Emphaser SPL-X4 User Manual

SPL-X4 WOOFER
SPECIFICATION SHEET

SPL-X4 WOOFER KEY FEATURES

■ Proprietary Die-Cast Aluminum Basket

■ 315 oz. Triple Stacked Ceramic Sr-Fe Magnet

■ Nomex™ Composite Cone with Stitched Surround

■ Broad High Excursion Polyether Surround

■ Laminated Nomex™ Quadruple Spider

■ 3 ½" Laminated BASV Voice-Coil Former

■ Structurally Reinforced VC Former Neck

■ 4-Layer Wound 2 x 2 Ohms CCAW Double Voice Coil

■ Faraday Copper Ring on Center Pole

■ Perimeter Vented Basket Design

■ CNC Machined Front Pole Plate & T-Yoke

■ Undercut & Extended Center Pole

■ Laterally Cross Vented Center Pole

■ Insulated Tinsel Lead Wires

■ Oversized Screw Terminals

CAST ALUMINUM BASKET

EMPASER’s proprietary cast aluminum basket line is overbuilt to offer
a truly solid and anti-resonant platform for the ultra-heavy 315 oz.
Strontium-Ferrite magnet motor assembly. A deep draw basket design
enables huge cone travel to both sides, due to increased distance
between lower spider platform and basket bottom.

TRIPLE STACKED CERAMIC SR-FE MAGNET

Triple stacked Strontium-Ferrite magnets with a total weight of 315 oz.
form the drive motor of the SPL-X4 woofer models. The magnet system
uses the highest corcitive force ceramic magnet material available
today, standing out with its strong BL product.

NOMEX™ COMPOSITE CONE WITH STITCHED
SURROUND

The SPL-X4 woofers deploy Nomex™ composite cones of extra
thickness, offering highest stiffness and low weight, for extremely low
cone flex at high SPL levels. To improve field reliability, the surround
is stitched to the cone, preventing unnecessary strain on the joint that
holds the surround to the cone.

HIGH EXCURSION POLYETHER SURROUND

Polyether foam is used as surround material, to allow proper cen­tering of the cone thoughout the large excursion capabilities of the
SPL-X4 woofers. Polyether was chosen for its low weight and lower
sensitivity to temperature changes, i.e. hardening of material at tem­peratures below 5°C.

NOMEX™ QUADRUPLE SPIDER

The SPL-X4 woofer models deploy mirrored Nomex™ quadruple
spiders with huge diameters for large cone excursion. The quadruple
spider design keeps the voice coil in perfect alignment up to highest
cone excursions, while the progressive deflection characteristics pro­tect the surround from failure when the cone is driven to its mech.
max. Nomex™ material stands out with its unparalleled durability
against mechanical failure, aging or any other degradation based
on physical strain.

4-LAYER WOUND CCAW VOICE COIL

A 4-layer wound copper clad alumimum double voice coil with exten­ded winding height provides the necessary thermal power handling
for high SPL output, but keeps the moving mass low for increased effi-low for increased effi- for increased effi-

ciency. The coil body is treated with a heat conductive black epoxy
resin, to evenly spread the thermal load over the full voice coil and
former height.

3½" COMPOUND BASV VOICE COIL FORMER

The voice coil former is made of laminated black anodized alumi­num, with additional mechanical reinforcement of the neck area
above the coil windings. Black anodized aluminum conducts heat
very well, pulling the heat away from the coil.

FARADAY COPPER RING ON CENTER POLE

The copper ring added to the center pole acts as Faraday inductance
break, stabilizing the magnetic field and effectively counteracting the
rising voice-coil impedance rising to higher frequencies, while also
lowering total harmonic distortion.

PERIMETER VENTED BASKET DESIGN

The vented cavity under the double-spider suspension features large
windows to sustain best air exchange around the voice coil. The fully
open basket structure also counteracts compression effects of air
trapped under the lower spider. The increased air flow significantly
improves electrical / thermal power handling and reduces thermal
stress on parts held together by adhesives. Less airflow noise during
full power operation is another side benefit of the perimeter vented
basket design.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

E12SPL-X4 E15SPL-X4

Usable Frequency Response* 20 – 100 Hz 20 – 100 Hz
Continuous Power Handling* 2500 W RMS* 2500 W RMS*
Peak Power Handling* 5 kW* 5 kW*
Nominal Impedance 2 x 2 Ohms 2 x 2 Ohms
Voice Coil Diameter 3 ½”/88.6 mm 3 ½”/88.6 mm
Voice Coil Winding Height 54 mm 54 mm
Front Pole Plate Height 19 mm 19 mm
Total Weight of Sr-Fe Magnet

*Exact performance data depending upon actual enclosure!

