ESB - Over Half A Century Of Electroacoustic Brilliance
Electroacoustic maestro ESB was officially founded in 1972. Fast forward over fifty years and it's still regarded as a world leader in loudspeaker design. During it's tenure this audacious Italian company has mastered the art of high-end speaker design, acquiring a wealth of experience and knowledge difficult to find elsewhere. Some of the most important milestones in the history of high fidelity audio have been marked by ESB. Whether it be ideologies, insights, applications of electroacoustic principles or just plain passion for high fidelity audio; achieving these milestones have become the very foundations of the company's history. You can read the genuinely fascinating history of ESB's fifty year reign by clicking here.

9000 Series – Where Aeronautical Engineering And Speaker Development Collide
The new 9000 series components are the zenith of the ESB stable and represent some of the most technologically advanced car audio speakers ever produced. They’re also some of the most aesthetic pleasing too. Incredible technology and impeccable design acumen come together to form the Novemila series, culminating with that peculiar geometry incorporated into the flanges of the tweeters and the baskets of the midrange drivers. For that shape is not employed simply for comeliness, rather it’s expression of upmost innovation and represents an avowed masterclass in airflow manipulation.

Design Ideologies
The 9000 series 9.6K2 component set represents some of the most technologically advanced car speakers ever produced. Featuring a pair of 9.1T-28 1.1″ tweeters and a pair of 9.6W 6.5″ woofers; the 9.6K2 are the two-way component set destined to to leave the competition far in its wake.

Technology and design come together in the 9000 series in a new and unusual aesthetic, thanks primarily to the particular flower shaped flanges around the tweeter dome and in the baskets of the cone speakers. However this unique shape is not simply to achieve an aesthetic form factor, rather it’s the very essence of an innovation that makes these components so brilliant. Meticulously designed; the flower shape seeks to address the acoustic refraction on the edges of the dome speakers and backside of the cones which normally have a large dispersion azimuth. The airflow would be impeded less and move far more fluidly if the vortices were split as it moved outward. A similar design can be found on the back of Rolls Royce Trent 1000 aircraft engines. The saw-tooth cowling at the rear of the engine, where the enormous bypass thrust emanates from; is sliced as it flows out. Instead of titanic turbulence you get wonderfully clean jet streams with very little external noise and chuffing. Using this technology is no coincidence. Whether it be speakers or jet engines the goal is the same; to reduce harmful turbulence and at the edge of the device.

Design Features
During the development stage of the 9000 nothing was left to chance. Literally every detail was scrutinised from beginning to end, from the choice of materials used through to wind tunnel testing to ensure absolutely no stone was left unturned in the manufacture of these drivers.

Top-End Wonderment – The 9.1T-28 Tweeters
We’ll begin with the smaller driver, for it features just as much innovative technology as the larger drivers. Some of the main features are as follows.

Controlling The Wind – The Housing
The tweeter body is machined from a single piece of ultra-low carbon steel to achieve higher magnetic flux, which equated to higher efficiency and lower distortion. The large mass ensures excellent cooling too. Incorporated within this is the TCA system for back air flow control. This design reduces turbulence and noise. It also controls the damping of the dome by breaking the momentum of airflow.

Magnificent Mechanics – The Motor
The motor employs a super light aluminium voice coil which uses a high-strength aluminium alloy to reduce its thickness and therefore its weight. The winding is also aluminium with the skin coated in pure copper for superior electron flow. In this way a perfect combination of resistance and weight of the wire is obtained.

The main magnet is N52H neodymium, the best both for the magnetic force in relation to the mass and for the high temperatures support of 120° against the 80° of a classic neodymium magnet. This magnet is insanely powerful and is used to stabilize and regulate the magnetic flux and concentrate it only in front of the voice coil increasing efficiency and manageable power and decreasing distortion. A pole yoke made of ultra-low carbon steel also helps achieve a higher magnetic flux measurement which means higher efficiency and lower distortion.

Below the motor is a pole plate which has been CNC machined rather than stamped for vastly superior tolerances and above this is a faraday ring. This copper ring drastically reduces the inductance of the voice coil. In doing this the bandwidth of the tweeter can extend well above 25000 Hz. A series of calibrated axial holes connect the internal part of the tweeter with the rear chamber. These help to lower the resonant frequency and improves ventilation. They also lower the impedance peak making the response more extended and linear.

The Top Side Radii – That Dome
The dome is a pure form of Japanese silk which has been treated with resin for strength a rigidity. Below it resides a felt damper ring to eliminate any parasitic vibration. Located strategically above the dome is a specifically designed acoustic lens. This regulates and optimize tweeter dispersion.

