Finished PanelThe buttons “…break u

Finished PanelThe buttons “…break up the diaphragm into multiple resonant areas.” As you probably know, electromechanical systems exhibit resonances as do purely mechanical and electronic systems. EQ is a common example of electrical resonance. The simpler the system, the easier it is to predict the resonant modes. By the way, resonance, according to Wikipedia is the “tendency of a system to oscillate with greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others.” Think guitar string. Imagine a Maggie at resonance, that large expanse of plastic flopping around excessively, it’s liable to bottom out with some resulting nasty distortion. Hence the buttons, which detune the panel and reduce the effects of resonances. Though most of Magnepan’s products are quasi–ribbon, they also make true ribbons in the old school sense; a corrugated strip of aluminum, vanishingly thin, suspended in a magnetic field: