Building a Do-It-Yourself Loudspeaker Design

Table Of Content

• Impedance
• way passive crossover design – using XSim
• Shopping for crossover components
• Miscellaneous parts you’ll need
• Woofer
• A thoroughly modern evolution of Speakerlab's great Speakers and Speaker Kits from the 70's and 80's!.

As stated above, a crossover system is usually the combination of two audio pass filters, each with a cutoff frequency and slope. Setting the cutoff frequency and slope of both filters will determine the crossover point. The crossover point between the midrange and the tweeter is a bit more serious, because you can burnout the tweeter. But since this is a 3 way passive crossover design, there should be no problems in setting the crossover point a bit higher. Any piece of wood will work as a mounting board.You can even use the MDF for the speaker itself.

Impedance

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In a 2-way setup, most likely, the woofer only need 1st order filter, so less components. Crossover capacitors and inductors each add a 90° phase difference, giving 2nd order crossovers a 180° out of phase condition that will affect the sound. Another belief is that even order (2, 4, 6...) order crossovers should beavoided. Even order crossovers tend to have spikes or dips in the frequency responsearound the crossover point. These spikes can be as bad as -30db, but can easily besolved by reversing the polarity of only one of the speakers, limiting the spike toabout +- 3db. A 2nd order, maybe even a 1st order crossover can be used with themid/woofer combo, while a minimum 3rd order crossover should be used with the mid/tweeter.

way passive crossover design – using XSim

You’ll need to decide on a frequency range for your speakers, then select components that can handle those frequencies within your desired budget. It requires a high degree of knowledge and understanding of audio engineering principles, as well as the ability to accurately measure components. Speaker crossovers are used in a variety of situations, in which multiple speaker drivers work together to produce a full-range audio signal.

Shopping for crossover components

Inductors are usually just a coil of copper wire, sometimes hundredsof feet long. There are also copper foil inductors which are more expensive, butwork somewhat better. For the larger inductors required for the woofer's crossover,an air core inductor might not be feasible. In these cases, use a ferrite core.If you want to try to make your own inductor to save money, check out theInductor Calculator for information on winding your own coils.

Tower speakers are fabulous on their own for stereo listening, especially for music, but you’ll get better performance for dialogue in movies and TV by adding a center-channel speaker. Like their shorter, squatter siblings, the LS60s are poised to deliver clear, organic, and dynamic sound with immaculate stereo imaging. Dual 5.25-inch woofers and KEF’s signature concentric tweeter set create a sparkling clear, organic, and dynamic sound.

Shop Pro Audio Equipment

When using 2 or 3-way setups this should ideally be the point at which the other driver or drivers can produce sound as well. The idea is to find a “middle point” that both can produce sound up to that point without a gap, or significantly weaker, range of output. KEF’s LS50 Wireless monitors brought powered speakers to new heights, with fabulous components, an immaculately crafted design, and custom amplification/digital processing for near-perfect performance. This project was designed inSolidWorks but could easily be done in Google SketchUp.

This diagram has been simplified, and only the positive (+) lead is shown, butyou get the idea. The reason for going woofer to tweeter is so that the HPF is beforethe LPF for each bandpass speaker. The inductors (coils) in a LPF have resistance.This resistance affects the impedance of the entire circuit.If you put the LPF before the HPF, the amp will not have a stable load to work with.

With the greater frequencyoverlap, voices will not seem to jump from one driver to another as quickly as theywould with a steep crossover. There are no differences in output caused bydifferent impedances with the drivers. The tweeter has 2db sensitivity over the mid,and the woofer has 1db sensitivity over the mid. An L-Pad / Driver Attenuation Circuit will be usedto lower the tweeter output by 1db and the woofer output by 2db. Note that 3-way designs have a midrange output with a higher or lower dB level. In this case, the 3-way design has a 2.45 dB gain compared to the tweeter and woofer outputs which is pretty small.

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Speaking of which, the crossover point is at 460 Hz, where the 2 slopes intersect. While a 2 way design is pretty straightforward, a 3 way crossover is several times more difficult to pull off. On the bright side, we do have intuitive computer software to help us out. XSim is one of my favorite apps for designing crossovers, and it’s completely free. In conclusion, I will show you how to use XSim to make a 3 way passive crossover design.

