Electro-Voice Xn Three-way, 18-inch, Medium-throw, Full-range LF/MB/HF Speaker System

The Xn is an active near-field, three-way, semi-full-range LF/MB/HF loudspeaker system with a rotatable 60° x 40° coverage pattern. The high-frequency and mid-bass sections are horn loaded with one driver in each frequency band, and the HF horn/ driver combination is mounted coaxially inside the mid-bass horn. The low-frequency section has one driver in a slot-loaded enclosure. The woofer, horns and drivers were designed as part of the Xn development and represent a step forward in state-ofthe- art loudspeaker design in terms of high acoustic output with low distortion and low power compression. Electro-Voice engineers developed a new technology dubbed Ring-Mode Decoupling (RMD™) to substantially improve clarity and intelligibility by reducing both linear and nonlinear resonance modes that color the sound.

The high-frequency driver in the Xn is the ND5, which is a 3.56-mm (1.4-in.) exit highfrequency compression driver that features a powerful neodymium motor structure that was optimized for maximum efficiency and reduced power compression. A new 76.2-mm (3.0-in.)-diameter titanium diaphragm assembly provides increased instantaneous peak output capability and reduced dome breakup. The ND5 is mounted on a 60° x 40° rotatable constant-directivity horn. This combination results in substantially improved vocal clarity and presence with a smooth response throughout the vocal range up to 20,000 Hz. The horn and driver are nested inside the mid-bass phase plug assembly to minimize interference in the mid-bass band.

The mid-bass driver in the Xn is the ND12A, which is a 30.5-mm (12-in.) mid-bass driver that features a powerful new neodymium motor structure that was optimized for maximum horn-loaded efficiency and reduced power compression. A new Kevlar®-reinforced cone assembly provides a smooth response with reduced cone break up. The ND12A is mounted on a mid-bass horn that has a coverage pattern that transitions smoothly into the rotatable 60° x 40° highfrequency pattern. The mid-bass phase plug provides optimal loading for the ND12A driver, delivering smooth response and extended efficiency up to 2,000 Hz. This combination results in improved vocal intelligibility and clarity with a smooth response from the lower-to-mid vocal range.

The low-frequency driver in the Xn is the EVX-180B, which is a high-excursion 457-mm (18-in.) woofer that has distinguished itself as an industry standard for high-power, low-frequency reproduction. The single slot-loaded, low-frequency woofer in the Xn is less efficient than the horn-loaded mid-bass- and high-frequency sections and, as such, can provide low-tomoderate levels of low-frequency reproduction. For high levels of low-frequency reproduction, addditional woofer systems must be added (Xb, Xcb and/or Xds). During the X-Array™ development, the thermal conduction of the motor was improved and the suspension was redesigned giving the EVX-180B even lower power compression and longer mechanical lifetime. In the Xn, the woofer is slot loaded in a sealed enclosure optimized for maximized output from 48-160 Hz with minimized distortion. Ring-Mode Decoupling, (RMD™) is a technique utilized and named by Electro-Voice to describe a process used to improve sound quality in loudspeaker systems. RMD offers a solution to a very fundamental problem. It has long been recognized that two different loudspeaker systems can sound different even though they both may be equalized to have the same frequency response. This difference is due to a variety of resonances, or ring modes, that color the sound. Although this ringing may be very low in level compared to the program material, it is still audible. The source of these resonances may be mechanical or acoustical in nature or a combination of both. In addition, they may be linear or nonlinear, resulting in their character changing with level. Furthermore, these ring modes may be aggravated when multiple loudspeaker enclosures are assembled into arrays. The result is a coloration that decreases intelligibility and clarity with the nature of that coloration varying with level. Often, the listener perceives that coloration as imbalance in the frequency response, and will attempt to electronically adjust the system to restore the spectral balance. However this electronic equalization has the negative effect of changing the program material itself.

Features

• Unprecedented acoustic output in small, lightweight package
• Ring-Mode Decoupling (RMD™) provides accurate transient detail
• Near-field 60° x 40° rotatable coverage pattern
• Neodymium ND5 HF and ND12A MB drivers and EVX-180B woofer
• Unique rear-hinge rigging
• Enclosure shell and rigging identical to all of the full-size X-Array™ systems

Specifications

EV Xn datasheet
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