Diaphragm Material
Diaphragm material identifies what the main sound-producing membrane in a headphone driver is made from, including a specified coating.
The diaphragm moves air to produce sound. Its material contributes to mass, stiffness and damping, but its shape, thickness and surrounding driver design also influence the result.
Diaphragm Material — Headphone
This field describes the bass or full-range driver's diaphragm. In an earpiece with several drivers, it does not summarize every membrane. Materials can include polymer films, metals, cellulose and layered composites. A coating should remain identified as a coating, since a coated diaphragm is different from a solid sheet of that material.
Compare like constructions and driver roles, alongside measured response and distortion. The material name alone does not establish sound quality or tonal balance. A wooden earcup, metal housing, magnet or voice-coil material does not identify the diaphragm, even when prominently described in the product details.