Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia SE User Manual
Legatia SE-Series Component Speakers
Specifications Library & Car Audio Reference Guide
Contents
Welcome and Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 5
Legatia SE Speaker Design Considerations .................................................................................................................... 6
Motor .................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Voice Coil........................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Phase Plug and Shorting Cup ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Cone ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Suspension ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Basket ................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Thiele/Small Parameters Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 8
Application to Thiele/Small Parameters to Legatia SE Designs ............................................................................... 9
Enclosure Recommendations .................................................................................................................................... 9
Dipole Applications ..................................................................................................................................................... 10
Legatia SE L1 Ring Radiator (R2) Tweeter .................................................................................................................... 11
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 11
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 16
Legatia L3SE Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Full-Range .................................................................................................. 17
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 20
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 21
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 22
Legatia L4SE Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Full-Range .................................................................................................. 23
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 26
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 27
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Legatia L6SE Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Midbass ....................................................................................................... 29
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 29
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 32
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 33
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 34
Legatia L8SE Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Midbass ....................................................................................................... 35
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 35
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 38
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 39
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 40
Stage V Legatia L2x Two-Way Vertically-Biamplified Passive Crossover ................................................................ 41
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 41
Key Issues in Passive Crossover Design ................................................................................................................... 41
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
Frequency Filter Plot ...................................................................................................................................................... 46
Stage V Legatia L3x Three-Way Vertically-Biamplified Passive Crossover ............................................................. 47
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 47
Key Issues in Passive Crossover Design ................................................................................................................... 47
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 51
Frequency Filter Plot ...................................................................................................................................................... 52
Legatia L3G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 53
Legatia L4G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 54
Legatia L6G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 55
Legatia L8G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 56
Advanced System Installation .......................................................................................................................................... 57
Lessons Learned ............................................................................................................................................................ 57
Lesson One: Off-Axis Response.................................................................................................................................. 57
Lesson Two: Equalization of Pathlength Differences ............................................................................................... 57
Lesson Three: The Effect of HRTF, ITD, and IID ...................................................................................................... 59
Lesson Four: Point-Sourcing ........................................................................................................................................ 60
Lesson Five: Reference ................................................................................................................................................ 60
Advanced Installation of the Legatia SE Component Systems ................................................................................... 61
Mounting Baffle Considerations ................................................................................................................................... 61
Crossovers ...................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Time Correction .............................................................................................................................................................. 63
Scenario 1 ................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Scenario 2 ................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Scenario 3 ................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Amplitude Equalization .................................................................................................................................................. 64
Acoustic Treatment ........................................................................................................................................................ 64
Advanced Installation Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 65
Warranty .............................................................................................................................................................................. 66
Thank You! .......................................................................................................................................................................... 67
References .......................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Welcome and Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of high performance Legatia SE-series mobile audio component
loudspeakers, and welcome to the world of Hybrid Audio Technologies, where high-end mobile audio
loudspeaker development is our passion! When installed and set-up properly, the Legatia SE
component system you have purchased will be the finest loudspeakers you have ever heard and give
years of superior performance.
Thank you for going “on line” to read and download your User’s Manual. Our offices are located
amongst the evergreens in North Georgia USA, and we happen to like trees. Aside from the obvious
aesthetic benefits, trees improve our air, protect our water, save energy, and improve economic
sustainability. Additionally, it is expensive to print and distribute thousands of copies of an owner’s
manual; we’d rather invest our production dollars into an incredible line-up of speaker systems for
your listening pleasure. With online resources becoming the main source of information for more and
more people, we are pleased that you’re here, reading this manual on line, verses having a print copy
which might get read once and put back into the gift box, or worse yet, discarded.
With the publication of this specifications library and car audio reference guide, it is our goal to assist
the “do it yourself” enthusiast and professional installer alike in getting the highest level of
performance out of Legatia SE component speakers and sets using straight-forward installation
advice and practical application of timeless acoustic principles. The first part of this manual is
comprised of a specifications library for all of our available Legatia SE component speakers, passive
crossover devices, and available accessory hardware. Simply scroll through the library to learn more
about the wide variety of Legatia SE products. The second part of the manual has been written to be
more or less a miniature mobile audio reference guide that can be used to better any sound system,
and in particular, a system that utilizes the Legatia SE component speaker systems. It is an
introductory primer to the world of high-end mobile audio; we hope this user’s manual is not only
informative, but motivating. Keep it handy throughout your installation process, and any time you go
to improve your audio system with other Hybrid Audio Technologies products, or perhaps to take
advantage of our lifetime guaranteed value trade-in program. We are confident that if the principles
explained in this manual are exercised in your own installation, you will be ecstatic with the sound
quality outcome!
