Stereo Plasma Speaker - PWM

[DementoX666]

i wonder if thats what causing all thoes wierds noises every one is hearing around the world

being produced by HAARP

[Alex1M6]

Just wondering, what are those big heat-sinks and fans cooling? the MOSFET's?

I have found using a transistor stage between the logic and MOSFET's greatly reduces heating of the MOSFET's.

[N0M4dIC1RST]

Wow! Awesome build! Look also like you have access to some awesome lab and equipment! I'm jealous.

[andrey76able]

5+

[thunderdrums009]

What did you make the speaker cones out of?

[Trampro87]

@thunderdrums009 We used a rapid prototyping machine, which basically was a 3D printer, to make the cones.

[akademIk2000]

Give the schema, PLEASE !

[linoug]

なんで音出るんだ？

[jayynecobb]

Great project...but why test it with electronica that has people singing with Autotune?

There's no way to judge the sound quality then unless you're looking at charts and graphs printed from a scope.

I test audio with the same song; I know how it sounds on everything then.

A good song is the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars, on vinyl through a good tube amp. Get that burned in your memory, then go from there.

[Trampro87]

@jayynecobb I agree...poor music choice. Unfortunately, I was stuck with my buddy's Ipod selection on the day of filming. I'll definitely have to try it out with the Darth Vader theme.

[SepradistPhantom]

@Trampro87 That or Pink Floyd - Money.

[discipleofhoudini]

can you post a how to- i would really like to make one 

[ayinouss]

Haha, the stereo thingy says ass :P

[leva903]

Hello I would like to bring to school as a project I would like to know how a plasma speakers you built your own, I would like to see your electrical diagram thank you

[jayynecobb]

@leva903 "School project" = "let me copy all your work, can you build it for me too and let me pretend it's my own work?"

[JRprodz]

@jayynecobb yup

[08Kutt]

cool!! i made a interrupted one with square wave songs, the noise really likes a drsstc! so loud

[sdaw42]

Are you using a design with 2 mosfets on each board or only one? I've seen so many designs, many of which don't sound as nice. So would you mind linking a schematic similar to the one you used?

[2ManyNoobs]

Hello, how loud are you able to go with these speakers? Are they really 100 20khz? Seems to me that they are but they aren't as loud in the lower mids/bass region compared to the 3khz+ region... or is that the camera mic? Do you have a frequency measurement of these? Also why do you use horns? They add distortion, make the bandwidth smaller and generally mess up the sound. Trust me they will sound better without horns (it will also make them omnidirectional which is perfect for a hi fi system).

[Trampro87]

@2ManyNoobs Unfortunately, we didn't get around to making any specific measurements, but it is quite loud...on the order of any other $50 pair of computer speakers. The same is true for a frequency response graph...we didn't get around to it, but you are right. It definitely rolls off on the low end of the spectrum. The horn probably does mess up the sound a bit; however, it really helps to give it that extra "umph"...especially on the low notes.

[2ManyNoobs]

@Trampro87 I see :) I've got another question though: do you use some kind of special gas for the ionisation process or is it just oxigen? Also does this produce ozon? If so, is it dangerous in small rooms?

[Trampro87]

@2ManyNoobs It is just air. One of the benefits of this plasma speaker architecture is that the plasma beam is very stable. The electricity moving from point to point is contained soley in the plasma. Thus, any ozone produced is very small...not detectable by smell while it is running. Only if the beam goes unstable are you able to smell any ozone, typically due to a wind source (another reason for the horns).

[Halo66600]

Finally someone who actually knows how to make a quality speaker with clarity haha idk if it was just me but i think I saw a corona discharge at the base of the speakers prior to entering the speaker tube...but idk is that bad is it something you can overlook?

[happybunnies182]

need to make a plasma subwoofer :p

[jmbrown8273]

how the hell does that work 

[Rythymoxide2020]

How much would this project cost.

The sound is great. Make a vid with a subwoofer.

Don't the speakers get hot from the arc?

[Trampro87]

@Rythymoxide2020 The project isn't that expensive...once you get a working design. The expensive part is replacing the FETs, board, and other components when they blow up while your're tweaking the design. If you did it with perfboard and didn't have a horn/plexiglass enclosure it's probably $20 of electrical components plus a couple flyback transformers (can pull out from a CRT TV) plus some bolts. The arc does get very hot, but our electrodes are set in a special type of high heat glass.

