Simple Methods For 2-Way Loudspeaker Design

Donald A. Swanson

This work describes a method of loudspeaker design. It does not rely on measuring tools other than a pair of wired headphones which are used for comparative listening.

1. Preliminary Requirements

Examine the specifications and design notes. What is the sensitivity and frequency range of the woofer and tweeter? Is the woofer designed for a closed box or a vented (inverted) box? Calculate (Fs / Qes). Fs is the resonance frequency. A number of 100 or more tends toward a vented box. A number of 80 or less tends toward a closed box.

A set of short wire alligator test leads and a small spool of 18 gauge speaker wire will be needed to connect the speaker and filter parts.

Headphone sound is the reference standard for comparison with the speaker. Headphones used for testing should be wired, closed back, and low impedance. Two examples: Sony MDR ZX310AP and Audio Technica ATHM20x. A short list of mono and stereo music tracks should be put together. Key things to listen for when testing speakers: the bass drum from heavy rock, the string bass from acoustic jazz, and vocals from pop and folk music.

2. Calculate The Box Size

The program shown below can be copy and pasted into the window box of the online BASIC interpreter. Click the RUN button to execute the program. Enter in the nominal driver size. There are 3 box sizes to choose from. The box size can be changed by entering a slightly larger or smaller driver size. Width, height, depth values shown in the display are the interior dimensions of the box. Dv is the nominal vent tube diameter. Vent tubes are cut to various lengths and tested to get the best bass output without sounding boomy or dirty. Tubes are usually test fitted from outside of the box where they can be swapped out quickly.

10 rem Loudspeaker Box Interior Dimension Calculator
20 rem Donald Swanson - das605813@yahoo.com
30 rem online BASIC interpreter - https://www.calormen.com/jsbasic/
40 clear
50 home
60 data 0.9
70 data 1
80 data 1.1253
90 input "Enter nominal driver size (in) = ";dz
100 for i = 1 to 3
110 rem calc width (wd), height (ht), depth (dp)
120 read s1
130 ds = dz * s1
140 wd = ds * 1.618
150 ht = wd * 1.618
160 dp = wd * 0.84 
170 wd = int((wd * 4) + 0.5) / 4
180 ht = int((ht * 4) + 0.5) / 4
190 dp = int((dp * 4) + 0.5) / 4
200 rem calc Vb
210 vb = wd * ht * dp
220 vb = vb / 61.024
230 vb = int((vb * 10) + 0.5) / 10
240 rem calc Dv
260 dv = ds / 3
290 dv = int(dv * 8) / 8
310 print"---------------------------------------"
320 print
330 print "Vb";i;": ";vb;" (L)";"  Dv: ";dv;" (in)"
340 print
350 print "w,h,d: ";wd;", ";ht;", ";dp;" (in)"
360 print
370 next i
380 restore
390 print
400 input "hit enter to continue ";en$
410 goto 40

3. Calculate The Filter Values

The program shown below can be copy and pasted into the window box of the online BASIC interpreter. Click the RUN button to execute the program. Enter the impedance values for the HF (tweeter) and LF (woofer). Program lines 150-160 set the frequency range. Lines 210-250 set the capacitor values. The program display will show the capacitor/inductor value pairs. Choose inductors that are as close to the display values as possible. A slightly higher value is preferred over a slightly lower one. Test all of the pairs shown in the display. If two pairs sound equally best, prefer the lower value pair.

A first order parallel filter. Dayton Audio TCP-115-4 woofer (4-ohms), ND-20FA-6 tweeter (6-ohms).
The program display value pairs are (15uf, 720uh) (10uf, 480uh) (6.8uf, 330uh) (4.7uf, 230uh).
2-way first order filter in parallel configuration

If the tweeter needs to be attenuated, then wirewound or metal oxide (MOX) resistors can be used. The values range from 1-12 ohms with a 5 watt or more power rating, and a 5 percent tolerance.

Film type capacitors rated at 100 volts DC or more are preferred. Non-polar or bi-polar electrolytic capacitors rated at 50 volts DC or more can also be used.

Inductors that are laminated steel or air core are preferred. Ferrite core inductors with axial leads can be used. They should have a DC resistance (DCR) of 0.6 ohm or less, and a current rating of at least 1 amp. Lower cost ferrite core inductors that come close on specification can be used for testing.