We realize that you have a choice in loudspeakers, and are thrilled that you have chosen the Legatia
SE series. For more information about Hybrid Audio Technologies, our philosophies regarding highend mobile audio, to learn more about our lifetime guaranteed value program, and for information
about our other products, please visit us online at www.hybrid-audio.com.
Thank you, and happy listening!
Scott E. Buwalda
Founder – Hybrid Audio Technologies
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 5 of 73
Legatia SE Speaker Design Considerations
The Legatia SE-series component speakers are electrodynamic drivers that are comprised of a
diaphragm (cone, or in the case of the Legatia SE L1 Pro R2, a fine fabric diaphragm and ring) that is
set in motion by a motor system that has both electrical and mechanical components. For more
details about the Stage VI Legatia SE tweeter offering, the Legatia SE L1 Pro R2, please go to pages
11 and 16, respectively.
The Special Edition midrange and midbass designs boast several key elements which enhance the
driver’s performance between the Stage V Legatia-series speakers and the Stage VI Legatia SEseries speakers:
• Wider bandwidth operation;
• Notably lower inductance;
• Higher thermal power handling by AES standard;
• Higher thermal power handling with suggested crossover;
• Typically lower moving mass for better transient response;
• Typically higher compliance of motor system;
• Use of woven dual tinsel lead spider for mechanical balance, improved radial compliance, and
to eliminate tinsel lead slap;
• Inclusion of nickel-plated, spring-loaded binding post terminals for enhanced connectivity;
• Inclusion of high-energy opposing double-stacked neodymium cup and motor for increased
motor performance and smaller diameter motor;
• Inclusion of aluminum radiator for heat dissipation and increased thermal power handling;
• Inclusion of rose-tinted copper-plated aluminum extended phase plug pole piece; and
• Inclusion of laser-etched back plate cap with Hybrid Audio Technologies logo and Special
Edition nomenclature.
The following design tenets are typical of all Legatia SE-series midrange and midbass drivers:
Motor
The motor of the Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers are paramount to the performance of the
drivers, providing for a flat and wide BL curve. The BL curve is flat and extended in all models,
yielding exceptional two-way linear excursion, resulting in the Legatia SE midrange and midbass
drivers being able to accurately track the input signal. Reduced distortion and greater dynamics are
the immediate sonic benefits. The motor of the L3SE, L4SE, L6SE, and L8SE includes an opposing
double-stacked high-grade NdFeB magnet assembly to improve restorative force, compliance, motor
strength, displacement, and power handling, but also to serve a small diameter form-factor. The
voice coil fully surrounds the opposing double-stacked magnet.
Voice Coil
The voice coil diameter of the Legatia SE range of midrange and midbass drivers represents the
optimal balance of diameter, power handling, and moving mass. The L3SE and L4SE use a 25.5mm
(1-inch) voice coil, and the L6SE and L8SE use 35.5mm (1.4-inch) voice coils. The voice coil
diameter serves several key functions: elevated power handling, dissipation of heat (thereby lowering
power compression), and maximizing the size of the magnet assembly for enhanced motor
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compliance. The voice coils used in all Legatia SE designs are high-purity aluminum, which is
superior to copper for heat dissipation, as well as significantly reduced moving mass. The result is an
extremely light weight winding with good power handling and low inductance.
How much amplitude a speaker can reproduce depends on the volume of air it excites without
overheating. The volume of air that a speaker excites is determined by the surface area of the cone
and the excursion capability of the motor system. Xmax is defined as the width of the voice coil that
extends beyond the front plate, and relates to how far the speaker can move in either direction
without appreciable distortion. The Legatia SE designs boast exceptional one-way linear excursion
(Xmax).
Phase Plug and Shorting Cup
All Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers come equipped with a phase plug pole piece extension
at the center of the cone. The phase plug is aluminum and, by design, ensures enhancement of the
total inductance profile, providing much of the inductance reduction benefits noted. The phase plug is
plated with rose-tinted copper, which by design does not negatively reduce eddy current, and adds
thermal dissipation potential. The phase plug extends well down inside the pole vent, and acts as a
very large and efficient heatsink for any heat that radiates into the pole. The highest frequencies of
audio emanate from the area around the center of the cone and the lower frequencies are produced
by the area of the cone that is farther from the center. The phase plug pole piece extension improves
the performance and clarity of all Legatia SE midrange and midbass designs by deflecting delicate
midrange and treble tones forward of the driver, while minimizing distortion and improving bandwidth.
All Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers use copper shorting cups. The shorting cups consist of
an optimally sized and placed cup of copper (Cu) to create a total inductance profile that is not just
low, but flat over stroke, frequency, and power. Inductance is the number one limiter of high
frequency extension and modulation of inductance with stroke, frequency and power, and is the
primary source of intermodulation distortion (IMD).
Cone
The shape, weight and strength of the Legatia SE midrange and midbass cones relate directly to the
extended frequency response of the Legatia SE range of drivers (in concert with the extended phase
plug pole piece, noted above). The Legatia SE cones are concave-shaped hybrid paper diaphragms,
described below. Convex shaped cones, typical of “dome” midranges, typically exhibit “peaky”
frequency response, so we opted instead on a concave cone topology for the resultant smoother
frequency response. And contrary to common belief, most convex cones have a narrow directivity
pattern. The concave cone of the Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers have a wider directivity
pattern, and are excellent for use in “off-axis” applications.
You will find no composite or metal cone materials used in any Legatia SE midrange or midbass
driver. Our approach to point-sourcing is to allow the Legatia SE midbass/midrange drivers to
effectively play into treble frequencies; having virtually all imaging cues emanating from one set of
drivers in an installation ensures stable stereo imaging across the fundamental frequencies which
define image placement and definition. The Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers include a
proprietary hybrid paper diaphragm with extremely low moving mass. Paper is widely acknowledged
as the best-damping material, as it provides the near optimum balance of strength and weight. The
paper cone is critical to tame unwanted cone modes, resonances, and the classic “cone breakup”
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 7 of 73
associated with most composite cones, but still be rigid enough for upper midbass response. All
cones have been treated with a water resistant element at the rear to accommodate door mounting,
or other areas prone to occasional contact with liquid.
All Legatia SE designs offer an outstanding extended frequency response; the usable frequency
range of the Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers is at least six full octaves, and in many cases,
seven or more octaves of usable bandwidth with proper installation, aiming, set-up, and tuning. And
because of the employed cone technology which boasts exceptional off-axis response, described
above, all Legatia SE drivers offer exceptional off-axis bandwidth as well, exceeding five octaves for
all designs.
Suspension
All Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers include an inverted surround made of butyl rubber
which is highly consistent, and does not suffer the variance of natural rubbers. This rubber surround
terminates mechanical vibrations well, having a low stiffness for positive damping of resonances. The
surround, which acts as an air seal between the cone and the basket, adds to the restoring force of
the spider. Another function of the surround is to absorb cone flexure waves as they are transferred
up the cone. You'll also know a Legatia SE midrange and midbass design by its inverted surround;
this design feature allows for the use of a smaller height grille, and more flexibility in mounting
options. The inverted surround is also instrumental for taming edge mode distortion.
The spider material was chosen for optimal performance in all models; the spider is a 90/10
cotton/Nomex blend with single-dip low viscosity phenolic. This material provides the stiffness
desired without being overly brittle or stiff, where vibrations in the spider are well damped and do not
translate into the former or the cone.
Basket
The basket of the Stage VI Legatia SE series drivers are a shared design with the same
size/diameter drivers in the Stage V Legatia series, for easy upgrade potential; the frames of
similarly-sized drivers are interchangeable in mounting topology. The basket is a high-quality cast
aluminum design, and contains a large flange providing for the mounting of the driver via four screw
holes. The Legatia SE frame features large openings behind the cone to eliminate chuffing and other
aerodynamic-based noises, as well as provides adequate communication to the back of the cone for
acoustic suspension and proper operation.
Thiele/Small Parameters Introduction
Acoustics pioneers Neville Thiele and Richard Small developed a way to predict speaker
performance and frequency response. These parameters are known collectively as “Thiele/Small
Parameters”, and are divided into physical characteristics and response parameters:
The Physical Characteristics of a speaker are:
Re: The D.C. resistance of the voice coil measured in Ohms.
Sd: The surface area of the speaker’s cone.
BL: The magnetic strength of the motor structure.
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Mms: The total moving mass of the speaker including the small amount of air in front of and behind
the cone.
Cms: The stiffness of the driver’s suspension.
Rms: The losses due to the suspension.
The Thiele/Small Response parameters are:
Re: The D.C. resistance of the voice coil measured in Ohms.