[Rythymoxide2020]

How much would this project approximatly cost?

The sound is great.

[MrChipSkylark]

could I please have the schematic?? I built my own plasma speaker but it definitely was not as good as this!

[oED209o]

AWESOME WORK!!!!

shame its tested with some gay music :\

[Drcfan]

I wish i could build epic things like that !!!

[h2oplasmaplug]

i have looked for the schematics online and i cant find anything can you send me the link or a link to a pdf

[Achiles999]

Wow , this is so cool, could you send me the schematics please. I want to replicate this if possible. Thank you , excellent stuff!

[adamtrela]

are the schematics available online? If not, could you please send them to me? Thank you!  Good work!

[ottanicubano88]

hi phil,

this speaker are very pretty, can I have a schematic please ?

at difference from other one, this project permit a good sound, I don't believe is merit only a resonence box

thaks !!!

[Trampro87]

@ottanicubano88 Thanks for the feedback...feel free to ask any questions as you make your design. The schematics available online provide great starting points.

[sponkii]

@Trampro87

Hey, I have been searching for a link to this project, but with no luck..

can you send it to me?

Thx.

[dcomp92]

@Trampro87 can u pm me the schematics 

[mikkelmmk18]

are this high quality sound or is it like crap speakers or what?

[Trampro87]

@mikkelmmk18 Although we didn't do any official testing, the audio quality, especially the high frequencies, is exceptional. Also the thickness of the beam in this design allows a relatively high volume and extends the frequency response to about 100 Hz. When a sub is added, it works great as stereo speaker system.

[mikkelmmk18]

@Trampro87 Sounds nice!!

Do you have the schematics for this.

I would like to build one but seeing as your design works i would love to get your plans

[aviationist]

Random question. I'm an aircraft electrician and someone just showed me this type of technology a few day's ago. since then I've become fascinated and very interested in creating my own set of plasma speakers. But does this generate ozone? or is this safe and I'm just not seeing it?

[Trampro87]

@aviationist This particular set up does not generate very much ozone if any at all. The beam is very stable and is contained in the plasma; ozone is created in other designs/tesla coils because they arc into open air. However, UV radiation is another matter. I haven't tested it, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to stare at the beam for long periods of time. Also, obviously high voltages and heat are also involved.

[plato147]

@aviationist well the ozone problem can be cured, but people always make some kind of sacrafice searching for audio euphoria.

[Poodleinacan]

If your going at a LAN party, you are shuer to intimidate others!

[SkittleSteve]

Sounds GREAT:D

i am currently working on a 555 pwm setup, works nicely, but the arc loses a great amount of power as I turn up the carrier frequency. Seems that the resonant frequency of my flyback is around 20kHz, is it possible to raise that without increasing the air gap?

[Trampro87]

@SkittleSteve Thanks! Not that I know of...I used large DC flybacks, and they worked best around 40 kHz (too much lower results in MOSFET failure). Alternatively, you could put two flybacks in series/parallel to get more power output. I've experimented with this and the results are quite impressive.

[SkittleSteve]

@Trampro87 Mine's a modern monitor DC, and turns out it wasnt a flyback issue, i raised the voltage to the 555 from 6 to 12v, completely fixed the problem! guessing it just wasnt fully switching the mosfet (IRF640). Also now running two flybacks secondarys in series as you suggested, so the whole things running alot better already;)

[bobyong808]

I'm new to audio components. So you're saying that the amplifier does not need a dedicated channel to work, and it will just play the low frequencies it was designed to play with just stereo input?

[Trampro87]

@bobyong808 Yeah, most subs have a built in amplifier with an adjustable cutoff frequency so you can tune it to play just the low tones.

[bobyong808]

AWESOMEEE! How do you enable subwoofer to be connected? Your circuit is so beautiful!

[Trampro87]

@bobyong808 It's pretty basic...there is a splitter at the audio input and the sub connects via RCA.

[PeteDog444]

Are use a push pull drive on the primary windings or it half wave bridge?

[Trampro87]

@PeteDog444 Neither...the power transistors are driven in phase using a two switch forward/flyback topology.