Alnico Magnets
When I first heard the Alnico (magnet) sound in a driver, I knew that it was for me. Now all upper-end Omega single-driver loudspeakers use Alnico magnets in their drivers.
Alnico is an acronym referring to alloys which are composed primarily of aluminum (symbol Al), nickel (symbol Ni) and cobalt (symbol Co), hence al-ni-co. For comparisons sake, 99% of dynamic drivers used in home audio utilize ferrite magnets.
As a speaker designer, Alnico drivers are MUCH more expensive compared to their ferrite counterparts. But there is no question in my mind, Omega's proprietary Alnico drivers produce the sound and tone I strive for, so they are now used exclusively in all my upper-end models.
Compared to ferrite magnet counterparts, the sound produced by Omega Alnico drivers:
- Is better balanced and more linear across the frequency spectrum
- Has better texture and layering
- Offers higher resolution (especially noticeable in the mid-bass area, with instruments like standup bass and kick-drums)
Note: Some data on this page is from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alnico