Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides an apparatus and method of forming an audio speaker that has an improved sound quality over conventional audio speaker designs and has a low manufacturing cost. In an effort to overcome the shortcomings of conventional sealed speaker designs that typically have diaphragms that generate undesirable levels of distortion, one or more of the embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include a speaker diaphragm that is formed from a mode damped diaphragm design. In general, a mode damped diaphragm is configured to damp the various mode shapes generated during the delivery of an acoustic output from the speaker assembly. It is believed that one or more of the embodiments of the disclosure provided herein could be used in any audio speaker application, but may provide additional advantages when used in various headphone, headset, earphone or in-ear monitor type applications.