Speaker Design Software Recommendations [Archive]

SMKSoundPro

01-21-2006, 08:45 PM

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am looking for some advice on loudspeaker design software. I am fairly computer literate and have built speakers for the past 25 years. I mainly work in Pro Sound Reinforcement for nightclubs and the like. I am an avid woodworker and engineer and have a vast selection of various JBL vintage components. I have a been JBL recone tech for 20 years and really love to look at this forum.

This is my first post...so please be kind!

SMKSoundPro in Anchorage, Alaska.

boputnam

01-21-2006, 08:55 PM

"Please be kind..."

HA!! You sir, are likely a renegade from ProSound Web. They take no prisoners there, boy howdy. Here, we are a quite a bit more civil. Rest assured... :p

On the software, there's two we use a great deal.
- One is freeware: WinISD - check it out, here: http://www.linearteam.dk/, and make a donation to them if you see fit.
- Another is BassBoxPro - check it out here: http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&DID=7&WebPage_ID=3 PartsExpress is one of our favored sources.

Both packages contain databases of Thiele-Small parameters for most every driver you might be considering. As well, if you're modelling something with a JBL tranducer in it, use the Search function here, with some inventive strings, and you might find some very intersting DIY stuff.

As well, there are quite a number of real network (crossover) gurus here - so if you're looking for ideas or wanna share some, it'll all be good.

btw, what are you planning...? :hmm:

SMKSoundPro

01-21-2006, 08:58 PM

I just tried WInisd, and found it to be ok. I was looking for something more comprehensive in the vented enclosure that gives a easier to understand porting and venting. I still use "Speaker Builing" book by Weems, 1978.

yggdrasil

01-22-2006, 02:24 AM

If you download and try WinISD Pro you will find it has several options for tuning the vented box. QB3 Quasi butterworth, BB4/SBB4 (super) boom box, C4/SC4 (sub) chebychev, EBS3 Extended bass shelf -3 dB, EBS6 Extended bass shelf -6dB.

It's an Alpha version.

boputnam

01-22-2006, 11:11 AM

I was looking for something more comprehensive in the vented enclosure that gives a easier to understand porting and venting. BBPro would be worth a try. But, far as I know, it does not come as a "trial" package.

johnaec

01-22-2006, 12:32 PM

Harris also make BassBox Lite for substantially less. You can look up the differences at their website: http://www.ht-audio.com/

John

Flodstroem

01-23-2006, 03:58 AM

Hi SMKSoundPro

I have found this site very useful covering every speaker design you could imaging to build, ok, nearly the all, as TL (and similar), ported, horns (different types), sealed, etc.... and all calculation take advantage and corrects for the drivers placing on a baffle.

http://www.quarter-wave.com/

Regards

whizzer

01-23-2006, 06:33 AM

There is also UniBox (Unified Box Model), by Kristian Ougaard, an Excel spread-sheet-based tool that seems fairly comprehensive. Just Google Unibox and see what you think of it.

duaneage

01-28-2006, 10:13 PM

I still use "Speaker Builing" book by Weems, 1978.

I have that book too. I also have the Loudspeaker Design Cookbook by Dickason, a pretty good reference book it is. WinIsd is a damn good program for most appplications. LEAP is on the very high end but it does everything. You don't need much to design ported and sealed boxes, hand calculator methods work too.
The network is the real challange. Calculated values are only starting points and you need some test equipment to get it right. I need to get an RTA to do what I try to do right.

tomp787

01-28-2006, 11:21 PM

Hello,

Here are some other software tools:

http://www.pvconsultants.com/audio/frdgroup.htm

Tom

Fred Ireson

02-02-2006, 09:39 AM

great freebie ARTA

http://www.fesb.hr/~mateljan/arta/

Uncle Paul

02-03-2006, 01:28 PM

Free crosover design tool:

http://www.aade.com/filter32/download.htm

Gives an ad the first 10 times you run it for their meter kit. After that it stops nagging.

hjames

03-11-2010, 02:07 PM

WinIsd is a damn good program for most appplications. LEAP is on the very high end but it does everything. You don't need much to design ported and sealed boxes, hand calculator methods work too.
The network is the real challenge. Calculated values are only starting points and you need some test equipment to get it right. I need to get an RTA to do what I try to do right.

