Table of Contents

Preface to the First Edition. Preface to the Fifth Edition.

Preface to the Sixth Edition.

Notation.

Glossary.

1. General Review.

1.1 Developments in system design.

1.2 Performance conflicts.

1.3 The stereo illusion.

1.4 Sensitivity and impendance.

1.5 Enclosures.

1.6 Drive units.

1.7 The room

Bibliography.

2. Theoretical Aspects of Diaphragm Radiators.

2.1 Radiation from simple sources.

2.2 Electromechanics of a hypothetical moving-coil loudspeaker.

2.3 Radiated pressures.

2.4 Relating the twoport model to low-frequency analogous circuits.

2.5 Higher modes of the loudspeaker diaphragm.

References.

3. Transducers, Diaphragms and Loudspeaker Technology.

3.1 Dome radiators.

3.2 Velocity of sound in a diaphragm.

3.3 Compensation of dome characteristics.

3.4 Cone behaviour.

3.5 Cone parameters.

3.6 Cone shape.

3.7 Motor systems.

3.8 Moving-coil motor linearity.

3.9 Influence of magnetic field strength on loudspeaker pressure response.

3.10 Magnet systems.

3.11 Film transducers.

3.12 BMR; the balanced mode radiator.

References.

Bibliography.

4. Low-frequency System Analysis: Room Environments and 2 Theory.

4.1 General considerations.

4.2 LF system analysis.

4.3 Closed-box system.

4.4 Reflex or vented enclosures.

4.5 Band-pass enclosure designs and LF equalization.

4.6 Longevity, reliability, tolerances, climate.

4.7 Transmission-line enclosures.

4.8 Sub-woofers and extended low frequencies.

4.9 Horn loading.

4.10 Line sources.

4.11 The moving-coil spaced dipole.

4.12 Bi-polar speakers.

References.

Bibliography.

5. Moving-coil Direct-radiator Drivers.

5.1 Moving-coil motor system.

5.2 Low frequency, bass units.

5.3 LF/MF units.

5.4 Mid-frequency units.

5.5 High-frequency units.

5.6 Full-range units.

5.7 Dynamics and engineering.

References.

Bibliography.

6. Systems and Crossovers.

6.1 Passive loudspeaker system design.

6.2 The crossover network.

6.3 General design considerations, voicing and balancing.

6.4 The amplifier-loudspeaker interface.

6.5 Active loudspeakers: Electronic filter crossovers.

6.6 Current drive.

6.7 Digital loudspeakers.

References.

Bibliography.

7. The Enclosure.

7.1 Enclosure materials.

7.2 Enclosure resonances.

7.3 Magnitude of undamped panel output.

7.4 Audibility of resonance.

7.5 Resonance control, damping materials and bracing.

7.6 Standing-wave modes.

7.7 Driver-cone transmission of internal resonance.

7.8 Cabinet construction.

7.9 Diffraction and cabinet shape.

7.10 Drive-unit mounting: clamped or decoupled.

7.11 Open baffles: dipole 'enclosure'.

7.12 Loudspeaker supports: placement.

References.

Bibliography.

8. Home Theatre and Surround Sound.

8.1 Stereo Compatibility.

8.2 Potential multi-channel advantage.

8.3 THX.

8.4 Speaker design.

References.

Bibliography.

9. Loudspeaker Assessment.

9.1 Loudspeaker specifications, standards and distortions.

9.2 Measurement and evaluation: introduction.

9.3 Objective measurements.

9.4 Subjective evaluation.

References.

Bibliography.

Appendix A: CAD Software.

Index.

About the Author

Martin Colloms is an independent electroacoustics engineer in the UK who has seen over 200 of his high fidelity audio and speaker designs put into mass production. Martin has worked as a loudspeaker critic publishing over 1,500 high fidelity speaker reviews and is the technical editor of HIFICRITIC.

Reviews

"Those readers interested in understanding the many technical aspects of high-performance loudspeaker design would thoroughly enjoy this book." (IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, November/December 2006)