Loudspeaker Driver in a Vented Enclosure

Application ID: 2312


This tutorial models the acoustic behavior of a loudspeaker driver mounted in a bass reflex enclosure. The enclosure, sometimes called the cabinet, alters substantially the sensitivity and radiation characteristics of the loudspeaker and it is why it is usually considered part of the integral design of a loudspeaker system.

Two of the most important design parameters for a loudspeaker driver is its sensitivity and the directivity of the system. The sensitivity is commonly defined as the on-axis sound pressure level, measured at a 1 m distance. The directivity is assessed using the Directivity plot and represents the spatial sensitivity plotted against the frequency in a contour-like plot.

The electromagnetic properties of the driver are supplied from the Loudspeaker Driver - Frequency-Domain Analysis tutorial model. The model represents the structural components through the Solid Mechanics and the Shell physics applied to the different parts of the loudspeaker (enclosure and driver). The acoustic cavity within the enclosure is modeled with the Pressure Acoustics, Frequency Domain physics, while the infinite domain surrounding the enclosure, is modeled with the Pressure Acoustics, Boundary Elements physics. The Acoustic-Structure Boundary multiphysics coupling is used to connect the different acoustic and structural physics and the Acoustic BEM-FEM Boundary multiphysics coupling is use to couple the interior acoustics to the exterior at the vent.

This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: