The best books to buy on speaker design and construction

[steevo]

Hi I am looking to buy a good book on speaker design and construction, and I am a beginner with regard to this subject, can anyone suggest any good books to buy on speaker theory, design, and construction. Ultimatley I would like the build an active 2 way speaker.

Thanks
Steevo

[richie00boy]

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook by Vance Dickason.

[KLBIrd]

While Vance Dickason's book is a great technical bible on speakers, the raw beginner would be better served with these books by David B. Weems. Most are now out of print but can still be found on Amazon. "The Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual" and "Designing, Building and Testing Your Own Speakers System" Both are TAB Books published in 1990. They are out of print but you can still find them on Amazon or Ebay.

Also a subscription to Audio Xpress magazine is vital if you want to learn speaker building.They now offer both a hard copy magazine and an on line version. audioXpress - Home

Weems published his first speaker project in 1954, followed by many more over a 50 year period. He led the way in showing the non-technical how to acheive good sound by DIY projects. At age 89, he is still and doing speaker project research in his Missouri lab.

[Conrad Hoffman]

I started with the Weems book way back when Radio Shack carried it. The next big revelation was the T&S article published by Speaker Builder magazine, I think back in the '80s. Highly recommended if you can find it. After that I got Dickason's book. No doubt the latest edition has a lot more in it than my old one. With the measurement capabilities offered by soundcards and software today, you can do a lot better job than anybody did a couple decades ago. OTOH, I think there were more good quality drivers available for home use back when Dynaudio was selling them, than there are today. Lots of drivers intended for automotive use, but exceptional choices for the living room seem to be scarce and the prices are higher than I have any desire to pay.

Conrad

[SY]

VITAL that you understand how to measure in order to get correct data inputs into your design and to see if you're hitting your targets. So with any other instructional stuff you read, you need to get d'Appolito's book.

Amazon.com: Testing Loudspeakers (9781882580170): Joseph D'Appolito: Books

[Inductor]

Originally Posted by steevo

Hi I am looking to buy a good book on speaker design and construction, and I am a beginner with regard to this subject, can anyone suggest any good books to buy on speaker theory, design, and construction. Ultimatley I would like the build an active 2 way speaker.

Thanks
Steevo

Sure (some of the above included).
Book List

[KLBIrd]

Most of Dave's projects contained no measurement stats. In the early days of DIY measurement equipment and the required skills were not available to the average individual. It was trial and error, using some of the available tables on reflex systems as a guide. Today the beginner can get access to better measuring tools via computers. During my enginering career, I learned that accurate measurement did not necessarily produce a good sounding loudspeaker. Speaker building is both science and art and the art arena is what usually separates the good from the bad. If it sounds good it is good, no matter how it may measure.

[c2cthomas]

Originally Posted by Inductor

Sure (some of the above included).
Book List

Whaaaat? Is that all????

Great list - That had to take awhile to put together!!!

[Mooly]

As well as modern texts don't overlook,
The Why and How of Good Reproduction - book description

if you can get a copy

[planet10]

Don't know if it was that one, but i did just finish reading a Biggs volume. Quite eye-opening.

The AES Loudspeaker Anthologies have lots of good stuff in them.

dave