Hi first off:
I am Richard. I have been lurking in these forums for a while now, trying to learn as much as possible and I have taken a lot of the suggestions and tried to put them to use. The biggest one of all is reading the Loudspeaker Design cookbook. First off, I am not illiterate, I am just really sarting out at the beginning of this hobby so to speak. My first speaker that I am now very slowly(due to just having my 4th back suggery just 3 weeks ago) working on is a sonosub with a Tempest driver in it. I am using WinISD and Eminence speaker design software just because I wanted to get a few different perspectives so to speak.
Anyway, I am wondering if anyone can recomemd a book that would prepare me for The Loudspeaker Cookbook, I am having trouble with such things as "finding delta for PRS and V t_ test volume equal tp V b, given cubic meters". I really don't know what that means in any language.
I am usually fast at picking stuff up, I taught myself to build computers and them overclock them and then make and customize the cases and make peltier, water cooled overclocked computers and finally go to the end of what I wanted to learn with that hobby. Although speaker building is, it seems; technical. It also seems to be very much artwork. And I would like to go there in this hobby as well.
So, me... No electronics training. Very bad at math, I am dislexic when it comes to numbers. Makes it very hard to do math. So, Xover design is really gong to be hard for me.. but I will figure out a way somehow, I always do.
Anyway, (sorry to be so long winded) As always. In advance, thanks for any help that any of you can suggest.
I am Richard. I have been lurking in these forums for a while now, trying to learn as much as possible and I have taken a lot of the suggestions and tried to put them to use. The biggest one of all is reading the Loudspeaker Design cookbook. First off, I am not illiterate, I am just really sarting out at the beginning of this hobby so to speak. My first speaker that I am now very slowly(due to just having my 4th back suggery just 3 weeks ago) working on is a sonosub with a Tempest driver in it. I am using WinISD and Eminence speaker design software just because I wanted to get a few different perspectives so to speak.
Anyway, I am wondering if anyone can recomemd a book that would prepare me for The Loudspeaker Cookbook, I am having trouble with such things as "finding delta for PRS and V t_ test volume equal tp V b, given cubic meters". I really don't know what that means in any language.
I am usually fast at picking stuff up, I taught myself to build computers and them overclock them and then make and customize the cases and make peltier, water cooled overclocked computers and finally go to the end of what I wanted to learn with that hobby. Although speaker building is, it seems; technical. It also seems to be very much artwork. And I would like to go there in this hobby as well.
So, me... No electronics training. Very bad at math, I am dislexic when it comes to numbers. Makes it very hard to do math. So, Xover design is really gong to be hard for me.. but I will figure out a way somehow, I always do.
Anyway, (sorry to be so long winded) As always. In advance, thanks for any help that any of you can suggest.
You put your finger on it- your problem is math. So all the introductory speaker books in the world won't help. For some years, I taught physics and chemistry at the University level and I can't ever recall having a student who couldn't grasp the concepts- the problems were always that they lacked fluidity with math. Instead of grinding their neurons against the concepts of thermodynamics, they were in brainlock about algebra or calculus.
I'd suggest locking yourself up for a few months with a good book or two on algebra. Work ALL the problems- there's no substitute for that. It's drudgery, sure, but you can't play Beethoven without being fluid at playing scales. If you have to think about where your fingers go, you can't think about the music. When you can solve quadratic equation with no effort, when just looking at an expression suggests a way that it can be factored, then you're ready for LDC and more.
Best of luck; you come off as a bright young guy and I'd like to see you succeed.
I'd suggest locking yourself up for a few months with a good book or two on algebra. Work ALL the problems- there's no substitute for that. It's drudgery, sure, but you can't play Beethoven without being fluid at playing scales. If you have to think about where your fingers go, you can't think about the music. When you can solve quadratic equation with no effort, when just looking at an expression suggests a way that it can be factored, then you're ready for LDC and more.
Best of luck; you come off as a bright young guy and I'd like to see you succeed.
Loudspeaker Cookbook was my first
Loudspeaker Cookbook was my first.
I managed to get a hang of it, little by little.
It was not too difficult for me.
I remeber there is an alternative.
I think it was planet10 or somebody
who suggested it.
I will try to search on cookbook,
to find that thread.
/halo - out searchin www.diyaudio.com - be right back
------------------------------------------------
I am back. Here is that last book-thread
Loudspeaker Design Reading
Here is a search on books in Loudspeakers forum
Louspeaker books - 12 hits
halo- no more searching - for today
Loudspeaker Cookbook was my first.
