VETR Speaker Design Goes Flat, Ditches the Box

Traditional speakers, the kind that sits on your bookshelf, produce sound by applying an electrical audio signal to a voice-coil, which vibrates rapidly back and forth, thus moving a diaphragm, which pushes air resulting in an audible tone.

The design has not changed much over the century since the invention in 1925. However, VETR Audio, two brothers – one an engineer, the other a designer – from Phoenix, Arizona, wants to change the way audio is heard (and seen) with their PANL1 Speaker System.

The speakers were designed using a 1.3mm-thick carbon-fiber panel tacked to a brushed aluminum stand, which pump-out 48-watts per channel at a frequency range of 48 to 20,000Hz. Rather than housing tweeters and subwoofers in an enclosure, the speakers utilize exciters (or transducers) to vibrate the carbon-fiber panels to produce sound.

As such, these are limited in their ability to produce low-frequency bass like traditional speakers due to their large flexible membrane and enclosure. However, to overcome that limitation the PANL1 may be paired with a subwoofer.

VETR Speaker System including Subwoofer (they could have used a nicer cabinet for the shot, yes?)

If the design seems familiar, it’s probably because it’s similar to an electrostatic loudspeaker (ESL), which vibrates a diaphragm material suspended between two stators. Are VETR’s PANL1 designed in the same way? It’s not clear – the technical detail is certainly lacking – but I bet my bottom dollar they share similar properties, as you can produce sound vibration using nearly any material sandwiched between two stators.

The rear of the PANL1 speakers with brushed aluminum housing.

Nevertheless, VETR is currently crowd-funding their PANL1 speakers on Kickstarter, passing their target goal of $10K in less than 24 hours, making for a successful run. Those who want to get their hands on the system can pledge $299 and up, which gets you a pair of PANL1 speakers as well as the subwoofer.

What do you think? Is this a valid speaker design? Or is it sending little conniptions through your auditory system?