A Time-Corrected Woofer Concept

Although the DIY construction of audio equipment (amplifiers, speaker boxes) is almost never worthwhile these days (at least from a cost perspective), there is fortunately still a hard core of enthusiasts who continue to be active. This is also the case here. It was the author's intention to design a woofer that would be able to reproduce the very lowest frequencies as faithfully as is possible. In this article he describes the considerations that led to the desired outcome.

Wireless Bluetooth speakers and sound systems have quickly become very popular devices. Although very practical, the sound quality may not always be as good as you would like it to be. So, then, why don’t you build your own? The electronics needed for it are available as cheap modules from China, the acoustics are up to you. And while you’re at it, why not add lighting effects too? Here is a great tutorial.

Besides small SUVs, crossovers are also filters used in audio to divide the audio signal into two or more frequency bands. A typical example is a home cinema audio system where a subwoofer handles the low bass frequencies while other speakers handle the mid and high frequencies. Here is an active 3-way crossover design with three or four stages based on state-variable filters.

STMicroelectronics together with the audio company USound has developed the first MEMs micro-loudspeaker based on silicon. Samples are currently being delivered to the first customers and the speakers are being showcased at CES 2018 in Las Vegas...

easy to made crossover

The predecessor to this column first appeared in the March 1996 issue with the name ‘electronics on-line’. In the following years many subjects were described, which these days are nearly all outdated, but a few have withstood the test of time quite well. In the December 1997 issue a few websites and programs for building your own loudspeakers were described. What has changed on this topic in the intervening 20 years?

Linear Audio is a series of printed bookzines dedicated to technical audio and perception. Elektor is offering you the chance to complete your collection of Linear Audio books at a reduced price. For a limited time only, we are offering 10% discount on the complete collection of Linear Audio books. Elektor GREEN and GOLD Members get their usual 10% member discount on top! 

Nowadays it looks like we’re all listening to music from compressed files. Spotify and the like are of course easy and convenient, but surely you miss the authentic details? From where we sit, it looks like the number of people who are truly interested in top-end audio and are willing to pay what it takes can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Why is that?

Soundboks is a battery-powered loudspeaker developed by three young Danish high-school graduates in response to the lack of good portable loudspeakers for outdoor festivals. Soundboks is the first portable speaker able to produce a sound pressure level of 119 dB, more than the PA systems of typical festivals.

For all audiophiles interested in the history of high-end audio equipment, Robert Harley (Editor in Chief of the well-known US magazine The Absolute Sound) has authored two attractive books that describe and illustrate the evolution of this technology. Part 1 of the Illustrated History of High-End Audio describes the evolution of high-end speakers since about 1945, while Part 2 is dedicated to audio amplifiers.