VituixCAD v2

[witwald]

Shelving HP and LP have the same response. Just gain is different which can be compensated with input voltage.

I understand that. However, it's non-intuitive in terms of viewing the filter response, and one needs to do an extra step and mentally subtract off the low-pass boost. Why not just add another option to help the user? It's much simpler at the software end of the tree. It is a simple additional capability that will reap major dividends for my simple exploratory work, enabling me to do simple things much more simply. Is that too much to ask? It would be nice to have an already powerful computational tool made even better.

[kimmosto]

Shelving HP and LP have the same response. Just gain is different which can be compensated with input voltage.
More important is to remember that Filter tab in Enclosure tool is NOT for designing actual/final crossover so it can be quite simple. It's just for investigating:
1) SPL and voltage limits with different bass boosts by active filter such as L-T, shelving LP or peaking EQ.
2) response reaction between driver's impedance response and passive filter. Especially how typical but annoying response hump at upper bass can be eliminated or impedance response equalized more flat or low pass designed for driver with quite high Le.
3) possibilities to extend response and add some protective high pass with series capacitor.

Speakers can be and have been designed for decades without any filter features in driver+box simulator. Simple system simulator does not know for example how cone equalizes acoustical response so it's not productive to put too much effort without actual measurable devices.

[witwald]

That is very true 👍, and it's something that I did to test feasibility and usefulness of my little idea. However, it would be extremely time saving in nature if the options that I suggested were available in the Enclosure tool. Sometimes one just wants to have a very short "feasibility study" without littering one's computer with a myriad of files. 🙂

[Reet]

For complex filtering you can always export the frequency response from the enclosure model, and load it to the main window to use any filter functions available.

[witwald]

For your consideration, please find below the details of some feature requests for VituixCAD's Enclosure simulation tool.

I have been working on modelling a B&C Speakers 18SW115-8Ω 18-inch driver in a large 160-litre vented enclosure tuned to 28Hz. This tuning produces a bass shelf in the low-frequency reponse, as shown by the black curve in the plot below.

I would like to be able to introduce a shelving filter to remove the rising response above 40Hz or so (the region highlighted in blue). This would need to be applied with negative gain.

Would you be able to add a 'Shelv HP' filter option to the Filter section of the Enclosure tool? I'd expect that it wouldn't be very difficult to do, as you already have the framework in place from the existing 'Shelv LP' filter option.

At the same time, would it also be possible to add another two PEQ filters? That way a total of 4 would be available in the Enclosure tool (i.e., PEQ 1, PEQ 2, PEQ 3, and PEQ 4).



Thank you very much for considering my requests.

[kimmosto]

2.0.124.1 (2025-05-11)

Enclosure

• Added 'Show current' command to context menu of Power chart.
• Added 'Show force' command to context menu of Excursion chart.
• 'Show current/voltage' and 'Show force/acceleration' track visibility set in Traces window.

User manual says now:

• Input Power: apparent power [VA], real power [W] and maximum power to Re [W].
  Current [A] when 'Show current' is checked in context menu, or
  Voltage [V] when 'Show voltage' is checked in context menu. Voltage trace includes Source voltage U and active filters, but not passive components.
• Peak excursion and Xmax [mm] of cone and passive radiator.
  Peak reaction force [N] of cones and passive radiators due to acceleration of moving mass when 'Show force' is checked in context menu, or
  RMS acceleration [m/s²] of cone and passive radiator when 'Show acceleration' is checked in context menu.

[kimmosto]

I switch off the display of 'Cone Force (peak)' in the 'Excursion' plot. However, when I change the power input level, the 'Cone Force (peak)' trace reappears. It seems that my prior setting is being somehow overwritten.

Visible trace (Force or Acceleration) should be selected via context menu (right click). Not via Traces window. The same story with Current/Voltage selection in Power chart. One or another is visible after the next calculation so hiding both is just temporary. Online manual says:



Next revision may have own switch for both traces in context menu. That would allow hiding both, but both can't be visible at the same time because they have different unit.

[witwald]

I am using VituixCAD 2.0.124.0, and would like to report a minor issue that I am experiencing.

When using the Enclosure tool, using the 'Excursion traces' dialog, I switch off the display of 'Cone Force (peak)' in the 'Excursion' plot. However, when I change the power input level, the 'Cone Force (peak)' trace reappears. It seems that my prior setting is being somehow overwritten.

This wasn't happening in the previous version of VituixCAD.

