Preface
I started this article with the intention of offering a guide to DIYers, mostly those new to the field, that defines and explains the terminology you often see in discussions on the topic of DIY loudspeakers. Now, I have plenty of learning to do myself, and am under no illusion that what I do know is complete and correct. Because of this, I want these articles to be living documents. By that I mean, I'd like the DIY community to offer input on each definition to expand and clarify everything written here with the end goal of helping and encouraging those new to the hobby.
This is clearly just the beginning as the task will take quite some time to complete. Indeed, the initial proposed list of terms below needs to be finished as well, this is just what I came up with in an hour and fleshed out over a two week period, and I didn't even quite finish that endeavor due to life getting in the way. My sources are varied and will be listed when I get a chance, but they include textbooks, forums, internal knowledge, and, to help me write (as I'm much more comfortable editing), ChatGPT. All that said, I am confident there are errors that need to be found and fixed if this is going to help anyone.
For those wanting to help, please understand the intent is to not only define the term, but provide context and depth to help someone new have a better understanding of the term and its implications. You'll probably see I have varying degrees of success in this first of hopefully many drafts. Some definitions are really fleshed out, others are pretty short. Part of this is due to my knowledge gaps, some probably just need to be short.
So, we have our work cut out for us. If you see a topic that needs added, edited, removed, or any other variation of 'changed' please either comment on the individual article, PM me directly, or even email me (my HTGuide username at gmail.com). I'll certainly mention contributors in individual posts as well as on this front page.
I'd also like to include images on most posts, and diagrams and figures when necessary, so we have some work to do!
Thiele/Small Parameters
The Thiele/Small parameters, named after A.N. Thiele and Richard H. Small, are a set of parameters used to characterize the behavior and performance of loudspeaker drivers. These parameters are essential in the design and analysis of loudspeaker systems. Common Thiele/Small parameters include:
Bl (Force factor)
Cms (Mechanical compliance)
EBP (Efficiency bandwidth product)
Fs (Resonant frequency)
Le (Voice coil inductance)
Mms (Total moving mass)
Pe (Power handling)
Qes (Electrical Q-factor)
Qms (Mechanical Q-factor)
Qts (Total Q-factor)
Re (DC resistance)
Sd (Effective piston area)
SPL (Sound pressure level)
Vas (Equivalent air volume)
Vd (Volume displacement)
Xmax (Maximum linear excursion)
Xmech (Maximum mechanical excursion)
Other loudspeaker terms
Acoustic phase
Acoustic phase center
Acoustic lens
Acoustic suspension (see Sealed Enclosure)
Active crossover
Air gap
Alnico (magnet)
All pass crossover
AMT (Air Motion Transducer)
Anechoic chamber
Anechoic response
Back plate
Baffle
Baffle step compensation (BSC)
Bandpass (crossover filter)
Bandpass enclosure
Basket
Bass-reflex enclosure (see Port)
Beaming
Bessel
Boundary effects
Breakup modes
Butterworth
Cancellation
Cabinet resonances
Cavity resonance
Center-to-center distance
Clipping
Coaxial driver
Coloration
Compression driver
Cone
Cone breakup (see Breakup modes)
Constant directivity
Constrained layer damping (CLD)
Crossover
Crossover frequency
Crossover network
Damping
Damping factor
Decibel (dB)
Diaphragm
Directivity
Dispersion
Distortion
Dome
DSP
Dual voice coil (DVC)
Duelund
Dust cap (see Cone)
Dynamics
Efficiency
Enclosure
Excursion
Faraday ring
Ferrite (magnet)
Ferrofluid
Flux density
Flux modulation
Frequency
Frequency response
Full range
Gap height
Ground plane measurements
Harmonic distortion
Heat sink
Helmholtz resonator (see Port)
High-pass filter
Horn
Imaging
Impedance
Impulse response
Inductance
Infinite baffle
Interaction
Intermodulation distortion (IMD)
Isobaric configuration
Klippel measurement system
Line array
Linearity
Linkwitz-Riley
Low-pass filter
Magnetic shielding
Midrange
Motor
Near Field Measurements
Neodymium magnet
Nominal impedance
Noise
Octave
Off-axis response
On-axis response
Open baffle (OB)
Overhung voice coil
Panel resonances (see Cabinet resonances)
Passive crossover
Passive radiator
Phase plug
Pistonic behavior
Planar magnetic transducer
Polarity
Pole piece
