Graphene Audio - Page 3

Chalmers University in Sweden has launched a project, which received Vinnova funding, to design a graphene-based speaker membrane that would be stiff and capable of efficiently dissipating the exceeding heat of the speaker.

A cellulose-graphene composite will be designed, capitalizing on the intrinsic properties of the materials. To demonstrate this, Chalmers plans to use a commercial paper loudspeaker membrane modified with the composite. This way it will be possible to modify any size of paper cones from small 20 mm (tweeters) up to 460 mm (18 woofers) with the same technology, while offering the possibility of decreasing the distortion.

The audio field has been experiencing a major graphene boom recently. In addition to various existing headphones and earbuds, a graphene contact enhancer is now on the market. A new-Zealand based company called Mad Scientist Audio is selling its Graphene Contact Enhancer (GCE) that can be used on any metal-to-metal contacts, such as RCA plugs and sockets, loudspeaker leads, fuses, and so on.

The product is said to 'fill in the gaps' and give a profound improvement in system performance when applied to the important contacts in a system (e.g interconnects, speaker leads, power cords, fuses, tube pins, etc). It reportedly does not suffer from the problems that silver-based products do, namely oxidation and ability to cause short circuits.

Ghostek announced a new graphene-based headphones, the Rapture Wireless Headphones. Ghostek says that the Rapture uses 40 mm graphene drivers to deliver a "Next-Level HD Audio Experience". Other features include Bluetooth 4.1+EDR, aptX Audio Technology, soft protein leather ear cups, a 3.5mm audio jack input, built-in HD microphone and a LED battery status.

Ghostek's Rapture Wireless Headphones will ship on January 22 for $125. 

Pioneer Corporation, leader in optical disc technology and a worldwide manufacturer of audio, video and computer equipment, has launched the SEC-S801BT - a heart rate sports earphones with graphene diaphragm. These will be made available in China as a start.

The Pioneer SEC-S801BT is a Bluetooth dual-mode based sports earphones that track the user's heart rate while simultaneously playing music. The graphene diaphragm is considered a superior material for earphones as it allows more accurate sound reproduction and can deliver clarity in the mid to high frequency range. Using the graphene diaphragm, the Pioneer earphones reportedly provide a wider range of frequency response, resulting in an acoustically solid listening experience for the users that achieves a deep bass while still having best-in-class middle and high frequencies.

A research team from the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland and Sapienza University in Rome developed a new loud speaker that is driven by a light signal - and without electricity. The idea is to use modulated light that shines on a 3D graphene sponge. The audio is achieved via a highly-efficient photo-mechanism.

The researchers say that unlike conventional loudspeakers, this high-fidelity photo-speaker does not rely on vibrations to produce the sound - and it does not need any type of electrical connection or complicated system for sound generation. Using an optical pulse train, this loudspeaker allows a completely digital operation for frequencies from acoustic to ultrasound.

Graphene has been attracting attention due to its exciting properties and countless ideas for applications benefiting from those properties have been thought of; However, it is rightfully claimed that graphene has yet to transform an actual industry or become a household name.

With that said, graphene seems to be slowly but surely entering the market in all sorts of products. In this post, we list 10 products already commercially available that contain graphene - and these are not all of them. Hopefully this is just the beginning and many more applications will follow.

International wheel producer Vittoria sells a range of bicycle wheels that are built from graphene-enhanced composite materials. The wheels, called Quarno (Graphene Plus inside) are available in three different editions (46, 60 and 84 mm) and contain graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) provided by Directa Plus. The company explains that the graphene grants the wheels advantages like heat dissipation (15-30°C lower) a crucial factor in the slopes, an increase in lateral stiffness (more than 50%) and puncture reduction, especially around the valve area.

Update: Currently Zolo is only shipping is Liberty earphones and not the Liberty+. Both products seem to be similar, but the Liberty+ has double the battery life.

Earlier this year, Anker’s audio brand, Zolo, launched a Kickstarter campaign for its Liberty+, a pair of graphene-enhanced fully wireless earphones. The Zolo Liberty+ earphones are now available on Amazon.

The earphones cost $99, which may seem expensive but the company explains that these are already wireless and offer a whole-day battery life. It also comes with AI for smart assistance and is sweat-proof (and so suitable for use in fitness activities). The ZOLO promises super clear and immersive sound quality and the graphene-enhanced technology reportedly results in impressive treble and clarity.

China-based manufacturer CKCOM has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for Alien Earbuds, offering an affordable but high quality alternative to more expensive true wireless earbuds on the market. Alien earbuds feature graphene-enhanced drivers, 4.5-hour playtime, built-in mic for hands-free calling, and multi-touch button for important gestures, and more. The campaign has already reached $15,498 USD at the time of writing, which stand for 77% of the $20,000 (flexible) goal, with a month left to go.

According to the company, the graphene drivers are "lightweight yet sturdy enough to conduct clear highs, crisp mids, and resonant bass". Graphene prevents unwanted sound distortions that come with standard audio drivers. CKCOM defines the Alien earbuds as "the first pair of true wireless earbuds that offer premium features at the lowest price on the market. Alien Earbuds have all of the bases covered: they're perfect for exercising, traveling, and working out".

Anker’s audio brand, Zolo, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its Liberty+, a pair of graphene-enhanced fully wireless earphones. The campaign has already surpassed $600,000 at the time of writing, charging past its $50,000 goal with a over 30 days left to go. An update from July 31 shows the campaign already managed to secure a staggering $2,804,475.

The use of graphene-augmented drivers for the Liberty+ is interesting, and could theoretically yield excellent audio quality. In addition the the graphene boost, the Liberty will also include an AI assistant integration to control your music playback through voice commands, as well as provide information on weather, news alerts, traffic updates, and more. Zolo says they’ll be compatible with Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Cortana. Some other features are intriguing, like its battery life and connectivity.

ORA, Canada-based developer of graphene-enhanced audio equipment, recently unveiled its graphene oxide-based composite material, dubbed grapheneQ. A few days ago, the company launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for graphene-enhanced wireless Bluetooth earphones that promise comfort, high fidelity and long battery life, which has since been doing extremely well and (at the time of writing this post) has already tripled its mark!

The product is regarded as the first commercial audio product to use graphene, and is now available at the "early bird" price of $199 (retail price should be $499). The ORA Headphones feature GrapheneQ membranes for excellent tonality and superior dampening, high efficiency drivers for extended battery life, touchpad controls to skip songs, control volume and answer calls, high quality built-in microphone for hands-free calling, and ear-shaped design optimized for fit and ergonomics.