Loudspeaker Enclosure Design Software

[Johan]

Hi All,

What do you guys think of these design programs used to model speaker boxes?
i have looked at a few and one that sticks to mind is Bassbox Pro.

Do any of you guys use these programs? I'm looking at getting one of these software
packages as I'm very interested in building a Speaker setup for HT and would like to do it right from scratch.

[Timber_MG]

Nice to see more people joining. I wouldn't go for BassBox if you're only doing an HT speaker. Rather get to understand all the theory (specifically baffle step, diffraction) and use WinISD and the FRD tools. Then employ measurements to verify your results, evaluate the design and tweak.
What are your design goals with these speakers?

[Johan]

Hi Timber_MG

Link to software site: www.ht-audio.com

No spesific goals , just to experiment with different box designs and sound response.
I like to work with my hands so the idea of building different boxes gets me going, and i suppose if finally i get a setup that works pretty well then I'll use it permanently.

In the past i just calculated the spesific box volume for the speaker used and built a box... and so I agree with you on the theory and wonder where is a good place to start learning?? cause i want to do this right. Maybe you have a link to a couple of sites??

I had a look at WinISD and its basically the same as bassbox but you have to pay for bassbox pro and crossover pro ($199). Friend of mine has the Eminence Designer
software that is basically Bassbox Lite in disguise , and it looks pretty good.
Although i'll start with HT speaker setup i'll like to use a software program and the exsperience gained to better some of my other ideas like a new sub enclosure for the car and so forth.

What do you think?

[Timber_MG]

Olsen (iirs) is a good source for baffle effects, any post by Tom Danley or Mark Seaton regarding acoustic dimention is worth gold too.

Then any good physics text that explains modal behaviour of sound waves (eg. pipe resonances, velocity and pressure components of sound waves) and propagation of these. An intuitive understanding of circuits and the electronic equivalents used to simplify some acoustical concepts (any article by J. Panzer)

There is quite a lot, some of it lore, some of it hard science, some of it art some of it folly and some of it just odd. It isn't my task to stamp any opinions on anyone, just go out there and learn from what is available.

Edit: spellink eishhhh

[Johan]

Thanks for the info, I'll start looking and learning!

Just a last question... Winisd only has one box design and i suppose that is why you recommend it to me for doing a HT speaker only but if i were to do sub enclosures and automotive type boxes would you reccomend other software??

[chipwelder]

I like LSP CAD lite... it's free - it doesn't do X-O's etc... and the pro version will probably only give you an OK X-O to start off with.

the lite version has a lot of drivers loaded, you can easily mod older ones - it is very basic, but if you were to start off with it, you could use it to check out what you calculate by yourself, it does sealed, BR, Bandpass, and Isobaric. I don't think it will give any serious program a fright, but it's not bad and very user friendly.

It will probably not do if you are an engineering, serious designer type.

I have .zips if you are interested.

[Timber_MG]

Well, WinISD has seales, bass-reflex, 4/6th order bandpass and alows you to model electrical filters effects. Perhaps us the standard alignments as a starting point and then go and modify the parameters.

It is very fast to compare drivers and alignments and that is why I recommend it. The FRD group also has some sheets that perform admirably. The results are only roughly valid for lower frequencies and thus I recommend a subwoofer design for first.

[Johan]

I suppose if you want to you could use more than one program with the same drivers and see if they'll give the same results?

I'm definetly interested in LSP Cad Lite - can you please forward me those zips or link me to a site where i can download them??

Just for interest: Bassbox lite has a parallel double-tuned bandpass box and a single tuned bandpass box that looks quite similar in design to Winisd's 6th and 4th order bandpass... is it just me or are they the same thing?

[Martin nli]

Check out the FRD consortium, otherwise RTFM for WinISD (they are the classical 4th and 6th order configurations).

Bose doesn't like people using the alternative 6th order configurations and claim to have a patent on it...bollocks.

[Johan]

It feels to like i'm missing a huge gap here regarding WinISD , LSP Cad and Bassbox....  Please inform me as i'm new to this forum and would like to know....

[chipwelder]

PRivate mail me an adress that'll receive .zips - I don't think this site does - it's pm function only forwards a notification of the private mail, so I don't think I could send it straight... it might take a day or two to find the uninstalled .zips

[Shonver]

If you intend building speakers from scratch, you will need some measurement equipment and simulation software. Try Speaker Workshop at www.speakerworkshop.com. You'll probably need help setting up, but it's free, and it works.

[Johan]

Thanks Shaun. I downloaded the software and it's compatible with my current soundcard. I suppose you use a mic as a input device? are there any spesific type you recommend??

[Timber_MG]

Well, read up about Eric Wallin's Jig and I would look at the Behringer ECM8000 and a suitable pre-amp. Even better is to have the mic calibrated, but up to 10kHz the units are generally very true (many have a peak above though and the series consistency is only Type II (not certified though).

[Shonver]

Johan

You could either build a mic & preamp or buy one such as Behringer ECM8000 (which will need a preamp). If you're not too handy with a soldering iron I'd recommend this mic, but I would not know which preamp to recommend.

The most common DIY mics are based on a Panasonic electret capsule WM-60 (IIRC). See here http://mysite.verizon.net/tammie_eric/audio/preamp/preamp.html