315 oz./8930 g 315 oz./8930 g

THIELE – SMALL PARAMETERS

Free-Air Resonance (Fs) 35.8 Hz 23.4 Hz
DC Resistance (Re) 2x1.85 2x1.85

Ohms Ohms
Electrical Damping (Qes) 0.63 0.60
Mechanical Damping (Qms) 5.63 4.31
Total Damping (Qts) 0.57 0.53
Equivalent Vol. of Compliance (Vas) 23.8 l 97.5 l
Moving Mass incl. Air Load (Mms) 304.5 g 487 g
Electrically Limited

Cone Excursion (Xmax) 17.5mm 17.5mm
(one way) (one way)

Effective Cone Surface (Sd) 510 cm2 855 cm
Volume Displacement of Cone (Vd)
Voice Coil Inductance @ 1kHz (Le) 2.36 mH 2.40 mH

(series) (series)
Efficiency (2.00V) (RefSPL) 84.2 dB/ 85.0dB/

1W/1m 1W/1m

1785cm3 2993 cm

2

3

SPL-X4 WOOFER
SPECIFICATION SHEET

MOUNTING DIMENSIONS

E12SPL-X4 E15SPL-X4

Mounting Cutout Diameter 284 mm 358 mm
Rear Mounting Clearance

(Mounting Depth) 216 mm 249 mm

ENCLOSURE SUGGESTIONS

EMPHASER Laboratories recommend to use the SPL-X4 woofers in
combination with sealed, vented and bandpass enclosures. To obtain
the best possible performance of this woofer in your car audio sys­tem, make sure to follow the stated basic enclosure suggestions listed
below. If the provided enclosure suggestions listed are not applicable
to your system, contact your authorized EMPHASER dealer to ask for
further assistance.

SEALED ENCLOSURE

E12SPL-X4 E15SPL-X4

Net Volume: 45 l 75 l

PORTED ENCLOSURE I (SPL)

Net Volume: 60 l 95 l
Inner Diameter of Port: 2 x 10 cm 4 x 10 cm
Length of Port: 25 cm each 27 cm each

PORTED ENCLOSURE II (LOW BASS)

Net Volume: 65 l 115 l
Inner Diameter of Port: 1 x 10 cm 2 x 10 cm
Length of Port: 28 cm 30 cm each

BANDPASS ENCLOSURE

Net Volume Ported Chamber: 32 l 55 l
Net Volume Sealed Chamber: 27 l 45 l
Inside Diameter of Ports: 2 x 10 cm 3 x 10 cm
Length of Port: 22 to 18 to

27 cm each 25 cm each

ENCLOSURE CONSTRUCTION / CABINET
DAMPING / BREAK-IN INFO

➔ Always use at least 25mm or thicker MDF or birch plywood to build
the enclosure. Make sure all joints are well sealed, since a woofer
can only reach optimum performance when mounted to an airtight
cabinet!

➔ The enclosures should be damped according to their function prin­ciple: The sealed enclosure must be filled with polyfill (bonded acrylic
fiber). The inner walls of the ported enclosure should be lined out with
egg crate PU-foam. The sealed chamber of the bandpass enclosure
has to be lined with PU-foam, while the ported chamber remains free
of any damping material.

➔ Loudspeakers using spiders made of Nomex™ need extra time
to break-in! Out of the box, the suspension sytem of any SPL-X4
woofer is extremely stiff. To achieve optimum low bass response,
this EMPHASER woofer model will need approximately two weeks of
daily playing at medium playback levels. After that period of time, the
suspension system has reached its equilibrium and will remain stable
for the entire life-span of this product. The broken-in driver will play
audibly smoother and exhibit a stronger bass performance, as well
as greater bass extension!

WARRANTY

EMPHASER Inc. Wyoming, Michigan U.S.A. warrants this SPL­X4 woofer to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for
two years from the original date of purchase at retail, contingent
upon installation being performed or approved by an authorized
EMPHASER dealer. EMPHASER Inc. will at its own discretion repair
or replace any mechanically defective SPL-X4 woofer at no charge,
during the warranty period. This warranty is limited to the original
purchaser.
Should your EMPHASER woofer require warranty service, please
return it to the retailer from whom it was purchased.
Please do not send any product to EMPHASER Inc., Wyoming,
Michigan U.S.A. Should you have difficulty in finding an authorized
EMPHASER dealer or service center, details are available from the
national distributor in the country of purchase.

Abuse of this loudspeaker is not covered under warranty.
The warranty does NOT cover:

■ Woofers that have been used to participate in SPL contests

■ Any freight damage

■ Woofers damaged due to amplifier clipping or distortion

■ Exposure to water, oil, solvents or excessive heat

■ Repair attempts by unauthorized individuals

■ Install damage (screwdriver holes)

EMPHASER Inc. Wyoming, Michigan U.S.A