Port
Ported enclosure (see Port)
Power compression
Power handling
Radiation pattern
Reactance
Rear wave
Resonance
Resonant frequency (see Resonance)
Ribbon
Roll-off
Sensitivity
Sealed enclosure
Shorting ring (see Faraday ring)
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
SINAD
Soundstage
Spider
Surround
Suspension
Thiele/Small parameters
Throat
Time alignment
Tinsel leads
Transducer
Transient response
Transient suppression
Transmission line
Tweeter
Underhung voice coil
Vented enclosure (see Port)
Voice coil
Voice coil alignment
Voice coil cooling
Voice coil former
Wave cancellation
Waveguide
Woofer
Zobel network
Exploring Common DIY Terminology
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- Created by: technodanvan
- Published: 31 July 2023, 16:01 Monday
- 206 views
- 1 comment
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Latest Articles
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by technodanvanSuspension
The suspension refers to the mechanical system that provides support and control for the diaphragm (cone/dome) and voice coil within the driver's magnetic structure. The suspension is an important component that allows the diaphragm to move back and forth in response to the electrical audio signal while maintaining stability and linearity. The suspension system typically consists of two key components: the spider and the surround.- Spider: The spider, also known as the "speaker
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Channel: Terminology
26 July 2023, 09:28 Wednesday -
by technodanvanSurround
In the context of loudspeaker drivers, the surround, also known as the "speaker surround" or "suspension surround," is a component that plays an important role in the driver's suspension system. The surround is typically a flexible ring or membrane that connects the outer edge of the loudspeaker diaphragm (cone/dome) to the driver's frame (basket). The primary function of the surround is to provide a compliant and flexible suspension for the diaphragm, allowing...-
Channel: Terminology
26 July 2023, 09:17 Wednesday -
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by technodanvanSpider
In the context of loudspeaker drivers, the spider refers to a component that plays an important role in the suspension system of the driver. The spider is an essential part of the driver's overall mechanical structure, helping to center and control the movement of the voice coil and diaphragm within the magnetic gap. The spider is typically located between the voice coil and the frame (basket) of the loudspeaker driver. It is made of a flexible material, such as cloth or treated...-
Channel: Terminology
26 July 2023, 09:06 Wednesday -
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by technodanvanSoundstage
Soundstage refers to the perceived spatial placement and localization of sound sources in a recording. It describes the three-dimensional presentation of audio, making it seem as if the sound is originating from specific locations within the listening environment, rather than coming directly from the loudspeakers. When a recording and playback system is capable of creating a convincing soundstage, listeners can experience a more immersive and realistic audio experience. The...-
Channel: Terminology
26 July 2023, 08:58 Wednesday -
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by technodanvanSINAD (Signal to Noise and Distortion ratio)
While not directly applicable to loudspeaker design, SINAD is a term in common use and is a valuable tool when comparing electronic equipment to match with your speakers. It can also be used when deciding what equipment you'd like to use for your measurement setup. SINAD stands for "Signal-to-Noise and Distortion ratio." It is a metric used to quantify the audio quality of electronic devices, particularly audio equipment like amplifiers...-
Channel: Terminology
26 July 2023, 08:41 Wednesday -
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by technodanvanSignal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is an important parameter that helps evaluate the performance and quality of the audio output. In the context of audio, SNR refers specifically to the ratio of the desired audio signal (the sound produced by the loudspeaker driver) to the background noise generated by the speaker itself or the overall system.
The formula to calculate SNR in decibels is:...
SNR (dB) = 10⋅log10(PowerSignal/PowerNoise)-
Channel: Terminology
25 July 2023, 16:20 Tuesday -