Subwoofer Program? (1 Viewer)

[alan halvorson]

It's probably been asked but I will again. What is a decent woofer enclosure design program?

I know there are some that will say mention LspCAD or LEAP or something like that, but these are much too expensive. I've tried WinISD PRO but it's frustrating to use as its woofer database is not that complete and entering new woofers is exasperating (someone said that data must be entered in a particular order, but what is that order?). UniBox macros will not run on my PC unless I change my security level and I'm not about to do that. Besides, I don't like Excel. I don't mind spending a few bucks to get a proper user interface and a decent database of woofers. BassBox Pro? Soundeasy? Or what? I understand Soundeasy is an awfully good program, not just for woofer enclosures, but for designing a whole speaker. I don't need that right now but maybe in the future .....

If I go the Soundeasy route, what else would I need?

I already have a speaker design but I want to change the woofer section. I'm looking for high efficiency and output; I do not need it to go particularly deep as I will be adding subwoofers. High efficiency is the key for me. Budget will be what it takes, although I'm not able to go nuts in the budget department. I don't care about passive crossover design for this project as I will be using an active crossover. Could happen someday, though.

So - any recommendations?

 

[David_P]

You've dismissed the two best free ones...

WinISD Pro and Unibox. If you're freaked about about excel macros, I've got my excel set up to ask me every time a macro launches to ask me. For Unibox set macro security to medium... this will stop all macros from running without permission.

 

[Brent_S]

Did you actually look through WinISD's help and tutorials. Proper T/S parameter entry is explained there. Entering a new driver takes about 30 seconds. Linearteam also runs a forum to support WinISD...lotta program for free! Reminds me, I need to send those guys a donation.

You could always find a copy of the previous version of WinISD Pro that doesn't check the vendors math on T/S numbers and then you can enter whatever's specs are provided without worrying about it being physcially possible.

WinISD and Unibox are really it for free. You could probably track down a copy of DOS based PerfectBox, I suppose. Is that the tool Parts-Express has available for download? I think there are also a couple of online Javascript based tools. Can't help you with commercial options.

-Brent

 

[alan halvorson]

Ok, Brent - I will give WinIsd Pro another go. When all else fails, read the manual!

 

[alan halvorson]

All right, I have successfully entered a woofer! It's a little frustrating that it isn't intuitive but, nonetheless, I got it in there. Now - how accurate is this program? If I made a box according to the final data, can I have a reasonable expection that it will perform as expected? I also tried WinISD Beta. Data between the two was similar but not exact. For instance, my box volume is about 1/2 cu.ft. smaller on WinISD Pro vs. WinISD Beta - which is to be more trusted? Has anyone tried the same driver on other programs and come up with similar results?

Thanks!

 

[Robert_J]

Of the free programs, Unibox is the most accurate. This has been stated by Dan Wiggins as well as my real life findings. I modeled my TC-3000 and turned on the option to model inductance. The response went from nice and flat to having a 12db hump around 55hz. I used test tones, my Radio Shack SPL meter and a spreadsheet with the meter correction values and graphed the response. It was very, very close to what Unibox predicted. If I had used WinISD or Unibox without the effects of inductance turned on, then I would have thought the response was flat or at least close to flat.

-Robert

 

[ThomasW]

If you're going to use WinISD use the alpha Pro version. The other version is not accurate. That said I use Unibox, since it's sims track closely with those from LspCAD

 

[David_P]

Ditto... I built this sub:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...t=quad+tempest

using Unibox as the modeling tool. The actual measured values of Fb and Q of the system ended up being astonishingly close to the predicted values.

David

 

[alan halvorson]

Pretty impressive, David! I hope I can built something as good; heck, only half as good would satisfy me. My biggest problem with Unibox is simply getting to run at all. Something about security level too high. I lower my security level and it still won't run. I'm not going any lower so I don't know what to do. Don't know much about Excel - never liked it.

 

[David_P]

After launching Excel 2003 on a new shreadsheet, go under Tools-->Macro-->Security

Set Security to medium.

If it's set higher than that, I dont' think the macros will run at all. At medium, it will ask you/warn you about a possibly dangerous macro, but the macro will launch if you OK it.

David

 

[Frank Carter]

Why is Unibox thought to be more accurate than WinISD?

 

[Robert_J]

The Unibox response graph matches the graph of LspCAD more closely than the response graph from WinISD. And LspCAD is used by the professionals so it is field tested.

-Robert

 

[alan halvorson]

The thing is, I can't get Unibox to work. It keeps telling me that my security level is too high. I change my security level to Medium, as suggested - doesn't work. I reboot - doesn't work. I delete it and reload it - doesn't work. Unibox may be the bees knees of free woofer design software, but it's worthless to me.