Blaupunkt Blaubox User manual


COMPUTER AIDED WOOFER
AND CROSSOVER DESIGN ENCLOSURE
PR’dGRAM
PURCHASE DATE:
VERSION NUMBER:
*
DISK SIZE
(3.5’7525”):
OWNER:
STREET:
_
CITY,ST,ZIP:
BLAUPUNKT DIV. BOSCH CORPORATION
2800 SOUTH 25TH AVENUE
BROADVIEW, IL 60153
l-800-323-1943
(Copyright 1992)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
BLAUBOX SOFTWARE AGREEMENT
1
INTRODUCTION TO BLAUBOX
.
QUICK START AND
HELPLINE
3
PC INSTALLATION
PC requirements
Installation process
Starting BLAUBOX
General comments on running BLAUBOX
BLAUBOXNAIN MENU
Navigating the MAIN MENU of BLAUBOX
Reset BLAUBOX
Quit BLAUBOX and return to DOS
7'
7
SCREEN 1: ENCLOSURE
PERFORXANCE
CALCULATIONS
Woofer choice
Box style
Modify box
Box math
Plot response
8
8
9
9
10
SCREEN 2: FINAL BOX FABRICATION
Box shape
Modify dimensions
Port design
Box math
Draw box (screen or printer)
11
11
12
12
13
SCREEN 3:
SPEAEER
PARAMETER DATABASE
Scroll database
Modify database
Delete driver
Add driver
14
14
15
15
SCREEN 4: CROSSOVER DESIGN
6, 12, and 18 db/octave
lowpass
filters
6, 12, and 18 db/octave
highpass
filters
16
16
SCREEN 5: PRINTER, COLOR, USER, AND MATERIALS CONFIGURATION
Screen color
Dealer information (install)
Customer information (input)
Material thickness (box material)
Printer setup
17
17
18
18
19
SCREEN 6: USING BLAUBOX
Consumer guidance; how to initiate him/her to BLAUBOX
Woofer choice
Box style
Fabrication (of the final box)
20
20
21
21
SCREEN 7: TECH TALK ON WOOFER BOX DESIGN
Acoustics, electronics, woofer design, and the "best box"
22
(Reference the help screens on BLAUBOX or the following sections
of the BLAUBOX owner's manual for a more complete discussion)
APPENDIX A: BASIC ACOUSTICS
Frequency response,
wavelength, and harmonics
Loudness and the decibel
How we hear
Safe sound
In-car acoustics
23
24
25
28
29
(Table of Contents continued on page ii)
(i)

TABLE OF CONTENT.3
(Cmt
‘d)
Page
APPENDIX B: THE SOUND OF
STEREO
A little history
Intensity effects in stereo
Time effects in stereo
30
30
32
APPENDIX C: BASIC ELECTRONICS
Voltage,
current, and phase
Resistance, inductance, capacitance, and impedance
Ohm's Law and power
33
34
37
APPENDIX D: BASIC RAW HOOFER DESIGN
Woofer construction and operation
Frequency response, efficiency, and dispersion
Impedance and power handling
Thiele/Small
parameters (fs, Qts, Vas)
How to measure
Thiele/Small
parameters
40
41
42
42
43
APPENDIX E: BASIC BOX DESIGN
Types
of
enclosures (sealed, vented, bandpass)
What's an "order" for an enclosure?
Pro's and Con's of various enclosures
45
48
49
APPENDIX
P:
FINAL BOX FABRICATION TIPS
Design choice
Materials selection
Construction, finishing, and driver mounting
Vehicle installation
APPENDIX G: BASIC CROSSOVER DESIGN
Crossover networks: passive and active
Capacitors and inductors
Highpass
and
lowpass
frequency response
Orders of response
Crossover implementation
53
53
54
5":
APPENDIX H: SYSTEM DESIGN DISCUSSIONS
System design: dollars and "sense"
Speaker choices', locations, and installation tips
How loud will it play?
Real time analysis
Final listening evaluation
56
57
58
58
59
APPENDIX I: BLAUBOX DESIGN EXANPLES
Sealed box enclosure for Slimy Sam's Sentra
Single Vented
bandpass
box for Billy Bob's Bonneville
Additional comments of custom box designing
APPENDIX J: AUDIO
GLO&ARY
OF
TERNS
Every audio word you ever wanted to know (and then some...)
60
63
65
66
APPENDIX
K:
RECOMMENDED READING
A list of recommended reading materials for the Novice
(&
Engineer)
72
INDEX
73
(ii)

