TC Sounds Facility Tour

Filed under: Car Audio > Subwoofers



Everyone knows by now how much all of us at Audio Junkies love taking tours of companies in the Audio Industry that still manufacture or assemble their products in the United States. There aren't many left these days, so when we get a chance to tour a company, we jump on it. On May 21st, TC Sounds was kind enough to open their doors and allow us to get an inside view of their current and upcoming products.

Tour pictures after the jump.

TC Sounds has been in business over 20 years and has an excellent reputation in the audio industry from their OEM work and from their own drivers that they started selling about one year ago. Currently TC Sounds has 11 employees and is based out of San Diego, California in an 11,000 square foot facility. We were given the tour by Thilo Stompler, the President of TC Sounds.


This is the front office where all of the administrative duties are handled. If you call TC Sounds, this is where your phone call is answered as well.









We started the tour in the TC Sounds testing lab. There were a couple very interesting prototypes in here. The Beast and two 8ft tall line source drivers stood out immediately.


I have seen pictures of "The Beast" before, but I was dying to see it in person. Well, The Beast didn't disappoint and it is truly a monster. Total weight is around 400 pounds with each driver weighing in at nearly 80 pounds. Recommended power is roughly 3,500 watts and the price is estimated to be under $10,000 when it goes into production in the near future.






Thilo informed me that the 8ft tall line source drivers are part of their new home audio line and will be partnered with an equally large ribbon driver. The ribbon drivers are quite different from any that I have seen though and will be using one single ribbon (1/2 mil poly film, 1/3 mil aluminum) about 1" wide along two panels of neodymium magnets. The ribbon driver is pictured without the ribbon attached. The line source drivers are currently using 60 of the small drivers pictured, but the production version will be closer to 36. When the ribbon and line source drivers are paired, frequency response will be strong all the way down to 60Hz. It is quite an interesting setup and I am dying to hear them in July when we go back to TC Sounds for a follow-up.


On the listening room wall was a small speaker that is also part of their upcoming home audio line.



The new Bamboo-ply that TC Sounds will be using on their enclosures. It is solid Bamboo and much more environmentally sound than the industry standard MDF.



The same pro-audio drivers (radial-neo motor) used by Cold Play, Steely Dan, John Mellencamp, and others. Box is tuned to 25Hz and typically 2-4 of the cabinets are used as front-stage monitors.



Speaker parts and a close-up of some magnets.




Machine shop where the gap plates, baskets and 250 different voice coils are made.








The assembly line. The TC Sounds red baskets are actually two coats, one base coat of silver to get the metallic look, and then a top coat of red. The finish on those baskets is absolutely beautiful.







This machine is the magnetizer and was handmade by Thilo. It will put out about 7,000 Joules and takes 30 seconds to charge. The magnets are placed in the piece with the cutout and then the steel return path around the magnets is powered producing the necessary magnetic field.


The OEM-10 that is currently being sold.


Just a few voice coils.



The old cone which is currently being used (attached to driver) and the new pressed cone that will put into production. The new cones are made with male/female dies using a center of thermoformed acrylic foam. The fiberglass is then brushed with epoxy and formed using the press. The new cones are 50 grams lighter than aluminum cones and much more efficient to produce than titanium cones.


Outgoing products.


One mean ass setup that I had to take a picture of.


Finished subs ready to be shipped.


Pre-production IS-101.


Packaging tooling that uses polyurethane foam for shipping protection.



Some lucky S.O.B. is getting a rare TC chrome basket driver. Whoever you are consider yourself lucky, Thilo wouldn't take my bribe to give it to me and tell you it was lost in shipping.



The line source drivers in test form. Thilo informed me that 12 of those drivers were actually installed in a Mini-Cooper (6 per side) on the A-pillars and they may very well be put into production. We'll have more info on these in July.


The basket for the new 8" driver coming out soon.


The man, Thilo Stompler, standing with his 400lb baby.