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Suggestions for speaker building goodies...

M

MarkAnderson

Addicted Member
So I finally got myself a decent computer at the house. I've kinda had an interest in speaker building for a while - I've even tried my hand at it a time or two with basically crappy results. Anyway, I'd like to buy some speaker design software, a suitable sound card, maybe a woofer tester, etc. What are you DIY-ers using? BTW, money is DEFINITELY an object - as in, I ain't got a whole lot. Thoughts? - Mark
 
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I use WinISD for box modeling and design, comes with a nice built in database of drivers (but may not be 100% accurate), lets you easily manipulate design parameters and simulate results and the price is right - free.

Speakerworkshop is a complete suite of design software and actual measurement tools which appears to do it all on the surface (even crossovers) but I have yet to delve into this one. Appears pretty complicated but with the addition of a test mic, mic amp, cables, a test jig (DIY plans available) and your computer, this might be the cat's ass for scratch building and actual testing. Price is right for the software as well - free.

I've rounded up the parts for the jig (bit of a pain getting the specified resistors) and hope to get building it soon. I bought a Behringer 8000 test mic and a mic amp off ebay so the jig, a mic stand and a cable or 2 are all I need to get started. I'll post a thread on building the jig and wading through set-up and use when I make some progress.
 
MarkAnderson said:
Anyway, I'd like to buy some speaker design software, a suitable sound card, maybe a woofer tester, etc.
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Mark,

Did you end up down-loading/buying any software?
 
Mark,

Speaker Workshop is an outstanding program for designing crossovers, and it's free! I used it to design the crossovers for a pair of diy speakers posted here last year. Search this forum under "klipsch meets jbl" to see the design.

The software is complicated - it took several weeks to master. Also, I built the jigs for testing impedance, and that took some time. But the results are great. I tested a large variety of drivers with known impedance curvers just to get some confidence in the measurements. The software was right on with the manufacturers published curves. I highly recommend this software, but it does take time and patience.

I used several freebee programs to calculate the box volume, including abacus. All of the freebee programs came up with the same dimensions for the box given the driver data, so that's what I used to build the boxes. Something like WinISD may be better at this, but I was happy with the results I got.

Mark
 
Billfort said:
Mark, I may be bugging you in the future about Speaker Workshop if that's ok.
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Bill,

No problem. I was really impressed by what this could do with a soundcard. I had plans of building a test fixture using a DAC card, but this freebee software with a Soundblaster Audigy provides unbelievably good results. The coolest thing was to be able to measure the impedance curves, and then model a crossover and simulate what it would do to the curve for zobels, traps, etc. When I built the circuits and measured them, they were pretty close to my simulated results. If ever they decide to charge for this program, it is one I would buy.

Mark
 
Cloth Ears said:
Mark,

Did you end up down-loading/buying any software?
Click to expand...

I haven't yet, been really busy at work the last couple o' weeks and just haven't made time to fool with it. Thanks for all the good tips, guys. Is there a specific soundcard I should be looking at for this type of thing?

Markus111 - About these impedance testing jigs - where can I find info on that? - Mark
 
I believe the impedance test jig Mark is referring too is the Eric Wallin jig (the one I'm building).

The link on the Speaker Workshop site is dead but you can find all kinds of info about it here on Wallin's site.
 
Billfort said:
I believe the impedance test jig Mark is referring too is the Eric Wallin jig (the one I'm building).

The link on the Speaker Workshop site is dead but you can find all kinds of info about it here on Wallin's site.
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Thanks for posting that (and for bumping this thread up again) - I've been looking into this and the test jig seems to be an important item.

So, let me get this straight. For FREE, I can download the software (done), then if I build the Wallin test jig (design available on the web for FREE, printed out onto paper) and get a decent microphone (not free), I can test speakers using my laptop? Am I fooling myself here?

I realize that building the jig is not easy, and microphones are expensive, but compared with spending $1000 plus for clio or whatever is out there these days.... :banana:

I was also really close to buying the Woofer Tester from PE and it looks like the Wallin jig with the software can do the same thing - and no mic needed to do this!
 
packrat said:
So, let me get this straight. For FREE, I can download the software (done), then if I build the Wallin test jig (design available on the web for FREE, printed out onto paper) and get a decent microphone (not free), I can test speakers using my laptop? Am I fooling myself here?
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Well, that's what I'm attempting to do so here's hoping... :)

I bought a Behringer ECM8000 test mic (ebay - about $50.00) and ART MicroMix Microphone Phantom Power mic pre-amp (ebay - about $42.00) but I'll have to come up with a mic stand and a bunch of cables but pretty low dollars so far.

As I mentioned, the test jig can get a little pricey when rounding up all those parts (and the resistor values can be a challenge) but still VERY reasonable overall when considering what this should be able to do.

I'm sure looking forward to getting started on this!
 
There's also an unofficial Speaker Workshop Manual. I can't remember where I found it on the web, so I've dropped a copy of it into my webspace. You can download it here It's big though - 9.8 MB.
 
Billfort said:
Well, that's what I'm attempting to do so here's hoping... :)

I bought a Behringer ECM8000 test mic (ebay - about $50.00) and ART MicroMix Microphone Phantom Power mic pre-amp (ebay - about $42.00) but I'll have to come up with a mic stand and a bunch of cables but pretty low dollars so far.

As I mentioned, the test jig can get a little pricey when rounding up all those parts (and the resistor values can be a challenge) but still VERY reasonable overall when considering what this should be able to do.

I'm sure looking forward to getting started on this!
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That's exactly the setup I used - an ECM8000 and Art MicroMix. The resistor values for the references are not as critical as it may seem. You actually type the resistor values into the program, so you can use any resistors that are close to the values called for. This of course requires that you have an accurate ohm meter to measure the resistors - another expense. But once you give the program the reference values, the setup can then be used as an amazingly accurate ohm meter itself.

Mark
 
If you can stretch to it, rather than buying an ohm meter, get an LCR meter. You can then use it to accurately match capacitor and inductor values for cossover design. I got mine in the UK a couple of months ago for about £50. I've used it so much I'm already on my second battery.
 
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