Introduction to Loudspeaker Design

The first edition is now out of print. The 2nd edition of the book is now available in paperback and eBook editions. See ISBN 978-0966377347. Introduction to Loudspeaker Design is written for hobbyists, technicians, and engineers seeking an introductory overview of the technology of loudspeakers. Starting with a brief history of audio developments the book begins by introducing the concepts of frequency, pitch, and loudness and proceeds to develop the idea of a loudspeaker as a system with performance that can be accurately predicted using simulation techniques not unlike those used to design electronic circuits. The work is largely qualitative with an occasional mathematical example. In addition to providing a clear discussion of closed and vented type loudspeaker enclosures the work also covers bandpass enclosures and includes a complete design example for a dipole loudspeaker.

The richly illustrated deluxe paperback edition also covers such advanced topics as loudspeaker design tradeoffs, spatial loading, diffraction loss, cavity effect, and enclosure construction. A complete chapter is devoted to the subject of crossover design. The appendices contain technical references, design aids, and charts summarizing the properties of 18 different loudspeaker enclosure types.

John L. Murphy B.S., M.S., AES, IEEE, ASA

The author is a physicist with over 20 years experience in the research and development of audio products ranging from 24 channel recording consoles to the miniature electronics found in electric guitars and bass instruments. In addition to his many tube and solid-state electronics products he has also designed loudspeakers for the Pro Audio, Hi-Fi, Musical Instrument, and Auto Sound industries.

Captain Murphy served as a space systems software analyst for the US Air Force during his military career. More recently he has returned to software development to write applications for loudspeaker simulation. His WinSpeakerz and MacSpeakerz applications are now used widely throughout the audio industry as a tool for evaluating loudspeakers before they are built.