B&C 4CXN36 – Improve Your Micro Build with the Most Compact Full-Range Coaxial Ever Made

The B&C 4CXN36 is the smallest full-range coaxial driver B&C has ever built — and quite possibly the most compact professional coaxial available anywhere. At just 550 grams, 84 mm deep, and 127 mm across, this 4-inch neodymium coaxial delivers genuine two-way point-source performance from 110 Hz to 18 kHz in a package that fits in the palm of your hand.

Where the 4MCX36 focuses on mid-bass with its higher 150 Hz Fs, the B&C 4CXN36 reaches lower — down to 110 Hz — making it a true full-range coaxial rather than a mid-high specialist. For a 4-inch driver, that low-frequency extension is remarkable. You get usable output below the typical crossover point of most sub-sat systems.

Available in both 8 Ω and 16 Ω LF impedance versions, the B&C 4CXN36 gives builders the flexibility to match their amplifier topology and series/parallel wiring schemes. Whether you’re designing micro satellite speakers, column array elements, tiny ceiling speakers, or paging systems, this driver proves that B&C’s professional coaxial quality scales all the way down to 4 inches.

Design and Construction of the B&C 4CXN36

The low-frequency section of the B&C 4CXN36 uses a 34 mm (1.3-inch) copper voice coil on a glass fibre former. That’s the same coil and former combination found in the 4MCX36, providing a rigid, thermally stable platform for long-term reliability. Copper winding ensures better heat dissipation than aluminium for less power compression under sustained use.

The moving mass is an extraordinary 6 g on the 8 Ω version and 5.8 g on the 16 Ω — among the lightest in B&C’s entire product catalogue. At this mass, the cone responds to signal changes with virtually zero lag. Every musical detail, every speech consonant, every transient arrives at the listener with stunning immediacy.

The 5 mm linear excursion is impressive for a 4-inch driver — significantly more than the 4MCX36’s 3 mm. That extra travel is what allows the B&C 4CXN36 to reach down to 110 Hz with usable output, giving you genuine low-frequency content from a driver that most people would assume is incapable of producing bass.

An aluminium demodulating ring in the motor structure keeps midrange distortion low — a meaningful feature at this driver size that directly affects vocal clarity and midrange detail. The waterproof-treated paper cone provides moisture protection for outdoor and humid-environment installations.

The high-frequency section features a 36 mm (1.42-inch) aluminium voice coil driving an HT Polymer dome diaphragm at 102 dB sensitivity with 1.65 T flux density. HT Polymer delivers smooth, well-damped highs that are free from harshness — ideal for speech, background music, and extended listening at close range. The HF section runs at 16 Ω regardless of which LF impedance version you choose.

The single neodymium ring magnet powers both sections from a compact, lightweight motor. The 8 Ω version features an 8 Ω LF / 16 Ω HF impedance split, while the 16 Ω version matches both sections at 16 Ω — a simpler impedance configuration that can simplify passive crossover design for certain builds.

Performance and Applications for the B&C 4CXN36

The B&C 4CXN36 handles 200 W continuous on the LF section and 50 W on the HF. For a 4-inch coaxial, that’s solid headroom. Pair it with a compact amplifier in the 30–100 W range and you’ll have a speaker that delivers clear, balanced sound from an enclosure that could fit on a bookshelf — or inside a wall.

The Thiele–Small parameters are ideally suited for sealed enclosures. The 8 Ω version has a Qts of 0.83 and the 16 Ω version sits at 0.97 — both firmly in sealed-box territory. The 1.5-litre Vas (8 Ω) and 1.6-litre Vas (16 Ω) mean your enclosure can be genuinely tiny. A sealed box of 1–2 litres is entirely practical.

The 16 Ω LF version is particularly useful for column array builds where you’re wiring multiple drivers in parallel. Four 16 Ω drivers in parallel give you a 4 Ω load — a standard impedance for most professional amplifiers. This makes the B&C 4CXN36 an excellent building block for multi-driver line source designs.

Builders commonly choose the B&C 4CXN36 for:

• Micro satellite speakers in sub-sat and surround systems
• Column array and line source builds (especially the 16 Ω version)
• Flush-mount ceiling and wall speakers for architectural sound
• Paging, announcement, and speech reinforcement systems
• Tiny desktop monitors and personal nearfield speakers
• Portable and battery-powered speaker builds

B&C offers the FBCXN36 passive crossover network, purpose-matched to the 8 Ω LF version and designed to handle the 8/16 Ω impedance configuration. For builders using the 8 Ω variant who want a plug-and-play passive solution, it takes the crossover complexity out of your project entirely.

Both drivers share the same acoustic centre for true point-source output with coherent phase alignment. The 70-degree dispersion provides focused, controlled coverage that suits nearfield and directional applications. At this driver size, the coaxial format isn’t just convenient — it’s essential. There is simply no other way to achieve genuine two-way performance from a 4-inch frame.

Specifications – LF Section (8 Ω / 16 Ω)

• Nominal Diameter: 100 mm (4 in)
• Voice Coil Diameter: 34 mm (1.3 in)
• Continuous Power Handling: 200 W
• Nominal Power Handling: 100 W
• Nominal Impedance: 8 Ω / 16 Ω
• Minimum Impedance: 6.5 Ω / 12 Ω
• Frequency Range: 110 Hz – 18,000 Hz
• Sensitivity: 86 dB
• Winding Material: Copper
• Former Material: Glass Fibre
• Winding Depth: 11 mm (0.43 in)
• Magnetic Gap Depth: 6 mm (0.24 in)
• Flux Density: 0.74 T
• Cone Treatment: WP Waterproof Front Side

Specifications – HF Section

• Voice Coil Diameter: 36 mm (1.42 in)
• Continuous Power Handling: 50 W
• Nominal Power Handling: 25 W
• Nominal Impedance: 16 Ω
• Minimum Impedance: 10.2 Ω
• Recommended Crossover: 2 kHz
• Sensitivity: 102 dB
• Winding Material: Aluminium
• Inductance: 0.14 mH
• Flux Density: 1.65 T
• Diaphragm Material: HT Polymer
• Magnet Material: Neodymium Ring

Conclusion

The B&C 4CXN36 is the most compact full-range coaxial transducer B&C has ever made — and possibly the smallest professional coaxial available anywhere. At 550 grams, 84 mm deep, with a 1.5-litre Vas and response down to 110 Hz, it delivers genuine two-way coaxial performance from an enclosure smaller than a coffee mug.

With a 6 g moving mass for blistering transient speed, 5 mm linear excursion for surprising bass output, an aluminium demod ring for clean midrange, smooth HT Polymer highs at 102 dB, and the choice of 8 Ω or 16 Ω LF impedance for flexible system design, the B&C 4CXN36 is the ultimate micro building block. Column arrays, satellites, ceiling speakers, paging systems — if your build needs real coaxial quality from the absolute smallest driver available, this is where the journey starts.