NEG and GAIT's Ultra-thin Glass Diaphragm Won the "Technical Special Award" at the 41st HiVi Grand Prix

A HiFi speaker diaphragm utilizing Ultra-thin Glass developed by Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Otsu, Shiga, Japan; President: Akira Kishimoto; "NEG") has won the "Special Technology Award" at the "41st HiVi Grand Prix 2025," hosted by the audio-visual specialized magazine "HiVi" published by Stereo Sound Co., Ltd.
The Ultra-thin Glass diaphragm utilizes NEG’s Ultra-thin Glass, with thicknesses ranging from 25μm to 200μm (0.025mm to 0.2mm). GAIT processes this glass into diaphragms using its proprietary 3D forming technology. This achieves faster sound attack^※1 and clearer reproduction than conventional materials such as paper, metal, and resin.

The HiVi Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious annual awards in the audio-visual industry, hosted by HiVi, an audio-visual specialized magazine with over 30 years of history.
The award selects outstanding products that led the audio-visual scene in 2025 from all audio-visual products released that year. This year's winners were determined through rigorous judging by renowned critics Reiji Asakura (selection committee chair), Haruo Ushio, Yoshio Obara, Kazutoyo Torii, Yosuke Fujiwara, and Koji Yamamoto, along with seven members of the HiVi editorial department.

Ultra-thin Glass (UTG™) is among the world's thinnest glass, with a thickness ranging from 25μm to 200μm. By 3D forming this glass and strengthening its surface through special chemical treatment, it has been evolved into a diaphragm. As a diaphragm, it exhibits the following acoustic characteristics:
・Compared to materials like paper or metal, it has a faster sound attack^※1, allowing sound to reach you with greater clarity and precision.
・The material itself has low inherent resonance (high internal damping) and fast sound decay^※1, resulting in minimal sound distortion.
・Lightweight and highly responsive, capable of accurately reproducing the subtle nuances of delicate sounds
・The glass surface is strengthened with a special chemical treatment, enabling it to withstand intense vibrations from heavy bass.
・Resistant to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, and less prone to aging over time

※1 "Sound attack" refers to the time or speed of response from when a sound begins to its peak. A fast attack time results in clear sound contours, allowing the attack of percussion and string instruments to be reproduced distinctly. Conversely, "sound decay" indicates how quickly the sound fades after it has finished sounding. A fast decay prevents unwanted lingering sound, allowing the next note to be heard clearly. This results in a tighter, overall sound with less distortion.

・Ultra-thin Glass Diaphragms, the Key to Next-Generation Quality Sound Speakers | Nippon Electric Glass (NEG)
・Que UTG—World-first Earphones Incorporating Ultra-thin Glass Diaphragms Launched | Nippon Electric Glass (NEG)

GAIT is the world's only glass processing company capable of precise 3D processing of Ultra-thin Glass. Founded in 2020, this startup is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan.
In April 2024, we entered into a strategic partnership with NEG to jointly advance the development, manufacturing, and market deployment of Ultra-thin Glass diaphragms for the audio industry.