[kimmosto]

2.0.124.0 (2025-05-07)

Enclosure

• Added passive parallel filter branch Cp+Lp+Rp to Filter tab.
• Added 'Track Fb and Qtc' checkbox for Linkwitz-Transform. Copies Fb and Qtc of closed or IB to fo and Qo to help setting up L-T.
• Added optional voltage trace to Power chart. 'Show voltage' command in context menu replaces current trace with voltage.
• T/S parameters of the newly added driver are read from driver table into system simulation also when database filtering hides the other drivers.

[kimmosto]

2.0.123.2 (2025-04-05)

Main

• Klippel NFS CEA2034 directivity export files 'SPL Horizontal.txt' and 'SPL Vertical.txt' are renamed automatically to 'SPL Horizontal.nfs' and 'SPL Vertical.nfs' when loaded to Frequency responses -list in Drivers tab to avoid manual renaming.
  In addition, 'Angle parsing from filename' and 'Power response & DI calculation' settings in Options are adapted for NFS exports.

Enclosure

• Added reading of Shelv LP filter's Q factor from enclosure project file.

---

2.0.123.1 (2025-03-23)

Enclosure

• Maximum VAS, Sd and Mms increased by 10x.

[kimmosto]

2.0.123.0 (2025-03-11)

Impulse response

• Added 'FR view' tab for comparing selected source response to frequency response created with impulse response to be exported.
• Added horizontal scrollbar for adjusting Pre-delay. Tooltip shows delay in tap number and % of taps.
• 'Center IR' checkbox deleted.
• Fixed IR scaling with Pre-delay of 0.0 ms.

https://kimmosaunisto.net/Software/V...pulse_response
Refresh to see the latest.

[ergo]

I believe that Kimmo's Epe-3W_demo data is collected from a real small speaker box. Thus it does have "baffle step" effect included. Also Kimmo probably set the rotation axis to a tweeter acoustic center and woofer in most cases being a bit further would have a slight effect on SPL due to that.

Vifa datasheet on other hand would show a response when speaker is mounted on a big IEC standard baffle and they move the microphone instead. This lack baffle step effect.

For my own designs I've considered that at any given angle - ie 0deg / 30deg / 45deg etc, it is important that the relative levels between tweeter and woofer are correct. They will be imho very much good enough if you measure them rotating around tweeter axis. It will show you issues with power response and directivity mismatch etc if xover is not optimal.

So onto building - measuring and listening

Good luck with the project.

[Reet]

The low frequency inconsistencies can be caused by SNR of the measurement, at some low frequency the measurement may be dominated by the noise floor. It can also be related to a DC offset in the impulse response, in recent versions VituixCAD has improved the DC offset compensation in its IR-FR tool considerably, reducing this possibility.

Viewing the data un-normalized makes it clearer to identify the problem.


However, you may also notice that once a bandpass filter is applied to the driver, the error in response <100Hz is not impacting to the design results.


You are correct, force to gradient is one method of correction, but more of a Band-Aid solution, of course it's best to have good clean measurements to begin with. For the driver being discussed here, I would suspect it has not been merged with a nearfield response.

[Mogens20]

Hey Guys, I'm continuing to learn how to use this amazing software. After reading all the docs I can find more than once and completing a few speaker designs, I've noticed something unexpected to me.

I'll use the Epe-3W_demo_V2.vxp reference design for simplicity and since we all have access to the data. Below is the horizontal directivity of the Vifa M10MD from the Vituix file. I muted the woofer and tweeter.

I believe the <100Hz trace data deformity has been addressed in the current revision of VituixCad2 thanks to the Force To Gradient function. Or the left side IR window was too small?

This post is about the apparent directivity of the midrange between approximately 200-600Hz. Of course this can , and in this case seems to be, caused by the acoustic center of the driver not aligned with the axis of rotation. But I see this in other designs including my own and I've very careful to do my best to ensure the DUT alignment is as close as possible. This is also visible in the directivity graphs of the other drivers in this design.




Below is the manufacturer's half space frequency response for the Vifa M10MD. While the off-axis is only to 60Deg, the driver appears to be behaving like a point source in this graph up to around 600Hz.



If the DUT is properly aligned and manufacturer (or other half space) driver measurements indicate point-source-like dispersion up to a certain frequency, is it correct to expect very little low frequency directivity graph divergence in Vituix?

If DUT is misaligned with axis of rotation, should I mitigate this by shifting SPL traces (in REW for example) such that they align at the lowest displayed frequency? Should I also adjust the IR alignment accordingly?