I managed to get a hang of it, little by little.
It was not too difficult for me.
I remeber there is an alternative.
I think it was planet10 or somebody
who suggested it.
I will try to search on cookbook,
to find that thread.
/halo - out searchin www.diyaudio.com - be right back
------------------------------------------------
I am back. Here is that last book-thread
Loudspeaker Design Reading
Here is a search on books in Loudspeakers forum
Louspeaker books - 12 hits
halo- no more searching - for today
How bout basic electricity
Math is good.
Basic electricity is a must too!
Books like the Cookbook take familiarity with concepts like phase, induction, capacitance, impedance, resonance, Q, magnetism, ect for granted.
A speaker in a lot of ways is just a linear motor.
I suggest you pick up a book on basic electricity if you haven ot already done so, in which case, Nevermind! . You will learn some basic math along the way and it won't be so dry.
1) Bureau of Navy Personnel, Basic Electricity. An introduction to electricity
2) Van Valkenburgh, Nooger & Neville: Basic Electricity.
Online and quite good resources for free.
Ray Dall, Electronics Theory.com:
http://www.electronicstheory.com/html/e101-1.htm
Tony R. Kuphaldt, Lessons in Electric Circuits (LEC): http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/electricCircuits
Graham Knott’s Basic Electronics (Cambridge Regional College) ! http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g.knott/index1.htm
If you want more. A university course like SY why not try MIT
*Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Intro to Electronics:
Change the number in “Lec1” part of the address. Use 1-13 for thirteen chapters from MIT.
http://web.mit.edu/6.071/www/lectures/lec1.pdf
Chapters include 1) Basic Concepts in Electricity, 2) DC Circuit Analysis I, 3) DC Circuit Analysis II , Nodal analysis, power transfer, 4) DC Circuit Analysis III, Thevenin and Norton equivalents, 5) Capacitance, 6) Inductance, 7) AC Sinusoidal Steady State, 9) Time Domain v Frequency Domain, 10) Resonance, 11) Fourier Series and Transform, 12) Information Concepts and the Uncertainty Principal, 13) Diodes
or, Boston U. Physics dept. Intro to Electronics.
http://physics.bu.edu/py106/Notes.html
That should get you going.
Cheers
Craig Ryder
Math is good.
Basic electricity is a must too!
Books like the Cookbook take familiarity with concepts like phase, induction, capacitance, impedance, resonance, Q, magnetism, ect for granted.
A speaker in a lot of ways is just a linear motor.
I suggest you pick up a book on basic electricity if you haven ot already done so, in which case, Nevermind! . You will learn some basic math along the way and it won't be so dry.
1) Bureau of Navy Personnel, Basic Electricity. An introduction to electricity
2) Van Valkenburgh, Nooger & Neville: Basic Electricity.
Online and quite good resources for free.
Ray Dall, Electronics Theory.com:
http://www.electronicstheory.com/html/e101-1.htm
Tony R. Kuphaldt, Lessons in Electric Circuits (LEC): http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/electricCircuits
Graham Knott’s Basic Electronics (Cambridge Regional College) ! http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g.knott/index1.htm
If you want more. A university course like SY why not try MIT
*Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Intro to Electronics:
Change the number in “Lec1” part of the address. Use 1-13 for thirteen chapters from MIT.
http://web.mit.edu/6.071/www/lectures/lec1.pdf
Chapters include 1) Basic Concepts in Electricity, 2) DC Circuit Analysis I, 3) DC Circuit Analysis II , Nodal analysis, power transfer, 4) DC Circuit Analysis III, Thevenin and Norton equivalents, 5) Capacitance, 6) Inductance, 7) AC Sinusoidal Steady State, 9) Time Domain v Frequency Domain, 10) Resonance, 11) Fourier Series and Transform, 12) Information Concepts and the Uncertainty Principal, 13) Diodes
or, Boston U. Physics dept. Intro to Electronics.
http://physics.bu.edu/py106/Notes.html
That should get you going.
Cheers
Craig Ryder
Hi Richard,
The loudspeaker Design Cookbook is a book written in such a way that you can only understand what it is all about if you already know what it is all about. IMHO not a book to start with.
Better books and much more readable to start are the books of David B. Weems. These are well written, starting at the beginning and with a good sense of humour. Have a look at “Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual” by Weems.
