What is the best of all the available free loudspeaker design software programs or even evaluation versions of larger programs.
ANybody have a preference and a location?
ANybody have a preference and a location?
I prefer LSPCad lite for mids, and a combination of LSPCad and Unibox for subs.
http://www.speakerbuilding.com/software/
http://www.danbbs.dk/~ko/ubdwnld.htm
http://www.speakerbuilding.com/software/
http://www.danbbs.dk/~ko/ubdwnld.htm
Does LspCAD lite enable you to optimize?, I remember having a version about a year back which did, just like in the demo version that only allows you to use the sample drivers. If it does then that would be really useful. I d/l the lite version and all I could get it to do was to calculate boxes 🙁. Am I missing something?
Can the lite version calculate values for active filters, if not is there a program that does and allows you to optomize?
I have used Aduas Louspeakers workshop before and can rate it well as a begginer program as its all free, but I find it extremely limited in what it can do. If you can buy the version of LSPcad (the one which costs $120 or something) then im sure you will be very happy with wha it can do.
Unfortunately for me I would find the real time crossover thing that enables you to listen to the xover which you have simulated really useful. The only problem is that the $450 is a bit steep. I suppose thats more like £300, and I have spend that easily many times over in raw drive units, so if I look at it that way...... Hmmmm next project mite not happen gonna buy software 🙂
Can the lite version calculate values for active filters, if not is there a program that does and allows you to optomize?
I have used Aduas Louspeakers workshop before and can rate it well as a begginer program as its all free, but I find it extremely limited in what it can do. If you can buy the version of LSPcad (the one which costs $120 or something) then im sure you will be very happy with wha it can do.
Unfortunately for me I would find the real time crossover thing that enables you to listen to the xover which you have simulated really useful. The only problem is that the $450 is a bit steep. I suppose thats more like £300, and I have spend that easily many times over in raw drive units, so if I look at it that way...... Hmmmm next project mite not happen gonna buy software 🙂
5th element,
I tried LspCAD lite a few years ago, it seemed to only simulate bass enclosures. Both the standard and professional versions have most of what you're looking for. Except for the filter emulator -- the standard version does not have this feature.
SoundEasy is a better program, which has emulation capability and lots more cool tools for significantly less than LspCAD Pro.
🙂
I tried LspCAD lite a few years ago, it seemed to only simulate bass enclosures. Both the standard and professional versions have most of what you're looking for. Except for the filter emulator -- the standard version does not have this feature.
SoundEasy is a better program, which has emulation capability and lots more cool tools for significantly less than LspCAD Pro.
🙂
LEAP and Bass Box professional are my favorites, however there are not free. I have not found free speaker software that I can trust.
Bassbox Pro is very basic software, and it is no better than the free spreadsheet Unibox. Actually Unibox has many more features.
I remember some time ago there was discussion on a mailing list I was on. It was about Passive radiators and how they give a bass gain - all based on simulations with Bassbox 5 that turned out to be wrong. The people who programmed bassbox 5 messed up an area calculation that made its simulations predict that the PR was putting out more bass than it actually could.
Bassbox is not in the same category as LEAP - not by a LONG shot. I wouldn't trust anyone who made such a comparison. LEAP does nonlinear simulations and many other things, but LEAP quickbox simulations are essentially the same as Unibox. LEAP is only better when you measure and simulate nonlinear parameters.
I remember some time ago there was discussion on a mailing list I was on. It was about Passive radiators and how they give a bass gain - all based on simulations with Bassbox 5 that turned out to be wrong. The people who programmed bassbox 5 messed up an area calculation that made its simulations predict that the PR was putting out more bass than it actually could.
Bassbox is not in the same category as LEAP - not by a LONG shot. I wouldn't trust anyone who made such a comparison. LEAP does nonlinear simulations and many other things, but LEAP quickbox simulations are essentially the same as Unibox. LEAP is only better when you measure and simulate nonlinear parameters.
Calsod isn't free, but it's darn cheap. Optimization, too. Clunky user interface, but if you've used SPICE, it will look pretty familiar.
