Exploring Common DIY Terminology - Beaming

Beaming

Beaming refers to a phenomenon where the dispersion pattern of sound waves becomes narrower and more focused at higher frequencies. The primary cause of beaming is the physical size or dimensions of the sound source relative to the wavelength of the sound being produced. When the wavelength becomes comparable to or smaller than the size of the source, the sound waves tend to exhibit more directional behavior. Beaming occurs due to the following factors:

• Aperture effect: The

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Dual Voice Coil (DVC)

A dual voice coil (DVC) design is a configuration commonly used in loudspeaker drivers, particularly subwoofers. It involves a speaker driver with two separate voice coils wound on a shared former (the cylindrical structure that holds the voice coils), each connected to its own set of terminals. Each voice coil is wound with its own wire, and they are physically separated but located on the same former. The former is connected to the speaker cone, which moves in...

Inductance

Inductance is an essential electrical property that arises in conductors and coils due to the presence of magnetic fields. It is one of the key elements in electrical circuits, along with resistance and capacitance, and plays a significant role in various electronic and electromechanical systems, including loudspeakers.

Definition and Symbol: Inductance, denoted by the symbol "L," is a measure of an electrical component's ability to store energy in...

Open Baffle (OB)

The open baffle (OB) technique is a loudspeaker design approach that involves mounting the speaker drivers on a flat, baffle-like panel without any enclosure or cabinet behind them. When a traditional loudspeaker is mounted in a sealed or ported enclosure, the rear wave of the driver is trapped within the enclosure, leading to pressure build-up and potential reflections. In the open baffle design, the rear wave is allowed to radiate freely into the surrounding space,...

Full Range

A full-range driver, also known as a wideband driver, is a type of loudspeaker driver designed to reproduce a broad range of audio frequencies without the need for a separate crossover network or multiple drivers. It is engineered to cover a wide frequency spectrum, typically from the low-midrange to the upper treble frequencies, all in a single driver unit. Full range drivers feature several characteristics that separate them from standard drivers:

• Whizzer Cone: Some full-range

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Basket

The basket of a loudspeaker driver refers to the frame that supports and holds the various components of a driver together. It is an essential structural element that provides stability, rigidity, and mechanical support to the driver's components. The materials and construction of the basket have implications beyond just appearance, as resonances in the structure can impact frequency response and the shape of the structure can either limit or enhance the ability of a driver to...

Air Gap

Also simply referred to as "the gap," an air gap refers to the physical space between the voice coil and the magnet assembly within the driver. The air gap is an important feature of a driver's motor system and plays a crucial role in its operation. Here's how the air gap functions and its importance:

• Magnetic field generation: The air gap forms the core of the magnetic circuit in a loudspeaker driver. It helps create a uniform and concentrated magnetic field within

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Dynamics

Dynamics refers to the ability of a loudspeaker system or component to reproduce a wide range of sound levels accurately and with impact. It encompasses the capability to accurately reproduce both quiet and soft passages as well as loud and powerful passages in music or audio recordings. Dynamics are essential for creating a lifelike and engaging listening experience. Some key aspects related to dynamics are listed below:

• Dynamic Range: Dynamic range refers to the difference

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Infinite Baffle

The term 'infinite baffle' can refer to at least two different aspects of loudspeakers and loudspeaker design. The first is part of measuring and comparing loudspeaker performance. The second is a type of loudspeaker 'enclosure'. We'll take a look at both here.

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Design and Measurement

The concept of the infinite baffle is a technique used in loudspeaker design and testing to eliminate the influence of the speaker's rear radiation on the measurement...

Impulse Response

An impulse response is a graphical representation of a loudspeaker's response to an ideal impulse signal. The impulse response is essentially the loudspeaker's reaction to a sharp and short burst of energy. It is a powerful tool for loudspeaker designers to assess the speaker's time-domain performance and identify various characteristics of its sound reproduction. Creating an impulse response graph for a loudspeaker requires specialized equipment and software for accurate...