[kimmosto]

2.0.121.1 (2024-12-27)

Main

• Modified constraints of slope target zones in CTA-2034 chart.

Preference rating

• On-axis linearity calculated as difference to linear regression line to support others than conventional full space concept.

Slope target limits as C# code for spinorama.org and reviewers in case they decide to show the same targets:

[Reet]

That's a a nice feature, I think many new users to power & DI charts will find that helpful. I am also happy to see that my own designs are falling within the recommended slope zones well enough for my liking.

[kimmosto]

2.0.121.0 (2024-12-22)

Main

• Added 'Show Slope target zones' command to context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
  Shows recommended slope target range for ON-LW, PIR, SP and SPDI @100-16000 Hz.

Enclosure

• Fixed reading of missing minimum limits in database filter.
  Maximum was moved to minimum if minimum cell was empty.

Slope target zones depend on slope of simulated/actual directivity index with some constraints. Few examples about adaptation and constraints.

[tktran]

I like it!

[kimmosto]

2.0.120.1 (2024-12-06)

Main

• Added 'Normalized' command to context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
  Shows flat frequency response to reference angle.
• Chart areas are aligned left and right.

[kimmosto]

2.0.120.0 (2024-11-23)

Main

• Added 'Show Data labels' command to context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
  Shows smoothness (SM) and slope in dB/oct of ON, LW, ER, PIR, SP, SPDI and ERDI @100-16000 Hz.

Main, Enclosure, Calculate T/S

• Scale of impedance phase axis changed to +120...-120 deg.

Power dissipation

• Added 'Traces...' command to context menu of chart.
• Added 'Save as overlay' command to context menu of chart.
• Added 'Open overlay...' command to context menu of chart. Drag&Drop overlay file is also supported.

Data labels of CTA-2034 chart

[JonMarsh]

Very excellent for me!

[kimmosto]

Tiny adjustments in the latest build 2.0.119.3 are related to the latest revision of this document: https://kimmosaunisto.net/Misc/speak...w_feedback.pdf
Refresh to see the latest 2024-11-17.

[kimmosto]

2.0.119.2 (2024-11-14)

• Size of texts changes when size of graph changes. This enables HD/2K, 4K and 8K bitmap copies, screenshots and exports directly without SVG files.

[kimmosto]

2.0.119.1 (2024-11-12)

Main

• Name of On-axis response in SPL and CTA-2034 charts is 'On-axis' when Ref angle=0 deg hor. Otherwise the name is 'Ref axis X deg hor'.
• Early Reflect Hor traces renamed to Horizontal Reflections and Early Reflect Ver traces renamed to Vertical Reflections.
• Added 'Show Reflection totals' command to context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
  Shows Vertical Reflections, Vertical Reflections DI, Horizontal Reflections and Horizontal Reflections DI. Hides nothing.

Optimizer

• On-axis text in radio buttons renamed to Ref axis.

Merger

• Axial column in HF list renamed to On-axis.

[Reet]

Reference axis or Reference angle is a good and generic term. Somewhat related, in the merger tool, the high frequency portion has the angle column labelled as "axial", perhaps this should change to "angle" to be consistent with the calculator tool

[kimmosto]

CTA-2034 uses "Reference Axis", but that case is the same as "On-axis" while measuring responses to 0 deg. "Ref axis" would be easy and short abbreviation.

[JonMarsh]

I'll bring it to Sven's attention- I don't have that possibility myself.

[kimmosto]

Name of ref angle trace could be variable
0 deg -> On-axis


hor 10 deg -> Design axis hor 10 deg


Optimizer with Design axis

[Reet]

Hmm, I think "design axis" is more commonly used term in online discussions, I don't know that it's a more correct term, but more people may be familiar with it. Listening axis would make it consistent with listening distance option, or perhaps both should change to design axis and design distance.

[kimmosto]

Every post I post is requiring approval, that must be annoying for someone.

I have accepted all your recent posts. No problem, but you should have moderator rights to avoid that. JonMarsh could you arrange that?

[kimmosto]

One question before making any fast and hasty changes. What would be better...the best name for Reference angle in the top of main window, Optimizer, frequency response exports, SPL chart etc? "On-axis/ref angle" is quite long and possibly indistinct for Optimizer window and user manual. One possibility is "Design axis" which is quite common and shorter than "Reference angle". Perpendicular axis starting at X,Y,Z=0,0,0 on baffle is "on-axis" so we probably wouldn't mix that to off-axis in horizontal plane called "design axis". Or do we have some other as good and common term in English.