Sd: The surface area of the speaker.
Fs: The resonant frequency of the speaker.
Qes: The electrical “Q” of the speaker.
Qms: The mechanical “Q” of the speaker.
Qts: The total "Q" of the speaker.
Vas: The volume of air having the same acoustic compliance as the speaker’s suspension.
Application to Thiele/Small Parameters to Legatia SE Designs
Enclosure Recommendations
The mechanical and electrical parameters of the Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers are
amenable to a variety of different installations and speaker locations. In a typical vehicular
installation, Hybrid Audio Technologies recommends that the Legatia SE drivers be placed in an
“infinitely large” enclosure, which is more notably known as “infinite baffle.” Small sealed enclosures
are not needed to be constructed, nor are typically recommended in most circumstances for any of
the Legatia SE range of products (there are some minor exceptions, based upon application,
intended use, power handling, and etc., please contact us for details). Hybrid Audio has also had
great success incorporating the Legatia SE midrange and midbass drivers in dipole configuration
(detailed below), transmission lines, and in larger vented enclosures.
In a typical installation, Legatia SE midrange and midbass products should be mounted with
unrestricted access to airspace to ensure the speaker’s ability to effectively reproduce its wide
frequency bandwidth. The reason why the speaker was designed in this way is highly empirical.
When a speaker is mounted in a small closed box, it radiates as much energy forward of the cone as
it does rearward of the cone. All speaker cones and dust caps (diaphragms) are a weak sound
barrier at best, and the result of the high amount of energy being “pushed” into a small enclosure is
the energy transmitting through to the outside of the cone (an additive phenomenon to the incidental
wave). It is conjectured that this effect is most notable in the low hundreds of Hz region, where
acoustical stuffing materials are ineffective and the internal dimensions are not small enough for the
internal air volume to act as a pure compliance. Consequently, Hybrid Audio has designed this
speaker to work well without an enclosure, and as such, should not be significantly prone to
enclosure back-pressure and sound coloration when placed infinitely baffled. The “infinitely large”
enclosure, per se, improves spectral response and power response variation between high and low
frequencies. And in the case where an infinite baffle operation is difficult or impossible to achieve in
your car’s environment, we highly suggest the use of acoustic resistors (aperiodic membranes or
trade name Variovents®) in sealed enclosures to help dissipate the backwave energy. If you
absolutely must use a sealed enclosure, we recommend that you contact us for details and
assistance in targeting a sealed enclosure volume applicable for your intended purpose. In all cases,
the use of loosely-packed fibrous damping materials, such as fiberglass, Dacron, or long-fiber wool
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 9 of 73
will also significantly improve the final installation, no matter what type of baffle and enclosure
configuration is chosen.
Dipole Applications
While infinite baffle or resistive sealed enclosures are highly recommended for this driver, you might
find that in the rare instance that the Legatia SE drivers can be placed in a completely open baffle, i.e.
dipole. A word of caution: Legatia SE drivers mounted in an open baffle have to move more air than
a similar Legatia SE driver mounted in a resistive sealed enclosure, or infinitely baffled, just simply for
the fact that there’s a progressive acoustic short circuit between front and back waves below the
speaker’s resonance frequency (Fs) in the open baffle configuration. Great care must be taken in this
instance, because there is no acoustic compliance afforded in a dipole configuration, and the speaker
will reach its mechanical limits much quicker (and will net increased distortion). However, in certain
instances, a dipole-style midrange may work well in a vehicular installation, in that radiation from the
rear of the baffle, having undergone enough phase shift as it comes around to the front, adds to the
total sound at off-axis angles. Of great importance in the dipole midrange configuration is the setting
up of crossovers and weighing the negative effects of distortion of elevated amplitude levels.
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 10 of 73
Legatia SE L1 Ring Radiator (R2) Tweeter
History
The Legatia SE L1 R2’s topology is an enhanced “ring radiator” version of the successful lowresonance Legatia SE L1 Pro. The purpose of the L1 R2 topology was to build upon the success and
efficacy of the Stage VI Legatia SE L1 Pro, but the offer the driver in a radiator ring topology to further
enhance on-axis and off-axis frequency response, increased bandwidth, and lower modal distortion.
The Legatia SE L1 R2 is the culmination of an inordinate amount of time and resources spent testing
and refining this product to the exacting specifications of Hybrid Audio Technologies and our long
heritage of quality speakers. We are certain that this product will provide class-leading performance that simply cannot be beat by competing brands – if installed properly.