10 rem Solen Split First Order Filter Calculator
20 rem Donald Swanson - das605813@yahoo.com
30 rem online BASIC interpreter - https://www.calormen.com/jsbasic/
40 clear
50 home
60 input "HF ohms = ";rh
70 vtab 1 : htab 15
80 input "LF ohms = ";rl
90 vtab 1 : htab 30
100 print "running"
110 print
120 f1 = 0
130 f2 = 0
140 rem set the range of frequency values
150 fq = 1000
160 fh = 4500
170 rem calculate capacitor value
180 c1 = 0.1125 / (rh * fq)
190 c1 = int((c1 * 10 ^ 7) + 0.5) / 10
200 rem look for a match
210 if c1 = 15 goto 340
220 if c1 = 10 goto 340
230 if c1 = 6.8 goto 340
240 if c1 = 4.7 goto 340
250 if c1 = 3.3 goto 340
260 fq = fq + 2
270 if fq < fh goto 180
280 vtab 1 : htab 30
290 print "          "
300 vtab 1 : htab 30
310 print "** done **"
320 end
330 rem calculate inductor value
340 i1 = 0.2251 * rl / fq
350 i1 =  int((i1 * 10 ^ 5) + 0.5) * 10
360 if i1 = f1 goto 260
370 if c1 <> f2 then print
380 print "F = ";fq;"  ";"C = ";c1;" (uf)";"  ";"L = ";i1;" (uh)"
390 f1 = i1
400 f2 = c1
410 goto 260

References

  1. Healy Gene (1996) The Audiophile Loudspeaker Anyone Can Build, Boston Post Publishing Company
  2. Weems David B. & Koonce G.R. (2000, 1990) Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual, The McGraw Hill Companies Inc.

Making Odds On Thoroughbred Races With Fibonacci Numbers

Donald A. Swanson

This work describes a subjective method of making odds from the analysis of a thoroughbred horse race. Symbols are chosen by the handicapper to represent the race analysis. Fibonacci numbers are used to convert symbol combinations into weighted percentages.

1. Symbols

The leftmost column in figure 1 shows the seven symbols used in the method. The left side symbol part is the base (+, N, Ø). The right side symbol part (+, -) is the modifier. Descriptions are names for the symbols. The symbols are usually hand-written with a forward slash "/" as a separator, for example: (N+ / + / Ø+). Symbol selection starts with consideration of (+, N, Ø) before moving up or down to the appropriate symbol. Memorize the symbols and descriptions. The rightmost column in figure 1 shows the matching Fibonacci numbers which will be used to calculate the weighted percentages.

Figure 1.
Symbol Description Weight
++ double plus 21
+ plus 13
N+ neutral plus 8
N neutral 5
N- neutral minus 3
Ø+ doubtful plus 2
Ø doubtful 1

2. Contender Percentage And Confidence Levels

The race is analyzed to decide which horses will be contenders. The handicapper will have some level of confidence that one of the contenders will win the race. A symbol is selected to represent the confidence level. Figure 2 shows the symbols and matching confidence levels. Symbol selection starts with consideration of (N+) before moving up or down to the appropriate symbol. Non-contenders get a (Ø).

Figure 2.
Symbol Confidence Level
++ maximum
+ high
N+ moderate high
N moderate
N- moderate low
Ø+ low
Ø minimum

cp - contender percentage
nc - number of contenders
fs - field size
wt - weight

cp = (wt * nc) / ((wt * nc) + (fs - nc))

Four contenders in an eight horse field with moderate high confidence.
4 / 8 / N+
N+ / N+ / N+ / N+ / Ø / Ø / Ø / Ø
8 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1
cp = 32 / 36 = .889
cp = (8 * 4) / ((8 * 4) + (8 - 4)) = .889

3. Factor Symbols And Combinations

Races with two or more contenders will use one to three factors which must be arranged from left to right in order of importance, for example: class, form, distance. Factors can be two-part compounded, for example: form-surface, jockey-trainer, form-age, distance-surface.

The (N) symbol can be extended to (NN) making the neutral base symbols (N+, NN, N-). The factor symbols are the right side symbol parts (+, N, -) matched up with Fibonacci numbers 8, 5, 3 respectively. Figure 3 shows the six factor symbol combinations and weighted percentages. A symbol combination is chosen that indicates the relative importance of each factor.

Figure 3.
Symbols Percent Doubled
N  N  N 33,33,34 66,34
+  N  N 44,28,28 -
N  N  - 38,38,24 76,24
+  N  - 50,31,19 -
+  -  - 56,22,22 56,44
+  +  - 42,42,16 84,16

Weighted percentage calculation for the (+ N -) combination.