[Reet]

Every post I post is requiring approval, that must be annoying for someone.

[Reet]

All good, I can deal with whatever naming conventions, I'm just being pedantic. As long as we don't start calling it a "Mike" instead of "mic"...

[kimmosto]

P.S. There are still some differences in naming between CTA-2034-A and VituixCAD. Floor Bounce should be Floor Reflection, Ceiling Bounce should be Ceiling Reflection, Early reflect Hor should be Horizontal Reflections and Early reflect Ver should be Vertical Reflections. So one day I may continue to mix this soup. Making the best decisions at once has always been difficult for me.

[kimmosto]

However, I'm not sure on renaming Power & DI chart to CTA-2034, since it's easy to present the chart in a manner that doesn't conform to CTA-2034, for example I use 15 deg measurement increments instead of 10 deg, or it is possible to enter <2m listening distance.

I agree that previous name "Power & DI" was more generic. Listening Window, Predicted In-room, Early Reflections and it's individual reflections are power averages (RMS). Sound Power DI plays actual DI, but Early Reflections DI is just ratio of two power averages. But they all (except On-axis) are kinda power and DI responses.

CTA-2034 has sound power weighting tables for 5 and 10 deg angle steps (though 5 deg table is screwed up), but VituixCAD 1.1 and 2.0 have not limited angle step or required constant step. That freedom has been available also for Wall, Floor and Ceiling reflections, and Listening Window. All six averages are calculated to specified sector with selected angle step instead of fixed 10 deg. That serves actual target of CTA-2034 Directivity Response without being literally bureaucratic and limiting.

My plan was to help publishing in case designer wants to publish Directivity Response per CTA-2034-A. "Directivity Response" is official name in the standard, but "Directivity" chart name is already in use. Klippel has CEA2034. So both apps are still wrong though look almost the same 😀

I don't fully agree with renaming of axial response to on-axis in the optimizer winder either, since it is not truly an on-axis optimization. It optimizes based on SPL chart that results from reference angle chosen and driver coordinates

Both SPL and CTA-2034 charts show selected Ref angle as On-axis/ref angle. Most of the cases users can leave Ref angle = 0 deg hor because optimising can be done with Listening Window which is very close to 15 deg hor in practice. Of course individual 5, 10, 15 or 20 deg hor could be slightly better axial direction for optimising in some cases, but rotation of Reference angle can be "just" nice method to verify individual off-axis frequency responses using SPL chart instead of Directivity as Line chart, Waterfall or Surface chart.

Also here "On-axis" -part of the name helps to publish charts with the most common terminology. Users are probably/hopefully aware that program works just like earlier.

Optimizer window could have different names than "On-axis" because it's not related to publishing, but I'm not sure that Axial or Ref angle would be better for common citizen. Maybe...

[Reet]

Another unapproved post...

[Reet]

2.0.119.0 (2024-11-09)

Main[LIST][*]Power & DI chart renamed to CTA-2034.[*]Axial text in radio buttons renamed to On-axis.

I am in favour of naming changes for Predicted In-Room, etc. as this matches terminology used in preference rating system so it should reduce any confusion there. However, I'm not sure on renaming Power & DI chart to CTA-2034, since it's easy to present the chart in a manner that doesn't conform to CTA-2034, for example I use 15 deg measurement increments instead of 10 deg, or it is possible to enter <2m listening distance. Just food for thought.

I don't fully agree with renaming of axial response to on-axis in the optimizer winder either, since it is not truly an on-axis optimization. It optimizes based on SPL chart that results from reference angle chosen and driver coordinates, which is only truly on-axis if x and y coordinates are zero, and reference angle is zero as well. Axial response was a more correct term here in my opinion.

[kimmosto]

2.0.119.0 (2024-11-09)