RON E
I realize that some people cannot help but be slanting what some one else writes to meet there objectives or is it your world is small Ron. No did not I compare Leap to Bass Box, Leap just more sophisticated.
As for Bass Box Pro, it does a fine job on sealed and vent boxes as I have compared my results to Leap, see I have both. So how can any one trust a person that can read and is narrow minded.
No wonder your bio says your a professional wipping boy.
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Sound Easy look to have a nice interface, f4ier
I realize that some people cannot help but be slanting what some one else writes to meet there objectives or is it your world is small Ron. No did not I compare Leap to Bass Box, Leap just more sophisticated.
As for Bass Box Pro, it does a fine job on sealed and vent boxes as I have compared my results to Leap, see I have both. So how can any one trust a person that can read and is narrow minded.
No wonder your bio says your a professional wipping boy.
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Sound Easy look to have a nice interface, f4ier
Speaker Workshop
I use(d) SpeakerWorkshop, WinISD, Unibox and the BDS (Baffle Diffraction Simulator). With this combo, you're missing very little. You can always buy LSPCad or SoundEasy for the emulators, but then you'll be paying...
Speaker Workshop has an optimiser, acoustic measurement, impedance measurement, component measurement and T/S measurement, plus more. The above combo will give you very effective design capability. I now use SoundEasy. But don't underestimate the power of the above free programs. I still use WinISD and sometimes Unibox for quick checks.
http://speakerworkshop.com/
http://www.pvconsultants.com/audio/frdgroup.htm
http://www.linearteam.dk/
Regards
I use(d) SpeakerWorkshop, WinISD, Unibox and the BDS (Baffle Diffraction Simulator). With this combo, you're missing very little. You can always buy LSPCad or SoundEasy for the emulators, but then you'll be paying...
Speaker Workshop has an optimiser, acoustic measurement, impedance measurement, component measurement and T/S measurement, plus more. The above combo will give you very effective design capability. I now use SoundEasy. But don't underestimate the power of the above free programs. I still use WinISD and sometimes Unibox for quick checks.
http://speakerworkshop.com/
http://www.pvconsultants.com/audio/frdgroup.htm
http://www.linearteam.dk/
Regards
Unibox has done an excellent job for me. The thing is that you need Excel Spreadsheet capability to use it. But it is easy to use otherwise.
does soundeasy take measurements of loudspeakers itself or do u have to have something else to get your raw data?
Yes, there is an optimization tool. I forget off the top of my head what variables it optimizes (I believe Qtc and one other variable).
You can add new drivers, but you have to use the clunky input program that's included. It has some issues with calculating values for what you have already inputted. You can input one of the T/S parameters, but unless you do a special "mouse dance" and say a magical spell, once you input other values, it will change the original one.
Basically, all it does is calculate boxes, but you can't do this with unibox and winisd for mids. Winisd is the worst since there is no high end rolloff calculated.
Winisd has something fairly basic included. Its almost just as easy to find a book with the equations and go from there. If you're set on a Linkwitz Riley, sound.westhost.com has a calculator for that.
The above is a reply to post #4 where 5th element found $450 for LspCAD to be steep. I suggested a link to free software on post #3.
Jim, thanks for the kinds words about my site.
Cheers 🙂
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WinISD or Unibox is all that is ever need for a sealed or bass reflext subwoofer design. Hornresp is needed for horn designs.
PCD (Techtalk.parts-express.com) has a HUGE following there and it has created many high quality speaker designs.
For me HOLM, REW, ARTA as measurements tools and Speaker Workshop has worked good enough. I have SoundEasy now....
I would say that if someone is going to build ONE pair of speaker they should just follow a proven design. No need for XO software then. If you want to build multiple sets of speakers then spend some $$$ on SoundEasy, nothing can make life easier.
PCD (Techtalk.parts-express.com) has a HUGE following there and it has created many high quality speaker designs.
For me HOLM, REW, ARTA as measurements tools and Speaker Workshop has worked good enough. I have SoundEasy now....
I would say that if someone is going to build ONE pair of speaker they should just follow a proven design. No need for XO software then. If you want to build multiple sets of speakers then spend some $$$ on SoundEasy, nothing can make life easier.
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