The Legatia SE L1 R2 is a direct descendant of the massively successful, limited edition Stage VI
Legatia L1 Pro Special Edition (SE) tweeter that was released on November 24, 2009 (please
reference the Hybrid Audio Technologies website for more details on the Legatia L1 Pro SE). The L1
Pro SE was built in extremely limited production and was an evaluative line by Hybrid Audio
Technologies to gauge consumer interest in a super high-end ring radiator design from the company.
The SE tweeters were completely sold out by March 1, 2010. Given the efficacy of the design and its
popularity as the “tweeter of choice” for high-end car audiophiles around the world, the team at Hybrid
Audio Technologies began refining the SE tweeter design in early 2010. Several minor
enhancements were realized to the tweeter’s hard parts during the design process, with the ultimate
goal of producing a driver becoming of the original SE design, but in a permanent, non-limited edition
offering within the Hybrid Audio Technologies line-up.
By late January 2010, beta prototypes had been disseminated amongst Hybrid Audio’s elite group of
world championship car audio competitors, as well as other independent speaker testers, and the
verdict was clear – the Legatia L1 R2 was ready for production. Production refinements included the
Spring and early Summer of 2010, to include features inclusive and proprietary to the L1 R2, and final
production commenced late Summer 2010.
Notably, approximately eight months after launch, using the L1 R2’s as tweeter drivers in his own
sound quality competition car, Scott Buwalda set the highest recorded score of all time in organized
sound quality competition (996 points) at the International Auto Sound Challenge Association
(IASCA®) North American Championships on March 19-20, 2011. This achievement has been
memorialized by IASCA® in writing as the highest score on record, and it has been noted by IASCA®
that the score achieved will likely remain the highest combined sound quality and installation quality
score of all time, in any format, in any part of the world.
The Legatia L1 R2 is the world’s finest ring radiator tweeter – bar none. No competing manufacturer
can match the performance of the Legatia SE L1 R2. It is the world’s first and only ring radiator
design that boasts incredible off-axis response, for extreme mounting flexibility in the car environ.
The L1 R2 tweeter is an exceptional super high-end solution for installers, enthusiasts, and car audio
competitors, and provides the tweeter foundation for many of our high-end two-way and three-way
systems.
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 11 of 73
Attributes
The Legatia SE L1 o R2 is a 58mm (2.3-inch) O.D. “low resonance” wide-bandwidth tweeter driver to
compliment both two-way and three-way system designs, where a super high-end tweeter driver is
required. The Legatia L1 R2 is based upon the original architecture of the Hybrid Audio Technologies
Legatia L1 Pro transducer, as well as the Legatia L1 Pro SE, a special edition version of the L1 Pro.
At the onset of the Legatia Pro-Series program, we wanted to be sure that the Pro-Series tweeter
could be listened to for long listening sessions with no noticeable listener fatigue, and the L1 R2
answered the call. The L1 R2 is an advancement of the original Legatia L1 Pro design, boasting a
ring radiator and diaphragm for exceptional polar response and an even broader frequency response,
and lower resonance frequency than the original L1 Pro.
The Legatia L1 R2 is a 25mm (1-inch) ring radiator-type tweeter, which is the desired diameter for
aplomb performance and class-leading polar response, having an extended linear response and
exceptional transient response. The design offers a wide dispersion pattern to make for flexible onand off-axis installation and speaker location. The L1 R2 doesn’t suffer from typical “heaviness” in
tonal quality, typically associated with damped, large-diameter (28mm +) dome tweeters; the L1 R2
can be used for the reproduction of upper midrange and treble frequencies in dedicated multi-way
front-stage systems. The following are the L1 R2’s design attributes:
Diaphragm, Power Handling, and Wave Guide
With respect to the diaphragm, the L1 R2 has a slightly heavier moving mass than the L1 Pro (without
negatively affecting transient response), which in turn has afforded more damping character, while
the resonance has been lowered by 120 Hz over the L1 Pro (580 Hz). Nominal and thermal power
handling has also been improved over the original L1 Pro transducer; the L1 R2 tweeter has a very
high power handling with proper filtering, and the L1 R2 diaphragm is much less susceptible to
mechanical deformation than other designs, and yet yields a smooth response over the extent of its
range. The diaphragm is protected by a large open-space perforated metal grille that can be
removed, if desired.
