I spent a number of days testing my subwoofer, as
it turned out, and learned a number of things.
First, I was unhappy with the Sealed Box approximation
and took a look at the data and the program. As a result of this
I changed the way the program calculates sealed box data and the
way it calculates driver parameters. These changes are in place
as of version 0.76.
Second, after doing a large number of tests on the
woofer I found that a number of factors are important in the test.
1) Make sure you clamp the woofer frame - this reduces
the shakiness in the data read in by Speaker Workshop and improves
the results.
2) I placed some heavy books on the driver magnet
to test the sealed box (see the picture later). These seemed to
add a low frequency resonance and cause other issues so I removed
the books and retested and that is the data I actually used.
3) The woofer had markedly different results right
side up and upside down. Since the sealed box test is upside down
I did both tests upside down. This lowered the resonant frequency
in free air, but otherwise the two charts are much more similar
now. The final box will have the driver vertically oriented. If
you're using the added mass test do your testing right side up for
both.
4) After testing in the sealed box (or with added
mass) check the impedance charts at the high end. The two should
agree closely - that portion of the curve is mainly the inductance
of the voice coil, and that should not change between the two tests
(free air and sealed/added mass |