Exploring Common DIY Terminology - Infinite Baffle

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...

Reactance

Reactance refers to the component of impedance that arises due to the reactive elements in the driver's electrical circuit. Reactance is a complex impedance that includes both resistance and reactance, with reactance having both inductive and capacitive components. Understanding reactance is essential in loudspeaker design and analysis, as it affects the electrical and acoustic behavior of the driver.

There are two types of reactance commonly encountered in loudspeaker...

Bandpass (Crossover Filter)

A bandpass filter refers to an electronic circuit or signal processing technique used to limit the frequency range of an audio signal that is sent to a specific driver or set of drivers within a loudspeaker system. It is employed to ensure that each driver operates within its intended frequency range and to achieve a desired frequency response for the overall system. For the DIYer, a bandpass crossover filter would typically be seen in a 3-way loudspeaker...

Cancellation

Cancellation refers to the phenomenon where sound waves from a loudspeaker system interfere with each other, resulting in a reduction of certain frequencies. This interference can occur due to several factors, including phase differences and spatial relationships between sound sources.

One common type of cancellation is known as phase cancellation. Phase cancellation happens when two sound waves of equal frequency and amplitude, but with opposite phase (180...

Efficiency

Efficiency refers to the ability of a speaker system to convert electrical power into acoustic output effectively. It measures how efficiently a loudspeaker converts electrical energy into sound energy. Efficiency is typically expressed as a percentage and represents the ratio of acoustic power output to the electrical power input. A more efficient loudspeaker requires less electrical power to produce a given level of sound output. Efficiency is influenced by several factors,...

Intermodulation Distortion (IMD)

Intermodulation distortion (IMD) refers to the generation of new frequencies that result from the nonlinear behavior of a speaker driver when simultaneously reproducing multiple input frequencies. These new frequencies are not present in the original audio signal and can degrade the accuracy and fidelity of the reproduced sound. IMD occurs when the diaphragm or cone of the loudspeaker driver is driven with multiple input frequencies. Due to the driver's...

Interaction

In loudspeaker design, the term "interaction" refers to the ways in which various components of the speaker system interact with each other and with the surrounding environment. These interactions can have significant effects on the loudspeaker's performance and overall sound reproduction.

There are several key areas of interaction in loudspeaker design:

• Driver Interaction: In multi-driver loudspeaker systems, such as two-way or three-way designs,

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Rear Wave

The "rear wave" refers to the sound waves generated by the backside of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker driver. When the driver's voice coil moves back and forth in response to the electrical signal from the amplifier, it causes the diaphragm (cone or dome) to vibrate and produce sound waves both in front and behind the driver. The front wave is the sound that radiates forward and interacts directly with the listener, creating the desired sound output. However, the...

Baffle

A structure that surrounds and supports loudspeaker drivers, providing a surface from which sound radiates into a listening space. Some may discount the baffle as simply being the front of the speaker upon which drivers are mounted, however its purpose is varied and it can significantly impact the overall performance of a loudspeaker:

• First, the baffle should be as rigid as possible to provide mechanical support for each driver installed and minimize unwanted vibrations or

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