Subscribe now

A small loudspeaker with the bass sound of a speaker three times its size has
been developed by a British company. The secret is simple: the speaker cabinet
is filled with bags of activated carbon. A loudspeaker cone is like a piston,
pumping in and out. Larger loudspeakers have a stronger bass because the air
inside a large cabinet damps this piston less than the small volume of air in a
compact cabinet. Now a company called KEF has found that putting bags of
activated carbon in the back of a small cabinet makes it sound three times
bigger. It…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop