Pulled apart a headset from a fairly modern land line phone, and was surprised by the ear speaker. The thing is huge, and weighs quite a bit. Feels like at least half the volume inside is a magnet.

Hooked it up to an amp, and the frequency response is just horrendous. Analog phone quality band-pass.

What's the reason behind this monstrosity? Is it designed to take a direct lighting strike while someone has it up to the ear?

 

I think the manufacturer would be the best place to research motives.

 

The acoustics of a phone speaker measure badly on a bench, but sound surprisingly good when pressed up against a human ear. They are not free field devices.

Also, they have that big magnet and voice coil so they are hearing aid compatible. Many modern hearing aids are designed to pick up the speaker's radiated magnetic field on purpose.

ak

 

High impedance telephone sets use high voltage

Its maybe just the way they are made for decades.

 

but sound surprisingly good when pressed up against a human ear.

Like headphones? I put it on a scale, it's almost 2oz. More than a complete set of full frequency headphones might weight. The radiated field for hearing aid is an interesting idea.

 

High impedance telephone sets use high voltage

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What high voltage?

 

Hello,

As far as I know the impedance of those speakers is about 600 Ohms.
When you drive them with the wrong amplifier, it will not sound that well.
Also in the phones a frequency range of only 300 - 3000 Hz is used.

Bertus

 

What high voltage?

60 volts