Main

• Power & DI chart renamed to CTA-2034.
  Reference angle trace renamed to On-axis/ref angle (also in SPL chart).
  In-room response renamed to Predicted In-room.
  Power response renamed to Sound Power.
  Directivity index renamed to Sound Power DI.
  Early reflection traces renamed to Front Wall Bounce, Side Wall Bounce, Rear Wall Bounce, Floor Bounce, Ceiling Bounce, Early Reflections, Early Reflections DI, Early Reflect Hor, Early Reflect Hor DI, Early Reflect Ver and Early Reflect Ver DI.
• Show Listening window, Show ER Horizontal, Show ER Vertical and Show ER Total commands removed from context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
• Added 'Show Basic' command to context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
  Shows On-axis/ref angle, Listening Window, Predicted In-room, Early Reflections, Sound Power, Sound Power DI and Early Reflections DI.
  Hides Wall, Floor and Ceiling Bounces, Early Reflect Hor, Early Reflect Hor DI, Early Reflect Ver and Early Reflect Ver DI.
• Added 'Show Early Reflections' command to context menu of CTA-2034 chart.
  Shows Front Wall Bounce, Side Wall Bounce, Rear Wall Bounce, Floor Bounce, Ceiling Bounce and Early Reflections.
  Hides On-axis/ref angle, Listening Window, Predicted In-room, Sound Power and Sound Power DI.
  Shows temporary 'Early Reflections' text in chart title.

Optimizer

• Axial text in radio buttons renamed to On-axis.
• Power & DI group renamed to Power & In-room.
• Power response radio button renamed to Sound Power.
• In-room response radio button renamed to Predicted In-room.
• Updated chart and trace names in tooltips.

So this is just cosmetics for spinorama nerds preferring names more compatible with CTA-2034 and Klippel

Result looks like this, after Show Basic command


after Show Early Reflections command


Full set of traces can be enabled via Traces... window

[kimmosto]

Schematic can be exported as SVG file too so the same method is available for publishing schematic for HD/2K, 4K and 8K as bitmap or PNG.

[JonMarsh]

We each have our personal working styles and environments... it does seem that a lot of folks are "lazy" about reading things like help files. That's on them.

I use VituixCAD primarily on a relatively high end configuration 2013 Mac Pro, which is setup with boot camp to boot into WIN10. Was used for a lot of company work before I retired, due to issues with the Admin special laptop I was issued. Monitor is a relatively ancient LG 43" 4K monitor, fine for technical work but not with high color fidelity. UI scaling is set to 150 or 200%. Occasionally I try higher UI scaling, but VituixCAD is scaling up font bitmaps, and they don't render well at 200%.

I use the image export function for the schematic page, but usually work with only a single results screen displayed at a time, and use the snipping tool for them. I do that mostly because of my preferences for text scaling. I must confess to being amused how often I get photos of screen displays...

this project was built in an apartment in 2019, wood working done on the patio, and very limited space for measurements...




Typical working screen setup, though scaled by the forum software.

An exported SPL image using the internal function.

[kimmosto]

No amount of words in the help file will change the way people post screenshots / images. In 2024 people are taking photos of the screen with their phone, completely absurd.

😁 Now we have some text to link to forums or e-mails. Few weeks ago I received a question how to add trace legends to copied/exported image. Help was missing so my bad. I was quite shocked that users don't open context menu of chart and test what happens with 'Copy image' and 'Export image' commands. They usually take screenshots from zoomed window or whole program window - or photos. Photo via WhatsApp is very fast and easy for some purposes, but PC running VCAD is usually connected to internet.

[Reet]

No amount of words in the help file will change the way people post screenshots / images. In 2024 people are taking photos of the screen with their phone, completely absurd.

FWIW I use screenshot more often than image export simple because I usually run VituixCAD in a virtual machine, with an odd OS screen resolution, the aspect of exported images is not correct. It works okay as long as I set a "normal" resolution of the VM before opening VituixCAD, so my problem is primarily one of laziness and convenience. At least, I try to keep constant chart aspect when taking screenshots.

VituixCAD also includes a well functioning project archive button, but I've yet to see anyone use it when sending me their files.

[kimmosto]

Publishing of charts on different forums has been quite random. Especially taking screenshots from zoomed charts or main window is quite disturbing. So, few missing paragraphs added to online manual:

https://kimmosaunisto.net/Software/VituixCAD/VituixCAD_help_20.html#Copy_image

https://kimmosaunisto.net/Software/VituixCAD/VituixCAD_help_20.html#Export_image

https://kimmosaunisto.net/Software/VituixCAD/VituixCAD_help_20.html#Copy_or_Export_with_higher_pixel_count

[Reet]

"no baffle loss" simply means to use the low frequency data you provide as-is without altering it. It's up to you to provide meaningful data. If that data comes from the enclosure tool, it will be 2pi.

[Quza]

Oh, ok. I think I misunderstood the whole thing. 'No baffle loss' means the speaker is used with the front being an infinite plane, right?
I was thinking about using a subwoofer in free air as 4pi and using a subwoofer on the ground as 2pi, but that would actually require adding 6dB and increasing the height of the baffle by the mirror image.