Re: Plasma Tweeter

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Jim Mitchell" <Wrenchead-at-starband-dot-net> 

Do I need a 230v plate transformer or a 500^ plate transformer?

Regards - Jim Mitchell
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 12:14 AM
Subject: Re: Plasma Tweeter


 > Original poster: dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com
 >
 > Jim,
 >
 > The plasma tweeter works as follows.  The high voltage arc is power
 > modulated.  This modulation (or varying of) of the power directly changes
 > the temperature of the surrounding
 > air causing it to expand and contract which then creates sound waves.
There
 > are two types of plasma tweeters.  Vacuum tube based, and solid state
based.
 > The vacuum tube based
 > plasma tweeter (which are what most commercial tweeters utilize) are
 > basically very small and compact vacuum tube tesla coil circuits.  The
solid
 > state based plasma tweeters either use
 > full-bridge type switching circuits utilizing Class-D PWM or similar
 > operation (such as the PlasmaSonic system) or also systems which use
 > high-side modulation where the full-bridge switches
 > at the secondary coils resonant frequency and the supply rail powering the
 > full-bridge is being modulated.
 >
 > Solid state plasma tweeters and low-to mid range solid state plasma
speakers
 > have been built by a number of individuals from this group already.  I
have
 > done extensive work on building
 > a full-range solid state plasma speaker and have to date created a very
 > impressive stereo plasma speaker system which I call the PlasmaSonic.  You
 > can get details on both my initial PlasmaSonic I
 > plasma speaker as well as the second iteration which is called the
 > PlasmaSonic II.  Audio reproduction as well as the visual effect of the
 > dancing plasma must be seen and heard to be appreciated.
 >
 > Here are the links:
 >
 > PlasmaSonic I - Full Videos, Pictures, Schematics, Part Lists, Powerpoint
 > Presentations, and more ! ! !
 > http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/teslacoil15.htm
 >
 > PlasmaSonic II
 > http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/sstccoil02.htm
 >
 > If you are interested in building a plasma speaker system, I still have a
 > number of boards available which are $50.00 each.  See the PlasmaSonic II
 > link above for schematics, parts list,
 > assembly instructions, and operating instructions.  A number of
individuals
 > from the TCML have already purchased these boards and have gotten
excellent
 > results.
 >
 > The following links show others using the PlasmaSonic.
 >
 > Steve Ward's PlasmaSonic I System
 > http://hot-streamer-dot-com/srward16/SSTC3.htm
 >
 > Dave Trimmel's PlasmaSonic System - Video (7MB)
 > http://209.210.231.220/webdoc2.htg/SSTC/audio%20mod1.wmv
 >
 > Regarding your question about tubes vs. solid state . . . .  Using tubes
 > will produce fuller, more richer sound and also allow you to easily run at
 > very high frequencies.  Operation of 3MHz+ is
 > a must if you want your plasma speaker to have no background hiss noise.
 > Currently, the practical limit of solid state coils utilizing class-D
 > full-bridge technology is about 500kHz.  I have
 > some prototypes i'm working on that go past 10MHz but i still have lots of
 > bugs to work out on these before i post any finished details.  However,
even
 > a solid state coil operating at
 > 300kHz will sound very impressive considering where the sound is coming
 > from.
 >
 > Dan
 >
 >  > Hi all,
 >  > Tomorrow I will attempt the infamous plasma tweeter, my question is,
how
 >  > does this thing work?  It has no primary and only an input voltage of a
 > few
 >  > hundred volts, yet maintains a plasma flame large enough to be heard at
 >  > 80dB!  Has anyone here built one of these, could it be done without
tubes,
 >  > or are tubes best suited for the job...?
 >  >
 >  > Regards - Jim Mitchell
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >
 >
 >