Coils

Goertz Copper Foil Inductors

Leading Edge Technology for Loudspeaker Crossover Networks

Jump to compare inductors table below.

• Leads: 0.010 x 0.321 inch, copper
• Conductors: 99.99% pure, copper
• Dielectric: 0.0015 inch thick, polypropylene film
• Gauges: 12,14, and 16 AWG
• Inductance Tolerance: +/- 2.5%
• Inductance Reactance: Flat from 5Hz to 50kHz

High-technology laminating from Alpha-Core (the same process behind the patented Alpha-core's Serpents and Goertz MI audio cables) makes it possible to manufacture inductors from high purity copper foil wound onto a Lexan polycarbonate tube. Foil inductors are mounted by means of a single polycarbonate screw through the central bore, or a silicone elastomer, or a hot-melt adhesive.

Foil inductors have obvious advantages over wire-wound inductors in terms of improved electrical and sonic characteristics. This important new development has much to contribute to the design of state-of-the art loudspeaker crossover networks.

• Negligible skin effect below 100 kHz; many orders of magnitude below conventional wire-wound types.
• High winding tension and vacuum fusing of faces provide.
• high dimensional stability, effectively locking the conductors in place. Wire-wound inductors, which allow relative motion of conductors due to electromagnetic forces, will exhibit FM distortion by the process of reactance modulation.
• Flat inductive reactance from 5 Hz to 50 kHz.
• No saturation distortion due to air-core design. Inductors contain no magnetic materials.
• Reduced power loss. Highest space factor (ratio of conductor cross area to total cross-section) means lower DC resistance within comparable dimensions. Negligible power loss due to skin-effect.
• Extremely low stored charge.
• Cool operation even during prolonged high output power operation. The high space factor and winding density results in improved heat dissipation.

Since Alpha-Core introduced the Air Core Inductors in 1997 they have become standard fixtures in many of the world's finest speakers, and thousand of audiophiles have improved their sound by personally upgrading their crossover circuits with our products.

Alpha-Core developed the combination of high grade OFC copper with polypropylene film as the dielectric, wound onto a non-hygroscopic core able to endure the sometimes high working temperature without long term shrinkage. They knew that a loose center will allow relative motion of layers due to electromagnetic forces, leading to FM distortion, so we chose LEXAN™ a high strength, super stable engineering resin for our cores.

We also developed the vacuum fusing process in order to further preserve the long-term integrity of our inductors.

Compare Air Foil Inductors

Alpha-Core/Goertz website