The one knock is that the glossy finish shows off fingerprint smudges, and generally tends to get dirty easily. You’ll find the usual copper flash in their dual 6.5-inch woofers, which have been fine-tuned for more accuracy. At the top, a titanium diaphragm tweeter is set in Klipsch’s classic Tractrix-horn waveguide design to maximize upper register efficiency.

Joel is committed to providing accurate results that are comparable for each loudspeaker tested. Ultimately,designing your own loudspeaker is something you do because you like thecreative side of designing things. Ifyou are after bang for your buck sound, it is much cheaper and less time consumingto use someone else’s well-established and well-documented DIY design withpre-fabricated cabinets. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something simple yet effective with minimal setup, then a passive crossover may be the way to go.

I have built a fewspeakers designed by others and have found all of them to sound far better thananything I had heard in the same price range. Just make sure you go with a project that has been built and reviewed byseveral others. At the end of thisarticle, I will mention a few projects that are well known and well documentedto give you a place to start. Many DIY kits are available, filled with all the electrical components you need to build your own speaker crossover design.

On the other hand, they can limit your options when it comes to building out a larger, multi-speaker surround system as they’re usually designed just for stereo or mono listening. Next, you’ll need to connect the speakers to your amplifier or receiver with speaker wire (sold separately). If your amplifier features auto-calibration, you can then start that process, which will tune the sound to your room. Klipsch is best known for its peppy sound and brashly bedazzled speakers with copper-colored “ceramatallic” woofers aimed at minimal distortion. The RP-6000F II speakers sit in the middle of the Reference line, a follow-up to the popular RP-6000F. I picked the best tower speakers based on a mix of my own personal listening experience, brand and model recognition, and critical feedback from other reviewers.

Speaker Crossovers: The Ultimate Guide

Table Of Content

• DIY Audio and Video .com
• Types of Speaker Crossover Networks
• Part value tolerances (why not to look for “perfect” values)
• B/Octave Slope
• How to use the speaker crossover calculator

Contact us directly to learn more about archived designs for which we can provide drivers and assembled crossovers. These xover designs span decades and even include many using drivers no longer available. The optimizationprocess is applied to the low-pass, band-pass and high-pass filters and acombined response is generated. Due toresponse issues, it may be necessary to attenuate a target or move thecrossover frequency slightly to obtain a flatter response. Ultimately, it may take several rounds ofmoving crossover frequencies and even filter orders to get to an acceptablesystem response.

DIY Audio and Video .com

Once the components are in place, use your hot glue gun to mount them to the board. Be sure that theinductor coils are not near each other and that each one is on a different axis to eliminate"inductive coupling" (See the Crossover Guide for more info). To avoid this, if at all possible mount them at a 90° difference as shown in the diagram above or a minimum of about 3 inches. I begin by placing them at opposite corners of the box when building mine. For example, a capacitor labeled as 4.7 uF (4.7 microFarad) may have an actual of around 3.76 to 5.64 uF when measured with test equipment.

Types of Speaker Crossover Networks

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You can see that there is a -3dB dip at 80 Hz in both the low and high frequency driver’s frequency response. 3dB is one half the power output, which means that when the two drivers add together they will combine to fill the hole. This will theoretically create a straight line across the graph, indicating that all frequencies are equally represented. The 2.2 cubic foot ventedcabinet tuned to 27Hz was selected even though it represents a slightmisalignment. Although a tuningfrequency of 22Hz would have resulted in flatter response, the cabinet designlimited the length of the port tube as lower tuning frequencies require longerports.

Part value tolerances (why not to look for “perfect” values)

The two main types of filters are low-pass filters and high-pass filters; these determine which frequencies pass through them and which do not. Understanding how these filters interact with each other is essential for creating a smooth transition between two or more drivers in a speaker system. In this article, I will take you through the step-by-step process of building your own customized speaker crossover design. I’ll go over the basics of what’s needed, including supplies and tools, as well as the more complex aspects such as circuit design and component selection. With my guidance, you’ll learn how to create an effective and reliable speaker system that meets your sound needs. Both the low pass filter and the high pass filter have a cutoff frequency of 80 Hz.

B/Octave Slope

Building your own crossover design can offer a great way of saving money, but it does come with an investment of time. Now that the components are soldered together it’s time to test and adjust the design. This is where a trained ear is essential, as we analyze performance and check tolerances to make sure everything works as intended.

