Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia-Series User Manual
Legatia-Series Component Speakers
Specifications Library & Car Audio Reference Guide
Contents
Welcome and Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 5
Legatia Speaker Design Considerations .......................................................................................................................... 6
Motor .................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Voice Coil........................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Phase Plug and Shorting Rings ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Cone ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Suspension ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Basket ................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Thiele/Small Parameters Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 8
Application to Thiele/Small Parameters to Legatia Designs ...................................................................................... 8
Enclosure Recommendations .................................................................................................................................... 8
Dipole Applications ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
Legatia L1V2 Tweeter ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 13
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Legatia L3V2 Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Full-Range................................................................................................... 15
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 20
Legatia L4 Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Full-Range ....................................................................................................... 21
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 24
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 25
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 26
Legatia L6V2 Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Midbass ....................................................................................................... 27
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 27
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 30
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 31
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Legatia L8V2 Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Midbass ....................................................................................................... 33
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 33
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 33
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 36
Thiele/Small Parameters ............................................................................................................................................... 37
Frequency Response Graph ........................................................................................................................................ 38
Legatia L2x Two-Way Vertically-Biamplified Passive Crossover................................................................................ 39
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 39
Key Issues in Passive Crossover Design ................................................................................................................... 39
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 42
Frequency Filter Plot ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
Legatia L3x Three-Way Vertically Biamplified Passive Crossover ............................................................................. 44
History .............................................................................................................................................................................. 44
Key Issues in Passive Crossover Design ................................................................................................................... 44
Attributes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................................................................... 48
Frequency Filter Plot ...................................................................................................................................................... 49
Legatia L3G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 50
Legatia L4G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 51
Legatia L6G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 52
Legatia L8G Grille Assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 53
Advanced System Installation .......................................................................................................................................... 54
Lessons Learned ............................................................................................................................................................ 54
Lesson One: Off-Axis Response.................................................................................................................................. 54
Lesson Two: Equalization of Pathlength Differences ............................................................................................... 54
Lesson Three: The Effect of HRTF, ITD, and IID ...................................................................................................... 56
Lesson Four: Point-Sourcing ........................................................................................................................................ 57
Lesson Five: Reference ................................................................................................................................................ 57
Advanced Installation of the Legatia Component Systems ......................................................................................... 58
Mounting Baffle Considerations ................................................................................................................................... 58
Crossovers ...................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Time Correction .............................................................................................................................................................. 60
Scenario 1 ................................................................................................................................................................... 60
Scenario 2 ................................................................................................................................................................... 61
Scenario 3 ................................................................................................................................................................... 61
Amplitude Equalization .................................................................................................................................................. 61
Acoustic Treatment ........................................................................................................................................................ 61
Advanced Installation Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 62
Warranty .............................................................................................................................................................................. 63
Thank You! .......................................................................................................................................................................... 64
References .......................................................................................................................................................................... 65
Welcome and Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of high performance Legatia-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 component
system you have purchased will make a remarkable improvement in the sound quality of virtually any
mobile audio sound system 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 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 component speakers, passive crossover devices,
and available accessory hardware. Simply scroll through the library to learn more about the wide
variety of Legatia 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 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
series. For more information about Hybrid Audio Technologies, our philosophies regarding high-end
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 User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 5 of 65
Legatia Speaker Design Considerations
The Legatia-series component speakers are electrodynamic drivers that are comprised of a
diaphragm (cone, or in the case of the Legatia L1V2 tweeter, a dome) that is set in motion by a motor
system that has both electrical and mechanical components. For more details about the Stage V
Legatia tweeter offering, the Legatia L1V2, please go to page 10. The following design tenets typical
of all Legatia-series midranges and midbass’ are as follows:
Motor
The motor of the Legatia 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 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 L3V2, L6V2, and L8V2 includes a high-energy strontium
magnet with an opposing high-grade NdFeB magnet at the top of the magnetic gap to improve
restorative force, compliance, motor strength, displacement, and power handling. The magnet
assemblies fully surround the voice coil. The motor of the L4 includes only a high-energy strontium
magnet for class-leading restorative force, compliance, motor strength, displacement, and power
handling.
Voice Coil
The voice coil diameter of the Legatia range of midrange and midbass drivers represents the optimal
balance of diameter, power handling, and moving mass. The L3V2 and L4 use a large 25.5mm (1inch) voice coil, and the L6V2 and L8V2 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 compliance. The
voice coils used in all Legatia 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 designs boast exceptional one-way linear excursion
(Xmax).
Phase Plug and Shorting Rings
All Legatia 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
anodized black, 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
Legatia User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 6 of 65
performance and clarity of all Legatia midrange and midbass designs by deflecting delicate midrange
and treble tones forward of the driver, while minimizing distortion and improving bandwidth.