BOFTNARE
AtREEWdT
IHPORTANT:
By opening the envelope for the floppy disks. you accept the terme
of
this
License Agreement.
The registration card must completed in full and returned to the address
shown on the card. The pertinent information shown also be recorded in the front of the
owner's
manual for
future reference as well.
.
1.
2
GRANT OF LICENSE:
nontransferable, In exchange for a one-time fee, Blaupunkt grants you a
package
(Product)
non-exclusive license to uee the program and/or data contained in
this
solely for your own use, whether on one central processing unit or on
multiple machines, but
GDJ~
at the address noted on the
BLAUBOX
registration card.
may not copy,
You
reverse engineer, translate, port, modify, store in a retrieval
transmit by any means or make derivative works of the Products without written
system,
authorization of Blaupunkt. You may not rent, disclose, publish, sell, assign, lease
sublicense,
market, or transfer the Products or use them in any manner not expreesly'
authorized by this Agreement,
Blaupunkt.
unless you receive prior written authorization from
If such action occurs, your license is automatically terminated and you agree
to immediately return all copies of
the
Products in any form to Blaupunkt or destroy any
copies not returned.
you do not receive
any,
to
the Product.
and Blaupunkt retains all, ownership rights
The Products are copyrighted and may not be copied even if modified or
merged with other Products.
notice contained in or on the you shall not altar or remove any copyright or proprietary
Products.
LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIABILITY: Blaupunkt warrants that the Products in the version and
level this is current on the date of initial shipment to you will, for ninety (90) days
from that date,
substantially conform to Blaupunkt's specifications, when used on
Blaupunkt approved computer hardware.
nonconformities, defects or errors.
The Products are
complex.and
may contain some
Blaupunkt does not warrant that the Products will
meet your needs or expectations, that operations of the Products will be error free or
uninterrupted, or that all nonconformities can or will be corrected.
warranties whatsoever regarding the manual. Blaupunkt makes no
Blaupunkt reserves the right to make
improvements or changes to the Products at any time without notice to Licensee.
You must notify Blaupunkt within the
go-day
warranty period of any warranty claim.
Warranty claims will be recognized only if the registration card is returned to Blaupunkt
within 30 days after your receipt of the product. Blaupunkt's SOLE OBLIGATION and your
SOLE REMEDY under this Limited Warranty is for Blaupunkt, at Blaupunkt's option, to use
reasonable effort6 to repair or replace the Products or to provide an avoidance procedure
within a commercially reasonable time so that the Product substantially conforms to
Blaupunkt specifications or, in Blaupunkt'a sole discretion, to refund the amount of
initial license fee previously paid by you for the nonconforming Product? Blaupunkt
disclaims all responsibility for the performance of any product designed through
utilization of Products. This Limited Warranty is void if any nonconformity has resulted
from accident, abuse, misuse, misapplication,
Blaupunkt.
or modification by someone other than
The Limited Warranty is non-transferable.
THE EXPRESS WARRANTY IN THIS SECTION 2 IS A LIHITED WARRANTY AND IT IS THE ONLY WARRANTY
MADE BY BLAUPUNKT. BLAUPUNKT MAKES
AND
USER RECEIVES NO OTHER WARRANTY, WHETHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, AND ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND
FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE
ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. THE STATED EXPRESS WARRANTY IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR DAHAGES
AND IS IN LIEU OF ALL LIABILITIES OR OBLIGATIONS OF BLAUPUNKT.
IN NO EVENT SHALL BLAUPUNKT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, CLAIM, OR LOSS INCURRED BY USER
(INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION COMPENSATORY, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL,
OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, LOST SALES, OR BUSINESS, EXPENDITURES, INVESTMENTS,
OR COMMITMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH ANY BUSINESS, LOSS OF ANY GOODWILL, OR DAMAGES
RESULTING FROM LOST DATA OR INABILITY TO USE DATA) IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER BLAUPUNKT
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AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN SECTION 2. THIS LIMITATION APPLIES TO ALL CAUSES OF ACTION IN
THE AGGREGATE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION BREACH
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WARRANTY OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL FOR ANY REASON
WHATSOEVER BE HELD UNENFORCEABLE OR INAPPLICABLE, USER AGREES THAT BLAUPUNKT'S LIABILITY
SHALL NOT EXCEED FIFTY PERCENT (50%) OF THE LICENSE FEES PAID BY USER TO BLAUPUNKT WITH
RESPECT TO THE PRODUCTS AT ISSUE. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation
of incidental or consequential damages or the limitation of duration of an implied
warranty,
so the limitation or exclusion herein may not apply to you. This warranty
shall not be applicable to the extent that any provision of this warranty is prohibited
by any federal, state, or local law which cannot be preempted. This warranty gives you
specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
3. MISCELLANEOUS:
This is the exclusive agreement between Blaupunkt and you regarding its
subject matter.
You may not assign any part of this agreement without Blaupunkt'a prior
written consent.
This agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of California.
You shall pay any taxes on the Product or transactions, except for those baaed on
Blaupunkt's annual net income.
If any provision of this Agreement is declared invalid or unenforceable, the remaining
provisions of the Agreement shall remain in effect. Any notice under this Agreement shall
be delivered by U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested, or by overnight courier to
Blaupunkt.
U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS: Use, duplication,
or
discloeure
by the government is
subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph
(c)(l)(ii)
of the Rights in Technical
Data and computer Software clause of DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(l) and (2) of
the Commercial Computer software-Restricted Right at
48
CFR 52.227-19, as applicable.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNDER THE COPYRIGHT LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES
1

INTRODUCTION TO BLAUBOX
Congratulations! You have just purchased BLAUBOX; the most cost effective
solution to woofer box computer modeling available to the retailer,
consumer,
and audio enthusiast today!
technical, Although the material is quite
I have taken great pains at making BLAUBOX as “user friendly”
as possible.
BLAUBOX was primarily designed to assist the retailer in designing high
technology subwoofer enclosures that were previously out of reach for most
businesses. Although some retailers have had the luxury of knowledgeable
persons on staff, most have not.
BLAUBOX.is
so easy to use that I envision it as a sales tool, as much as a
shop tool, for the final construction. It can be installed on multiple
computers at one location in order to help educate everyone in the
business and not just an on-site computer “guru”. We have even included a
simple “math calculator” which converts cubic feet to inches, or liters,
whatever might exist in the speaker world. Going a step further, the user
can even print out the wood cuts of plywood necessary for box construction
so there is no longer confusion in how to even use the table saw!
With BLAUBOX you are offered the option of designing a subwoofer enclosure
that will be optimized for the speaker, or design an enclosure that will
be physically optimized for the vehicle. You are able to compare the
performance of two entirely different speaker/enclosure combinations at
the same time which can often help guide the uneducated consumer away from
the “big woofer/little box” syndrome by graphically plotting the frequency
response differences of such designs. BLAUBOX is an experimental tool;
computer optimized data will not always be perfect because the computer
often creates a performance compromise between several parameters. This
is especially true for
bandpass
boxes where a little time spent
experimenting with chamber sizes and tuning can improve the performance
substantially! (Please bear in mind that BLAUBOX cannot foresee the
resulting frequency response of the finished enclosure once it’s installed
in the car. As with any speaker modeling program, the acoustical transfer
function
-
the resulting frequency response and its amount of bass boost
-
is different for every single car, so it is very difficult to predict.)
BLAUBOX addresses simple sealed and vented box designs, but also moves
into complex single and double vented
bandpass
box designs, plus isobaric
configurations. A total of 10 boxes using rectangular, wedge, and
tubular box geometries are calculated. For ease of understanding, a pop-
up graphics screen showing a cross-sectional view of all 10 enclosures is
available. Physics dictates the bigger the box the better, so we do not
recommend lunging after the smallest box from the start.
Other areas of BLAUBOX include a “Speaker Parameter Database” that has all
the Blaupunkt woofer parameters pre-loaded so no computer programming is
needed and the user
ca’nnot
accidentally delete them.
crossover network designs, including 6, A section on passive
12, and 18 db/octave (highpass and
lowpass) is included for the folks that like to “roll their own”. For
those users that are uncomfortable with the operation of BLAUBOX, we have
included on-line sections on “How to Use BLAUBOX”. For the person that
cannot decide which box, or driver to choose, we have included an on-line
section, “Tech Talk on Woofer Box Design”.
Finally, you have in hand the BLAUBOX owner’s manual which includes
several technical appendixes discussing acoustics, electronics, and box
design. I highly recommend you reference it if you get stuck on some
technical details; I think you will find it very informative.
We continue to work on future updates and improvements and appreciate any
suggestions for upcoming editions. Good luck and good “woofing”
!
Thomas D. Breithaupt
.
Senior Audio Design Engineer
BlaupunktlUSA
2

