Subwoofer Alignment with Full-Range System

In this tutorial Charlie Hughes addresses the question of “How do I align a subwoofer with a full-range loudspeaker system?”. He answers the problem by addressing the three main issues of crossover frequencies, relative output level and delay. This article was originally published in Voice Coil November 2011.

In this article, the author addresses possible scenarios when measuring loudspeaker input impedance at drive levels closer to those used in actual operation, including problematic examples with vented loudspeaker enclosures and constant voltage distributed system transformers. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, February 2011.

The question of phase response often arises when measuring loudspeaker systems. In this article, the author reviews setting the receive delay within a measurement system so that the displayed phase response is the “correct” one. This article was originally published in Voice Coil July 2011.

All-pass filters are perhaps one of the most overlooked and misunderstood tools for the general audio practitioner. Much has been written about their use to yield more linear phase response through the majority of a loudspeaker’s passband. They can also be used to optimize the directivity and magnitude response of a loudspeaker system. Perhaps we should first look at exactly what an all-pass filter is.

The specification of a loudspeaker’s sensitivity is probably one of the most common, yet perhaps one of the most misunderstood. In the past, and still today, it is common to see the magnitude response of a loudspeaker system reduced to a single number as a sensitivity rating. Article originally published by Voice Coil, April 2010.

Horns are often used in loudspeaker systems for a variety of reasons. One may be to provide increased acoustical loading to the driver attached to the horn. This helps to increase the sensitivity/efficiency. Another may be to provide some control over the radiation pattern of the driver attached to the horn. Article originally published by Voice Coil, November 2010.

In this Q&A, Charlie Hughes credits his success to knowledge, contacts, friendships, and his wife. He earned a physics degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in1988. After graduation he worked for Peavey Electronics in Meridian, MS as a loudspeaker design engineer where he remained for 14 years. In late 2004, he started his own company, Excelsior Audio, located near Charlotte, NC. Excelsior Audio primarily provides consultation and design services to loudspeaker manufacturers. This article was originally published in audioXpress, February 2013.

Location: Gastonia, NC (the Charlotte area) Education: BS, Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology Occupation: Electro-acoustical consultant/loudspeaker design engineer Member Status: Charlie said he has been reading Voice Coil since about 1988, and he is a frequent contributor to audioXpress. Affiliations: …