Abstract: A cooling mechanism is provided for an audio speaker, which mechanism includes a plate of a thermally conductive material mounted between the driver mechanism of the speaker and the speaker basket and extending from the voice coil gap to the outside of the speaker. The spacing between this plate and the voice coil is preferably kept as small as possible. The plate is preferably a vent plate having a plurality of radial vents extending along the width of the plate from the voice coil gap side thereof to the side facing the outside of the speaker. Such a vent plate, in addition to providing radiant cooling, also provides cooling via air flow as well as conduction and convection cooling. The vents are sized and shaped so as to minimize any turbulence, and thus any audible air noise.