The L1 R2 has several unique features that ensure performance is superior to all other designs in this
category. The ring radiator geometry is notorious for delivering a flat, extended response, but many
radiator designs have suffered historically from poor off-axis response. The main L1 R2 criteria was
to have a ring radiator that could work exceptionally well in a car environment, with an end-user’s
choice of either on- or off-axis operation with good polar response. The geometry of the wave guide
was paramount to achieving this result and was the subject of a concerted effort by Hybrid Audio
Technologies engineers. The wave guide is proprietary to Hybrid Audio Technologies and prevents
phase cancellation for uniform frequency response and uniform polar radiation. The addition of the
wave guide is also an improvement over a conventional dome tweeter design simply for the fact that
the diaphragm is terminated not only at its edges, but also at the center of the diaphragm as well.
This feature improves the damping of modal distortion and resonance. In concert with the wave
guide is a treated fine cloth diaphragm to ensure smooth frequency response.
Tuned Chamber and Motor
The tuned chamber of the L1 R2 is the key to the ability of the driver to faithfully reproduce low-octave
tones with low distortion, should the end-user desire this type of topology. The L1 R2 has a
polypropylene tuned and damped chamber at the rear of the motor assembly; the chamber helps to
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 12 of 73
reduce backwave distortion and significantly lower the tweeter’s resonance frequency to allow it to be
used to play tones in the vocal spectrum. The tuned chamber is a proprietary design to Hybrid Audio;
reduced distortion, low-octave authority, and greater dynamics are the immediate sonic benefits. The
tuned chamber includes integrated push terminals, discussed later.
The motor assembly is conventional dynamic, with a high-grade Φ24.5 × 3.5 H NdFeB neodymium
magnet structure to ensure a small footprint size and shallow depth. The result is the total profile of
the motor as small as possible, enhancing acoustic performance, and aiding in mounting via small
size and low weight. The L1 R2 is one of the shallowest tuned chamber tweeters on the market.
Body/Flange
The body and flange of the Legatia L1 R2 is one-piece machined 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum (not
poured or cast aluminum). The dense metal structure, lacking interstitial voids, helps reduce
vibrations within the body of the tweeter to abate resonance, and ensure effective reproduction of
extremely low music tones. The R2 is a shared dimensional design with the Stage VI Legatia Pro and
the Stage VI Legatia Pro SE for easy upgrade potential. If you already own the L1 Pro or L1 Pro SE,
the L1 Pro R2 will drop right into place.
A machined aluminum Φ47.5mm knurled attachment nut at the base of the tweeter provides
optimized clamping strength to the mounting media.
The mounting flange, only 3mm larger than the Stage V Legatia L1V2 tweeter, provides a solidaluminum mounting surface for the tweeter without the necessity of mounting cups or external
hardware. The overall dimensions of the driver are very amenable for use in the car audio
environment, and in locations typical of the standard OEM tweeter mounting locations, as well as in
custom locations, boasting a depth of just 27.5mm (1.08-inch), 2.5mm shallower than the sibling L1
Pro tweeter offering.
The L1 R2 tweeter is available in two colors to ensure cosmetic integration with the vehicle’s
surroundings: silver brushed aluminum, and anodized black (there is no cost difference between the
two colors) with rose-tinted copper phase plug and radiator ring.
Terminals Cap and Spring-Loaded Terminals
The L1 R2 includes an extruded polypropylene tuned chamber with integrated high-end nickel-plated
spring-loaded push terminals at the rear of the tweeter’s motor assembly. The spring-loaded
terminals give the end-user flexibility in direct connection with large-gauge tinned wiring, without the
need for crimp terminals.
Summary
The Legatia L1 R2 is the ideal multi-purpose super high-end speaker driver. The size of the device
and its incredible off-axis ability are amenable to a variety of different installations and speaker
locations. The size of the L1 R2 allows it to be mounted in typical OEM and custom locations within a
vehicle. At home in virtually any arrangement, the L1 R2 is Hybrid Audio’s best tweeter, boasting
exceptional performance and a design philosophy that goes hand in hand with true high-fidelity
playback.