8 + 5 + 3 = 16
8 / 16 = .5
5 / 16 = .3125
3 / 16 = .1875

Factors can be doubled, for example: speed, speed, form making a two factor race. The factor symbol representing the doubled factor must be duplicated in the combination as shown in figure 3. A single factor can be tripled (N N N) making a one factor race.

4. Example Race Calculation With Weighted Percentages And Odds

Two contenders in an eight horse field with high confidence.

cp = (13 * 2) / ((13 * 2) + (8 - 2)) = .813

Three factors are chosen: class, form, distance with the (+ N -) combination.

8 + 5 + 3 = 16
(8 / 16) * .813 = .407
(5 / 16) * .813 = .254
(3 / 16) * .813 = .152

Each contender gets three symbols one for each factor as shown in figure 5 second column.

Figure 5.
Horse cls / fm / dst Weights
#1 +  /  N  /  N 13 / 5 / 5
#2 N- /  N+  / + 3 / 8 / 13

13 + 3 = 16
(13 / 16) * .407 = .331  (#1)
(3 / 16) * .407 = .076    (#2)

5 + 8 = 13
(5 / 13) * .254 = .098    (#1)
(8 / 13) * .254 = .156    (#2)

5 + 13 = 18
(5 / 18) * .152 = .042    (#1)
(13 / 18) * .152 = .110  (#2)

Sum the three percentages for each contender.

.331 + .098 + .042 = .471  (#1)
.076 + .156 + .110 = .342  (#2)

Sort the percentages (pct) in descending order before converting into odds.

odds = (1 / pct) - 1

(1 / .471) - 1 = 1.123  (#1)
(1 / .342) - 1 = 1.924  (#2)

Select the increment (inc) for rounding off.

if odds < 0.3 then inc = 20
elseif odds < 1 then inc = 10
elseif odds < 2 then inc = 5
elseif odds < 5 then inc = 2
else inc = 1

odds = (int ((odds * inc) + .5)) / inc

(int ((1.123 * 5) + .5)) / 5 = 1.2  (#1)
(int ((1.924 * 5) + .5)) / 5 = 2     (#2)

Convert rounded odds into fractions.

n = 0.5  // numerator
d = 0    // denominator
while int(n)<> n
  d = d + 1
  n = odds * d
end
print n,"/",d

Finished calculation shown in figure 6 with percentages and fractional odds.

Figure 6.
2 / 8 / + cls / fm / dst +  N  -
#1 +  /  N  /  N .471 6 / 5
#2 N- /  N+  / + .342 2 / 1

Figure 7 is a two factor race with the distance factor doubled.

Figure 7.
2 / 10 / + cls / dst +  -  -
#1 N+ /  N /  N .552 4 / 5
#2 N- /  Ø+ /  Ø+ .213 7 / 2

References

  1. Cramer M. (1987) The Odds On Your Side: The Logic Of Racetrack Investing, Cynthia Publishing Company
  2. McNeill D. & Freiberger P. (1993) Fuzzy Logic: The Discovery Of A Revolutionary Computer Technology And How It Is Changing Our World, Simon & Schuster
  3. Mitchell D. (1988) Winning Thoroughbred Strategies: With The Right Strategy, You Can Think Like An Investor, Not A Gambler!, William Morrow & Company
  4. Quinn J. (1987) Class Of The Field: New Performance Ratings For Thoroughbreds, William Morrow & Company
  5. Quirin W.L. (1979) Winning At The Races: Computer Discoveries In Thoroughbred Handicapping, William Morrow & Company
  6. Scott W.L. (1984) How Will Your Horse Run Today?, Amicus Press
  7. Scott W.L. (1989) Total Victory At The Track: The Promise And The Performance, Liberty Publishing Company

Appendix 1

Measure the strength of the betting favorite in an eight horse field.
1 / 8 / N-
cp = (3 * 1) / ((3 * 1) + (8 - 1)) = 0.30 or 5/2

1 / 8 / N
(fs - 1) / 5
(8 - 1) / 5 = 7/5
cp = (5 * 1) / ((5 * 1) + (8 - 1)) = 0.42 or 7/5

1 / 8 / N+
cp = (8 * 1) / ((8 * 1) + (8 - 1)) = 0.53 or 4/5


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