When using a passive crossover network, one amplifier channel is used to power multiple drivers. For example, to set the crossover between a woofer and a tweeter will require a low pass filter on the woofer signal and a high pass filter on the tweeter signal. This can be done with electronic components or digital signal processing (DSP). A multi-way speaker cabinet is a single enclosure that contains multiple speaker drivers. This speaker enclosure contains a woofer to reproduce low and mid-range frequencies and a tweeter to reproduce high frequencies. When two speakers are involved, this is known as a 2-way passive crossover design.

It is generally a good idea tokeep the crossover frequencies low enough to prevent driver beaming but highenough to prevent driver failure. Forexample, crossing over most tweeters below 1.5kHz is a bad idea if it is meantto play program material at 110dB or has a resonant frequency above 750Hz. Crossing an 8 inch bass driver at 5kHz willresult in poor dispersion and transient response at higher frequencies.

They typically don't have the power handling capabilityfor woofers, where Wire-Wound Sand Cast resistors should be used. Not only will you be able to design and build your own custom speaker crossovers, but you’ll also save money in the process. Both designs have their advantages and disadvantages; however, an active crossover will provide a more accurate sound reproduction and greater control over sound quality than a passive one.

Mid-range – tweeter crossover point

However, it’s on a narrow frequency band, and it’s on a high frequency (1 kHz), which is easy on the amplifier. Anyway, if you have a cheap amp and cannot handle this 3 Ohm load, you can increase the value of the notch filter resistor to keep this dip in check. However, the hump in frequency response we tried to kill, will slowly appear as you increase the value of the resistor. The first step Itake when designing a crossover in SoundEasy is to determine workable crossoverfrequencies and filter orders. Thisrequires careful inspection of the driver data sheets, frequency responsemeasurement and driver impedance. It isimperative to make sure that response anomalies, such as the breakup of a metalcone driver, are sufficiently attenuated by the crossover so that they are notaudible.

Note here that the sealedalignment in green would yield a pretty flat in-room response and is probably abetter overall choice for many listeners. However, our goal of +/-3dB from 35Hz to 20kHz and high SPL could not berealized with a sealed enclosure. Mostpeople have heard a woofer or two bottom out and it is important to considerhow much abuse a woofer can take before employing it in a design. ThePeerless woofer used in this design has a linear excursion of +/- 12.5mm. Below is a graph showing the expected coneexcursion with a 150 watt input signal with the vented enclosure in red and thesealed enclosure in green. Note thatthis power level yields over 105dB sound pressure level before the driver rollsoff for both enclosure types.

If you set the number of speakers in the calculator to one, you'll be able to choose from two additional circuits that involve a single speaker - Zobel and L-pad. Off-the-shelf bipolar capacitors sold for audio applications are normally of a sufficient working voltage. Lower voltage bipolar parts (5V, 16V, etc.) are usually used for low-voltage (line level) electronics.

In this modern day and age, it is entirely possible to construct a speaker crossover design without special tools. However, with a bit of effort and know-how, you should be able to find cost savings with your DIY speaker crossover design. With this information in hand, you can then begin selecting individual parts such as capacitors and inductors that fit within the parameters of your desired frequency range. When using an active crossover network, separate amplifier channels are required for each driver or set of drivers. Ideally, the crossover point will be the point when the two filters that make up the crossover intersect at -3dB.

Most inductors are similar as well – especially air core wire wound inductors. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use better quality or higher performance parts if you’d like – just that for most cases standard (20% – 15% tolerance) is fine. Note, this sample crossover makes use of many of the calculators found onthe menu on the left. Inductors, as you may already know, work by increasing the magnetic field strength using loops of wire.

Although it might not seem like it, 3-way crossovers aren’t just a simple extension of a 2-way design. The idea, in this case, is to use an all pass crossover (APC) design with a large frequency range between the high pass frequency and the low pass frequency. If you’re fortunate your speaker company may have provided a good frequency range for use. For the example pictured above you’d pick a crossover frequency of at least 3.5kHz which happens to be a very common one. In this big how-to guide, I’ll show you how you can design and build your own speaker crossover for home or car audio.

Rollin' on the River Evening Cruise

Table Of Content

• Rollin’ on the River
• Live Performances
• Nashville.com Official Guide To Nashville, TN

This famous paddle wheel riverboat takes guests via the Cumberland River to view the Nashville skyline to enjoy a relaxing cruise, live stage show, and delicious dinner. Whether you are celebrating a date night, birthday, or just want to get in some sightseeing during your Music City vacation, it is a must-have addition to your itinerary. The General Jackson was built by the largest inland shipbuilder in the United States, Jeffboat, and was launched on the Ohio River in Indiana to start the journey to its new home on Nashville’s Cumberland River on April 20, 1985.

