Loudspeakers: For music recording and reproduction (Audio Engineering Society Presents)

Need advice on which type of speaker to use and where? Very often the choice and positioning of loudspeakers is down to intuition, hearsay and chance. This practical guide explores the link between experience and the technology, giving you a better understanding of the tools you are using and why, leading to greatly improved results. Newell and Holland share years of experience in the design, application and use of loudspeakers for recording and reproducing music. Get practical advice on the applications of different loudspeakers to the different phases of the music recording and reproduction chain. If you are using loudspeakers in a recording studio, mastering facility, broadcasting studio, film post production facility, home or musicians studio, or you inspire to improve your music reproduction system this book will help you make the right decisions. What is a loudspeaker? Diversity of design Loudspeaker cabinets Horns Crossovers Effects of amplifiers and cables Loudspeaker behaviour in rooms Form follows function Subjective and objective assessment The mix, the music and the monitors Low frequency and transient response dilemmas The challenges of surround sound Front Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 6 About the authors......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 16 Preface......Page 18 Introduction......Page 20 1.1 A brief look at the concept......Page 24 1.2 A little history and some background......Page 25 1.3 Some other problems......Page 27 1.4.1 Acoustic wave propagation......Page 28 1.4.2 Mechanical and acoustic impedance......Page 30 1.5 The practical moving-coil cone loudspeaker......Page 32 1.5.1 The combined response......Page 35 1.6 Resistive and reactive loads......Page 37 References......Page 43 Bibliography......Page 44 2.1 Moving-coil cone loudspeakers......Page 45 2.1.1 Cones......Page 46 2.1.2 Surrounds......Page 53 2.1.3 Rear suspensions......Page 55 2.1.4 The chassis......Page 57 2.1.5 The voice-coil assembly......Page 58 2.1.6 Magnet systems......Page 59 2.1.8 The complete system......Page 62 2.2 Dome loudspeakers......Page 63 2.2.1 Hard and soft domes......Page 66 2.3 Compression drivers......Page 68 2.4 Ribbon loudspeakers......Page 71 2.5 Heil air-motion transformers......Page 73 2.6 Distributed mode loudspeakers......Page 74 2.6.1 Panel/piston combinations......Page 78 2.7 Beyond magnetics......Page 79 2.7.2 Ionic loudspeakers......Page 80 2.8 Electrostatic loudspeakers......Page 81 2.10 Summary......Page 86 Bibliography......Page 87 3.1 The concept of the infinite baffle......Page 88 3.2 The sealed box......Page 90 3.3 Reflex enclosures......Page 94 3.4 Acoustic labyrinths......Page 99 3.4.1 Modern transmission lines......Page 101 3.5 ABR systems......Page 104 3.6 Bandpass cabinets......Page 105 3.7 Series driver operation and isobaric loudspeakers......Page 107 3.8 General discussion......Page 108 3.9 Cabinet lining materials......Page 109 3.10 Cabinet constructions......Page 110 3.11 Cabinet shapes and diffraction effects......Page 111 3.12 Front grilles......Page 115 3.13 Cabinet mounting......Page 116 References......Page 118 4.1 The horn as a transformer......Page 119 4.2 Directivity control......Page 125 4.3 Horn design compromises......Page 126 4.4 Non-linear acoustics......Page 127 4.5 Examples of non-linear acoustics in loudspeakers......Page 128 4.6 Practical horns in studios and homes......Page 130 4.7 Implications for practical horn design parameters......Page 131 4.8 Summary of results......Page 135 4.9 General horn characteristics......Page 136 4.10 Phasing plugs......Page 138 4.11 Acoustics lenses......Page 140 4.12 Horn types......Page 141 4.13 Materials of construction......Page 142 4.14 Vestigial horns and ‘waveguides’......Page 143 4.15 Flare rates......Page 144 References......Page 146 5.1 What is a crossover?......Page 147 5.2 Reconstruction problems......Page 148 5.3 Orders, slopes and shapes......Page 152 5.4 Filter shapes......Page 160 5.5 Target functions......Page 162 5.5.1 Minimum and non-minimum phase effects......Page 163 5.5.2 Corrective measures and side-effects......Page 164 5.6 Active versus passive crossovers......Page 165 5.7 Physical derivation of crossover delay......Page 169 5.8 Digital crossovers......Page 170 Bibliography......Page 173 6.1 Amplifiers – an over-view......Page 174 6.2 Basic requirements for current and voltage output......Page 176 6.3 Transient response......Page 177 6.4 Non-linear distortions......Page 180 6.5 Amplifier classes and modes of operation......Page 181 6.5.1 Class A amplifiers......Page 182 6.5.2 Class A derivatives......Page 183 6.5.4 Class D......Page 184 6.6 MOSFET or BJT?......Page 186 6.7 Choosing an amplifier......Page 187 6.8.1 The bare minimum......Page 189 6.8.2 The status quo......Page 191 6.8.3 Cable designs for loudspeaker use......Page 192 6.9 The amplifier/loudspeaker interface......Page 193 6.10 Some provable characteristics of cable performance......Page 197 6.11 Some passing comments......Page 211 6.12 Multi-cabling......Page 214 6.13 Polyamplification and multiamplification......Page 215 6.14 System design......Page 216 References......Page 217 Bibliography......Page 218 7.1 The anechoic and reverberation chambers......Page 219 7.2 Boundary loading and room gain......Page 221 7.2.1 Restriction of radiating space......Page 225 7.2.2 The mirrored room and mutual coupling......Page 228 7.3 Room reflexions......Page 229 7.3.1 Resonant modes......Page 232 7.4 Flush-mounting......Page 234 7.5 Multichannel considerations and phantom imaging......Page 235 7.6 Stereo perception in rooms......Page 