But if you are an absolute beginner you are probably better of by a well-designed complete DIY package from a speaker DIY supplier. You get at least a good feeling what it is all about by building the thing and it saves you a lot of frustrations by giving you at least a proper sounding speaker. Speaker building should be fun by it self, although hard working is part of the game.
The loudspeaker Design Cookbook is a book written in such a way that you can only understand what it is all about if you already know what it is all about. IMHO not a book to start with.
Better books and much more readable to start are the books of David B. Weems. These are well written, starting at the beginning and with a good sense of humour. Have a look at “Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual” by Weems.
But if you are an absolute beginner you are probably better of by a well-designed complete DIY package from a speaker DIY supplier. You get at least a good feeling what it is all about by building the thing and it saves you a lot of frustrations by giving you at least a proper sounding speaker. Speaker building should be fun by it self, although hard working is part of the game.
The Basic & Advanced speaker building books (by Alden?) from Radio Shack might give you some of the background you need...but you will still have to be able to grasp the math -- or get into vintage full-range systems, then you can just say, if its a box, bigger is better (has to be solid too) and an open baffle is better but needs to be even bigger... then the math boils down to bigger 
dave
dave
A very excellent book that gives you an overview of the concepts is:
"Designing, Building, and Testing Loudspeakers", by David B. Weems.
It goes easy on the math, but you will have a firm idea of what is going on with loudspeaker design after you read it.
About the only fault with the book, at least with the edition that was around 20 years ago, was that he was not terribly enthusiastic about Transmission Line loudspeakers. Now that various equations have appeared since then to clear away much of the mystery, he has changed his opinion of them in later articles he has written. Whether he has gone back and updated his book, I don't know. I do know that there is a brand new, updated edition out.
But everything else about the book is clear and to the point. This is no mere collection of projects-the theory is there for you.
You will have a real knowledge of the basics of loudspeaker design after reading this.
If you don't want to buy it, the local library will either have it or get it for you in InterLibrary Loan. InterLibrary Loan means that any book that any library has in the USA is available to any other library in the USA as soon as they ask for it on the system. Nifty, huh?
"Designing, Building, and Testing Loudspeakers", by David B. Weems.
It goes easy on the math, but you will have a firm idea of what is going on with loudspeaker design after you read it.
About the only fault with the book, at least with the edition that was around 20 years ago, was that he was not terribly enthusiastic about Transmission Line loudspeakers. Now that various equations have appeared since then to clear away much of the mystery, he has changed his opinion of them in later articles he has written. Whether he has gone back and updated his book, I don't know. I do know that there is a brand new, updated edition out.
But everything else about the book is clear and to the point. This is no mere collection of projects-the theory is there for you.
You will have a real knowledge of the basics of loudspeaker design after reading this.
If you don't want to buy it, the local library will either have it or get it for you in InterLibrary Loan. InterLibrary Loan means that any book that any library has in the USA is available to any other library in the USA as soon as they ask for it on the system. Nifty, huh?
I saw Pjotr's reply only after I posted. I am glad he is an admirer of Weems' books, as I am.
I have read both of Weems' books, and while Great Sound Stereo Speaker Maual covers much the same ground as "Designing, Building, Testing...", I really do think that "Designing, Building...." covers the ground better. The "Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual" gives you a reduced amount of attention to the theory, and more attention on the projects. "Designing, Building, Testing..." spends more time on the theory, and less on the projects. Once you read the book, of course, you can design your own projects.
I have read both of Weems' books, and while Great Sound Stereo Speaker Maual covers much the same ground as "Designing, Building, Testing...", I really do think that "Designing, Building...." covers the ground better. The "Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual" gives you a reduced amount of attention to the theory, and more attention on the projects. "Designing, Building, Testing..." spends more time on the theory, and less on the projects. Once you read the book, of course, you can design your own projects.
