speakers

rom the pages of the

Journal of the
Audio Engineering
Society
Vol. I -Val. 25
(1953-1977)
preface
The history of loudspeakers is now well into ifs
second century and the development of really ef-
fective practical devices has already been under-
way for more than fifty years. The importance of
the loudspeaker in the emergence of the entertain-
ment industry can scarcely be overestimated for,
without it, none of the popular media such as radio,
television and film could exist in their present form
and the development of the phonograph would
have taken an altogether different Course.
The main impetus to the commercial growth and
wider application of high quality loudspeakers
began after the end of the Second World War.
Development was encouraged by improvements in
disc recording and by the advent of VHF broad-
casting which reduced the limitations on both
bandwidth and dynamic range. Both medta were.
also greatly influenced by the introduction of
magnetic tape recording which made the long play-
ing record a commercial possibility and subse-
quently reduced the dependence of broadcasting
on live performances. These developments in-
fluenced loudspeaker development as the need
arose to keep Pace with improvements in the quali-
ty of Programme sources.
Before World War II, the majority of
loudspeakers were characterised by limited band-
width-usually restricted to a frequency range of
70 to 7,000 Hz-large physical dimensions arising
from a need for high sensitivity to operate satisfac-
torily with available tube amplifiers (average con-
tinuous power 10-15 watts) and irregular amplitude-
frequency response. During the decade 1945-1955
attention was concentrated rnainly on extending
bandwidth by about one octave at each end of the
range, i.e. 35 to 15,000 Hz.
With these objectives satisfactorily accomplish-
ed, high quality loudspeakers still remained large
enough, and some would say ugly enough, to cause
resistance to their introduction in domestic set-
tings. This. state of affairs altered rapidly towards
the end of the Fifties due to the introduction of so-
called air suspension speakers which traded sen-
sitivity against internal air volume. By this means it
was possible to reduce the overall bulk of
loudspeakers to about one quarter of their former
size. These developments were given quite con-
siderable encouragement by the advent of com-
mercial stereo disc records, and by the end of the
1955-65 decade the majority of domestic
loudspeakers were less than two cubic feet in
volume, with low sensitivity and correspondingly
wide bandwidth. At this time (1965) high-fidelity
was still a rarified hobbyist pursuit, but there quick-
ly followed what can only be described as an explo-
sion of interest in dornestic sound reproduction,
and just as quickly it became big business on a
world-wide scale.
The focusing of attention and the availability of
funds for research inevitably led to the develop-
ment of even better loudspeakers. This period has
so fa; bb& marked by the'.introduction of new
diaphragm materials, better constructional
' methods for enclosures and studies for improving
the integration of sound in multi-way speaker
systems. Along with these developments have
come radically new methods of measurement and
evaluation made possible by advances in digital
computer technology and associated industries.
These new techniques are not only more accurate
but are also considerably faster and therefore more
convenient than conventional methods of measure-
ment. .
Throughout this period, beginning with the for-
mation of AES in 1948, the Journal of the Audio
Engineering Society has published more than 160
papers on loudspeakers. The collection of papers
presented here has been selected from those
which are considered to be of significance, either
because they mark an important stage in the
development of loudspeaker technology or
because they contribute to the understanding and
the history of the subject. Recognising that much of
significance has appeared outside the pages of the
Society's journal, we have also included a list of
references to other irnportant published work. The
publication of this anthology, together with the list
of related reading at the end of this volume,
represents a fitting monument to all those whose
endeavors have advanced the art and science of
sound reproduction to its present state.
Raymond E. Cooke October 1978
Maidstone, Kent, England
 PART 1: 1953 THROUGH 1969
Design Factors in Horn-TypeSpeakers. Daniel J. Plach (October 1953) . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Recent Developments in Direct-Radiator High-Fidelity Loudspeakers.
Harry F. Olson. John Preston and Everett G. May (October 1954) . . . . .
Correlation of Transient Measurements on Loudspeakers with Listening Tests.
Murlan S. Corrington (January 1955) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
An Electrostatic Loudspeaker Development. Arthur A. Janszen (April 1955) . . . . . . . 21
The lsophase Loudspeaker. Theodore Lindenberg(April 1956) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
The Corona Wind Loudspeaker. Gerald Shirley (January 1957) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Problems of Bass Reproduction in Loudspeakers. Edgar M. Villchur (July 1957) . . . . 38
Application of Negative lmpedance Amplifiers to Loudspeaker Systems.
R.E. Werner and R.M. Carrell (October 1958) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Performance of Enclosures for Low Resonance High Compliance
Loudspeakers. James F. Novak (January 1959) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
A Survey of Performance Criteria and Design Considerations for High-Quality
Monitoring Loudspeakers. (Reprint) D.E.L. Shorter (January 1959) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Corner Speaker Placement. Paul W. Klipsch (July 1959) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
' Analysis of the Effects of Nonlinear Elements ~ C o n
the Performance of a Back-
Enclosed. Direct-Radiator Loudspeaker Mechanism. Harry F. Olson (April 1962) . . . 77
On the Transient Response of Ideal Crossover Networks. J. Robert Ashley
(July1962) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Loudspeaker Enclosure Walls. Peter W. Tappan (July 1962) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
.. C

A Method of Testing Loudspeakers with Random Noise Input.