Rollin’ on the River

River Navigable for 381 miles; the General Jackson dock is at mile 197.5; average depth is feet; normal (pool) level is 385 feet elevation. The head waters are in Harlin County, Kentucky, and the mouth is at Smithland, Kentucky, where it joins the Ohio River. Join us for a legendary cruise down the historic Cumberland River on the grandest vessel afloat, the General Jackson Showboat!

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Live Performances

With its elegant lacy filigree and stately design, the boat is reminiscent of the opulence of the American Victorian era. One of the largest showboats ever built, the grand General Jackson Showboat is an elegant triumph of American ingenuity. While “rollin’ down the river,” you’ll enjoy stunning views, a delicious meal freshly prepared by our chefs and toe-tapping entertainment in our two-story Victorian Theater in the center of the boat. While “rollin’ down the river,” you’ll enjoy stunning views, a delicious meal freshly prepared by our chefs and toe-tapping entertainment in our two-story Victorian Theater. A General Jackson Showboat Lunch or Dinner Cruise provides an amazing adventure to those visiting Nashville, TN.

Nashville.com Official Guide To Nashville, TN

Additionally, the beautiful General Jackson Showboat is wheelchair accessible and gives a neat way to explore the Nashville downtown area. Our musical journey begins way down yonder at the mouth of the Mississippi in New Orleans where we’ll be playing jazz & swing favorites like “Jump, Jive and Wail” and “When the Saints Go Marching” in”. Our final stop around the riverbend brings us to The Music City–Nashville, Tennessee, where we celebrate the city’s early music roots, the incredible songs and stars of the 1990’s and finish with the sounds of today’s country music headliners. One of the largest showboats ever built, the grand General Jackson is an elegant triumph of American ingenuity.

Nashville Hotels and Resorts!

Please note that firearms and any type of weapons are not allowed aboard the General Jackson Showboat.

Your cruise lets you experience Nashville as it can best be seen from the beautiful Cumberland River.

Vegetarian menus, while change each night, are often the same menu as the regular cruise minus the meat. Showboats have long been a colorful part of our nation’s history, and this most unique Nashville attraction epitomizes the grace and grandeur of the Old South. Spend an afternoon on the General Jackson with live musical performances from Nashville’s best artists.

The Nashville river boat can carry up to 1,037 passengers and 135 crew at a time during max capacity. It also features one of the largest paddlewheels that is 36 feet long and 24 feet in diameter. The boat is comprised of four decks, which hold features such as the Heritage Hall, a gift shop, the Victorian Theater with a sit-down dining area and comfortable seating, balconies, and tons of outside viewing opportunities. If you are wanting to enjoy a completely unique experience, make sure to board this fantastic riverboat.

With Rollin’ on the River, the Showboat celebrates the music from some of America’s iconic river towns. All of our cruises are climate controlled, so no matter when you take a cruise, you’ll have a fantastic experience. Showboats have long been a colorful part of our nation’s history, and this most unique Nashville attraction epitomizes the grace and grandeur of the South. If you are looking for a Tennessee Legends, look no further than the world-famous General Jackson Showboat. Spend an afternoon onboard with us where you can sample the many styles of music that made Tennessee famous.

The General Jackson is one of the largest Nashville boat and river cruises in the country and its dock is found on the Cumberland River. Having launched its cruises in 1985, it has provided quality entertainment, live music, and fun to visitors for more than three decades. It is named after the first steamboat to travel in Nashville in 1817. Thousands of people have enjoyed this famous attraction, which is famous for its stately design and special event cruises, drawing in thousands of travelers every year to view its entertainment options. The boat itself has a lot of stunning features, with a length of 274 feet and a towering height of 55 feet, massive decks, and stunning views.

Evening Cruises

Table Of Content

• Live Performances
• What’s Included
• Nashville.com Official Guide To Nashville, TN
• Tennessee Legends
• Nashville Predators > BEST Premium Seats & Ticket Packages on Sale!

