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1989-09-02
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SPEAKERTOOLS V1.0
Disclaimer: I do not warranty the correctness of the information
generated by this program, and I decline any
responsibility for any problems caused by the use of
this program or it's output.
Conditions: This is a shareware product, if you like it and use
it, I ask that you send me $25 for private users, or
$50 for commercial users. You can freely redistribute
this program as long as you include this
documentation with the program itself. Registered
users will get a new version with better graphics and
a better X-Over section offering different slopes and
active filter designs.
Introduction
This program is meant to help the hobbyist who builds and
designs his own loudspeakers. It allows you to design sealed and
vented types of enclosures, and will tell you the ideal
dimensions, frequency response and power output. It also allows
you to design crossover networks for 2 and 3 way speakers.
If you already know about loudspeaker design than this
program should be self explanatory. If you're just starting than
this document and the program itself will guide you through the
process of loudspeaker design.
This program uses the Small/Thiele approximations for
enclosure designs. If you notice any large discrepancy than
please advise me so I can correct them.
This was my first Amiga project and my first Modula 2
program. It required quite a bit of work but in the process I
learned a lob about programming the Amiga. If you have any
suggestions, comments or bug reports, please let me know so that
I can improve this program and make it more useful.
Setup
To run this program you should have the ARP (1.3) Library in
your libs: directory. Simply type "SpeakerTools" in the CLI or
double-click on the icon and the program will start, no arguments
required.
I suggest you use a separate directory for all your driver
data files. You can then use the "Set Path" item from the
settings menu to tell the program where to look for these files.
You can also change and save the default colours, I suggest
a light background with dark characters for best results.
This program looks for its defaults in a file called
Speakers.dflts in the S: directory. If it doesn't find this file
it will simply assume some settings of it's own. After you've
setup the program the way you want (Using the Settings menu), you
can save those settings by selecting "Save Settings" from the
Settings menu.
Project Menu
NEW : This menu item will clear from memory any data about a
specific driver (woofer) and allow you to start from scratch.
OPEN: This allows you to load a driver data file from disk.
This archive contains several files that can be used if you have
access to those drivers.
SAVE: This will save the current driver data to disk using
the current file name. If no file name exists then the program
will ask for one.
SAVE AS: This will ask for a name before saving the driver
data file, even if a name already exists.
Quit: Self explanatory. If there is an unsaved driver data
file in memory the program will ask if you want to save it first.
Functions Menu
VENTED BOX: This menu item allows you to design ported
loudspeaker enclosures. This type of enclosures is suitable for
drivers having a Qts (see glossary) between 0.2 and 0.5. You have
the choice to do an OPTIMUM or a FORCED design. Optimum will give
the best performance while forced allows you to tune the
enclosure to your own taste. If no driver file was loaded from
disk, the program will ask you for the driver data at this point.
If you don't have access to this data, see the "Find Params" menu
item. After you've entered all the data the program will display
a graph of the frequency response and the appropriate data,
including the enclosure volume and cutoff (-3dB) frequency.
From this screen you can RESIZE the enclosure to suit your
needs, PRINT this design (screen dump), ENCLOSURES will give you
the ideal dimensions (golden ratio : 0.6 x 1.0 x 1.6, these
dimensions include an extra 10 percent for internal bracing and
insulation and are only recommended), POWER OUTPUT will ask for
some more data(watts should be RMS) and give you a chart of power
levels at various frequencies, and VENT DESIGN will ask you for a
vent diameter and give you the proper length.
FORCED will do exactly the same thing except it will start
by asking for an enclosure volume and tuning frequency.
CLOSED BOX: This will allow you to design a closed (sealed)
enclosure. Drivers for this type of enclosure should have a Qts
of 0.3 or higher. This section works the same as the closed box
one except that the program will also ask you for a Qtc (see
glossary), Qtc should be between 0.5 and 2.0.
ENCLOSURES: This is exactly the same function as the one
available from the Closed and Vented design screens. It allows
you to find out the dimensions of an enclosure according to the
volume you provide.
VENTS: This is the same function as the one available from
the Vented design screen. It acts as a calculator, you enter a
box volume, a tuning frequency and a tube diameter, the program
will calculate the proper vent length.
X-OVERS: This will allow you to design a 2 or 3 way
crossover network with second order (Butterworth) slopes. It will
ask for the driver impedances and the crossover frequency(ies).
It will then draw a diagram with the proper values of capacitors
and inductors. Be sure to check the proper polarity on the
drivers. From this screen you can try another design or send this
one to the printer (screen dump).
FIND PARAMS: This will allow you to find the driver
parameters when you don't already have them. To do this you will
need a VOM, an audio frequency generator and a test enclosure.
You will be asked for the driver's DC resistance (use the VOM),
the free air resonance (frequency at which the impedance is
highest), the frequency at which the impedance equals the
calculated Z below and above the free air resonance, the volume
of your test box (sealed) and the resonance frequency with the
driver mounted in the box. The program will then display all the
calculated data. You are now offered the choice to SAVE this as a
driver data file for later use, PRINT the data, start all over
AGAIN or QUIT.
UTILITIES MENU
GLOSSARY: This will bring up a window with a glossary of
loudspeaker design terms. You can keep this window in the
background and refer to it when needed.
CALCULATOR: This one will translate between cubic feet and
liters or between inches and centimeters. Simply enter the proper
value in the appropriate gadget and you will get the converted
value in the other gadget. Clicking on the MODE gadget will
toggle between volume and length units. This runs as a separate
task and can be kept in the background at all times.
SETTINGS MENU
SET UNITS: this will allow you to chose between the METRIC
and ENGLISH modes. Unless you then select the SAVE SETTINGS item
the program will revert to it's default setting on the next run.
SET COLOURS: this will bring up a colour palette allowing
you to change the screen's colours. Again, unless you then select
SAVE SETTINGS the program will revert to it's default colours on
the next run.
SET PATH: This allows you to select the path for your driver
files directory. You should than save this path by using the SAVE
SETTINGS option.
SAVE SETTINGS: See above if you don't already know how to
use this.
INFO MENU
ABOUT: this is self explanatory.
CONCLUSION
I realise this constitutes a very short documentation, but
it's all I found time to write for and english is not my mother
tongue.
Please send me any bug reports and comments or leave me an
EMAIL on CompuServe (76056,1655)
Here's a registration form for your convenience:
----------------------------------------------------------------
SpeakerTools V1.0 Registration Form
Last name:____________________ First name:______________________
Address:________________________________________________________
City:_________________________ Prov/State:___ Country:__________
Postal code/ZIP:_______ Phone:(___)-___-____
Comments:_______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Send to:
Sylvain Duford
14103-114 Street
Edmonton,Alberta
Canada, T5X-1R6