Software tool for circuit diagrams?

CT_Ohio

CT_Ohio

Well-Known Member
I've done a bit of searching here and on the Net, and I'm not finding anything I like re: drawing up crossover circuits. Not planning on doing anything more complex than that. What are people here using to do it?
 
A really quick example, 5 minutes maybe, of Scheme-It drawing for basic 3-way 12dB/oct crossover. A few more minutes probably could have optimized layout.

crossover.png
 
"Speaker workshop" can do that but it's a complete software suite, perhaps too much to just draw the schematic, but it can do all kind of calculations and freq response graphs based on the drivers and crossover selected.
 
Thanks for all the ideas, folks. I won't have time this weekend to play with all of them, but Xsim might be the first one I use; small, simple. There's a lot going on in Scheme-It!

Didn't see a live link for Speaker Workshop; there's a SourceForge repository page, but no files there.
 
elnaldo said:
The software was developed by "audua", but it seems the site is not functional http://www.audua.com/

I have it installed in other computer, I can upload the installer to my Dropbox, for sure somebody will find it useful.

Edited: please check if this works : http://downloads.informer.com/speaker-workshop/
Click to expand...

Thanks for locating a copy of that software. It installs, but appears to have a problem with more recent Windows registries (message about not being able to edit the registry), which is probably where it is trying to store preferences/settings/etc. Tested on Windows 7 and Windows 10. So for now I will move forward with some other programs mentioned here.
 
I use it with a linux computer, but I've read it doesn't work in recent Windows versions. Try it when you need to do complex operations. It can load driver's data, parameters you measured, and caculate all kind of things for the drivers you select. It has already many drivers in a database.
 
Totally forgot LTSpice draw schematic also. I use it a lot, it's easy to learn, very useful to look at the result before you build the circuit. In fact I am in the middle of doing some serious simulation on new designs. Also I am simulating the Bryston amp to see how it behaves.
 
They have both LTSpice IV and VII, of cause VII is newer, I am still using IV. If it works, why change far as I concern. But you should get the VII. It definitely much easier to use than those schematic capture tool with layout.

You are going to have fun using this, there is a Yahoo Group for LTSpice: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/LTspice/info

You can ask question and people are very nice. You'll be having a ball simulating the crossover network. I designed my amp on this before I even put it on pcb. I am on another thread in choosing a power amp, I actually put the circuit of Bryston amp into LTSpice and simulated it yesterday.
 
Pencil and paper for the first 2 or 3 iterations. I know this seems fuddy duddy, but after 30 years of engineering and design, the physical act helps me think.
 
TudorTurtle said:
Pencil and paper for the first 2 or 3 iterations. I know this seems fuddy duddy, but after 30 years of engineering and design, the physical act helps me think.
Click to expand...
+1 on this. I always scribble on paper first, it's a different way of looking at things. Drawing with the software is the last step.

ha ha, correction.
1) Lay in bed, form a picture in my head.
2) Scribble on paper to debug and modify.
3) If everything makes sense, then draw on the software.
4) Problem persist, back to step 1.
 
Alan0354 said:
+1 on this. I always scribble on paper first, it's a different way of looking at things. Drawing with the software is the last step.

ha ha, correction.
1) Lay in bed, form a picture in my head.
2) Scribble on paper to debug and modify.
3) If everything makes sense, then draw on the software.
4) Problem persist, back to step 1.
Click to expand...

That sounds like me when I'm drawing up a woodworking project. But I've been doing it that way for years. The electronic stuff I'm just starting on, so I figured why not start with the drawing tools from the beginning. And because I used SketchUp for a wood project, and it was pretty handy.

I tried LTSpice (version XVII is what's on their download page), and it's a neat program; took about an hour to find my way around and get a graph with the circuit. Couldn't find a speaker icon (?) so put a resistor at the end of the crossover for each output. Being able to graph component formulae is powerful stuff. I still need to learn the implications of phase in these designs.

Looks like EasyEDA will be next in my test queue.
 
I think you should stay with LTSpice, all the other tools might be easier, but will not give you a simulated response. You use that to shape your crossover.

Next, you need to learn to put in equivalent circuit of a speaker rather than just a resistor. You can start by using a general model of a speaker....that is an inductor in series with a resistor, then both in parallel with a capacitor. Go online and search for equivalent models of speaker. This will get you closer to the true response of the crossover.

I am using LTSpice almost every day lately for designing and look at the result. It is a very useful tool to give you a starting point.( don't depend on the result 100%, just a starting point.)
 
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