I think it depends on what you consider "model" to mean in this context. Vituix is predominantly for crossover simulation, but there are a bunch of other included design tools that can be employed. the only completely synthetic modelling is with ideal pistons of a given size and shape on flat baffles that can be tilted, enclosure simulations or traced data.
You can measure each driver in the Synergy separately in the far field from the same point 0 to 180 Horizontally and Vertically (if it is asymmetric) with ARTA or REW (making sure you follow the naming convention) and then use that to see each drivers polar response individually which will include throat reflections and mouth terminations. You can then add crossovers and see how they affect all the angles at the same time.
If you measure only in the far field from a single position and keep the positions for all drivers at 0,0,0 X,Y,Z Vituix will show you what you have at all angles.I've been under the assumption Vituix is meant for flat baffles/mounting surfaces. And that it wouldn't be able to hold up for off synergy work.
It would be awesome to learn if i'm wrong about this
Baffle related information is expected to be in the measurements before you come to the placement options in the crossover designer. Placements are only used for the purpose of direct adding along each axis as it goes, without regard to a baffle.
Thx fluid, by model I mean in the likes of Hornresp, which i take to be more about simulating acoustic designs, than xovers. If Vituix could do both, I would certainly jump all in.
I do measure each driver's raw polars in the far-field. Then it's pretty easy to simply visualize the roll-offs and at what frequency the drivers would best merge.
Steep lin phase xovers allow me to use whatever that frequency is, with very good mag and phase summation.
I can get truly excellent listening window results, say out to +/-30 degrees, but polars will degrade some after that,
I've sometimes played with low order IIR crossovers to see if phase rotations could be used to extend the range of excellent polars. So far, I can't even get listening window transfers to behave nearly as nicely as with the steep lin phase. So I guit, because the IIR attemps take too much effort without looking promising.
Hence my interest in Vituix.
Thx AllenB, it's hard for me to visualize how the various driver sizes, and then their port sizes and placements could be mapped onto a flat baffle.
You wouldn't do that. VC is geared up for crossovers. It takes (eg measured) driver/baffle data, and allows you to move that around in space without recalibrating that baffle data. (Perhaps because others use it to view the interactions between two drivers as they are moved around, it's easy to read more into what is going on than actually is.)
What you're asking is the job of a different kind of simulator. You'd build your horn and then measure it, and this is what VC works with.
What you're asking is the job of a different kind of simulator. You'd build your horn and then measure it, and this is what VC works with.
Then no, Vituix cannot do that sort of modelling.
This is what it would be useful for, you could see the effect of the filters on all angles simultaneously, and try various options to find the best one.
You cannot do this, the synergy horn would have to be measured as separate drivers but all placed at the same point as the phase relationships are already in the measurements. You could add your sub in by measuring on the central axis of the driver, that would then allow you to virtually move the sub around in relation to the horn top.
Any time you want to move a drivers position in the simulator you need to have followed the measurement instructions carefully if you want the simulation to be accurate.
Gotcha. That's what i started realizing while reading the Vituix manual.
I've got a new outdoor far-field test bed in progress.....more reflection free, and hopefully more steady/precise than anything to date.
I'll take a careful set of measurements for playing with in Vituix. Will try to learn it over the winter.
As easy and excellent as the steep linear phase xovers work, it would be awesome if some other xover setup shows simulated improvements....waiting to be verified when spring returns!
Yep, you and fluid are both telling me the same thing...that for a synergy, Vituix can work with a set of polar measurements, but not with further physical attributes.
Thx guys.