Innovations at Coppice Audio

Beyond Building Speakers — Redefining Them

At Coppice Audio, we don’t just build speakers — we rethink them. Whether it’s a bespoke design from scratch or breathing new life into an existing system, we take pride in delivering innovative, performance-focused upgrades tailored to your needs.

Custom Modifications & Upgrades

Many of our projects begin with something familiar — your speakers. We specialise in modifying, upgrading, and optimising existing designs to bring out their full potential.

Take the project shown above: a 2-way transmission line kit brought to us by a customer. We crafted elegant ash cabinets to match their aesthetic vision, but during testing, we found the midrange performance lacking. Instead of settling, we redesigned the system into a 3-way by integrating a custom tweeter pod and installing a Coppice-designed crossover using high-quality, hand-selected components. The result? A transformed speaker with significantly improved balance, clarity, and musicality.

Below, you'll see a crossover upgrade for a pair of PMC speakers. The original internal components limited what could be achieved, so we designed a completely new crossover using premium parts too large for the original enclosure. Our external mounting solution not only maintained visual harmony but allowed the customer to switch back to the factory setup if ever needed — no permanent modifications, just better sound on demand.

Solid Ash Cabinets: A Foundational Innovation
One of Coppice Audio’s earliest and most defining innovations was the use of solid hardwoods for speaker enclosures — a practice virtually unheard of in an industry dominated by MDF and plywood. Through extensive testing of various hardwoods, we discovered that ash offers a uniquely musical and natural tonal character unmatched by other materials. Not only does it provide a more vibrant and resonant sound, but it also contributes to the aesthetic and tactile quality of our designs. Today, ash remains our material of choice — not for tradition’s sake, but because it simply sounds better.

Craft Meets Precision: Traditional Skills Enhanced by Technology
At Coppice Audio, our workshop blends time-honoured woodworking skills with cutting-edge technology. Every speaker begins with hand-selected materials and is shaped with the care and intuition that only skilled hands can offer. But it’s our use of CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining that unlocks the full potential of our creativity. These tools allow us to prototype rapidly, maintain exacting tolerances, and create components — like our precisely contoured Diffraction Ring — that would be impossible using traditional methods alone. The result is a seamless fusion of craftsmanship and innovation, where artistry meets engineering to deliver products of unmatched performance and detail.

​The Diffraction Ring: Subtle Innovation, Profound Effect

One of our most effective and misunderstood innovations is our Diffraction Ring for Lowther drivers. While it may appear to be a simple aesthetic enhancement, it's anything but.

Carefully engineered, the inner edge of the ring sits incredibly close to the foam surround, neutralizing harmful edge diffraction caused by the driver's chassis. Meanwhile, the curved front surface redirects sound energy away from the flat baffle, minimizing reflections and preserving tonal integrity. Together, these enhancements yield a cleaner, more precise soundstage with enhanced detail and imaging.

Optimised Phase Plugs for Narrow Band Use

While traditional Lowther phase plugs are designed for full-range use, we take a different approach. Since we only use Lowther drivers within a narrow frequency band, we’ve developed our own phase plugs specifically optimised for that range. This targeted refinement allows for smoother performance, reduced resonances, and more accurate reproduction in the band that matters most.

Looking Ahead: Expanding Innovation with Active Systems
As we continue to push the boundaries of loudspeaker design, Coppice Audio is developing a range of next-generation active systems. At the forefront is the Active X1, a precision-tuned monitor aimed at professional audio environments and home studios. Designed for critical listening, the X1 combines Coppice’s signature cabinet craftsmanship with advanced DSP integration for exceptional accuracy and control. Alongside this, we're introducing a drop-in active crossover unit for our modular BG platform. This DSP-based upgrade expands on the BG’s modular philosophy, offering even greater tuning flexibility, system integration options, and user control — all without altering the core design. These future offerings represent our commitment to innovation not just in sound, but in how speakers adapt to their environment and evolve with their users.​