QUICK
STMT
& HELP
We feel that BLAUBOX is one of the easiest computer programs to operate,
bar none. The sales floor person,
as well as the installer, should become
comfortable with its operation within 30 minutes. This page is dedicated
to the person with moderate experience in using IBM personal computers and
the use of the DOS operating system.
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE....
1.
2.
3.
4.
Make sure you have the proper floppy disk format for your computer
drive
(3.5"-720k
or
5.25"-1.2mb).
Also, you must have an EGA or VGA
video card and monitor in order to take advantage of
BLAUBOX's
high
resolution graphics.
Read the software license agreement before opening the disk envelope.
Record your name,
address, and disk information on the inside cover of
the owner's manual for future reference.
(BLAUBOX version number is
printed on the disk.)
._
Record the appropriate information on the owner's registration card and
mail in immediately in order to receive free telephone support.
1.
2.
3.
4.
QUICK START
Insert the disk into the 'a' drive of the computer and call up the "a:"
DOS prompt.
Type INSTALL and an installation instructions screen will appear.
Choose "auto-install" or type in a preferred subdirectory for BLAUBOX
to be installed in.
(BLAUBOX will create its own subdirectory, under
your desired subdirectory, called
BLAUl).
Once installed, type BLAUBOX to start the program.
HELP'
Fortechnical
questions beyond the scope of this manual, and/or product
literature describing Blaupunkt automotive audio products, please call or
write our Marketing staff at the following address:
ROBERT BOSCH CORPORATION, BLAUPUNRT DIVISION
DEPARTMENT
UA/CMA
2800 SOUTH 25TH AVENUE
BROADVIEW, ILLINOIS 60153, USA
l-800-323-1943
For additional information on IBM PC programs for vehicle installer
training,
and retail point of sale programs, Blaupunkt recommends you
write to the following address:
TRANSDIMENSIONAL RESEARCH
4752 FM 1960 WEST
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77069, USA
For assistance in obtaining odd sized inductors and capacitors, Blaupunkt
recommends you contact the following company for quick service:
MADISOUND SPEAKER COMPONENTS
8608 UNIVERSITY GREEN, BOX 4283
MADISON, WI 53711
608-831-3433

PC INSTALLATION
PC REQUIREMENTS
BLAUBOX is offered for IBM compatible personal computers onlv. The
following
COMPUTER:
DRIVES:
MEMORY:
GRAPHICS:
DOS:
PRINTER:
MOUSE:
PC
hardware requirements are needed for BLAUBOX to-run properly.
IBM
PC/XT(8086),
AT(80286),
80386(and
SX), or
80486(and
SX)
FLOPPY DRIVE:
3.5"(720k
format)
or
5.25"(1.2mb
format) for
reading the distribution disk (BLAUBOX will run from the
floppy but terribly slow; it is not recommended)
HARD DISK: for running the program (must be named drive
"c")
512k
RAM
VGA (monochrome or color) or EGA (monochrome or color).
Although EGA will operate well, the graphics screens on some
computers may be truncated at the bottom part of the screen;
VGA is highly recommended if at all practicable.
3.3 or later (3.3 is needed to access the VGA video functions
and the 3.5" floppy disk)
Epson 9 pin dot matrix or compatible
Epson 24 pin dot matrix or compatible
Hewlett Packard
Laserjet
II or compatible (75, 150, or 300 DPI;
300 DPI is recommended for only the most patient of users
-
print time can be upwards of 10 minutes per page)
Microsoft or compatible (optional)
Again, before
goins
anv further please do the
followinu...
1.
2.
3.
4.
Make sure you have the proper floppy disk format for your computer
drive
(3.5"-720k
or
5.25"-1.2mb).
Read the software license agreement before opening the disk envelope.
Record your name, address,
and disk information on the inside cover of
the owner's manual for future reference.
printed on the disk.) (BLAUBOX version number is
Record the appropriate information on the owner's registration card and
mail in immediately in order to receive free telephone support.
PC INSTALLATION
1. Enter DOS, then get the
c:\>
prompt on screen by typing
c:
then ENTER
-*
2. Insert the BLAUBOX disk into drive a (or b, but preferably a).
3. Type
a:
and press ENTER.
(The screen should read a:\>)
4. Type INSTALL then press ENTER.
You will have two options:
A. BLAUBOX will ask you if you want it to "auto-install" to the hard
disk assuming
'c'.
program will
If so, simply hit the function key
F&
and the
install all the files. If not, read on...
B. To do a manual install hit the
F2
key, and you will have a choice of
another hard disk (for example D or
E)
and also a unique
subdirectory.
Now you must type your desired subdirectory (D:\SUBS
for example) and BLAUBOX will create its directory
(BLAUl)
under
your desired directory.
The files will automatically install.
5. Once all of the files are installed from either of the above methods,
simply type BLAUBOX and the program will start.
4