All Legatia midrange and midbass drivers use copper shorting rings. The shorting rings consist of
optimally sized and placed rings 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 midrange and midbass cones relate directly to the
extended frequency response of the Legatia range of drivers (in concert with the extended phase plug
pole piece, noted above). The Legatia 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 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 midrange or midbass driver.
Our approach to point-sourcing is to allow the Legatia 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 midrange and midbass drivers include a proprietary hybrid
paper diaphragm with extremely low moving mass. Paper is widely acknowledged as the bestdamping 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” 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 designs offer an outstanding extended frequency response; the usable frequency range of
the Legatia 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 drivers offer exceptional off-axis bandwidth as well, exceeding five octaves for all designs.
Suspension
All Legatia 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 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 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
Legatia User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 7 of 65
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 V Legatia series drivers are a shared design with the same size/diameter
drivers in the Stage VI Legatia Special Edition 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 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.
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 Designs
Enclosure Recommendations
The mechanical and electrical parameters of the Legatia 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 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 range of
Legatia User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 8 of 65
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 midrange and midbass drivers in dipole configuration (detailed below), transmission lines,
and in larger vented enclosures.
In a typical installation, Legatia 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 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 drivers can be placed in a completely open baffle, i.e.
dipole. A word of caution: Legatia drivers mounted in an open baffle have to move more air than a
similar Legatia 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 User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 9 of 65
Legatia L1V2 Tweeter
History
The Legatia L1V2’s topology is an enhanced “version 2” of the very first tweeter offering from Hybrid
Audio Technologies, the Legatia L1. The L1 was launched in September 2006, and was only the
second product ever conceived by Hybrid Audio (second only to the original Legatia L3 3-7-inch
midrange). In the years since its inception, the L1 was used exclusively in all of Hybrid Audio
Technologies’ competition cars, and won a staggering forty six international championships. When it
came time to enhance the L1, we were very cognoscente of the L1’s abilities, and had three general
project objectives: 1) enhance the L1’s ability to effectively reproduce a wider frequency spectrum for
possible application in dedicated two-way systems, 2) increase power handling while reducing
distortion, and 3) upgrade the tweeter’s mounting flange to a machined aluminum structure over the
former ABS plastic structure of the original L1 for better modal damping. The Legatia L1V2 became
the first product to bear the “V2” designation in the Legatia series. To this end, the L1V2
development began in March 2008, and the first prototypes were developed by company founder and
lead designer Scott Buwalda.
By Fall 2008, a beta prototype pair of Legatia L1V2’s had been refined after hundreds of hours of
testing and development; these highly-evolved drivers were sent for in-field evaluation to various key
competitors within Hybrid Audio’s official competition branch known as Team Hybrids. After
countless hours testing on the speakers under various circumstances, both in two-way and three-way
configuration, The L1V2 was met with resounding approval. Production refinements were Fall of
2008, to incorporate features inclusive and proprietary to the Legatia line, and final production
commenced November 2008. The Legatia L1V2 was launched in December 2008 and is the
reference tweeter driver in Hybrid Audio’s product category known collectively as the Legatia Series.
Attributes
The L1V2 is a compact, high-resolution 20mm (3/4-inch) dome-type tweeter which has a very good,
extended linear response and exceptional transient response, and can be used for the reproduction
of treble frequencies in dedicated two-, three-, and four-way front stage systems. We are proud to be
one of the very few speaker manufacturers that understand what it takes to build a car audio tweeter:
larger diaphragm tweeters sound heavy and unremarkable, lack detail and have unnaturally fast rolloff in the upper treble frequencies, have undesirable polar response, and are extremely difficult to
install. Additionally, metal dome tweeters tend to be harsh, brittle, and add unnecessary coloration to
the music. This is why we have built the quintessential small-diameter car audio tweeter that is very
easy to install, boasts a small diameter soft-dome silk diaphragm and resonance frequency that is
complementary to all types of front-stage system architecture. The L1V2 can be listened to for hours
without listener’s fatigue, while having an industry-standard polar response. The design offers a wide
dispersion pattern for flexible mounting locations and easy installation. And the phase linearity of the
design ensures phase coherent imaging and staging cues in the car audiophile system. Tweeters
were meant to play treble, and ours does it effortlessly, in a package that fits easily in the palm of
your hand. The L1V2 is available in two finishes: brushed (natural) aluminum and anodized black.
