Smallest Speakers: Are Speakers Made This Small?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the feasibility of creating speakers that are 1-5 mm in size, particularly for applications involving human hearing, such as music playback or cellphone signals. Participants explore various types of small speakers, including those used in in-ear monitors and hearing aids, while considering the limitations of size on sound quality and amplitude.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the existence of speakers in the 1-5 mm size range, noting that typical options found are around 25 mm.
  • Another participant asks for the required frequency range, mentioning the existence of ultrasonic speakers that may fit the size criteria.
  • A participant specifies the need for speakers that can operate within the human hearing range for music and cellphone signals.
  • Concerns are raised about the signal amplitude achievable with such small speakers, with a suggestion that common earphones may be the smallest viable option.
  • In-ear audio monitoring is mentioned, with references to musicians' in-ear monitors and consumer audiophile products from Etymotic that may utilize small speaker elements.
  • Hearing aids are brought up as another potential source of small speakers, with a discussion on their frequency range capabilities.
  • One participant suggests piezoelectric devices as a possible solution, noting their use in compact designs for phones and laptops, while emphasizing the importance of frequency range and output level.
  • Another participant shares a personal opinion on the quality of Etymotic products, highlighting the difference between generic and custom-made earplugs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying opinions on the feasibility and performance of small speakers, with no consensus reached on the best options or their capabilities. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific types of small speakers that can meet the desired criteria.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on specific definitions of "small" and "good frequency range," as well as unresolved questions about the performance characteristics of suggested speaker types.

mat337d
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I am looking for a speaker that is roughly 1-5 mm in size. Are speakers made this small? I looked on google but could only find speakers around 25mm in diameter. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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What is the frequency range required? I have seen ultrasonic speakers that are close to that size.
 
I need one in the range of human hearing. say for playing music or for cellphone signal.
 
You won't be able to get much signal amplitude with a speaker that small.

Common earphones are probably as small as you will find.
 
In-ear audio monitoring

mat337d said:
I am looking for a speaker that is roughly 1-5 mm in size. Are speakers made this small?
Musicians' in-ear monitors seem to use speaker elements that are pretty small. There are also consumer audiophile in-ear speakers from Etymotic that also may use pretty small elements.
 
Ivan Seeking said:
You won't be able to get much signal amplitude with a speaker that small.

Common earphones are probably as small as you will find.
What about hearing aids? You would think that they have a fairly good frequency range and they're small too.

Regards

Don
 
dlgoff said:
What about hearing aids? You would think that they have a fairly good frequency range
No. I would think that they shoot for 3K. If you're looking for good frequency range, you're looking for Etymotic or musicians' in-ear monitors.
 
thank you for your responses they have been very helpful.
 
  • #10
You might be able to find something in the piezo family that will suit your needs - phones that have speakerphone or laptops typically have some very space-optimized designs.

Frequency range and output level are 2 important things to keep in mind - the range in the typical conversation and the restricted range used in phone systems are examples of this applied to a real life scenario. Ever listen to music from someone else's phone?

Some piezo devices used for phone rings and stuff are very loud for their size but can only do tones in a very narrow frequency range (and one where our ears are very sensitive).

Cliff

P.S. I've heard from reliable sources the guy behind Etymotic is a real genius in his field and his products reflect that IMO. The basic flat frequency response generic ear plugs (far better than the ones at a music store) are like $15 but the custom made ones are nearly $300 plus a visit to an audiologist to get them fitted!
 
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