Why subs use CCA wire on voice coils?

[MrButtersworth]

From what i can see is many subwoofers advertising they are using aluminum wound voice coils, even some subs in the high end price range (north of $400).

So anyone ever see copper voice coils anymore? And if it's well understood that copper is superior in any application versus aluminum (except weight and cost), is this just another way companies are padding prices by selling lower quality parts at big markup?

also some wire DOES look copper, but usually isnt... i guess this is more of what i said previously..

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[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

From what i can see is many subwoofers advertising they are using aluminum wound voice coils, even some subs in the high end price range (north of $400).

So anyone ever see copper voice coils anymore? And if it's well understood that copper is superior in any application versus aluminum (except weight and cost), is this just another way companies are padding prices by selling lower quality parts at big markup?

also some wire DOES look copper, but usually isnt... i guess this is more of what i said previously..

It's not cca it's aluminum.

And the reason is difference in weight and inductance. As well as heat shedding ability.

Aluminum often does very well for burps where the heat load is short lived but the lower weight raises the fs to be closer to the higher port tuning and thus typically you have less impedance rise meaning more power from the amp remaining at a lower impedance at the burp frequency.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

I think that it's related to cost and weight. Both are fine in their ability to conduct and why both are used. I like the philosophy behind Hexatec wound coils, seems to make sense. My Focal 33x2's are 4 layer copper. Seems like the larger the VC gets, the more aluminum is used. In Morel drivers, using 3", they employ some pretty large Hexatech aluminum voice coils. Again, big 4 layer voice coils, might be weight. I think with all, it comes down to the design and implementation and what their target market will spend.

 

[some dude]

I've read both aluminum and copper are fine. They each have subtle benefits and drawbacks but that in the end both perform nearly identical.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

It mostly comes down to weight. You can have a super lightweight cone, soft suspension and aluminum coil on a sub and you pretty much get a pro audio driver. it would be extremely efficient typically very snappy and play higher but playing low would be and issue

take that same driver and add slightly more weight with a heavy cone or a heavier copper coil and you get the typical car audio driver.

add a heavy cone, heavy coil and a soft suspension and you are starting to look at drivers that are bottom end heavy at the expense of top end extension

Then you have drivers with heavy cones for strength and stiff suspensions because you want mechanical power handling and don't really care about super low end and you often can raise or lower the drivers fs just by swapping from copper to aluminum and vice versa.

copper vs aluminum, pressed paper vs carbon fiber/kevlar it's kinda the same comparison.

just another way to adjust a drivers mms without messing with CMS.

now copper is more conductive and will have slightly higher motor force but id argue for higher layer count if you want more motor force considering you'll have more coil inside the magnetic gap at any time , same reason a larger diameter coil has more motor force. and typically the higher the layer count the tighter the coil fits in the gap which increase motor force.


overall copper vs aluminum doesn't really matter if the driver is designed for the use you have in mind.