Amazon search: Loudspeaker Design
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-1627832-8389451
1. Introduction to Loudspeaker Design
by John L. Murphy
2. Loudspeaker Design Cookbook
by Vance Dickason
3. Designing, Building, and Testing Your Own Speaker System with Projects
by David B. Weems
4. Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual
by David B. Weems, G. R. Koonce
5. Theory and design of loudspeaker enclosures
by J. E. Benson
6. The Audiophile Loudspeaker Anyone Can Build: Anyone Can Build
by Gene Healy
7. Electrostatic Loudspeaker Design Cookbook
by Roger Sanders
8. Loudspeaker Recipes: Book 1: Four Two-Way Systems
by Vance Dickason
9. Designing, Building and Testing Your Own Speaker System
by David B. Weems
10. Building Stereo Speakers: Plans, Parts, Tolls, Techniques
by Andy J. Wells
11. How to Build Your Own Stereo Speakers: Construction Applications, Circuits and Characteristics
by Robert Gordon Middleton
12. Designing, building & testing your own speaker system -- with projects
by David B. Weems
13. Electrostatic Loudspeaker: Design and Construction
by Ronald Wagner
15. Theory & Design of Loudspeaker Enclosures
by J. E. Benson
16. How to Design, Build and Test Complete Speaker Systems
by David B Weems
17. How to Build Your Own Stereo Speakers
by Christopher Robin
18. How to design, build, & test complete speaker systems
by David B. Weems
19. How to Design and Build Loudspeaker and Listening Enclosures
by Carolyn Davis, Don Davis
21. Advanced Speaker Designs for the Hobbyist & Technician
by Ray Alden
22. 21 Hi-Fi Stereo Speaker Cabinets You Can Build
by Christopher. Robin
23. Speaker Builders Loudspeaker Projects No 1: 19 Top Quality Designs You Can Build
by Audio Amateur Mazagine Staff
---------------------------------------------------------------------
What is hard to know wjich of these books are the right
for you. And which one to start with?
/halo - does not know
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-1627832-8389451
1. Introduction to Loudspeaker Design
by John L. Murphy
2. Loudspeaker Design Cookbook
by Vance Dickason
3. Designing, Building, and Testing Your Own Speaker System with Projects
by David B. Weems
4. Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual
by David B. Weems, G. R. Koonce
5. Theory and design of loudspeaker enclosures
by J. E. Benson
6. The Audiophile Loudspeaker Anyone Can Build: Anyone Can Build
by Gene Healy
7. Electrostatic Loudspeaker Design Cookbook
by Roger Sanders
8. Loudspeaker Recipes: Book 1: Four Two-Way Systems
by Vance Dickason
9. Designing, Building and Testing Your Own Speaker System
by David B. Weems
10. Building Stereo Speakers: Plans, Parts, Tolls, Techniques
by Andy J. Wells
11. How to Build Your Own Stereo Speakers: Construction Applications, Circuits and Characteristics
by Robert Gordon Middleton
12. Designing, building & testing your own speaker system -- with projects
by David B. Weems
13. Electrostatic Loudspeaker: Design and Construction
by Ronald Wagner
15. Theory & Design of Loudspeaker Enclosures
by J. E. Benson
16. How to Design, Build and Test Complete Speaker Systems
by David B Weems
17. How to Build Your Own Stereo Speakers
by Christopher Robin
18. How to design, build, & test complete speaker systems
by David B. Weems
19. How to Design and Build Loudspeaker and Listening Enclosures
by Carolyn Davis, Don Davis
21. Advanced Speaker Designs for the Hobbyist & Technician
by Ray Alden
22. 21 Hi-Fi Stereo Speaker Cabinets You Can Build
by Christopher. Robin
23. Speaker Builders Loudspeaker Projects No 1: 19 Top Quality Designs You Can Build
by Audio Amateur Mazagine Staff
---------------------------------------------------------------------
What is hard to know wjich of these books are the right
for you. And which one to start with?
/halo - does not know
Thanks Kelticwizard mentioning “Designing Building…” This is the book to start. Both books are somewhat supplementing each other.
When you are starting to build speakers it is always wise to start simple. The math for calculating a closed box is rather simple. Crossovers are even for the most experienced sometimes still a nightmare to get them right. The advantage of building a good ready designed DIY box is that it saves you the hassle to get the x-over right.
Here in Europe we have 2 excellent DIY speaker magazines “Klang & Ton” and “HifiHobby”. Both in German. No math, but a wealth of good designs.
When you are starting to build speakers it is always wise to start simple. The math for calculating a closed box is rather simple. Crossovers are even for the most experienced sometimes still a nightmare to get them right. The advantage of building a good ready designed DIY box is that it saves you the hassle to get the x-over right.
Here in Europe we have 2 excellent DIY speaker magazines “Klang & Ton” and “HifiHobby”. Both in German. No math, but a wealth of good designs.