239 7.7 Rooms for critical listening......Page 240 7.8 Electronic, digitally adaptive response correction......Page 243 7.9 Minimum and non-minimum phase responses......Page 248 Bibliography......Page 250 8.1 The chain......Page 252 8.2 Recording monitors......Page 253 8.2.1 Basic requirements......Page 256 8.2.2 Proportional costs......Page 260 8.2.3 Different approaches......Page 261 8.2.4 Crossover points......Page 264 8.2.5 Power consideration......Page 268 8.2.6 Interfacing with the rooms......Page 271 8.3 Mixing monitors......Page 273 8.4 Mastering loudspeakers......Page 281 8.5 Domestic loudspeakers......Page 286 8.6 Musical instrument loudspeakers......Page 287 8.6.1 Cabinet designs......Page 290 References......Page 292 Bibliography......Page 293 9.1 The general situation......Page 294 9.2 Test signals and analysis......Page 295 9.2.1 Frequency response plots......Page 298 9.2.2 Waterfall plots......Page 300 9.2.3 Harmonic distortion......Page 304 9.2.4 Intermodulation distortion......Page 306 9.2.5 Delta-functions and step-functions......Page 311 9.2.6 Acoustic source plots......Page 315 9.2.7 Cepstrum analysis......Page 318 9.2.8 Modulation transfer functions......Page 320 9.2.8.1 Application of room equalisation......Page 321 9.2.8.2 A D-to-A dilemma......Page 324 9.3 Sound fields and human perception......Page 325 9.3.1 Further perceptual considerations......Page 328 References......Page 332 Bibliography......Page 333 10.1 Physics or psychology?......Page 334 10.2 The musical dependence of compatibility......Page 335 10.3 Real responses vs. preconceived ideas......Page 337 Acknowledgement......Page 342 11.1 The great low frequency deception......Page 343 11.1.1 The air spring......Page 344 11.1.2 Size, weight and sensitivity......Page 347 11.2 Commercial solutions......Page 349 11.2.1 The time penalty......Page 350 11.2.2 The transient trade-off......Page 353 11.3 The evolution of the desk-top monitor......Page 356 11.5 Resonant tails and one-note bass......Page 362 11.6 The masking of detail......Page 365 11.7 Theoretical equalisation and excess phase......Page 366 11.8 Modulation transfer-function and a new type of frequency response plot......Page 368 11.9 Summing-up......Page 373 References......Page 374 12.1 Surround sound in professional studios......Page 375 12.2 Cinema sound......Page 380 12.3 Music mixing......Page 383 12.4 Sub-woofers – discrete and managed......Page 385 12.5 Size versus performance compromises......Page 387 12.6 Compound sub-woofers and electronic control......Page 391 12.7 System considerations......Page 395 References......Page 398 Glossary of terms......Page 399 Index......Page 418 Need advice on which type of speaker to use and where? Very often the choice and positioning of loudspeakers is down to intuition, hearsay and chance. This practical guide explores the link between experience and the technology, giving you a better understanding of the tools you are using and why, leading to greatly improved results. Newell and Holland share years of experience in the design, application and use of loudspeakers for recording and reproducing music. Get practical advice on the applications of different loudspeakers to the different phases of the music recording and reproduction chain. If you are using loudspeakers in a recording studio, mastering facility, broadcasting studio, film post production facility, home or musician's studio, or you inspire to improve your music reproduction system this book will help you make the right decisions. * A key resource for anyone installing or upgrading their audio system * Learn how to choose the right speakers and how to evaluate their performance * Invaluable information on setting up a surround sound system Need advice on which type of speaker to use and where? Very often the choice and positioning of loudspeakers is down to intuition, hearsay and chance. This practical guide explores the link between experience and the technology, giving you a better understanding of the tools you are using and why, leading to greatly improved results.

Newell and Holland share years of experience in the design, application and use of loudspeakers for recording and reproducing music. Get practical advice on the applications of different loudspeakers to the different phases of the music recording and reproduction chain.

If you are using loudspeakers in a recording studio, mastering facility, broadcasting studio, film post production facility, home or musician's studio, or you inspire to improve your music reproduction system this book will help you make the right decisions. For Music Recording and Reproduction, Second Edition is acomprehensive guide, offering the tools and understanding needed to cut out the guesswork from loudspeaker choice and set-up. Philip Newell and Keith Holland, with the assistance of Sergio Castro and Julius Newell, combine their years of experience in the design, application, and use of loudspeakers to cover a range of topics from drivers, cabinets, and crossovers, to amplifiers, cables, and surround sound. Whether using loudspeakers in a recording studio, mastering facility, broadcasting studio, film post-production facility, home, or musicians studio, or if you simply aspire to improve your music-production system this book will help you make the right decisions. This new edition provides significant updates on the topics of digital control, calibration,and cinema loudspeaker systems. Coves the design, application and use of loudspeakers for recording and reproducing music. This book offers practical advice on the applications of different loudspeakers to the different phases of the music recording and reproduction chain.