Background
For all acoustic calculations, CARA requires the sound radiation data of the loudspeakers of the different manufacturers. These data sets (CARA formatted loudspeaker files) are modelled in different ways.
- CARA Loudspeaker Models:
The CARA Loudspeaker Models are created by the CARA-Team using the complex loudspeaker simulation program CALE. For this a detailed set of technical specifications is required which has to be provided by the manufacturers. - Customized Loudspeaker Models:
The Customized Loudspeaker Models are designed by CARA users with the CARA Loudspeaker Editor included in the CARA program package. This concerns mainly loudspeakers for which the respective manufacturer does not provide the detailed technical specifications.
The Customized Loudspeaker Models are less accurate compared with the CARA Loudspeaker Models since only a reduced set of technical specifications is available (mostly taken from the user manuals or from test reviews in the respective magazines). Nevertheless, in most cases the Customized Loudspeaker Models are very useful approximations.
Forum for Customized Loudspeaker Models
This site enables CARA users to offer their Customized Loudspeaker Models for download to any other CARA user.
Upload
If you have finalized and saved the design of your loudspeaker using the CARA Loudspeaker Editor you will find
two loudspeaker data files (same name, different extension) in the CARA folder ...\CARA..\LS_BOX. The file with
the extension *.BOX contains all basic design data of your loudspeaker; it is only used by the CARA Loudspeaker Editor.
The *.BDD file contains the sound radiation data required for the CARA room acoustic calculations.
To upload your customized loudspeaker design onto the CARA homepage www.cara.de, please send
the respective *.BOX file (not the *.BDD file) to the CARA team as attachment to an E-Mail.
Your design will be checked by the CARA team and be optimized if needed, provided that you
agree. The CARA team will then create the respective *.BDD file. Afterwards the *.BOX file and
the packed *.BDD file (file extension .ZIP) created by us will be entered in the "Download List" for
customized loudspeaker models.
Download
Any CARA user may download a *.BOX file (about 50 KB) of the respective loudspeaker from
the "Download List" for customized loudspeaker models. Make sure that the given
CARA release number is compatible with the release number of your personal CARA copy. Your
CARA release number should be equal or larger than the one given in the "Download
List". If your CARA release number is too small, please download the respective
packed *.BDD file (*.ZIP).
After downloading a *.BOX file into the download folder on your personal computer, please copy the
*.BOX file into the CARA folder ...\CARA..\LS_BOX and start the CARA Loudspeaker Editor from the room design program CARACAD.
Press 'Finish'; to create the *.BDD file.
If you download a *.ZIP file, unpack the file before copying it to the CARA folder ...\CARA..\LS_BOX.
Alternatively, inflating and copying the *.ZIP can be carried out automatically under loudspeaker selection
in the CARA room design program CARACAD by right-clicking on the loudspeaker selection list and selecting
'Import Loudspeaker'.
Wish List:
If the technical specifications required by the CARA Loudspeaker Editor are not available, you may enter a request into the "Wish List" asking other CARA users for support in customizing your loudspeaker model.
Enjoy customizing your loudspeaker.
The CARA Design Team