Development & Design: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of an Unusually Shaped Horn

In another example of cutting-edge experiments that deserve recognition, Joerg Panzer (R&D TEAM, Germany) and Patrick Macey (PACSYS, UK) detail an investigation of the sound pressure response and radiation impedance of a loudspeaker horn driven by an electro-dynamic transducer. The two authors (and creators of the respective software tools) combined measurements with simulation software using finite and boundary element methods and explored the associated issues with meshing for each method.

COMSOL announced the release of COMSOL Multiphysics version 6.2, adding data-driven surrogate model functionality for efficient standalone simulation apps, and multiphysics-based digital twins, among some of the major new features. For users of the Acoustics Module, version 6.2 introduces a new frequency-dependent Impedance condition for time-domain pressure acoustics, a new anisotropic material model in the Poroelastic Waves interface, and a new Port boundary condition for enhanced modeling of aeroacoustics based on linearized potential flow.

Loudsoft, one of the leading global providers of loudspeaker and headphone design software and test equipment, announced the appointment of Andy Lewis of Sound Product Strategy as the new North American agent. Loudsoft, offers a complete range of FINE Design Software and Test & Measurement solutions, including speaker and headphone test systems, and the globally recognized FINE R+D)) Acoustic Audio Analyzer System.

Our longtime columnist Richard Honeycutt shares his insights on Geoff Hill’s recently released book, Loudspeaker Modelling and Design: A Practical Introduction, which demonstrates modern software and hardware being applied to the processes behind loudspeaker design and modeling. Learn more about this indispensable work, now available from publisher Routledge / Focal Press. This article was originally published in audioxpress, February 2019.

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.

Milan will host the 144th International AES Convention from May 23-26, and Italian manufacturer of automotive and professional loudspeakers, Faital, will present a new technical report entitled: “FEM thermal model of a compression driver: comparison with experimental results.” The presentation details Faital's successful experiments in developing a predictive model using Finite Element Analysis to improve the design of magnet assemblies in a loudspeaker.

As previewed back in October 2017, COMSOL now made available the latest release of its COMSOL Multiphysics and COMSOL Server software products. Version 5.3a provides simulation specialists with cutting-edge modeling tools and increased solver performance. Featuring new methods, material models and simulations, the new software includes a hybrid boundary element-finite element (BEM-FEM) method for acoustics and acoustic-structure interaction, among many valuable new tools.

Simulation software for speaker design has been around since the 1970s. With the introduction of the IBM PC and DOS operating system in the early 1980s, Thiele-Small (T-S) simulation software for enclosure design became a must-have for speaker system designers. For the most sophisticated design efforts, there are now magnetic circuit design software and finite element analysis (FEA) cone and thermal prediction simulation software. This article was originally published in Voice Coil, March 2017.

Once again, the 2017 COMSOL Conference in Boston brought together the COMSOL community. Attendees got a chance to test the latest features for COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3a and COMSOL Server, scheduled to be released in Q4 2017. New features include acoustics and acoustic-structure interactions based on a hybrid boundary element-finite element (BEM-FEM) method, impulse response for ray acoustics, magnetostatics, shape memory alloy (SMA) materials for structural analysis, and much more!

Loudspeaker design is not a trivial exercise, and as a result, high-performance acoustic simulation software is essential to get accurate predictions that help an engineer develop superior products. Demand for simulations at early design stages are increasing because cost and timing constraints make it impossible to prototype and test every design idea and much can be learned from simulation results, which cannot be obtained in the test chamber. Actran, MSC Software Company’s acoustic simulation solution, based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) technology, provides predictive simulation capabilities to assess the vibro-acoustic performance of audio devices, which include speakers and microphones.