Okay, so which RTA (Real Time Analyzer) software is worth having??

All my Macs are desktop machines - and a laptop is better ...

The only Win laptop I have is an old Compaq Presario 12XL400,
(It MUST be good, it has JBL Pro badge over the little built-in speakers!)
Its a "gift" from my ex-pastor when he left the area ...
and it was corrupted when I got it (WinME that had crashed)

I just wiped an old install of Win2k from it and installed WinXP ...

Well, its a bit older Laptop than I thought -
700mHz AMD processor, 64 meg mem, 10g HD ... no network that I can see ...
- its pretty darned slow running WinXP Pro -
I may need to step it back down to Win2000 or even Win98 (!))

Frankly, I don't see me buying a new Win laptop just for system testing ...

Loren42

03-11-2010, 03:57 PM

Okay, so which RTA software is worth having ... I'm currently wiping an old Windows ME Compaq Presario Laptop, and installing WinXP ...

It MUST be good, it has JBL Pro badge over the little built-in speakers!

HOLMImpulse (http://www.holmacoustics.com/holmimpulse.php)

It is free, too!

Worth following this thread (http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/144984-holmimpulse-measuring-frequency-impulse-response.html) on it as well.

RedCoat23

03-11-2010, 07:37 PM

Smith and Larson's Range of products

http://www.woofertester.com/

Woofer Tester 2
Speaker Tester
Woofer Tester Pro

...not to be confused with the one for sale on Part Express. Smith and Larson's product is a fully featured design tool.

Best feature is the ability to model your proposed network in software, run the audio signal through this to your speaker to see how it would sound, tweak it, then assemble the components.

Regards...

JuniorJBL

03-11-2010, 09:55 PM

I purchased the Speaker Tester and it is quite nice.:)

timc

03-11-2010, 11:31 PM

CLIO if you can afford it.

ARTA and Homimpule are both nice. However as far as i can see, Holm does not measure impedance.

TrueRTA is another cheap alternative

-Tim

jcrobso

03-12-2010, 09:25 AM

Okay, so which RTA (Real Time Analyzer) software is worth having??

All my Macs are desktop machines - and a laptop is better ...

The only Win laptop I have is an old Compaq Presario 12XL400,
(It MUST be good, it has JBL Pro badge over the little built-in speakers!)
Its a "gift" from my ex-pastor when he left the area ...
and it was corrupted when I got it (WinME that had crashed)

I just wiped an old install of Win2k from it and installed WinXP ...

Well, its a bit older Laptop than I thought -
700mHz AMD processor, 64 meg mem, 10g HD ... no network that I can see ...
- its pretty darned slow running WinXP Pro -
I may need to step it back down to Win2000 or even Win98 (!))

Frankly, I don't see me buying a new Win laptop just for system testing ...
W2K likes at least 128mb.

hjames

03-12-2010, 09:29 AM

W2K likes at least 128mb.

The laptop's max is apparently 320meg - its very OLD ...
but I CAN buy a 256 meg module for the laptop for about $60 ...
- I suspect the machine will run better with Win2k or Win98
than it does with XP - which is just T O O S L O W ...

JuniorJBL

03-12-2010, 09:46 AM

The laptop's max is apparently 320meg - its very OLD ...
but I CAN buy a 256 meg module for the laptop for about $60 ...
- I suspect the machine will run better with Win2k or Win98
than it does with XP - which is just T O O S L O W ...

