Technology
How does a speaker work?
A speaker works by turning an electrical signal back into sound. The signal flows through a coil near a magnet, pushing and pulling a cone back and forth; the moving cone vibrates the air, and those vibrations are the sound you hear.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how a speaker works.
Step by step
- 1An audio signal is sent through a coil attached to a cone.
- 2The coil sits in a magnet's field, so the changing current makes it move.
- 3The coil pushes and pulls the cone in step with the signal.
- 4The vibrating cone pushes air, creating sound waves.
- 5Bigger cones move more air for deeper bass; small ones handle treble.
Frequently asked questions
- How does a speaker make sound?
- An electric current in a coil interacts with a magnet to move a cone back and forth, vibrating the air into sound waves.
- Why do speakers have magnets?
- The fixed magnet provides a field that the signal-carrying coil pushes against, converting the electrical signal into physical motion.
- Why are there different speaker sizes?
- Large woofers move lots of air for low bass; small tweeters vibrate fast for high notes, so systems combine sizes.