Yes, I have heard many interesting references to Klang & Ton. I see that so much which advances the audio art is written in German.
This causes disquiet in me because I took two years of German in college, and have forgotten all of it except for one phrase: "Wo ist der Bahnhof?" This little phrase of German will, of course, do me no good except perhaps to transport me to a place where people speak English.
Years later, when I see all the juicy audio articles written in German, I wish I had paid attention in class and gone on to actually become fluent in the language, instead of forgetting it entirely. Oh, well.
This causes disquiet in me because I took two years of German in college, and have forgotten all of it except for one phrase: "Wo ist der Bahnhof?" This little phrase of German will, of course, do me no good except perhaps to transport me to a place where people speak English.
Years later, when I see all the juicy audio articles written in German, I wish I had paid attention in class and gone on to actually become fluent in the language, instead of forgetting it entirely. Oh, well.
I'm overwhelmed !!!
Thank you all so much for all of the suggestions. I will be going down to my local Powells books store tomorrow. I have had good luck finding a lot of titles there that were used in good condition. Everyone here is great. I am a guitar player, have been since 1967. I have built speaker cabs for my Fender, Sunn, Marshall and Matchless amps and others. That was really easy straight forward cabinet building. Mostly aopen backed box. Good sounding sounding 2 ways or three or open baffle or open baffle with wings or TL, like I said in my first post, it's electronics but it's also an art form in my mind.
I will take these suggestions to heart and I will learn as much as I can as fast as I can.
Again. Thank you all for your help!
I remember back when I was first building computers, if a person asked a quiestion like that, most of the answers would be Flame, flame,flame and I am so grateful it's not like that here.
Thank you all so much for all of the suggestions. I will be going down to my local Powells books store tomorrow. I have had good luck finding a lot of titles there that were used in good condition. Everyone here is great. I am a guitar player, have been since 1967. I have built speaker cabs for my Fender, Sunn, Marshall and Matchless amps and others. That was really easy straight forward cabinet building. Mostly aopen backed box. Good sounding sounding 2 ways or three or open baffle or open baffle with wings or TL, like I said in my first post, it's electronics but it's also an art form in my mind.
I will take these suggestions to heart and I will learn as much as I can as fast as I can.
Again. Thank you all for your help!
I remember back when I was first building computers, if a person asked a quiestion like that, most of the answers would be Flame, flame,flame and I am so grateful it's not like that here.
don`t worry - be persistent
When I first got hands on a technical book in English I was astonished how uncomplicated and without much math`s it can be possible to explain technical things in a manner that even a beginner can get a "feeling" how what works how basically.
about the math. thing:
For me, getting a "feeling" first was always more important than solving any formulas. You need some oversight first in order to know for what the formulars are and how to use them.
Although it may help sometimes it`s not necessary to understand all that derivative math.
Well, of course it is possible for instance to describe a BR-enclosure by math entirely but a small drawing of a spring/mass system says 1000-times more to me.
Once You have some basic understanding, for realizing own designs it`s enough IMO to know how to get away with the least possible amount of math.
Therefore You just have to figure out which formula You have to use (which is much less difficult than to understand why the quotation is how it is) and where You can find it. For the rest there are calculators.
And after all, particular speaker design also in todays times of high tech, computers and simulation, still is a rather empirical matter of trial and error and not so much a math. thing (compared to other fields).
IMO, understanding the math. is not first priority in DIY speaker design (not only not for a beginner).
Richard,
don`t let You be discouraged.
When I began to learn about DIY speakers more than 20 years ago I had just a small and very simple book (more or less it was the only about that topic at that time). Although it was that simple (as I see it from today) I did understand NOTHING. It was like Chinese to me but I read that book until it fell in parts actually.
So the maybe only valuable general advise I can give:
If You don`t understand the first time - don`t worry - be persistent - read it again and again and again (and just simply try out much!).
You`ll catch a thing here and another there. It`s like a puzzle - after a while fractions of the whole thing begin to make more and more sense and some of the rest You can guess then until You have the picture complete.
And with all the great books about DIY speakers, the internet and forums like this that there are nowadays, for sure You`ll learn much faster than I did.
Indeed this are truly excellent magazines (Hobby-Hifi meanwhile is far ahead of Klang&Ton IMO).
The two mentioned magazines are an exeption I think. Usually I find technical paperwork in German not only boring but hard to understand because mostly things are described on a very theoretical basis.