Legatia User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 10 of 65
Dome
The L1V2 starts with an impregnated fine silk cloth dome diaphragm for a linear tonal character, with
a treated silk surround to damp edge modes and resonances. The L1V2 is efficient, exhibits low
distortion, and has a wide dispersion. The dome is of extremely low mass and is much less
susceptible to mechanical deformation than other designs, and yet yields a smooth response over the
extent of its range.
Motor
The motor assembly of the L1V2 is conventional dynamic, with a φ19.5 × 3 H NdFeB neodymium
magnet to ensure a small footprint size and shallow depth. The L1V2 tweeter has a resonance
frequency of 1,830 Hz, providing a considerable amount of flexibility for use with Legatia widebandwidth midbass drivers in point-source two-way front stage systems, as well as continuing to be
the tweeter of choice of point-source Hybrid Audio Technologies three-way and four-way front stage
kits. The power handling was doubled from the original L1 tweeter, and the L1V2 has a nominal
resistance of 4 ohms.
Grille
As mentioned previously, the dome is a fine silk diaphragm that has an acoustically transparent,
perforated steel grille to protect it. A major upgrade over the original L1 is a fully-machined aluminum
body and mounting flange to effectively damp dome and edge modes, reduce dome resonance, and
edge distortion. The mounting flange accommodates three screws for surface-mounted installation;
black anodized Alan-head screws are included with each tweeter kit. The L1V2 tweeter comes in two
colors to ensure cosmetic integration with the vehicle’s surroundings: natural (silver) aluminum, and
anodized black (there is no cost difference between the two colors).
Terminals Cap and Spring-Loaded Terminals
Another upgrade over the original L1 tweeter is the inclusion of an extruded polypropylene cap 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 largegauge tinned wiring, without the need for crimp terminals. The overall dimensions of the driver are
very amenable for use in the car audio environment, boasting a depth of just 20mm, for the ultimate in
mounting flexibility.
Summary
The Legatia L1V2 tweeter is an excellent step-up in performance over the Unity/Clarus U1/C1 tweeter
driver offered in the Unity and Clarus kits, respectively, and is the bench-mark high-resonance
tweeter in Hybrid Audio’s complete product offering. Equally at home in two-way configuration paired
with a wide-bandwidth midrange or midbass, or as the dedicated tweeter transducer in a three-way
application, the Legatia L1V2 is an exemplary performer, and is eclipsed in performance by only the
Stage VI Legatia pro-series L1, and the Legatia L1 Pro Ring Radiator (R2) tweeters.
Legatia User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 11 of 65
Mechanical Drawing
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Thiele/Small Parameters
holes to secure the tweeter body from the front
polypropylene rear cap and push terminals
Overall Diameter Φ55 mm
Mounting Depth 20 mm *
Mounting Methodology Surface-mount tweeter with three 3 mm screw
Construction Solid machined aluminum with integrated
Distortion <5% max at rated power input, no crossover
Magnet Diameter and Construction Φ19.5 × 3 H NdFeB
Recommended Minimum Crossover Frequency
P
Rated Power Input (No Crossover) 10 watts (AES Standard)
nom
P
Rated Power Input (No Crossover) 20 watts (AES Standard)
max
P
(With Recommended Minimum Crossover) 75 watts
max
3,200 Hz at 24 dB/octave highpass
Resonance Frequency (Fs) 1,830 Hz
Frequency Range 2,500 Hz – 25,000 Hz, +/- 3 dB
Sensitivity 93 dB at 2.83V/1meter
Impedance 4Ω
DC Resistance 3.2Ω
Voice Coil Diameter 20 mm (3/4-inch)
Qms 3.103
Qes 3.553
Qts 1.656
Krm 198.84 nΩ
Erm 1.278
Kxm 2.136 mH
Exm 0.513
* Mounting depth can be significantly improved by removing the terminal cap at the rear of the
tweeter. For directions and assistance how to perform this modification, please contact Hybrid Audio
Technologies at info@hybrid-audio.com.
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Frequency Response Graph
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Legatia L3V2 Wide-Bandwidth Midrange/Full-Range
History
The Legatia L3V2’s topology is an enhanced “version 2” of the massively successful first-generation
Legatia L3 transducer, which was launched in April 2006 to an enthusiastic reception of car audio
competitors, enthusiasts, and car audiophiles. The Legatia L3 was Hybrid Audio’s very first speaker
offering, and quickly established the company as a high-quality speaker manufacturer. In the years
since its inception, the L3 midrange has been included in several national- and world-championship
vehicles.
