Is there a single piece of software (preferably free, but not overly expensive would be acceptable as well) that can guide one throughout the entire process of building speakers for a home theater application? I have tried many of the free ones, and watched videos of some of the paid ones, and none seem to provide all the following benefits:
Subwoofer box design.
Tower box design, to include subwoofers, woofers, midbass, midrange, and/or tweeters and any combination of these.
Crossover design, multiple types and orders.
3D modeling of finished product with dimensions and cut sheets.
Extremely easy to use. <--- big one... VituixCAD2 was extremely counterintuitive. I had no idea "what to do" to really even get started.
I tried VituixCAD2 after watching a video (he demoed v1), and it seems way to clunky and cumbersome to use. I tried entering the midrange drivers from Fi Car Audio, and I couldn't get anything to look even remotely right on the initial plot.
I watched a video of Term-Pro and was impressed with what it could do, but it seemed designed only for subwoofers, and not cheap.
I've used WinISD extensively, but it A. doesn't do nearly all of the above, and B. seems to, again, only be for subwoofers.
I want to build the "perfect" home theater speaker system using as many "made in the USA" parts as possible, and want it to sound flawless, but don't know nearly enough about the the intricacies of speaker design to do it without help.
Thanks!
Mike
Subwoofer box design.
Tower box design, to include subwoofers, woofers, midbass, midrange, and/or tweeters and any combination of these.
Crossover design, multiple types and orders.
3D modeling of finished product with dimensions and cut sheets.
Extremely easy to use. <--- big one... VituixCAD2 was extremely counterintuitive. I had no idea "what to do" to really even get started.
I tried VituixCAD2 after watching a video (he demoed v1), and it seems way to clunky and cumbersome to use. I tried entering the midrange drivers from Fi Car Audio, and I couldn't get anything to look even remotely right on the initial plot.
I watched a video of Term-Pro and was impressed with what it could do, but it seemed designed only for subwoofers, and not cheap.
I've used WinISD extensively, but it A. doesn't do nearly all of the above, and B. seems to, again, only be for subwoofers.
I want to build the "perfect" home theater speaker system using as many "made in the USA" parts as possible, and want it to sound flawless, but don't know nearly enough about the the intricacies of speaker design to do it without help.
Thanks!
Mike
^VCAD2 can be complex as a package if traditions do match and user is too lazy to read user manual and measurement instructions to get big picture what different tools are for and how data for XO design should be captured and processed.
Splitting into multiple tools could also be an advantage because data processing (enclosure simulation, diffraction simulation, IR to FR with FFT and response merging) is not integrated into tightly linked mess. Separate part are useful independently for preliminary studies and product selection and user single data+process for multiple projects.
Typically LspCAD users do not help at all or need is few minutes only. This is one evidence that intuitiveness is mostly just personal tradition. Not global constant for everyone.
Splitting into multiple tools could also be an advantage because data processing (enclosure simulation, diffraction simulation, IR to FR with FFT and response merging) is not integrated into tightly linked mess. Separate part are useful independently for preliminary studies and product selection and user single data+process for multiple projects.
Typically LspCAD users do not help at all or need is few minutes only. This is one evidence that intuitiveness is mostly just personal tradition. Not global constant for everyone.
I can't even get VCAD2 to even properly load a driver. The drivers I want to use do not have FRD and ZMA files and are not in the database included with the tool. I tried to create them in the driver tool of VCAD2 and export the graphs as text files. I was able to import those to the main screen, but nothing of use appeared on the graphs of the main screen. The SPL graph just shows a flat line at 85db and 90 degrees from about 50Hz to about 15KHz, with no dips, no roll offs, nothing.
The impedance graph shows nothing.
I also tried using a tool to map the curves using the images provided from driverdatabase, but those would not import because there was no "phase' on those.
How can I really begin using the tool if I can't even get a driver to show up properly with free air native curves?
