What speaker and crossover designing software is good

[mrappe]

What is good to buy or use? Built some speakers years ago without the aid of software and would like to try using some with. The only book i have is an old one that I have had for years "Hi-fi Loudspeakers & Enclosures" by Abraham B. Cohen that was published in like 1968. What is a good book also?


Thank You

 

[mikejennens]

This is a good place to start. There is a lot of support on the Parts Express tech talk forum.

jbagby

Mike

 

[fatmarley]

Loudspeaker Design Cookbook - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[gornir]

Hi mrappe,

You can never go wrong with the following suggestions, but if you are dedicated in your hobby, be prepared to do a 1500-3000$ investment in software and measurement equipment.

Measurement software:

• Clio
• Arta
• HolmImpulse (free and very easy to use)
• Dayton WT3 tester (fast and easy to use for T/S parameters and impedance)

Cross-over simulation software:

• LspCAD (user friendly and easy to use)
• SoundEasy (not so user friendly, but powerful)

You will also need some good calibrated measurement microphone like:

• Earthworks (very good measurement michrophones)
• ibf-acoustic EMM-8cal (very good price/performance ratio)

A good low distortion soundcard with ASIO drivers like:

• M-audio Audiophile 24/96 or 24/192
• M-audio USB Transit (for mobile measurements)

A good michrophone pre-amplifier like:

• Berhinger Xenyx 802
• ibf-acoustic MP1-r

But before even thinking of investing in a lot of tools and equipment, buy and read some loudspeaker design books like:

• Loudspeaker design cookbook (Vance Dickason)
• Testing Loudspeakers (Joseph D'Appolito)

Good luck and velcome to the greatest hobby of all!

Regards

/Göran

 

[sreten]

Hi,

undefinition (see if nothing else, the excellent FAQs)
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=219617
Zaph|Audio
Zaph|Audio - ZA5 Speaker Designs with ZA14W08 woofer and Vifa DQ25SC16-04 tweeter
FRD Consortium tools guide
Designing Crossovers with Software Only
RJB Audio Projects
Jay's DIY Loudspeaker Projects
Speaker Design Works
HTGuide Forum - A Guide to HTguide.com Completed Speaker Designs.
A Speaker project
DIY Loudspeaker Projects Troels Gravesen
Humble Homemade Hifi
Quarter Wavelength Loudspeaker Design
The Frugal-Horns Site -- High Performance, Low Cost DIY Horn Designs
Linkwitz Lab - Loudspeaker Design
Music and Design

Great free SPICE Emulator : SPICE-Based Analog Simulation Program - TINA-TI - TI Tool Folder

Lots of information to ingest and its all free.

rgds, sreten.

 

[KSTR]

Visaton's BoxSim is a premium freeware choice for CAE/Simulation, when you limit yourself to Visaton drivers (they do have excellent ones in various regards).
Together with HolmImpulse + calibrated Mic you can get excellent results at pretty much lowest possible cost and with quite a good chance of instant success.

 

[Inductor]

Visaton's BoxSim is a premium freeware choice for CAE/Simulation, when you limit yourself to Visaton drivers (they do have excellent ones in various regards).

Imports FRD-ZMA files.

 

[DennyG]

What is good to buy or use?

Speaker Workshop has some useful features. Old website, some links are broken but the software can still be downloaded.

Speaker Workshop

 

[Tolik]

Also check LinearX Systems Inc - Products
this software designed for industry proffesionals, so it not quite simple. Y`ll need to spend some time to learn it, but it has almost all, if not all what you need to design all kind of filters.

 

[john k...]

Just like to point out the SoundEasy has an extensive measurement suite as well as design software. It's all in one. Jeff B's software is Excel based. Ravid Ralph has developed a version of Jeff's software that is , I believe, .net based and does not require Excel. Of the free measurement software HOLM Impulse is very good but has few options.

 

[Zero D]

Hi, for software i would recommend WinISD - Free I made a thread so beginners etc could use it quickly & easily http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/subwoofers/148729-how-correctly-use-winisd.html

The new version is here http://www.linearteam.org/download/winisd-07x.exe

Have fun

 

[Neil Davis]

PSD-Lite

Try this one:

PSD-Lite

The specification sheet is here: http://www.audiodevelopers.com/Software/PSD_Lite_spec_sheet.htm

This program is the core set of tools for an evolving integrated design suite for both passive and active designs. This core set of tools is free.

 

[tkollen]

I have tried several of the crossover design software (incl. Linearx Leap 5) proposed in this thread. However I still prefer the old Calsod that I now have to run in a dos box under windows 7. With Calsod I have unlimited flexibility in how I want to design and optimize a network, something other packages (especially Leap) don't have. That is to me worth more than an impressive windows based interface.

 

[Dave Bullet]

Speakerworkshop. Brilliant interface well at least from my perspective

 

[DavidL]

I have tried several of the crossover design software (incl. Linearx Leap 5) proposed in this thread. However I still prefer the old Calsod that I now have to run in a dos box under windows 7. With Calsod I have unlimited flexibility in how I want to design and optimize a network, something other packages (especially Leap) don't have. That is to me worth more than an impressive windows based interface.

I too still use Calsod along with LAUD and various other software. The ability to let Calsod optimize the crossover and to change what to optimize is great. That 2 volume print out of the manual is a real tree and ink killer though

 

[darkmatter]

Another vote for WinISD for box design

Any other current crossover design software recommendations both free and bought?

 

[giralfino]

Another vote for WinISD for box design

Frankly I find Unibox way better.

XSim is a good choice for crossover simulations, developed by a forum member: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/259865-xsim-free-crossover-designer.html

Ralf

 

[darkmatter]

Frankly I find Unibox way better.

XSim is a good choice for crossover simulations, developed by a forum member: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/259865-xsim-free-crossover-designer.html

Ralf

Thanks for that I will take a look at Unibox and the link below it

Regards

Simon

 

[Pano]

Unibox and Xsim to boxes and crossovers. REW, HOLMImpulse or ARTA for measurement.
Voila, you're ready to make good speakers.

 

[DDF]

Unibox and Xsim to boxes and crossovers. REW, HOLMImpulse or ARTA for measurement.
Voila, you're ready to make good speakers.

Don't forget a good baffle diffraction simulator! Better to sim twice, cut wood once.

I still use Paul V's ancient FRD BDC tool. Comparing free tools, I still trust it's sims the most (based on my own comparisons to anechoic measures). Others are available that are much easier to use though.