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D-Series Speakers - More Information

Introducing the speaker that breaks all the rules, and, proves once and for all that “Rock Beats Paper”

Pioneer looked to an unlikely place for inspiration for their latest generation in TS-D series speakers: a camera tripod. In addition to car audio, Pioneer engineers also enjoy a variety of hobbies, including photography. One of Pioneer’s speaker engineers had done a large amount of research into purchasing a high-end lightweight tripod for his camera. In the course of his research he learned of a new material that was being incorporated into these tripods: Basalt. The tripods he was researching were constructed with Basalt fibers which make them more durable and better at absorbing vibrations than aluminum tripods with similar dimensions. Additional research revealed that Basalt was also used in the automotive industry because of its temperature resistance and sound dampening qualities while being much more environmentally safe than fiberglass and asbestos. With all of these desirable qualities, the engineer quickly realized that Basalt Fiber would be the perfect material for Pioneer speakers.

Ground Breaking Technology
So what is Basalt? Basalt is a naturally occurring volcanic rock- it's the most common rock type found on the Earth's crust. In fact most of the Earth's ocean floors are made of Basalt. Basalt has been around for as long as Earth has, but the technology to turn this naturally occurring rock into fiber has only come about within the last 50 years. During the cold war and the space race of the 1960's, defense and aeronautic companies had discovered a way to create a lightweight composite from Basalt for use in classified military projects. Surprisingly enough, the technology behind manufacturing Basalt fiber was classified up until 1995! For those that were wondering, the process of turning Basalt Rock into Basalt Fiber consists of pulverizing the rock, melting it at over 2700 degrees Fahrenheit and then drawing it into long thin fibers. The fiber is then spooled into thread for use in Pioneer speakers, camera tripods, automotive applications, etc. By incorporating the use of Basalt rock fibers in our cone construction, we not only broke all the rules in how a speaker can be engineered, but we also broke ground.

Now thanks to Pioneer engineers and Basalt Fiber technology, the TS-D series of speakers are the ideal speaker to ‘Rock Out’ to.

The Technology Behind It All

Rock Beats Paper

Used in the surface layer of the cone, this technology takes Basalt fibers interwoven with Aramid fibers at opposing angles and places them into a mold just before the foamed IMPP is injected. As the foamed IMPP hardens, it fuses to the Basalt fibers creating a single piece cone. By combining Basalt finer and IMPP technology in the new TS-D series speakers, Pioneer has been able to create a speaker that is lightweight, rigid, well damped, stable in temperature extremes, and environmentally friendly. Proving that when it comes to producing great sound, Rock beats paper.

Bring Back the Stage
D-Series speakers feature an exclusive rear chamber tweeter enclosure that we first used in our famed PRS speakers. It extends mid-range frequency for improved vocal imaging and staging. The built-in passive crossover improves the transition from mid to high frequency, for a smoother mid-range to tweeter response and life-like sound. Audiophile-grade capacitors and inductors are used, and all components are encased in a clear acrylic cover for protection. The combination of the rear chamber tweeter and the crossover create a system with such depth that it might feel like you can hear where each instrument is positioned on the stage.

Tough, Yet Not So Heavy, Metal
Designed from scratch by Pioneer, this one-piece aluminum basket assembly holds the motor assembly, cone, and magnet structure securely in place. The benefits of this design: reduced internal stress, superior damping, and increased magnetic efficiency.

All for one
The D-Series Component Speaker package includes the added technology to improve the sound in your car. The included external tweeters and passive crossover networks help to make sure that your system can handle almost anything that is thrown at it and still produce high quality sound.

Immerse yourself in sound

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