Speaker Mounting in Quartz Chime Clocks

Some quartz (battery operated) chiming clocks sound much better than others. A major factor of sound quality is the mounting of the speaker that produces the sound.

In some clocks, the speaker is mounted inside the case and the sound cannot project outward. These clocks have quiet, tinny sounding chime.

The best clocks have the speaker mounted over an opening in the case. The sound of these clocks is rich and full-bodied. The volume of sound can also be louder. Many Hermle clocks have the speaker mounted this way.

The photos below give examples of good and not-so-good speaker mounting.

Brief Explanation:

When a speaker does not have a baffle around it, the sound waves generated by the front of the speaker cone cancel out the sound waves generated by the back of the cone below a certain frequency. With a small speaker such as used in clocks, all the bass response is lost in this way. Mounting the speaker on a baffle (such as a board) creates a longer path for the sound waves, reducing cancellation. The larger the baffle, the lower the frequency response extends. Even a small baffle will make the speaker sound much better.

See information about the Hermle 70687-N92215 Chiming Wall Clock

See information about the Hermle 22825-i92115 Chiming Mantel Clock


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