The subwoofer box is a very complex device. Enclosure design and construction require specific knowledge of sound geometry. To help designers, special programs have been created to calculate the optimal geometry and amount of sound-absorbing material.
Programs for calculating the geometry of sound
To create a great sound system, all factors must be considered. This is because designing a subwoofer box is both a science and an art. To create the most efficient speakers, there are some of the best programs that can guarantee maximum performance and unique design:
- Woofer Box and Circuit Designer.
- Subwoofer Design Toolbox.
- AJHorn 6.
- Boxnotes.
- WinISD.
Calculation parameters and units
Before calculating the box for the subwoofer, the user selects the program and system of units. All programs released after 2017 support metric units. They easily compare the parameters of different designsblocks visually on one chart. Frequency response printouts can be in color or with characters to improve readability with black and white printers.
The hull design tool helps you create rectangular and wedge-shaped boxes, calculate the volume of prefabricated boxes. You can calculate the volume of the box from the size of the mounting holes, or any shape by entering the required volume of the case.
Box Creation Tool
Woofer Box and Circuit Designer is an advanced tool for creating subwoofer boxes using MS Excel. The program contains a complex mathematical model that can simulate the results of sealing, ventilation or radiator passivity. It also has special filters that allow you to model a very wide range of shapes.
The purpose of this program is to provide the tools needed to design a subwoofer using the wide range of available plate amplifiers, crossovers, digital processors and equalizers. Before calculating the subwoofer box, the program imports the room sound response curve, which is saved as a file from any other software, and will take the imported data into account in the output.
Graphs showing frequency response, phase, impedance, maximum output, 2.83V sensitivity, filter transfer function, ventilation speed, group delay (filter, driver and system) and impulse response are displayed. All calculations and graphs include the effects of the selected filters.
AJHorn 6 body modeling
Due to its modular design, AJHorn can simulate different types of subwoofer boxes with the same calculation algorithm. This is interesting because the theory of horn calculation is not limited to one type of housing. The ideal solution for acoustic environments where edge cases are involved - transmission line, bass reflex, bandwidths and closed cabinet types.
Relevant AJHorn projects (hrn-files) can be found in the AJHorn installation directory, they include the constructs:
- Front horn. Frontloaded Horn is a situation in which the front of the driver creates an acoustic force along with the horn. The back of the driver emits sound in a closed or ventilated chamber (RC) with VRC volume. The length of the closed back chamber with sufficient damping does not affect the simulation result.
- Rear horn. The difference between boot and front horn is the discarded rear camera. The driver emits sound directly above the cone. With this modeling capability, older designs (classic rear horns) can be improved if there is still an unused area. This feature allows you to simulate and optimize your device with AJHorn.
Boxnotes for selection of ports
This is free software to help you identifyactual body dimensions. Features of the current version V3.1:
- Includes additional space consumed by ports, mounts and drivers.
- Checks the minimum dimensions required to accommodate the driver.
- Presence of the visual effect of changing port parameters.
- Stop resonance, size adjustment to minimize its effect.
- Additional permission to crop using router.
- Save project file work in notebooks, including comments.
- Drawings of boxes for the subwoofer are made in an accessible dimension.
- Supports both inch and metric measurements.
- Creates a text report containing a selection of user information.
BassBox Pro for speaker design
This is a state-of-the-art subwoofer box design utility, the best amplifier cabinet software. It is used worldwide by professionals, hobbyists, and loudspeaker designers to create world-class enclosures. The program is versatile and can be used to create speakers for a wide variety of applications, including a home Hi-Fi cinema, personal car or van, professional sound amplification, recording studio equipment, stage monitors, etc.
Benefits:
- Easy to learn and use.
- Lots of features that make it easy to learn and use.
- A 364-page step-by-step and beautiful printed manual.
- Designer,to help new users quickly create a speaker.
- The creation process can start with either the driver or the box and then go through the BassBox Pro as it asks for information in an ordered progression.
- Main window, resizable, includes a summary of all open constructs.
- Up to ten projects can be opened at the same time.
- BassBox Pro has the world's largest driver database! Users can add, edit, or delete drivers, and database searches can be unlimited.
- Two different box shapes are available.
- Acoustic properties accept two different types of data. They can be entered manually or imported from several popular measuring systems (B&K, CLIO, IMP, LMS, JBL / SIA Smaart, MLSSA, Sample Champion and TEF-20).
- Acoustic data is added to the respective graphs to improve their accuracy when making the subwoofer box.
- Performance provides nine graphs to evaluate speaker design performance.
WinISD online sound design
Great free speaker design software for Windows platform. It offers a wide range of features, making it easy and simple for users to create vented, bandpass as well as closed cabinets that will reproduce high-quality sounds. Drivers have different specifications requiring changes in box or port design.
Using WinISD Pro is a relatively simple way to ensure the optimum cabinet layout for the particular subwoofer you are using. This subwoofer box calculation program will require a computer that can run WinISD. Has a database of home theaters according to T-S specifications. The simulated driver acts linearly at moderate to high SPL.
An example of a drawing of a simple design amplifier.
MFR Engineering Design Tool
Subwoofer Design Toolbox is an easy-to-use yet powerful subwoofer design software. A user-friendly tab interface allows you to select box design, port design, enclosure and subwoofer selection tools. It works on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. The design tool allows you to create sealed, ported and strip boxes. It also includes "free air" modeling for car audio applications.
It will be easy for the user to determine which box for the subwoofer is needed, you just need to enter the driver parameters, case type and unit volume. For ported designs, the program will recommend the frequency of the ports, or you can choose your own port. Passing bandwidth is easier than ever before. After selecting the volume - the frequency of the ports is automatically optimized. Subwoofer Design Toolbox fully supports metric measurements.
The auto-responder function allows you to see the effect of the submaster in a wide range of sizes. Forhome subwoofers or convertibles can select the 2D setting. Otherwise, you can select the setting that best describes the vehicle. Subwoofer Design Toolbox makes it easy to compare the frequency responses of different block designs on the same graph. Using the cursor, you can accurately determine the frequency points and their sizes.
Subwoofer Installation Tips
Before installing a speaker in a subwoofer box, it is important to know the impedance so that the speaker can be properly connected to the amplifier. Most amplifiers have separate positive connections for each of the resistances, while the negative connection is common.
Incorrectly connecting the speaker to the amplifier, on the contrary, will reduce the volume of the sound.
For enclosed speakers, the subwoofer box is usually sized to allow for insulation inside to absorb sound from the back of the speaker. If the housing is not equipped with insulation, fiberglass insulation can be used.
Speakers that are used with sealed enclosures must be sealed in the enclosure. Under no circumstances should this be done with silicone or any other liquid, gel or adhesive. A simple but very effective gasket can be made using foam, for example for doors and windows.
Before you make the box for the subwoofer, you need to strengthen the mount to the case and it is better to install T-shaped racks. The subwoofer enclosure must be very securely fixed in the vehicle. subwoofer andcase can weigh 20 kg or more. In a collision at 60 km/h or under rapid braking at this speed, such a device can apply up to 500 kg of pressure. This is enough to cause serious injury to passengers.
A good electrical connection is essential to keep the system running. Soldering is the best and most reliable way to connect wires.