PC
INfiTALLATION
(Cunt
‘d)
STARTING BLAUBOX
Follow the installation process,
as explained on the previous page, simply
type BLAUBOX to start the program.
This starts BLAUBOX immediately after
the installation but for future sessions you need to perform the following
steps,
as with any DOS program.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Type
C:
then press ENTER to ensure you are into the hard disk.
screen should read
c:\>)
(The
Type
CD\
then ENTER to get to the root directory.
read
c:\>)
(The screen should
Type CD
BLAUl
(assuming you used the auto-install routine) then ENTER.
(The screen should read
c:\BLAUl>)
Type BLAUBOX then ENTER and the program will begin with the opening
graphics screen.
(A really neat feature of BLAUBOX is its ability
"feel out" your PC for the proper graphics screen. If you have VGA
video, the program will automatically default so you don't have to mess
around with the color standards screen.)
The opening screen will come up with a white background and colorful
geometric shapes.
Hit any key and it automatically flip over to a
reference screen with references to the writers of the program and
where to call for help, should it be required.
Press any key again to exit this reference screen. You will then
move into the MAIN MENU screen automatically.
*
Once into the program, you should immediately move down to the PRINTER,
COLOR, USER, AND MATERIALS screen and set up your printer, monitor, and
dealer name for future sessions.
(Please refer to the section
regarding SCREEN 5 for more assistance.)
GENERAL COMMENTS ON RUNNING BLAUBGX
The following are some general comments on running BLAUBOX that can be
helpful in speeding up the entry of data and/or understanding the syntax
used in the BLAUBOX owners manual. If you are completely confused with
BLAUBOX please call our 800 telephone number before you cause irreparable
damage to your computer, your ego, your body, or the Earth's ozone layer.
The "ENTER" command simply tells you to hit the enter key which is found
on most PC keyboards on the far right side. The "ESCAPE" command tells
you to hit the escape key on the upper left corner of most IBM PC
keyboards.
This allows you to "escape" out of the last screen in BLAUBOX
assuming you are either done or didn't intend to get into the screen you
are in,
in the first place.
"Cursor"
is used both as a verb and a noun in BLAUBOX. Cursor may imply
tapping the arrow keys to move around the highlight bar eventually
highlighting a particular area and then hit the ENTER key. Technically
speakeing, the cursor is the little blinking light on a computer waiting
for an input.
To follow in this key naming business, BLAUBOX also uses
several of the function keys on IBM PC keyboards. If you see a command in
the BLAUBOX owner's manual referencing
F3
for example, this means to hit
the function key F3 and not type in capital F and then 3.
(Although this
sounds really stupid to the experienced PC user, many people don't
understand this.
Remember, you may have been there once also....)
"Highlight" bars are the areas where a little box wraps around a
particular command that you want action on. For example, on the MAIN
MENU, a highlight bar may draw your attention to the top line.
You can
then user the arrow keys to move the bar up or down and then hit ENTER.
Another neat feature'in BLAUBOX is the ability to work even faster by not
using the arrow keys to move around the screens. Distinctive letters are
5

PC
INSTALLATION
(Cont’d)
noted in bolder type inside the highlight bars or on the MAIN MENU.
For
example,
on the MAIN MENU look at the first letters of every word. If the
highlight bar is at the top of the screen and you want to access the RESET
BLAUBOX command, instead of cursoring down 7 keystrokes, you only have to
hit the letter
“R”
one time and the window for RESET BLAUBOX will open.
On a technical note, BLAUBOX uses small signal
Thiele/Small
computer
modeling to give a predicted performance. First, two guys named Thiele
and Small created a method to model the mechanical motion of a loudspeaker
and simulate it using electronic circuit diagrams. But, this model is
only accurate at low to moderate power levels.
speaker into non-linear conditions (i.e., When you start driving the
approaching the rated rms power
for a driver) the model breaks down because the operation of the speaker
is no longer “linear”. Also, once the enclosure is installed in a
vehicle, the acoustic transfer function for that car will often
significantly modify the woofer’s frequency response as heard at the
driver’s location (often for the better).
In the early design stages of BLAUBOX we debated the advantages of
plotting displacement limited performance plots of speakers which clearly
show the frequencies and power levels where a woofer starts to distort.
But, this requires proper interpretation of the data by the user and a
judgemental value what is tolerable for the consumer. Because of possible
misinterpretation! we left it out of BLAUBOX but may include it in an
upcoming version if demand is high.
Another technical item involves the port tubes called out by BLAUBOX. The
program only uses round port tubes because they are readily available
(e.g., PVC pipe from your local hardware store) and they maintain
reasonable cross-sectional area to prevent wind noise. Inevitably, some
person would like a port
l/2”
thick by 24” wide to maintain the proper
port opening area. Simple math calculations can be made to find this area
but things becomes non-linear again so we do not recommend you venture
into this “snake pit”.
An added note is important regarding the
bandpass
box design with
supplementary inductors. Blaupunkt is not an immediate supplier of odd
sized passive components but we strongly recommend “Madisound Speaker
Components”,
860.8 University Green, Box 4283, Madison, Wisconsin, 53711,
608-831-3433.
Please try to browse over the rest of the BLAUBOX owner’s manual when you
are desperate for entertainment; there’s some neat stuff inside.
6