Bedrock Solid Foundation – The 9.6W Woofers
Last but not least is the larger woofer. It features just as much innovative technology as the smaller drivers. Some of the main features are as follows.

The Aerodynamic Advantage – The Basket
The aluminium alloy basket is designed with very open rear chambers to eliminate back pressure under the cone and too allow copious amounts of air to enter.

The Engine Room – The Motor
The large diameter super light aluminium voice coil uses a high-strength aluminium alloy which allows ESB to reduce its thickness and therefore its weight. The winding is also aluminium with the a skin of pure copper. Within this is a CNC machined low carbon steel pole yoke. The whole motor group has been designed with the help of FEM software to concentrate all the magnetic flux in the working point: in front of the voice coil. Its enormous mass guarantees excellent temperature dissipation. Around the voice coil resides an oversized neodymium magnet with high resistance to high temperatures. The total magnetic force is very high compared to similar products. Below this a CNC machined pole plate featuring a series of nodes channelling the cooling air to increase the performance of the woofer and its longevity.

Suspended Animation – The Suspension
The lower portion of the suspension is formed by a Conex spider, balanced to obtain the same compliance in both movements upper and lower. This guarantees very low distortion. The spider is supported by glass fiber reinforcement to resist at high temperatures. This particular design makes it possible to insert the spider inside the voice coil leaving a passage of cooling air free. Top side an NBL rubber surround has a shape designed to ensure very smooth movement at very low excursion, becoming increasingly controlled as the excursion increases and approaches the limit. Along with the spider this helps to make this speaker extremely dynamic and capable of handling extreme kinetic demands.

True Brute Strength – The Cone
The woofer features a high modulus carbon fibre diaphragm moulded with M+F system which guarantees perfect geometry and perfect adhesion of the carbon fibres to each other. The result is an object of extreme rigidity, with a very high sound transmission capacity but also excellent internal damping, all for a very low weight and constant performance as it is insensitive to changes in humidity and temperature. Connection between coil and cone is via pressed paper, as it helps to dampen the parasitic vibrations of the carbon cone. The cone also features a carbon fibre dust cap, the function of this part is fundamental on a woofer with a voice coil of this size. It’s shape is so for strength, and it’s the perfect combination of lightness and rigidity to ensure a deep, fast and dynamic bass.

Protection Boasting Looks And Purpose
All 9000 series components have optional matching grilles that are CNC machined from solid aluminum. These can be ordered separately to the speakers, and individual speaker sets can also be ordered. Please contact us if you require either.

Electrical Specifications
– Nominal configuration: three-way 6.5″ & 3″ & 1″ active component set
– Continuous power handling: 180 Watts
– Maximum power handling: 360 Watts
– Voice coil diameter: 75 mm
– Frequency response: 48 Hz – 25000 Hz
– Sensitivity: 91.5 dB
– DC resistance (Re): 3.9 Ohms
– Resonant frequency (Fs): 61.9 Hz
– Xmax: +/- 5.25 mm
– Compliance (Vas): 10.5 l
– Total Q (Qts): 0.452
– Mechanical Q (Qms): 2.202
– Electrical Q (Qes): 0.569

Physical Specifications
– Mounting diameter: 144 mm
– Mounting depth: 69 mm
– Weight: 4.5 kg

Documentation
– 1″ Specifications sheet
– 3″ Specifications sheet
– 6.5″ Specifications sheet
– Fhrx Studios’ review
– User manual

Important Disclaimers
Given the dynamic nature of electronics industries these days; below are listed some very important specifics you need to be aware of.

Brand Authorization And Stock Sourcing
We are a fully authorised Australian dealer of this brand and all stock is sourced through legitimate channels. It therefore enjoys full Australian warranty, backing and support.

Pricing Structure
Whilst we endeavor to offer the best price possible, we ask that if you do find a better price elsewhere from an authorised dealer; please contact us. Also be aware that we regularly conduct group buys and sales, therefore pricing can sometimes be subject to change without notice.

Stock Structure
Being a dynamic store is conducive to our inventory constantly changing. We list only a small portion of our stable online, usually products most popular. Aside from these we also stock numerous other variants and configurations of these products, hence if you don’t see what you’re after please contact us.

Shipping
All our products are shipped with registered and insured postage. Upon ordering you’ll be issued with a receipt, a consignment note via which you can track your order, and we’ll also SMS you photos of the package for identification purposes.

Technical support
This last one we cannot emphasise enough! Please contact us if you require any further information or assistance with the setup and use of this product, especially pertaining to aspects more technical. As we want you to get the very best from this product.