When it came time to enhance the L3, we were very cognoscente of the L3’s ability as a small-format
midrange, and had three general project objectives: 1) enhance the L3’s ability to effectively
reproduce a wider frequency spectrum for possible application as a dedicated full-range driver in a
two-way application, or in a wide-bandwidth three-way application, 2) to enhance the L3’s distortion
and inductance specifications, and 3) to improve power handling, sensitivity, motor strength, and
impulse response through more displacement and lighter moving mass, and the inclusion of a
proprietary opposing neo-ferrite motor system. The Legatia L3V2 joined Hybrid Audio Technologies’
Legatia L1V2 and L8V2 as the third driver in the Legatia series to be enhanced with performance
eclipsing the first iteration of each design. To this end, the L3V2 development began in January
2011, and the first prototypes were developed by company founder and lead designer Scott Buwalda.
By early Summer 2011, a beta prototype pair of Legatia L3V2’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 for real-world evaluation. After countless hours testing on the
speakers under various circumstances, both as a dedicated midrange and as a wide-bandwidth fullrange driver, final approval was given. Production refinements were late Summer of 2011, to
incorporate features inclusive and proprietary to the Legatia line, and final production commenced
September 2011. The Legatia L3V2 was launched in October 2011 and is the reference 3.7-inch
driver in Hybrid Audio’s product category known collectively as the Legatia Series.
Attributes
The Legatia L3V2 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 L3V2’s design attributes:
Basket
The basket of the L3V2 is a shared design with the Legatia L3SE for easy upgrade potential; the
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 43mm (1.69-inch).
The basket features large openings behind the cone to eliminate chuffing and other aerodynamicbased noises, as well as provides adequate communication to the back of the cone for acoustic
suspension and proper operation.
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Motor
The motor of the L3V2 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 L3V2 being able to accurately track the input signal. Reduced distortion and greater dynamics
are the immediate sonic benefits. The motor of the L3V2 includes a high-energy strontium magnet
with an opposing high-grade NdFeB magnet at the top of the magnetic gap to improve restorative
force, compliance, motor strength, displacement, and power handling. The magnet assemblies fully
surround the voice coil.
Voice Coil
The voice coil diameter of the L3V2 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 midrange designs, you will find no composite or metal cone materials used on the
L3V2, as our approach to point-sourcing is to allow the Legatia midbass/midrange driver to effectively
play into upper treble frequencies. The Legatia L3V2 is a cone-type driver consisting of a proprietary
hybrid paper diaphragm with extremely low moving mass. Paper is widely acknowledged as the bestdamping 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 L3V2 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 L3V2 faithfully recreates more
than five full octaves of information, for the ultimate “small-format” midrange/full-range driver.
Phase Plug and Shorting Rings
The L3V2 comes equipped with a phase plug pole piece extension at the center of the cone, which is
one of the more notable enhancements of the L3V2 over its earlier sibling the L3. The phase plug is
Legatia User’s Manual ©Hybrid Audio Technologies Page 16 of 65
aluminum and, by design, ensures enhancement of the total inductance profile, providing much of the
inductance reduction benefits noted between the L3V2 and the first-generation L3. The phase plug is
anodized black, which by design does not negatively reduce eddy current, and adds thermal
dissipation potential, not to mention sleek, under-stated 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 L3V2’s performance and clarity by deflecting delicate
midrange and treble tones forward of the driver, while minimizing distortion and improving bandwidth.
The L3V2 uses copper shorting rings. The shorting rings consist of optimally sized and placed rings
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).
Tinsel Leads
The tinsel leads for the L3V2 are terminated on one side of the voice coil. The tinsel leads are
bonded directly to the former and brought out to the terminals, which reduces tinsel lead slap and
does not compromise the structural integrity of the cone.
Terminals
The Legatia L3V2 comes equipped with heavy-duty male slide terminals for both positive and
negative, which is an enhancement over the original L3 model. The terminals are gold-plated to
optimize contact, and give the end user flexibility in tinned wire or female slide terminations.
Summary
The Legatia L3V2 is the ideal 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 L3V2 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 L3V2 is Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia high-end smallformat 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)
43 mm
φ84.5 mm
φ74 mm
185 Hz at 24 dB/octave highpass
25 watts (AES Standard)
50 watts (AES Standard)
125 watts
113 Hz – 18,000 Hz, +/- 3 dB
88.6 dB at 2.83V/1meter
2.65 g
743 um/N
3.277 T*m
Voice Coil Diameter
Impedance
DC Resistance
Fs
Qms
Qes
Qts
Xmax
Vas
Sd
25.5 mm (1-inch)
4 Ω
3.4 Ω
113 Hz (free air)
2.766
0.598
0.492
3 mm (one way)
0.96 L
3,019 mm
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Frequency Response Graph
Please note that the response peak at approximately 170 Hz is a testing room mode and is not indicative of the
speaker’s performance at that frequency. All speakers tested show this same phenomenon, and it has been
concluded to be a room artifact.
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