MAIN
MENU
NAVIGATING THE MAIN MENU
Moving around the MAIN MENU is done by simply using the standard
cursor/arrow keys on the key board.
using the up/down arrow keys.
Move the highlight bar up or down
Once you highlight the desired function of
the MAIN MENU, press the ENTER key and you will jump to the desired
function screen.
If you have a mouse, the left mouse button will act as
the ENTER key on the keyboard, the right key acts as the escape key.
Help screens are offered for Screens 1 to 7 on the MAIN MENU. These help
screens are accessed by simply highlighting the desired function and then
pressing the function key
fl.
A window will open up with a discussion of
the various functions.
BLAUPUNKT "BLAUBOX" MAIN MENU
Screen
1
-
Enclosure Performance Calculations
Screen 2
-
Screen 3
-
Screen 4
-
Screen 5
-
Screen 6
-
Screen 7
-
Final Box Fabrication
Speaker Parameter Database
Crossover Design
Printer,
Color, User and Materials Configuration
Using BLAUBOX
Tech Talk on Woofer Box Design
Reset BLAUBOX
Quit BLAUBOX to DOS
____~~~-___~__-_~~___~~~~~__~~~________________________________
UP OR DOWN AND THEN HIT ENTER
Calculate Response for Enclosure
Fl
q HELP
RESET
BLAUBOX
After doing several simulations with various boxes and woofers, the user
may become confused exactly what he is comparing.
More so, if several
people have been working on the same machine the various users may get
their design confused with the previous user's. The best solution is to
have a "master reset" that can reset all parameters to zero (or blanks)
and restart the program without exiting and transitioning back to DOS.
This feature is very useful considering the typical interruptions in the
business day.
The next person can "clear out" the last values without
restarting the computer.
If a menuing program is installed, restarting
isn't a real problem, but if the computer is a dedicated machine on the
sales floor where you don't want consumers
"dinking
around", you can setup
BLAUBOX to run, and walk away; restarting for different sales people is
then "brain dead simple".
"Reset" should be done every time
a-new
runs BLAUBOX, and especially for a new customer. person
QUIT BLAUBOX
AHD
RETURN
TO DOS
Once you are done using any computer program, it is always best to
the program "gracefully" using its appropriate exit command.
This
_
_.
_
._
.
.
_
exit
prevents loading
Junk
into the memory of the computer that might conflict
with the next program to be used. This also prevents any computer program
from being damaged by a voltage spike if you turn the machine off while
inside the program for example.
To gracefully quit BLAUBOX and return to DOS, simply highlight QUIT
BLAUBOX AND RETURN TO DOS, hit the ENTER key and the program will release
felicitously to the DOS prompt.
If you have a menuing program installed,
such as Direct Access, BLAUBOX will close down and the main menu for the
menuing program will come up without cryptic DOS jargon in between.
7

SCREEN 1: ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
Screen 1 allows the user to plot the frequency response performance of
one,
or two totally different subwoofer box designs, using the same, or
different, woofers and/or boxes.
WOOFER CHOICE
This function asks you to choose the woofers for comparison purposes.
The cursor defaults to highlighting WOOFER CHOICE when you move into this
screen.
key whileYou must first choose a woofer, woofer 1, by pressing the ENTER
highlighting WOOFER CHOICE.
the ENTER key again,
While highlighting WOOFER 1, hit
and a window opens up with the woofers from the
database shown.
Cursor around until you highlight the woofer of your
choice, then hit the ENTER key.
The window will close and you are ready
to choose WOOFER 2 or move on to
chasing
the enclosure under BOX STYLE.
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” SCREEN
1
-
ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
-
~OCIFER
CHOICE
1
BOX STYLE MODIFY BOX PLOT RESPONSE BOX MATH
Woofer
#l
:
NONE
Box
#l
Style
:
s
=
SEALED BOX
->
SEALED BOX
Box
#l
Type
:
COMPUTER-GENERATED OPTIMUM BOX SIZE
Box
#I
Volume :0.00 CU FT
Woofer
#2
:
NONE
Box
#2
Style
:
s
=
SEALED BOX
->
SEALED BOX
Box
#2
Type
:
COMPUTER-GENERATED OPTIMUM BOX SIZE
Box
#2
Volume :0.00 CU FT
-
.
-
-,
r-..
..-,y-
~-._._---“--
Pick
Woofer
#l
Fl
q HELP ESC: Ignore
BOX STYLE
Here you choose the desired box style to use, e.g., sealed box, vented
box, or
bandpags
designs.
Move the cursor to highlight BOX STYLE, hit ENTER, and a window will open
up asking if you want to choose a box style for WOOFER 1 and/or WOOFER 2.
Highlight the woofer
of
your choice,
hit ENTER, and a window will open up
with the various box styles that BLAUBOX supports. A really cool function
is available by hitting
F2
which shows a graphical representation of the
various boxes.
This is very helpful for the people not comfortable with
the various box designs.
-
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” SCREEN 1
-
ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
-
WOOFER CHOICE’
1
BOX STYLE
1MODIFY
BOX PLOT RESPONSE BOX MATH
1
S
= SEALED BOX
->
SEALED BOX
SI
=
SEALED BOX
->
SEALED BOX (ISOBARIC)
V= VENTED BOX
->
SINGLE VENT
VI
=
VENTED BOX
->
SINGLE VENT (ISOBARIC)
BP4 = BANDPASS BOX
->
SINGLE VENT
BP41=
BANDPASS BOX
->
SINGLE VENT (ISOBARIC)
BPS
=
BANDPASS BOX
->
SINGLE VENT WITH INDUCTOR
BPSI-
BANDPASS BOX
->
SINGLE VENT (ISOBARIC) WITH INDUCTOR
BP6
=
BANDPASS BOX
->
DOUBLE VENT
BP61=
BANDPASS BOX
->
DOUBLE VENT (ISOBARIC)
----_
F2: Box Drawings ENTER: Select ESC: Ignore
-
J
Choose Box 1 Type
Fl
=
HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
8