Some of us are just now, for the first time, really diving into trying to build our own home theater loud speakers, and to successfully build a good sounding unit, we need a tool like this. However, for those of us that have never done anything like this before, we need a tool that's intuitive and user friendly.
The impedance graph shows nothing.
I also tried using a tool to map the curves using the images provided from driverdatabase, but those would not import because there was no "phase' on those.
How can I really begin using the tool if I can't even get a driver to show up properly with free air native curves?
Some of us are just now, for the first time, really diving into trying to build our own home theater loud speakers, and to successfully build a good sounding unit, we need a tool like this. However, for those of us that have never done anything like this before, we need a tool that's intuitive and user friendly.
Let me try to help you help me.
This is what I am trying to accomplish:
I want to build a complete home theater speaker system. Obviously I know that I can only model one speaker cabinet at a time (from what I understand of the software capabilities). So, just focusing on the main L&R front speakers, I want to build a loudspeaker that is either 2 or 3 way. I wont to use Fi Car Audio's Fi n7 midrange drivers, and Peerless tweeters (only because I can't seem to find high powered US made tweeters). Possibly a 12" woofer/subwoofer in cabinet - though this depends on results I get from the modeling. I want to use multiple drivers of each type - 4 or 8 mids and 4 or 8 tweeters. The primary driving force behind this is power handling, and of course overall output is a secondary factor.
I have successfully modeled each individual piece in WinISD, with a nice frequency response curve that fits my goals. However, what I have not been able to do in WinISD is model all parts combined in a single loudspeaker. So, why my curves are fantastic in WinISD, it doesn't account for the overlap of each curve at the crossover point, so I have no idea what peaks (or valleys) there may actually be in the finished product.
I want a piece of software that will allow me to build a single loudspeaker cabinet, with a separate chamber for the mids and woofers/subs (if I go that route) while also allowing me to adjust the tuning frequency (will all be ported) and the crossover components between each driver type providing me with an overall curve of what the full loudspeaker should sound like "as built".
From watching a tutorial video of vcad1, it looks like vcad will do exactly what I desire, again.. looks like it will, not 100% sure. However, I can't get it to model a single driver on the main page. My drivers are not in the database for vcad, so I tried to manually create them, and when I add them, and the curves traced by "spl trace" from within vcad2, the resulting graphs are mostly blank. Should it, at a minimum, give me the base frequency and impedance curves in those graphs, before designing the box/chambers and crossovers?
Thanks for the assist!
This is what I am trying to accomplish:
I want to build a complete home theater speaker system. Obviously I know that I can only model one speaker cabinet at a time (from what I understand of the software capabilities). So, just focusing on the main L&R front speakers, I want to build a loudspeaker that is either 2 or 3 way. I wont to use Fi Car Audio's Fi n7 midrange drivers, and Peerless tweeters (only because I can't seem to find high powered US made tweeters). Possibly a 12" woofer/subwoofer in cabinet - though this depends on results I get from the modeling. I want to use multiple drivers of each type - 4 or 8 mids and 4 or 8 tweeters. The primary driving force behind this is power handling, and of course overall output is a secondary factor.
I have successfully modeled each individual piece in WinISD, with a nice frequency response curve that fits my goals. However, what I have not been able to do in WinISD is model all parts combined in a single loudspeaker. So, why my curves are fantastic in WinISD, it doesn't account for the overlap of each curve at the crossover point, so I have no idea what peaks (or valleys) there may actually be in the finished product.
I want a piece of software that will allow me to build a single loudspeaker cabinet, with a separate chamber for the mids and woofers/subs (if I go that route) while also allowing me to adjust the tuning frequency (will all be ported) and the crossover components between each driver type providing me with an overall curve of what the full loudspeaker should sound like "as built".
From watching a tutorial video of vcad1, it looks like vcad will do exactly what I desire, again.. looks like it will, not 100% sure. However, I can't get it to model a single driver on the main page. My drivers are not in the database for vcad, so I tried to manually create them, and when I add them, and the curves traced by "spl trace" from within vcad2, the resulting graphs are mostly blank. Should it, at a minimum, give me the base frequency and impedance curves in those graphs, before designing the box/chambers and crossovers?
