Development of new models

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Mekasonic Loudspeaker - 
Development of models



When I started making mekasonic loudspeakers, my focus was for three standard sizes - 8, 10 & 12 inch.  Apart from PA type models with fixed edge paper cones, I also tried some cones with soft surround materials like cloth, foam and rubber. These soft edge cones in 8" and 10" size resulted in extended low frequency response, were good as woofer and low mid bass units. 


As time passed on, appointed dealers selling mekasonic speakers were getting confidence in the product and feedback from customers were also encouraging.


Other than three sizes mentioned above, customers were also asking for both smaller and larger speakers for different applications. It was also necessary to make some good tweeters and midrange speakers required for speaker systems.


I found 6 inch cones both for woofer and general purpose applications and some tweeter cones in 3" and 4" from Siva Electronica which helped me to add new ranges in mekasonic speakers.  I also experimented with developments of Crossover networks for two and three way speaker systems. 


mekasonic 6" speaker, 3" tweeter, two & three way Crossover network


4" midrange speaker


With the addition of all these items, I could offer an overall range of speakers and speaker systems to the customers.


I came across Hameed Ji and his son Rashid bhai of Jupiter paper cone factory at Jaipur who used to make a wide variety of paper cones that time mostly for repairing and re-coning of imported speakers. I visited their factory and found that they were making 15 inch cones  by hand made process. I decided to try some of those to extend my range of mekasonic speakers.


Within a few years later, Rashid bhai had established a fairly large paper cone factory at Jaipur with imported automatic machines for making a wide range of paper cones of international standards. He was a very good friend of mine. Very unfortunately, a  few years back he met with a sudden car accident and left us. He was very much enterprising and dynamic in his activities. I miss him very badly. However, his brothers are  running the factory well.


Meanwhile a new factory called Aag Rola Magnetics  in Tamilnadu started manufacturing ferrite magnets of large sizes upto 220 mm dia. So, it became easier to try out high power speakers.


I started using a 15 inch Jupiter paper cone with 180 mm dia magnet and heavy cast aluminium basket to make a 200 watt speaker - Model no. GP 15B. As there were no other manufacturers of 15" speaker that time, this item was a milestone in the mekasonic range. 


mekasonic GP15B speaker

With successful development of 15" speaker, my next target was to go for an 18 inch driver and Horn tweeters. Magnets were available upto 220 mm dia but to make a good quality 18" speaker, a good cone was essential. This was around 1984 - 85, when there was no one to think of an 18 inch loudspeaker in India. I wrote to Kurt Muller Kg, (an internationally known manufacturer of paper cones having their factories in Germany and U.K,) and asked them to send some samples of 18", 15" and 12" cones. So far I was using indigenous paper cones in all models. This time I thought to explore with some imported cones for better performance. After receiving samples, I tried to make a prototype of an 18" speaker with a heavy magnet structure. The result was amazing.

I also made new variations of 15" and 12" deluxe model speakers with Kurt Muller cones which had improved technical specifications.


mekasonic 18 inch loudspeaker with 220 mm magnet and 63 mm voice coil made in 1986

Apart from developing large speakers, it was also necessary to add high power tweeters in the range. This was another challenge as there were no guidelines available except some pictures of large cinema hall horn tweeters which were mostly imported brands like Altec, Electrovoice and other reputed ones. As the metal domes were not available in the market, I tried phenolic diaphragm available for PA drive units. The result wasn't not very good but something was better than nothing.


Three models of mekasonic Horn tweeters - 80, 100 and 200 watt,



Model HT100 - 100 watt


Model HT200 - 200watt 

So, starting from scratch, my journey with mekasonic loudspeaker finally took a shape with an entire range of Loudspeakers, Woofers,Tweeters and Crossover networks.



Location: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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