SCREEN
1;
ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
(Cont'dl
MODIFY BOX
BLAUBOX will automatically default to optimum
size.boxes
for a given
woofer and box style.
But, using MODIFY BOX, the user can force the box
volume to something larger, or smaller, than optimum.
"Optimum" is
defined as the smallest box with a reasonably flat frequency response.
If you have a particular box size in mind, first highlight USER-SPECIFIED
BOX
#l,
and a window will open up asking for your desired box volume
Using the numbers on the keyboard, type in the desired box volume
ani
hit
the CONTROL and ENTER keys simultaneously to accept the value.
-
I==-
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” SCREEN 1 -ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
-
WOOFER CHOICE BOX STYLE
1
MODIFY BOX
]
PLOT RESPONSE BOX MATH
COMPUTER-GENER
R-SPECIFIED BOX
#
Woofer
#I
:
NONE
Box
#l
Style
:
s
=
SEALED BOX
->
SEALED BOX
Box
#l
Type
:
COMPUTER-GENERATED OPTIMUM
BOX
SIZE
‘--
Box
#l
Volume
:
0.00
CU FT
Enter Box
#I
Parameters
Box Size Vf
:
CTRL-Enter:
Accept
User Specifies Box
#l
Size
Fl
=
HELP ESC: Ignore
BOX
MATH
BOX MATH is a handy calculator used to convert dimensions and volumes
common to the speaker engineering area such as liters and cubic feet.
To enter this function,
highlight BOX MATH, hit ENTER, and a window will
give you several choices of conversions. For example, when measuring the
trunk in a car, most people use a ruler in inches.
inches x inches] you get cubic inches, Multiplying [inches x
but many are lost in the conversion
to cubic feet which is necessary for most box designs. Simply cursor down
to CONVERT CUBIC IN TO CUBIC FT, hit the ENTER key, enter the value in
cubic inches,
and the value in cubic feet will be immediately shown.
Other conversion functions under BOX MATH work similarly.
BLAUPUNKT
“ELAUBOX”
SCREEN
1
-
ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCUL
OOFER CHOICE BOX STYLE MODIFY BOX PLOT RESPONSE
Cubic Inches T
Convert Cubic Inches to Cubic Feet
Fl
=
HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
9

SCREEN 1: ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE CALCULATION!
(Cod
‘d)
PLOT RESPONSE
Here we finally show the predicted frequency response plot of the desired
woofer in the desired box. You can graphically see not only the frequency
response but also get a feel of efficiency differences. The more complex
bandpass
designs take more work to build but the hard work pays off with
the gains in efficiency and typically lower cutoff frequencies.
To use PLOT RESPONSE, highlight this function and hit ENTER. A window
will open up asking "CRT Plot or Printer Plot". If CRT is chosen, the
frequency response plot will be drawn on the monitor. If Printer Plot is
chosen,
the frequency response will be sent to the printer.
Print times
will average about 2 minutes per page because of the intense graphic
routines;
substantially longer times are likely using a
Laserjet
printer.
BLAUPUNKT
BOX RESPONSE PROGRAM
-
WOOFER
11:
BIAU
ACS 1221
;:t$"'=,B;N;;A;;
BDBXOK>,D~~BBLE,~~TC~S~~ARIC)
1 ff:
7j.O
Hz BOX
%
1
fr:
3b.O
Hz
= SEALED BOX
-->
SEALED BOX
BOX
#2
Vr:
0.00
Cu
Ft
100
db
90
Dealer.
Timmy Tom's Stereo
Prepared for:
Bill
Bob Buchsteiner
123 Main Street 12
Y4
Boboloui
Ln
Nowheresville. IL 60563
(600)-123-1234 Bumtwonger, AR 52667
(201)-555-1234
10

SCREEN
2:
FINAL
BOX
FABRICATION
This screen allows the user to choose the final box geometry, force the
dimensions to a value other than ideal, calculate port tube sizes, and
print the drawing of the box to the monitor screen or the printer.
Box
SHAPE
This function asks you to choose the box shape, be it rectangular,
tubular, or wedge shaped.
The cursor (and the program) default to highlighting the rectangular box.
If you wish to continue with the rectangular box simply hit the ENTER key
or escape out using the escape key. If you want to change the box shape
to tubular let’s say, highlight the TUBULAR- function and hit ENTER
window will close and you are ready to move on to MODIFY
DIME=;.
The
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” SCREEN 2
-
FINAL BOX FABRICATION
MODIFY DIMENSIONS PORT BOX MATH DRAW BOX
Pick Shape for Box
#I
ENTER: Select ESC: Ignore
>
Material Thickness: 0.750 (INCHES)
F5:
Select Box
#2
Specify Box Geometry (Shape)
Fl
= HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
MODIFY DIMENSIONS
Here you can modify the box dimensions to fit a particular space.
Move the cursor to highlight MODIFY DIMENSIONS and hit ENTER.
A window
will open up showing a box volume that comes from Screen 1 and then asks
for the modified dimensions. Using the tubular example above, the optimum
volume is shown and this volume must be noted (mentally or on paper).
You
now enter a number for the length and diameter (outside dimensions) and
the computer will quickly recalculate the box volumes for the numbers you
have inputed. If the revised values are different than the original
values, you must repeatedly input different numbers until the revised box
volume is close to the original box volume.
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX”
S
REEN 2
-
FINAL BOX FABRICATION
BOX SHAPE [MODIFY DIMENSIONS
PORT
BOX MATH DRAW BOX
Variable Volume -Compound Box -- Box
#2
F
1:
1.16 CU FT
Votume
2: 1.16 CU FT
Height
:
13.00 IN
Width
1
:
14.00 IN Width 2
:
14.00 IN
Depth
:
15.00 IN
Material Thickness: 0.750
#
CTRL-Enter: Accept ESC: Ignore
Material
Thickness: 0.750 (INCHES)
F5:
Select Box
#l
Enter Box Dimensions
Fl
= HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
11

