Field Coil Drivers – Is Old New Again?

Aurel Bryan Mega FCM speakers in Jakarta last year

As some of you may know, I’ve been the Australian contact for the brilliant wide-range drivers from Indonesia, hand-made under the name Aurel Bryan. These drivers are renowned for their realism, energy, and serious impact across a wide range of genres—an experience that’s truly something special.

What Are Field Coil Drivers?

What many don’t realise is that Aurel Bryan also produces a range of field coil drivers in 5-, 6-, and 8-inch sizes. Unlike conventional drivers that use a permanent magnet, field coils employ a carefully engineered electromagnet powered by a dedicated power supply.

This design allows for fine-tuning: by adjusting the supplied voltage, you can actually shape the sound characteristics of the driver. Field coils are often described as everything you’d expect from a high-quality permanent magnet driver—but turned up to 11. Think: more detail, richness, saturation, impact, and above all, enjoyment.

A Little History

Field coil drivers were actually the first type of dynamic transducer, developed before technology could produce strong permanent magnets. As permanent magnets became smaller, stronger, and—most importantly—cheaper, they quickly became the industry standard, while field coils gradually faded into obscurity.

Today, however, the story is changing. With audiophiles seeking greater realism and flexibility, field coils are making an exciting comeback.

Now THAT is a magnet structure!

The Aurel Bryan Range

Beyond individual drivers, Aurel Bryan offers a range of complete loudspeakers, featuring a quasi-transmission line design and high-quality veneered ply cabinets.

Their lineup includes:

• Pico – 4" driver

• Nano – 5" driver

• Micro – 6" driver

• Mega – 8" driver

All are available with Ferrite magnets or upgraded neodymium magnets. For the 5-, 6-, and 8-inch models, you can even spec a field coil driver with an accompanying power supply.

A close up view. The AB speakers come with either this style of cabinet or a classic "square edged" design

Value for Performance

Field coil drivers are far from cheap, but within the high-end audio realm, Aurel Bryan’s range could be seen as something of a bargain. For example, a pair of their 8-inch field coil drivers comes in at a relatively modest $2,950 AUD—a compelling entry point for this level of craftsmanship and sonic performance.

I’m hoping to have a pair of the Micro FCM speakers available for audition here in Australia very soon, so stay tuned!