advantages over conventional speakers. The inventor of the Corona Wind Loudspeaker is Dr. David M. Tombs. The author first describes the construction of a corona triode in which a ring mounted coaxially about one electrode and given suitable potentials is found to control the discharge and hence the magnitude of the wind. Characteristic curves indicating triode-like behavior for various electrode spacings are presented. By applying an af voltage to the ring, a sound source results. An early experimental model of such a loudspeaker is described and illustrated, together with its observed frequency response. Comparisons with the Ionophone and the electrostatic loudspeaker are made, which indicate its potential superiority in wide range reproduction. The author discusses the acoustical and electrical problems that arise in the construction of a practical loudspeaker, and concludes with details of the research and development program necessary for its commercial realization.

Author: Shirley, Gerald
Affiliation: Televex Co., Yonkers, NY
JAES Volume 5 Issue 1 pp. 23-31; January 1957 Import into BibTeX

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