QCREEN
2:
FINAL
BOX
FABRICATION
(Cunt’d)
PORT allows you to vary the port tube diameter (for vented boxes of
course) and calculate the proper length considering this diameter.
To enter the PORT function, cursor until you highlight PORT, hit ENTER and
a window will open up showing the tuning frequency(s) for the box.
The
cursor highlights the area asking for a diameter, enter a diameter (for
example, 4.0 inches), hit ENTER, and the port tube length for this tuning
frequency and diameter will be shown. You
must
keep in mind that the port
may become too long inside a particular box but this can be easily
remedied by using
"U
and
L"
shaped PVC.
Simply
measure along the center
area of
the bends to get the proper length.
-
-
BLAUPUNKT "BLAUBOX" SCREEN 2
-
FINAL BOX FABRICATION
MODIFY DIMENSIONS
[
PORT
j
BOX MATH DRAW BOX
Design Port for Box
#
2
Port Diameter: 3.000 IN
Port Length
:
1.79 IN
318
=
0.375
112
= 0.5
5/a
=
0.625
3/4 = 0.75
7/a = 0.875
-
-
CtrI-ENTER
=
Accept
Material Thickness: 0.750 (INCHES)
F5:
Select Box
#l
Choose Port Sizes
Fl
= HELP ESC
=
MAIN MENU
BOX
MATH
_..
.
This
is the same
calculator as inside Screen 1 which allows you to convert
dimensions and volumes commonly found in the speaker building process.
To enter BOX
MATH,
highlight BOX MATH, hit ENTER, and a window opens
offering you several conversions.
in a car,
For example, when measuring the trunk
most people use a ruler in inches.
x inches] you get cubic inches, Multiplying [inches x inches
this to cubic feet.
but many people may not be able to convert
Simply cursor down using the arrow keys, highlight
CONVERT CUBIC IN TO CUBIC FT, hit the ENTER key, enter the value in cubic
inches,
and the value in cubic feet will be shown.
---
BLAUPUNKT "ELAUBOX" SCREEN 2
-
FINAL BOX FABRICATION
-
BOX SHAPE
MODIFY DIMENSIONS PORT
1
BOX MATH
1
DRAW BOX
.
Cu In:
2147.00
o
Cu
Ft:
H
1.24
ESC: Quit
Material Thickness: 0.750 (INCHES)
Convert Cubic
Ipches
to Cubic Feet
Fl
= HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
12

SCREEN
2: FINAL
BOX
FABRICATION (Cont’d)
DRAW
BOX
This function allows the user to print out the enclosure layout plans.
These plans can be drawn to the screen of the computer, or, print to the
paper printer.
or to Printer”
SPECIAL NOTE: ONLY BOX
#1
IS DRAWN ON THE “Draw to screen
the time. ROUTINE, regardless of the box chosen within Screen 2 at
First highlight the DRAW BOX area, hit ENTER, and a small window will open
asking you “Draw to the screen or printer”. Using the cursor up/down
keys, choose your destination, and press ENTER. A drawing of the box will
then appear on the screen or will be sent to the printer.
Remember, you
must have chosen a printer in the setup screen (Screen 5) before you can
print.
BLAUBOX .
Otherwise the program may crash and you will have to restart
Regarding printing to paper, patience is in order for the Laserprinter
owner.
As with any graphics intensive program talking to a Laserprinter,
it can take considerable time to finish all copies. We recommend that you
make preliminary prints in the 75 DPI setup in order to obtain prints in
about 2 minutes per page. About 4 minutes per page is required for 150
DPI, and about 10 minutes per page for 300 Dpi (the printouts here look
like they are typeset!). Prints to dot-matrix printers take about 2
minutes per page but they never looks as good as the laser stuff.
Once the print is made to paper, you will notice that several cuts may be
made on the wedge shaped box. Stepping down the page, progressive cuts
are made so singular saw blade changes have to be made and the wood is cut
progressively smaller.
*
Customer: Billy Bob
Buchsteiner
e=
15”
f=
11
-
l/T’
g=
24”
;
i
;
:
:
i
:
:
:
;
i
:
:
:
:
;
!
:
13

SCREEN
3:
SPEAKER PARAMETER DATABASE
SCREEN 3 permits the user to choose a woofer for a “DESIGN” be it woofer
#1
or
#2,
modify existing driver parameters, delete, or add speakers to
the database.
SCROLL DATABASE
Using the cursor keys, highlight SCROLL DATABASE, hit ENTER, and a window
will open up asking for the first letter(s) of the woofer you might be
looking for. Type in a letter (“B” for Blaupunkt for example) and the
first woofer beginning with the letter
“B”
will come up. If several
woofers starting with
“B”
exist, the search will then look at the model
numbers following the name and arrange them in ascending order. If you
want to just scroll up or down through the database, you can hit
F3
to
look at previous woofers, and
F4
to look at woofers in later order.
r=-
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” SCREEN 3
-
SPEAKER PARAMETER DATABASE
-
SCROLL DATABASE/ MODIFY WOOFER DELETE WOOFER ADD WOOFER
I
.--_-_
.__~~~__
.____.
Scroll Through Database
Fl
= HELP ESC
=
MAIN
MENU
MODIFY WOOFER
Here you can modify the Thiele/Small parameters for a woofer. To prevent
accidental erasure or modification of the pre-installed Blaupunkt woofers,
their parameters are “hard-installed” so they are non-changeable.
To modify a wobfer, move the cursor to highlight MODIFY WOOFER and hit
ENTER.
A window will open up showing the various woofers in alphabetical
order. Cursor left/right and up/down using the cursor arrow keys until
you highlight the desired woofer to be modified, and hit ENTER
window will open up showing the various performance parameters:
A new
Using the
cursor keys, highlight the desired parameter, type in the desired value,
and hit ENTER.
Once you have typed in all desired parameters, hit the
CONTROL and ESCAPE keys at the same time to lock in the values. If you
enter this screen and decide YOU mav not
really
want to be here, simply
hit the escape key to back out gracefully.
-
:-
BLAUPUNh
“BLAUBOX” SCREEN 3 -SPEAKER PARAMETER DATABASE
SCROLL DATABASE
1
MODIFY WOOFER
]
DELETE WOOFER ADD UCOFER
Pick Uoofer
t
ACS 1221 BLAU ACS 1521
BLAU ACS 8021
I
Modify Existing Speaker in
DataBase
Fl
= HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
14