When I first got hands on a technical book in English I was astonished how uncomplicated and without much math`s it can be possible to explain technical things in a manner that even a beginner can get a "feeling" how what works how basically.
about the math. thing:
For me, getting a "feeling" first was always more important than solving any formulas. You need some oversight first in order to know for what the formulars are and how to use them.
Although it may help sometimes it`s not necessary to understand all that derivative math.
Well, of course it is possible for instance to describe a BR-enclosure by math entirely but a small drawing of a spring/mass system says 1000-times more to me.
Once You have some basic understanding, for realizing own designs it`s enough IMO to know how to get away with the least possible amount of math.
Therefore You just have to figure out which formula You have to use (which is much less difficult than to understand why the quotation is how it is) and where You can find it. For the rest there are calculators.
And after all, particular speaker design also in todays times of high tech, computers and simulation, still is a rather empirical matter of trial and error and not so much a math. thing (compared to other fields).
IMO, understanding the math. is not first priority in DIY speaker design (not only not for a beginner).
Richard,
don`t let You be discouraged.
When I began to learn about DIY speakers more than 20 years ago I had just a small and very simple book (more or less it was the only about that topic at that time). Although it was that simple (as I see it from today) I did understand NOTHING. It was like Chinese to me but I read that book until it fell in parts actually.
So the maybe only valuable general advise I can give:
If You don`t understand the first time - don`t worry - be persistent - read it again and again and again (and just simply try out much!).
You`ll catch a thing here and another there. It`s like a puzzle - after a while fractions of the whole thing begin to make more and more sense and some of the rest You can guess then until You have the picture complete.
And with all the great books about DIY speakers, the internet and forums like this that there are nowadays, for sure You`ll learn much faster than I did.
Cocolino:
I could not agree more with the second part of your post. A well-written technical article can use just a few basic formulas and explain them so they can be visualized, and the reader can grasp what is going on. Overwhelm the reader with formulas, and it becomes hard to understand.
I read David Weems first, then I got an Anthology on Loudspeaker articles from the Journal of the Audio Engineering Society. Having read Weems, I could follow most of the articles in Volume 1. These included such things as Thiele and Small's famous papers. I could follow those.
If I had not read Weems to get the basic idea, I could never have followed those papers.
When it comes to loudspeaker bass response in enclosures, once you understand the basic, fundamental relationship between Fs, Vas and Vb, (both in closed and vented boxes), then everything falls right into place.
I could not agree more with the second part of your post. A well-written technical article can use just a few basic formulas and explain them so they can be visualized, and the reader can grasp what is going on. Overwhelm the reader with formulas, and it becomes hard to understand.
I read David Weems first, then I got an Anthology on Loudspeaker articles from the Journal of the Audio Engineering Society. Having read Weems, I could follow most of the articles in Volume 1. These included such things as Thiele and Small's famous papers. I could follow those.
If I had not read Weems to get the basic idea, I could never have followed those papers.
When it comes to loudspeaker bass response in enclosures, once you understand the basic, fundamental relationship between Fs, Vas and Vb, (both in closed and vented boxes), then everything falls right into place.
an old thread, but probably deserves an update.
any new books out there?
I've found the best source for information... people at DIY speaker building events. These guys know and love the hobby. They've made the mistakes and learned from them.
www.zaphaudio.com is a great site. His projects give insight into how one goes about making a speaker.
I agree that LDC is a hard read... you have to have built a few speakers before you start getting the concepts.
any new books out there?
I've found the best source for information... people at DIY speaker building events. These guys know and love the hobby. They've made the mistakes and learned from them.
www.zaphaudio.com is a great site. His projects give insight into how one goes about making a speaker.
I agree that LDC is a hard read... you have to have built a few speakers before you start getting the concepts.
SY said:
I am a Maths teacher in Calculus, if one does not have at least the basic algebra skill it very difficult follow what you have suggested. Furthermore one needs both the will power and in addition preferably someone showing you the way or guide you. eg. Mr Ray Alden is one who teaches high students on speaker design.
In order to overcome the above one needs the motivation factor, is it sufficiently strong enough to overcome ones dificiencies in Algebra. That is the question.
Re: don`t worry - be persistent
To the guys pushing the "you must have math" retoric: you are taking an excessively hard-line stance. There are other ways to appreciate the mechanics of how speakers work without having to grapple with the mathematical models. Granted, once you know the math, looking at the formula you'll see that "it's all there" in front of you. But this is not the only way. Most modern speaker design programs have the math built-in, away from view. What is left is for the user to understand the effects of the different parameters.
