All items in category Theory Articles
Why Doesn’t My Stereo Sound Like a Live Concert?
by Ethan Winer

Why Doesn’t My Stereo Sound Like a Live Concert?

In this article for audioXpress, "Why Doesn’t My Stereo Sound Like a Live Concert?", Ethan Winer explains why acoustics matter and why the fidelity of your audio devices and speakers is not the reason your hi-fi doesn’t make your living room sound like you’re hearing a concert in a concert hall. This article was originally published in audioXpress, August 2019.
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Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) - Controlled Sound Technology for Nonlinear Compensation of Loudspeakers
by Vance Dickason

Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) - Controlled Sound Technology for Nonlinear Compensation of Loudspeakers

Following extensive research, Klippel GmbH has announced its new Klippel Controlled Sound (KCS) technology. This is an integrated approach that leverages the company's software and hardware tools for development, measurement and evaluation of new-generation loudspeaker systems, providing mechanical and thermal protection, automatic system alignment, active compensation of transducer nonlinearities and stabilization of the voice coil rest position. In other words, enabling research towards the speakers of the future.
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Microspeakers' Anatomy - How to Design Audio Systems with Very Small Drivers
by Mike Klasco and Steve Tatarunis

Microspeakers' Anatomy - How to Design Audio Systems with Very Small Drivers

Audio sound quality optimization in a smartphone, mobile device, display, or laptop computer is the focus here. The goal of this article is not to teach how to design a good microspeaker, but rather to provide information on how to design a good mobile audio system, touching upon speaker design and speaker enclosure techniques. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, May 2010.
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Practical Test & Measurement: The Smart Way of Testing Smart Home Devices
by Hans W. Gierlich

Practical Test & Measurement: The Smart Way of Testing Smart Home Devices

In this article for audioXpress, Hans W. Gierlich, managing director of HEAD acoustics, explains how to test the different performance parameters of smart speakers and smart home devices under real-life conditions, how to deal with the challenges of optimizing systems for voice and audio quality, how to simulate environmental conditions, user behavior, and test the performance of the various functionalities. This article was originally published in audioXpress, January 2019.
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Constant Current for Tube Heaters. Extend the Life of Your Amplifier’s Vacuum Tubes
by Bill Reeve

Constant Current for Tube Heaters. Extend the Life of Your Amplifier’s Vacuum Tubes

In this article, Bill Reeve explains how to drive tube heaters with a constant current to lengthen the life of your vacuum tubes. As he explains, obviously, the best way to extend your amplifier’s vacuum tube life is to never turn it on. Some would say that the second best thing you can do is to never turn it off. The third and fourth options may be to gently turn on the tube heaters and not leave the B+ voltage on when the heater voltages are off. This article was originally published in audioXpress, May 2014.
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Practical Test & Measurement: Attenuators for Measurement
by Jonathan Novick

Practical Test & Measurement: Attenuators for Measurement

In this article for audioXpress, Jonathan Novick explains why the use of external attenuators are an effective and cost-effective way to measure signals above the maximum input voltage of an audio analyzer. Novick explains why there needs to be some consideration of the topologies and different attributes offered by such components for audio noise measurements. He compares the impact different attenuators’ thermal noise will have on measurements of distortion. This article was originally published in audioXpress, March 2019.
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How Good Is Your Port
by Bohdan Raczynski

How Good Is Your Port

Ported enclosures are known to extend the low-frequency output of loudspeakers by exploiting the Helmholtz resonator effect produced by the compliance of the air inside the enclosure and inertance of the air in the port. This article looks at the problem of port nonlinearity to determine the correct port size, and the acoustic impedance of the port under high air velocity. This article was originally published in audioXpress, September 2001.
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Subwoofer Placement In Non-Rectangular Rooms
by Bohdan Raczynski

Subwoofer Placement In Non-Rectangular Rooms

This article examines the problem of subwoofer placement in odd-shaped rooms, exploring corner locations of subwoofers and some pros and cons of single-woofer versus dual-woofer systems for a given placement within a listening room. In the article, the author extends the analysis and actually generates the “room contribution” curves for a non-rectangular room. This article was originally published in audioXpress, September 2002.
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A Loudspeaker That Can Play Square Waves?
by Bohdan Raczynski

A Loudspeaker That Can Play Square Waves?

This article describes a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) technique developed to correct loudspeakers’ frequency domain and time domain distortions. Performance improvements, observed using square wave excitation, are documented here in time domain and frequency domain. This article was originally published in audioXpress, June 2010.
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Advanced Test Methods for Improving ANC Headphone Performance
by Hans W. Gierlich

Advanced Test Methods for Improving ANC Headphone Performance

From speaker practice and theory, this article on advanced test methods for improving Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) headphone performance attempts to gain better data to draw stronger conclusions about the ANC performance and is a must-read for product developers and anyone interesting in learning how to evaluate those systems. This article was originally published in audioXpress, October 2018.
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