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Mechanical Drawing
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Thiele/Small Parameters
adapter to secure the tweeter body from the rear
polypropylene rear cap and push terminals
Overall Diameter Φ58 mm
Mounting Depth 28.5 mm
Mounting Methodology Surface-mount tweeter with standard-pitch
M47.5 X 8mm thick knurled thread aluminum
Construction Solid machined aluminum with integrated
Distortion <5% max at rated power input, no crossover
Magnet Diameter and Construction Φ24.5 × 3 H NdFeB
Recommended Minimum Crossover Frequency
P
Rated Power Input (No Crossover) 25 watts (AES Standard)
nom
P
Rated Power Input (No Crossover) 50 watts (AES Standard)
max
P
(With Recommended Minimum Crossover) 120 watts
max
2,000 Hz at 24 dB/octave highpass
Resonance Frequency (Fs) 550 Hz
Frequency Range 550 Hz – 40,000 Hz, +/- 3 dB
Sensitivity 92 dB at 2.83V/1meter
Impedance 4Ω
DC Resistance 3.0 Ω
Voice Coil Diameter 25.5 mm (1-inch)
Qms 3.257
Qes 1.277
Qts 0.917
Krm 102.89 nΩ
Erm 0.733
Kxm 6.698 mH
Exm 0.377
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Frequency Response Graph
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Legatia L3SE Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Full-Range
History
The Legatia L3SE’s topology is an enhancement of the massively successful first-generation Legatia
L3 transducer, as well as the revised “version 2” Legatia L3V2 which was launched in October 2011.
By early Spring 2010, a beta prototype pair of Legatia L3SE’s had been refined after hundreds of
hours of testing and development; these highly-evolved drivers were sent to various national- and
world-championship competitors, notably including David Edwards, multiple MECA champion, and
Jorge Juaristi, multiple USACi Mexico champion, for real-world evaluation. After countless hours
testing on the speakers under various circumstances, both as a dedicated midrange and as a widebandwidth full-range driver, final approval was given. Production refinements were mid-Summer of
2010, to incorporate features inclusive and proprietary to the Legatia SE line, and final production
commenced August 2010. The Legatia L3SE was launched in September 2010 and is the reference
3.7-inch driver in Hybrid Audio’s product category known collectively as the Legatia SE Series.
Attributes
The Legatia L3SE is a 93mm (3.7-inch) “small format” wide-bandwidth midrange/full-range driver to
compliment both two-way and three-way system designs, where a point-source midrange and/or fullrange driver is required. The following are the L3SE’s design attributes:
Basket
The basket of the L3SE is a shared design with the Legatia L3V2 and the original Legatia L3 for easy
upgrade potential; the L3, L3V2, and L3SE are interchangeable in mounting topology. The basket is
a high-quality cast aluminum design, and contains a 93mm flange providing for the mounting of the
driver via four screw holes (the use of 3mm cap head screws is ideal). The overall dimensions of the
driver are very amenable for use in the car audio environment, and in locations typical of the standard
“3-inch” driver, or in custom locations at the discretion of the end-user, boasting a depth of just 44mm
(1.7-inch), 1mm deeper than its Legatia L3V2 counterpart. The basket features large openings
behind the cone to eliminate chuffing and other aerodynamic-based noises, as well as provides
adequate communication to the back of the cone for acoustic suspension and proper operation.
Motor
The motor of the L3SE is paramount to the performance of the driver, providing for a flat and wide BL
curve (as a learning note, BL is the equivalent of torque in a car; a car with a flat and constant torque
curve provides much better acceleration and performance than a car with a peaky, non-constant
torque curve). The BL curve is flat and extended, yielding 6mm of two-way linear excursion, resulting
in the L3SE being able to accurately track the input signal. Reduced distortion and greater dynamics
are the immediate sonic benefits. The motor of the L3SE includes an opposing double-stacked
NdFeB magnet to improve restorative force, compliance, motor strength, displacement, and power
handling. The magnet assemblies are fully surrounded by the voice coil.
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Voice Coil
The voice coil diameter of the L3SE is a large 25.5mm (1-inch), which is the proper balance between
size and moving mass in super high-end mobile audio midranges/full-range drivers. The voice coil
diameter serves several key functions: elevated power handling, dissipation of heat (thereby lowering
power compression), and maximizing the size of the magnet assembly for enhanced motor
compliance. The voice coil is high-purity aluminum, which is superior to copper for heat dissipation,
as well as significantly reduced moving mass. The result is an extremely light weight winding with
good power handling and low inductance.
Suspension
The inverted surround is butyl rubber which is highly consistent, and does not suffer the variance of
natural rubbers. This rubber surround terminates mechanical vibrations well, having a low stiffness
for positive damping of resonances. The spider material was chosen for optimal performance; the
spider is a 90/10 cotton/Nomex blend with single-dip low viscosity phenolic. This material provides
the stiffness desired without being overly brittle or stiff, where vibrations in the spider are well damped
and do not translate into the former or the cone.