With a max like that it sounds as though it has 64m on board or 2 memory slots.:dont-know

hjames

03-12-2010, 10:30 AM

With a max like that it sounds as though it has 64m on board or 2 memory slots.:dont-know

Its a Compaq - the HP website says it has 1 mem slot - but it LOOKS like 1 memory slots when I opened each of the two access plates underneath ...
256 + 64 = 320 makes perfect sense, thanks!

I've already got various legit Win OS CDs - but I just want to figure if I can run any reasonable Spectrum analyzer tools on this old machine before I drop any cash on upgrading the memory ...

Loren42

03-12-2010, 10:49 AM

hjames

03-12-2010, 12:04 PM

FuzzMeasure Pro (http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/FuzzMeasure/) runs on Mac OS X if you want an alternative.

Well, I have 3 mac minis in the house (2 intel, 1 old G4), no Os X laptop ...
my old 2.2gHz win 2k Tower, and this ancient Compaq notebook.

If I can get this laptop to work as a test tool, its saving it from the trashpile - a good thing!

JuniorJBL

03-12-2010, 12:08 PM

Its a Compaq - the HP website says it has 1 mem slot - but it LOOKS like 1 memory slots when I opened each of the two access plates underneath ...
256 + 64 = 320 makes perfect sense, thanks!

I've already got various legit Win OS CDs - but I just want to figure if I can run any reasonable Spectrum analyzer tools on this old machine before I drop any cash on upgrading the memory ...

Running w2k should do just fine. It has way better memory management vs w98-se.
Zilch is running his CLIO on a w2k box I made for him. The only issue I could see for your machine would be, It's most likely USB 1.1. You should be able to find a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card for it. If that was all you used it for it should perform well. Put w2k sp4 and leave it off the Internet.;)

hjames

03-12-2010, 03:25 PM

Running w2k should do just fine. It has way better memory management vs w98-se.
Zilch is running his CLIO on a w2k box I made for him. The only issue I could see for your machine would be, It's most likely USB 1.1. You should be able to find a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card for it. If that was all you used it for it should perform well. Put w2k sp4 and leave it off the Internet.;)

Ok, thanks for that tip!
I came home tonight, wiped XP off the drive, and am installing Win2k Pro.

I also won a PCMCIA USB2 card on ebay for $13.50 ...

I'll hold off on the memory upgrade for a bit.
It needs a new battery, too - but runs fine off the power adapter ...

lgvenable

03-12-2010, 05:30 PM

Smith and Larsen used to sell Woofer Testers through parts express, but they had a falling out. Then the millionaire who owns PE, stole their design, and it is still sold as woofer tester 3.

I knew the smith half who was an engineer at Texas Instruments when I was a lithography engineer as well in the 80's

The WF2 is a great product that they have supported for years. Parts Express WF3 is a ripoff on their ideas...directly from the "smith" half, cant remember his first name, but we remembered each other from the old days at TI.

It's a small world....

JuniorJBL

03-12-2010, 10:28 PM

Ok, thanks for that tip!
I came home tonight, wiped XP off the drive, and am installing Win2k Pro.

I also won a PCMCIA USB2 card on ebay for $13.50 ...

I'll hold off on the memory upgrade for a bit.
It needs a new battery, too - but runs fine off the power adapter ...

I would not woory about the battery they are normaly $150 or better. Great job on the card.:applaud:

JuniorJBL

03-12-2010, 10:30 PM

Brian and Keith are both very nice guys. Great products as well. They will certainly go to great lengths to help.;)

Smith and Larsen used to sell Woofer Testers through parts express, but they had a falling out. Then the millionaire who owns PE, stole their design, and it is still sold as woofer tester 3.

I knew the smith half who was an engineer at Texas Instruments when I was a lithography engineer as well in the 80's

The WF2 is a great product that they have supported for years. Parts Express WF3 is a ripoff on their ideas...directly from the "smith" half, cant remember his first name, but we remembered each other from the old days at TI.