Edgar M. Villchur (October 1962) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Constant Directional Characteristics from a Line Source Array .
David L. Klepper and DouglasW. Steele (July 1963) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
lnterrelation of Speaker and Amplifier Design. Victor Brociner and
Daniel R. von Recklinghausen (April 1964) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Trends in Loudspeaker Magnet Structures. R.J. Parker (July 1964) .............. 110
Low-Frequency Response and Efficiency Relationships in Direct-Radiator
Loudspeaker Systems. Roy F. Allison (January 1965) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
High.Power. Low-Frequency Loudspeakers. John K. Hilliard (July 1965) . . . . . . . . . 117
Loudspeaker Phase Characteristics and Time Delay Distortion:
Part 1. Richard C. Heyser (January 1969) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Loudspeaker Phase Characteristics and Time Delay Distortion:
Part 2. Richard C. Heyser (April 1969) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modulation Distortion in Loudspeakers. Paul W. Klipsch
(April 1969) (See Parts 11 & 111. February 1970. December 1972) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Experimental Determination of Low-Frequency Loudspeaker Parameters.

J. Robert Ashley and Mark D. Swan (October 1969) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
PART 11: 1970 T 0 1978
Modulation Distortion in Loudspeakers: Part II.
Paul W . Klipsch (February 1970) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
The Development of a Sandwich-Construction Loudspeaker System .
(Reprint) D.A. Barlow (June 1970) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Constant-Voltage Crossover Network Design (Reprint)
Richard H. Small (January 1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Phase and Delay Distortion in Multiple-Driver Loudspeaker Systems .
Richard H. Small (January 1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Loudspeakers inVented Boxes: Part I. (I3eprint)A.N. Thiele(May 1971) . . . . . . . . . . 181
Loudspeakers inVented Boxes: Part II. (i3eprint)A.N. Thiele(June 1971) . . . . . . . . . 192
Active and Passive Filters as Loudspeaker Crossover Networks.
J . Robert Ashley and Allan L. Kaminsky (June 1971) . . . . . . . . . . .
Electrical versus Acoustical Parameters in the Design of Loudspeaker
Crossover Networks. G.L. Augspurger (June 1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Application of Electric Circuit Analogies to ~oudspeake;Design Problems.
(Reprint) Bart N. Locanthi (October 1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
.

Determination of Loudspeaker Signal Arrival Times:+'art I:

RichardC.Heyser(October1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
.

Determination of Loudspeaker Signal Arrival Times: Part I1.

Richard C . Heyser (November 1971) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Determination of Loudspeaker Signal Arrival Times: Part III.
Richard C. Heyser (December 1971)'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
.

Horn-Loaded Electrostatic Loudspeaker . Josef Merhaut (November 1971) . . . . . . . 245

Simplified Loudspeaker Measurements at Low Frequencies. (Reprint)
Richard H. Small (JanuarylFebruary 1972) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252
The Sound Field in Home Listening Rooms. Roy F. Allison and
Robert Berkovitz (JulyIAugust 1972) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
.

Modulation Distortion in Loudspeakers: Part III.

Paul W . Klipsch (December 1972) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Closed-Box Loudspeaker Systems-Part I: Analysis .
Richard H. Small (December 1972) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Closed-Box Loudspeaker Systems-Part II: Synthesis .
Richard H. Small (JanuarylFebruary 1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
.

Gradient Loudspeakers . Harry F. Olson (March 1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290

The Theory of Loudspeaker Cabinet Resonances. James K. lverson
(April1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
Vented-Box Loudspeaker Systems-Part I: Small-Signal Analysis .
Richard H. Small (June 1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vented-Box Loudspeaker Systems-Part II: Large-Signal Analysis .
Richard H. Small (JulyIAugust 1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vented-Box Loudspeaker Systems-Part III: Synthesis .
Richard H. Small (September 1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
.

Vented-Box Loudspeaker Systems-Part IV: Appendices .

Richard H. Small (October 1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325
Low-Frequency Loudspeaker Assessment by Nearfield Sound-Pressure
Measurement. D.B. Keele. Jr . (April 1974) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
 PART 11: 1970 T 0 1978 (Cont.)

The lnfluence of Room Boundaries on Loudspeaker Power Output

Roy F. Allison (June 1974) 339
Calculating the Directivity Factor Y of Transducers from'Limited
Polar Diagram Information Michael A Gerzon (June 1975) 346

An lntroduction to the Design of Filtered Loudspeaker Systems.

(Reprint) J.E. Benson (September 1975) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Sound Field in Horne Listening Rooms, II. Roy F. Allison

(JanuarylFebruary 1976) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Active Crossover Networks for Noncoincident Drivers Siegfried H

Linkwitz (JanuaryIFebruary 1976) 367

A Technique for Observing Loudspeaker Wave-Front Propagation. lsami

Nomoto, Makoto Iwahara, and Hideo Onoye (JanuarylFebruary 1976). . . . . . . . . . 374

Some Aspects of the Self and Mutual Radiation lmpedance Concept with
Respect to Loudspeakers. Oluf Jacobsen (March 1976) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379

The Use of Fibrous Materials in Loudspeaker Enclosures.

L.J.S. Bradbury (April 1976) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .390

Radiation from a Dome. James M. Kates (November 1976) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

Analysis of Decoupled-Cone Loudspeakers James M Kates
(JanuarylFebruary 1977) 402

A Novel Approach to Linear Phase Loudspeakers Using Passive

Crossover Networks. Erik Baekgaard (May 1977) . . . .
The Application of Digital Techniques to the Measurement of
Loudspeakers. J.M Berman and L.R. Fincham (June 1977)
. .