SCREEN 3: SPEAKER PARAMETER DATABASE
(Cant
‘d)
DELETE WOOFER
This function allows the user to delete a woofer and its parameters from
the database.
Again, Blaupunkt woofers cannot be deleted or modified.
Using the cursor keys,
highlight DELETE WOOFER, hit ENTER, and a window
will open up listing the installed woofers. Moving the cursor keys,
highlight the woofer to be deleted, and again hit ENTER
will open up reminding you that your woofer is A final window
about-be
deleted then
asking you for a Y(yes) or N(no) to follow through with the deletion.
_
BLAUPUNKT "BLAUBOX" SCREEN 3
-
SPEAKER PARAMETER DATABASE
-
SCROLL DATABASE MODIFY WOOFER
1
DELETE WOOFER
1
ADD WOOFER
Pick Woofer
1
ACS 1221
BLAU
ACS 1521
BLAU ACS 8021
I
Delete Existing Woofer from Database
Fl
=
HELP ESC
=
MAIN MENV
ADD
WOOFER
This function allows the user to add a woofer to the database, up to 1 000
drivers.
Any brand of woofer can be added but the parameters are
limiied
to those in BLAUBOX.
To add a woofer, move the cursor to highlight ADD WOOFER and hit ENTER.
window will open up prompting you for the woofer name.
A
Type in the woofer
name and its model number immediately next to it and hit ENTER.
cursor will step down asking for the Qts parameter.
The
only show Qes and Qms parameters, Now, if your woofers
highlight the window stating "Total Qt"
hit the space bar to toggle out of Qts, and you will see the highlight
ba;
showing "Separate Qes and Qms".
Now hit ENTER, and the comment areas for
entering Qes and Qms will open up. Input the values, hit ENTER, and the
cursor will step down to the next entry. Once all values are filled,
press CONTROL and ENTER keys at the same time to lock the woofer into the
database.
If you think you screwed up somewhere, hit the ESCAPE key to
back out, a window will ask you if you are sure.
_.
_
BLAUPUNKT "BLAUBOX" SCREEN 3
-
SPEAKER PARAMETER DATABASE
-
SCROLL DATABASE MODIFY WOOFER DELETE WOOFER
r
ADD WOOFER
]
-
Woofer Parameters
Woofer Name
:
MAX0 WACO
--__-__----___---___~~~______~~~~_______~~~~~~_~______
Choose
Q
Type
:
Total
Pt **
Total Q
(PTS):
0.850
Resonant
Freq.
(fs):
14.00 HERTZ
Equiv. Volume
(Vas): 14.70
CU FT
**
DC Resistance
(Re):
1.00
OHMS
Max.
Contin.
Power
:
780
WATTS RMS
Excursion
(Xmax): 2.500
INCHES
**
Cone Diameter
24.00 INCHES
Category Diameter
:
23.00 INCHES
**
Use SPACE bar to select
P
type and Units
---- Ctrl-ENTER: Accept ESC: Ignore Changes
-
Add New Woofer/Parameters to Database
Fl
= HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
15

SCREEN 4:
CRO380VER
NETWORK
DESIBN
Screen 4 assists the user in creating passive crossovers for woofers and
tweeters by inputing the crossover frequency, the impedance of the driver
(woofer or tweeter), and the desired roll-off slope.
Blaupunkt is not
able to supply odd sized inductors and capacitors so we strongly recommend
you contact "Madisound Speaker Components", 8608 University Green, Box
4283, Madison, WI, 53711, 608-831-3433.
CDB-LP,
lZDB-LP,
18DB-LP
(Lowpass
crossovers)
Using the cursor keys, highlight the desired crossover slope, hit ENTER,
and a window will open up asking for the termination load impedance in
ohms (most car speakers are 4 ohms and so BLAUBOX defaults to this).
Type
in the impedance value, hit ENTER, and the highlight bar will jump down
and highlight the desired crossover frequency. Now, type in the desired
crossover frequency, hit ENTER, and them follow through with the function
key
m.
A schematic drawing will then open up showing a drawing of the
network with the necessary capacitor(s) and coil(s).
--- BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” Screen 4
-
CROSSOVER NETWORK DESIGN
n-
I]
6DB-HP
IZDB-LP IZDB-HP 18DB-LP
18DB-HP
Crossover Type: 6 db/octave Low-Pass
Termination Load (Ohms): 4.00
Crossover Frequency
:
80
__.._.___________________________._..~---------------------------------
Low-Pass
Ll
(mH)
= 7.96
SPEAKER
FlO:
Calculate
ESC: Quit
Type 1 = 6
db/octave,
low-pass Fl = HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
6DB-HP,
12DB-HP,
18DB-HP
(Highpass crossovers1
Using the cursor keys, highlight the desired crossover slope, hit ENTER,
and a window will open up asking for the termination load impedance in
ohms (most car speakers are 4 ohms and so BLAUBOX defaults to this). Type
in the impedance value, hit ENTER, and the highlight bar will jump down
and highlight the desired crossover frequency. Now, type in the desired
crossover frequency, hit ENTER, and them follow through with the function
key
m.
A schematic drawing will then open up showing a drawing of the
network with the necessary capacitor(s) and coil(s).
-
BLAUPUNKT “BLAUBOX” Screen 4 -CROSSOV R NETWORK DESIGN
~DB-LP 6DB-HP
12DB-LP
I&]
18DB-LP 18DB-HP
Crossover Type: 12 db/octave High-Pass
Termination Load (Ohms): 4.00
Crossover Frequency
:
3500
-__~__~~~~~~_~______~~___~__________~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
High-Pass Cl
(uf)
=
8.04 High-Pass Ll CmH) = 0.26
(+I---
C’
I
(_)
/l
Q
SPEAKER
FIO:
Calculste
ESC: Quit
Type 4
=
12 db/octave, high-pass
Fl
= HELP ESC = MAIN MENU
16
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