It's a small world....

hjames

03-14-2010, 02:38 AM

Okay, last night I installed Windows 2000 Professional.
The notebook doesn't have a network connector, just a modem (!) so I'm not going online with it.
It does have a USB connector so I can download stuff on my Mac and use my flash drive to install it ...

I did some searching and downloaded TrueRTA - its a portable Real Time Analyzer
(and signal generator and a bunch of stuff) all in one - http://www.trueaudio.com/

The basic package is freeware, but if you pay nominal fees, you can turn on higher sensitivity ...

1 Octave FREE! 1/3 Octave $39.95 1/6 Octave $69.95 1/24 Octave $99.95

Anyway, it looks ok - kinda tight on the 800x600 laptop screen, but maybe I can go higher ...
- I'll check it out today or later this week as time allows ...

demon

03-14-2010, 03:08 AM

hey heather!

if trueRTA is too limited for you, try ARTA (http://www.fesb.hr/~mateljan/arta/), wich got mentioned earlier. the free version is the same as the full version, only that you cant save any results to files. i think its great, though its quite complicated too.

have fun!
mikey

JuniorJBL

03-14-2010, 08:08 AM

Robh3606

03-14-2010, 08:51 AM

Cool Heather!
Keep us updated:D

Get the free version first to make sure it works on your PC with your sound card.

Rob:)

Rudy Kleimann

06-12-2010, 04:16 PM

I've been working with WinISD PRO (Alpha) for a week or so, and recently discovered what appears to be an error or anomaly, unless I jost don't understand something here. I am confused about the substantial differences I am seeing "Transfer Function Magnitude" graphs vs. the "SPL" graphs.

WinISD Help says this is what you want most of the time, but I don't understand what the "Transfer Function Magnitude" graph is showing me OR why it is so different than the "SPL" graph. They are not showing me the same curve.

I've read through the help and instruction files thoroughly, but if the explanantion is there, I just missed it.:blink:

I'm looking for total SPL output of the cabinet into 1/2-space (which is default reference if I understand correctly).

So, what exactly is "Transfer Function Magnitude" graph showing me?

FWIW, I understand voltage drive, phase relationships, power and
Xmax on the graphs, and group delay, so techically-oriented answers are preferred.

Any help would be appreciated!

yggdrasil

06-12-2010, 06:07 PM

My understanding is that the SPL graph is the predicted absolute response to 1W/2.83V, while the Transfer function magnitude shows response relative to the driver's sensitivity, also at 1W/2.83V.

Rudy Kleimann

06-13-2010, 10:55 AM

My understanding is that the SPL graph is the predicted absolute response to 1W/2.83V, while the Transfer function magnitude shows response relative to the driver's sensitivity, also at 1W/2.83V.

I understood that part, but the shapes of the curves were different.

However, I started from scratch today, and can't duplicate this "oddity", so I don't know what was going on :blink: when I first found the problem a few days ago...

Could've been "Operater Error":o:

yggdrasil

06-13-2010, 11:39 AM

Could've been "Operater Error":o:
Not likely, this Alpha version have some glitches. You allways want to recheck it by entering the design data from scratch into a new clean project just to be sure.

Loren42

06-13-2010, 11:56 AM

From what I can read from various sources, the Transfer Magnitude Function (TMF) allows a relative comparison of the lower frequency spectrum between a reference and your currently modeled enclosure. However, I don't think it is simply a delta between two SPL curves.

The idea is to allow you to compare two different designs or alignments (one being the reference) and determine the width and amplitude of response peaks.

It would not surprise me that the SPL graph for the current model would be very different than the TMF graph, depending on what is selected for the reference.

Rudy Kleimann

06-13-2010, 12:26 PM

Not likely, this Alpha version have some glitches. You allways want to recheck it by entering the design data from scratch into a new clean project just to be sure.

I feel a little better...
I have noticed a few "Quirks" about the program myself.

LOREN- if a comparison is what I was looking at, I don't know how I set it up. I do know that I can graph several driver/box projects simultaneously.

How would I go about setting up such a comparison?