The animation at the left side shows a 3D view of a custom designed CARA loudspeaker model.
If your loudspeaker is not included in the CARA Loudspeaker Database you may design your speaker by yourself
using the Loudspeaker Editor which is part of the CARA program package.
The 'Loudspeaker Editor' supports the design of e.g. Closed or Bass Reflex Loudspeakers with a
Crossover Network of up to 5 ways. The Cabinet is built up by at least six walls, the side walls of which
may be slanted resulting in pyramidal or prismatic cabinet designs.
The 'Loudspeaker Editor' functions have been considerably enhanced with CARA Rel. 2.1. However, the loudspeaker data
files (*.BOX) may be compatible to earlier versions of CARA, depending on the complexity of the respective design.
Using the new Upgrade (see Download / Patches) of the 'Loudspeaker Editor' (Rel. 2.2) enables you to design more
sophisticated cabinets, which are composed of several cabinet sections.
The required technical specifications of your loudspeaker may be taken from technical data sheets or the user manual
provided by the manufacturer or from respective test reviews.
Most of the data to be entered into the 'Loudspeaker Editor' are preset to reasonable values.
To customize your CARA loudspeaker model the following data have to be specified:
- Loudspeaker Type
- Standard Loudspeaker
- Dipole Radiator (1-3 ways)
- Dipole Hybrid Loudspeaker
- Subwoofer (active or passive)
- Addon Tweeter
- Nominal Impedance (e.g. 4 or 8 Ohms), Sensitivity (e.g. 87 dB/W/m), Transmission Range (e.g. 37 - 23000 Hz)
- Impedance Response (dependent on frequency):
- for closed cabinets:
- impedance maximum at low frequencies, corresponding frequency value in Hz (e.g. 42 Hz)
- for vented cabinets (bass reflex, transmission line or passive radiator):
- 1. impedance maximum at low frequencies, frequency value in Hz (e.g. 26 Hz)
- 2. impedance maximum (e.g. 79 Hz)
- impedance minimum in between (e.g. 59 Hz)
- Loudspeaker damping at bass frequencies (only required for closed cabinets):
- high damping, standard, low damping
- Crossover Network:
- number of ways (e.g.1, 2, 3,..5 way speaker)
- crossover frequencies for example between woofer and midrange and between midrange and tweeter
for a 3 way speaker (e.g. 450 Hz and 2200 Hz)
- Experts may also adjust the filter parameter (filter characteristics (e.g. Butterworth),
order and eventually damping).
- For Subwoofer and Addon Tweeters variable cutoff frequencies may be defined.
- Single Driver Units:
- number of woofer, midrange, and tweeter, and bass reflex tubes, ...
- membrane shape (cone, dome, flat membranes circular or rectangular, sphere, dipole)
- dimensions of the membranes (diameter, or length and width)
- Cabinet Design (for each section):
- height, width, depth, for slanted cabinets additional entries are required
- drivers positions on the respective cabinet wall.
- width and depth of the top of the cabinet (e.g. for pyramidal shapes)
- width of the rear wall (e.g. for prismatic shapes)
To check your loudspeaker design: