An audio speaker having a voicecoil running along a diaphragm surface, and a magnetic array, e.g., a Halbach array, configured to direct a magnetic field toward the voicecoil to drive the diaphragm and generate sound. In an embodiment, multiple Halbach arrays are used to drive the same voicecoil winding or to drive separate, respective voicecoil windings on the diaphragm surface. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.