Cone
Like other Legatia SE midrange designs, you will find no composite or metal cone materials used on
the L3SE, as our approach to point-sourcing is to allow the Legatia SE midbass/midrange driver to
effectively play into upper treble frequencies. The Legatia L3SE is a cone-type driver consisting of a
proprietary hybrid paper diaphragm with extremely low moving mass. Paper is widely acknowledged
as the best-damping material, as it provides the near optimum balance of strength and weight. The
cone has been treated with a water resistant element at the rear to accommodate door mounting, or
other areas prone to occasional contact with liquid. The cone design offers a wide dispersion pattern
to make for flexible installation and speaker location. The Legatia L3SE has an outstanding extended
frequency response; the usable frequency range of this driver exceeds seven complete octaves of
usable bandwidth on-axis (140 Hz – 18,000+ Hz). Even off-axis, the L3SE faithfully recreates more
than five full octaves of information, for the ultimate “small-format” midrange/full-range driver.
Phase Plug and Shorting Cup
The L3SE comes equipped with a phase plug pole piece extension at the center of the cone. The
phase plug is aluminum and, by design, ensures enhancement of the total inductance profile,
providing much of the inductance reduction benefits noted. The phase plug is plated with rose-tinted
copper, which by design does not negatively reduce eddy current, and adds thermal dissipation
potential, not to mention sleek, class-leading cosmetics. The phase plug extends well down inside
the pole vent, and acts as a very large and efficient heatsink for any heat that radiates into the pole.
The highest frequencies of audio emanate from the area around the center of the cone and the lower
frequencies are produced by the area of the cone that is farther from the center. The phase plug pole
piece extension improves the L3SE’s performance and clarity by deflecting delicate midrange and
treble tones forward of the driver, while minimizing distortion and improving bandwidth.
The L3SE uses a copper shorting cup. The shorting cup consist of an optimally sized and placed
copper (Cu) cup to create a total inductance profile that is not just low, but flat over stroke, frequency,
and power. Inductance is the number one limiter of high frequency extension and modulation of
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 18 of 73
inductance with stroke, frequency and power, and is the primary source of intermodulation distortion
(IMD).
Tinsel Leads
The tinsel leads for the L3SE are terminated on one side of the voice coil. The tinsel leads are
stitched into the spider and bonded directly to the former and brought out to the terminals, which
completely eliminates tinsel lead slap and does not compromise the structural integrity of the cone.
Terminals
The Legatia L3SE comes equipped with heavy-duty nickel-plated spring-loaded push terminals for
both positive and negative, which is an enhancement over the L3V2 model. The terminals optimize
contact, and give the end user flexibility in tinned wire or binding post terminations.
Summary
The Legatia L3SE is the world’s finest multi-purpose super high-end speaker driver. Mechanical and
electrical parameters are amenable to a variety of different installations and speaker locations. This
driver is intended to be used in an infinite baffle configuration; a simple, solid baffle, solidly attached
to the car’s chassis with available airspace at the rear of the baffle is all that is required for optimum
operation. The size of the L3SE allows it to be mounted in typical “3-inch” midrange locations within a
vehicle, or in custom locations at the discretion of the end-user, as long as there is adequate airspace
behind the driver to allow it to maintain proper damping and acoustic suspension.
At home in virtually any arrangement, the L3SE is Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia SE high-end
small-format midrange offering, boasting exceptional performance and a design philosophy that goes
hand in hand with true high-fidelity playback.
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Mechanical Drawing
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Thiele/Small Parameters
2
Overall Diameter
Mounting Depth
Bolt Circle Diameter
Mounting Hole
Recommended Minimum Crossover Frequency
P
Rated Power Input (No Crossover)
nom
P
Rated Power Input (No Crossover)
max
P
(With Recommended Minimum Crossover)
max
Frequency Range
Sensitivity
Mms
Cms
BL
φ93 mm (3.7-inch)
44 mm
φ84.5 mm
φ74 mm
185 Hz at 24 dB/octave highpass
30 watts (AES Standard)
60 watts (AES Standard)
150 watts
113 Hz – 18,000 Hz, +/- 3 dB
89 dB at 2.83V/1meter
2.46 g
798 um/N
2.933 T*m
Voice Coil Diameter
Impedance
DC Resistance
Fs
Qms
Qes
Qts
Xmax
Vas
Sd
25.5 mm (1-inch)
4 Ω
3.2 Ω
113 Hz (free air)
3.602
0.654
0.553
3 mm (one way)
1.1 L
3,117 mm
Legatia SE User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 21 of 73
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