The Nashville river boat can carry up to 1,037 passengers and 135 crew at a time during max capacity. It also features one of the largest paddlewheels that is 36 feet long and 24 feet in diameter. The boat is comprised of four decks, which hold features such as the Heritage Hall, a gift shop, the Victorian Theater with a sit-down dining area and comfortable seating, balconies, and tons of outside viewing opportunities. If you are wanting to enjoy a completely unique experience, make sure to board this fantastic riverboat.

Live Performances

General Jackson over the years - Nashville - Tennessean

General Jackson over the years - Nashville.

Posted: Tue, 14 Jul 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]

River Navigable for 381 miles; the General Jackson dock is at mile 197.5; average depth is feet; normal (pool) level is 385 feet elevation. The head waters are in Harlin County, Kentucky, and the mouth is at Smithland, Kentucky, where it joins the Ohio River. Join us for a legendary cruise down the historic Cumberland River on the grandest vessel afloat, the General Jackson Showboat!

What’s Included

Please note that firearms and any type of weapons are not allowed aboard the General Jackson Showboat.

A Jazzy Christmas on the Cumberland Aboard the General Jackson Showboat - tntribune.com

A Jazzy Christmas on the Cumberland Aboard the General Jackson Showboat.

Posted: Sat, 03 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Nashville.com Official Guide To Nashville, TN

With its elegant lacy filigree and stately design, the boat is reminiscent of the opulence of the American Victorian era. One of the largest showboats ever built, the grand General Jackson Showboat is an elegant triumph of American ingenuity. While “rollin’ down the river,” you’ll enjoy stunning views, a delicious meal freshly prepared by our chefs and toe-tapping entertainment in our two-story Victorian Theater in the center of the boat. While “rollin’ down the river,” you’ll enjoy stunning views, a delicious meal freshly prepared by our chefs and toe-tapping entertainment in our two-story Victorian Theater. A General Jackson Showboat Lunch or Dinner Cruise provides an amazing adventure to those visiting Nashville, TN.

Nashville Jobs!

With Rollin’ on the River, the Showboat celebrates the music from some of America’s iconic river towns. All of our cruises are climate controlled, so no matter when you take a cruise, you’ll have a fantastic experience. Showboats have long been a colorful part of our nation’s history, and this most unique Nashville attraction epitomizes the grace and grandeur of the South. If you are looking for a Tennessee Legends, look no further than the world-famous General Jackson Showboat. Spend an afternoon onboard with us where you can sample the many styles of music that made Tennessee famous.

Additionally, the beautiful General Jackson Showboat is wheelchair accessible and gives a neat way to explore the Nashville downtown area. Our musical journey begins way down yonder at the mouth of the Mississippi in New Orleans where we’ll be playing jazz & swing favorites like “Jump, Jive and Wail” and “When the Saints Go Marching” in”. Our final stop around the riverbend brings us to The Music City–Nashville, Tennessee, where we celebrate the city’s early music roots, the incredible songs and stars of the 1990’s and finish with the sounds of today’s country music headliners. One of the largest showboats ever built, the grand General Jackson is an elegant triumph of American ingenuity.

This famous paddle wheel riverboat takes guests via the Cumberland River to view the Nashville skyline to enjoy a relaxing cruise, live stage show, and delicious dinner. Whether you are celebrating a date night, birthday, or just want to get in some sightseeing during your Music City vacation, it is a must-have addition to your itinerary. The General Jackson was built by the largest inland shipbuilder in the United States, Jeffboat, and was launched on the Ohio River in Indiana to start the journey to its new home on Nashville’s Cumberland River on April 20, 1985.

Vegetarian menus, while change each night, are often the same menu as the regular cruise minus the meat. Showboats have long been a colorful part of our nation’s history, and this most unique Nashville attraction epitomizes the grace and grandeur of the Old South. Spend an afternoon on the General Jackson with live musical performances from Nashville’s best artists.

Amelia River Cruises & Charters

The General Jackson is one of the largest Nashville boat and river cruises in the country and its dock is found on the Cumberland River. Having launched its cruises in 1985, it has provided quality entertainment, live music, and fun to visitors for more than three decades. It is named after the first steamboat to travel in Nashville in 1817. Thousands of people have enjoyed this famous attraction, which is famous for its stately design and special event cruises, drawing in thousands of travelers every year to view its entertainment options. The boat itself has a lot of stunning features, with a length of 274 feet and a towering height of 55 feet, massive decks, and stunning views.