Thanks for the assist!
Also keep in mind that I am fully aware that I have absolutely no idea what I am doing right now with vcad2... which is why I am soliciting pointers on how to, at least, "get started" with it. I am n IT guy by trade, and 100% self taught, so I can learn it, but I'm beating my head against the keyboard right now.
Have you read "Checklist for designing a loudspeaker" in user manual?:
Measurement instructions are linked many times to VCAD thread, and they're available on my site:
measurement data with REW
measurement data with ARTA
Do you think that this procedure is possible i.e. you realize that response data should be measured and curves are not traced graphically or downloaded from driver manufacturers and box shape should not be box with sharp edges so "cutting list" is useless, and so on?
P.S. I've watched Kirby's video for few minutes. Design principle was according local standards for noobs which makes much more harm than helps at least from my point of view. That video should be removed for good because ver 1.1 is not available anymore and unauthorized distribution is prohibited.
I figured out how to "get started". Recall, I watched a video of v1 before starting, and it's clearly not the same. I had to add the drivers and connect them on the crossover tab before I got a signal on the graphs.
So I got that and I've been playing with the crossover parts/settings. Pretty intense.
So, I am now trying to figure out how to get the response graphs to include all drivers, all crossover settings, as well as the enclosure. It seems like the main application SPL graph does not take into account the enclosure, and the enclosure "tool" doesn't seem to take into account all drivers and crossover settings at the same time.
So now my question is, how do I get it to model the response of the completed speaker? I also need two chambers, as I wasn't happen with the bottom end up just the 7in drivers, so I decided to add a couple 10's, and would like the 10's and the 7's to be in their own chambers with their own port tuning. That doesn't seem possible in the enclosure tab. Is it?
Do I need to make two projects? One with the 7's and tweets, and one with the 10's, and "merge" them?
I'm not constructing anything or able to make real life measurements (don't have the tools for that anyway) as I haven't bought anything. I am simply trying to design what I desire, then I will start working on funds to acquire.
So I got that and I've been playing with the crossover parts/settings. Pretty intense.
So, I am now trying to figure out how to get the response graphs to include all drivers, all crossover settings, as well as the enclosure. It seems like the main application SPL graph does not take into account the enclosure, and the enclosure "tool" doesn't seem to take into account all drivers and crossover settings at the same time.
So now my question is, how do I get it to model the response of the completed speaker? I also need two chambers, as I wasn't happen with the bottom end up just the 7in drivers, so I decided to add a couple 10's, and would like the 10's and the 7's to be in their own chambers with their own port tuning. That doesn't seem possible in the enclosure tab. Is it?
Do I need to make two projects? One with the 7's and tweets, and one with the 10's, and "merge" them?
I'm not constructing anything or able to make real life measurements (don't have the tools for that anyway) as I haven't bought anything. I am simply trying to design what I desire, then I will start working on funds to acquire.
Can you please elaborate a bit on what to avoid doing that's shown in that video. Also, what do you mean by 'local standards' ?
Thanks
Purpose of that video is just to show how to load some frd and zma files, add drivers and components to XO and play with component values with obsolete version 1.1. He explains that it's not everything, but not much more. One version of "everything" is visible in user manual and below in "Checklist for designing a loudspeaker".
For example loaded frequency responses of manufacturer are not compatible with most of project cabinets -> user should not use measurement data of manufacturer without knowledge what happens in project cabinet with selected radiator type or without quite complex conversion from measured radiator to project radiator.
Dayton Audio does not have much significance outside U.S. imo so loading of measurement data from web site to crossover simulator directly without conversion process or measurements in actual project cabinet looks like local phenomenon too (at least by looking diyaudio).
You should study some theory first. Read some book like "Loudspeaker Design Cookbook".
You will need some measuring equipment and a lot of knowledge to get "perfect".
You will need some measuring equipment and a lot of knowledge to get "perfect".