Description
Alpair 5 Generation 3 full range audio driver, 3″ Cone
The Mark audio Alpair 5 Generation 3 full range driver is a revised version of the celebrated 2nd generation Alpair 5. For this updated model, the circular copper-clad aluminium (CCAW) voice coil of the 2nd generation model has been replaced with a high purity rectangular profile (wire) copper winding. This new coil provides better damping of high frequencies for a similar mass, and gives a slightly warmer, more natural treble while maintaining the exceptional micro-detail the Alpair 5 is famous for.
With Thiele / Small parameters optimised for flexibility and ease of use, and treble response that extends to 25KHz, the Alpair 5.3 has a detailed, balanced and neutral sound reproduction across an ultra-wide frequency range for this class of small driver. It is easy to use and versatile, well suited to use with higher-end compact enclosures. A typical bass-reflex with an internal volume of 3 litres can be tuned to below 80Hz. For larger budgets, it is ideal for high-end line array applications.
The Markaudio Alpair 5.3 is a pure single suspension full-range audio driver: its only suspension is the advanced inverse roll front-surround. This retains designer Mark Fenlon’s classical mechanical engineering approach to reducing mass and extend long-throw operating capacity. Mark, with Evan Yu and the engineering team spent several months of research removing mechanical restriction from the ultra-thin coil body. Traditional driver designs use a “spider”: a suspension device located behind the driver’s cone. Bonded to the coil, spiders physically restrict the coil’s ability to transfer mechanical signals to the cone. Some other drivers use damping fluid, springs or other devices, all of which produce losses. The Alpair 5 Generation 3, like the previous model, completely removes all these restrictions; its coil locates cleanly between the driver’s cone and motor sub-assembly, making it a pure free-to-air mechanical design. The accuracy requirement for component design, engineering and detailed assembly goes well beyond typical commercial audio-driver manufacturing. The front suspension operating tolerance is measured in milli-newtons. Production Alpair 5 Generation 3 drivers, like the early Generation 2 model, are made to within +/- 2.5Hz @ F-Zero. All production units are then pair matched to with +/- 1Hz @ F Zero.
As usual, we have a few designs below that you can use for this driver and we also have a ready to go frugel-Horn Lite kit sitting on the shelves ready to go.
The Frugel-Horn Lite plans can be downloaded for free from the frugel-horn site
Scott Lindgren designed
Scott also designed some Home cinema cabinets for the Alpair 5
FS 94.5428 Hz
VAS 1.7845 L
RE 3.4000 Ohm
QMS 2.301
QES 0.6366
QTS 0.4986
B×l 2.4921
dBSPL85.4477
SD 0.0028 m2
CMS 1.5986 mm/N
MMS 1.9328g
RMS 0.4459
MMD 1.8477 g
L1k 0.0399 mH
Pwr 5 Watts Nom
X Max (Mech) +/-3mm
stefan (verified owner) –
Well what can i say. These little 3″ drivers are quite astonishing. I was not quite expecting the level of detail airiness that these little drivers produce and the low end will really make you smile as low end like that really should not be coming from drivers so small. I have them in a aperiodic reflex running off my 40w valve amplifier and there simply a plesure yo listen to needless to say i was up till 3 in the morning just listening to music. enough said.
admin –
Thanks for your kind words Stefan,they really are great drivers. I’ve said it a thousand times, they are actually my favourite drivers, they do everything I love so well.