Becoming a master at speaker building requires math.
Becoming a DIYer requires WinISD, SpeakerWorkshop and your buddies on the discussion forums!
To the guys pushing the "you must have math" retoric: you are taking an excessively hard-line stance. There are other ways to appreciate the mechanics of how speakers work without having to grapple with the mathematical models. Granted, once you know the math, looking at the formula you'll see that "it's all there" in front of you. But this is not the only way. Most modern speaker design programs have the math built-in, away from view. What is left is for the user to understand the effects of the different parameters.
Becoming a master at speaker building requires math.
Becoming a DIYer requires WinISD, SpeakerWorkshop and your buddies on the discussion forums!
Well, while you're at it, why bother learning to read? Pictures are good enough.
I'm not advocating that everyone immediately learn how to do conformal mapping or delve into Lie groups. But without the basic math tools (and I'm talking about a solid grounding in high school algebra and trigonometry, no more), and they are every bit as important as basic reading skills, your measurements and design decisions will more often than not lead you down some VERY bad paths. If you don't understand Fourier transforms (for instance), you'll believe all kinds of things that aren't true- the concepts of truncation, resolution, windowing, bins will all be foreign, the data you get will be misleading,. and you'll waste a lot of time trying to straighten out the bad design which results from blindly pushing buttons of a fancy software package.
It may be hard line of me, but trying to do an original speaker design without math is like trying to compose music without knowing what a scale is. If you're not willing to get the basic mental tools, stick to kits. Original designs ARE a challenge, and a hard enough one that most home designs have egregious flaws. Why go into a fight unarmed?
I'm not advocating that everyone immediately learn how to do conformal mapping or delve into Lie groups. But without the basic math tools (and I'm talking about a solid grounding in high school algebra and trigonometry, no more), and they are every bit as important as basic reading skills, your measurements and design decisions will more often than not lead you down some VERY bad paths. If you don't understand Fourier transforms (for instance), you'll believe all kinds of things that aren't true- the concepts of truncation, resolution, windowing, bins will all be foreign, the data you get will be misleading,. and you'll waste a lot of time trying to straighten out the bad design which results from blindly pushing buttons of a fancy software package.
It may be hard line of me, but trying to do an original speaker design without math is like trying to compose music without knowing what a scale is. If you're not willing to get the basic mental tools, stick to kits. Original designs ARE a challenge, and a hard enough one that most home designs have egregious flaws. Why go into a fight unarmed?
I've built 3 speakers without doing any math calculations beyond simple multiplication to calculate rough internal volume.
The speaker design spreadsheets (Unibox) and software is good enough today that you don't need to know much math to build a speaker.
You need woodworking skills over math skills.
And it will help if you have some test equipment.
Is there a book that's more comprehensive than Loudspeaker Design Cookbook? (Or at least has more legible charts)
I'd suggest www.zaphaudio.com has the goods you need.
Measurements on currently available drivers. A few good projects.
The speaker design spreadsheets (Unibox) and software is good enough today that you don't need to know much math to build a speaker.
You need woodworking skills over math skills.
And it will help if you have some test equipment.
Is there a book that's more comprehensive than Loudspeaker Design Cookbook? (Or at least has more legible charts)
I'd suggest www.zaphaudio.com has the goods you need.
Measurements on currently available drivers. A few good projects.
Math is hard for me. By the time I get halfway through a formula, I've forgotten what the variables were. Even after learning something and repeating it many times, a week later I have to completely re-learn it. That doesn't sound promising for somebody who does electronic design for a living! If it weren't for computers, I'd be in a completely different line of work. The trick for me is to slowly slog my way through the math, creating spreadsheets, and using lots of comments. That way I can triple check my work, and come back a few weeks (or months or years) later, and pick it back up very quickly. I keep a lot of math textbooks close at hand. As Homer Simpson said, "Brain, I don't like you and you don't like me, but we're going to do this." Math is essential for speaker design. IMO, having at least rudimentary equipment for measuring drivers and speaker response, is also essential. Good speakers are always a result of good calculations and good listening. Either one alone can't get the job done. I started out with Weems, followed by Loudspeaker Design Cookbook. The original Speaker Builder magazine articles by Bullock (I think) on T/S parameters were also very useful, almost required reading I'd say.
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