SPEAKER 01
SPEAKER 01
High-Fidelity Speaker System for Focused Listening and Material-Driven Audio Design
High-Fidelity Speaker System for Focused Listening and Material-Driven Audio Design
A self-initiated speaker system blending precision engineering with analog warmth. This project served as a personal deep dive into acoustic product design, focused on understanding how material,
form, and sound performance converge in a consumer-grade loudspeaker. It acts as a foundational step in exploring audio hardware through the lens of industrial design.
A self-initiated speaker system blending precision engineering with analog warmth. This project served as a personal deep dive into acoustic product design, focused on understanding how material,
form, and sound performance converge in a consumer-grade loudspeaker. It acts as a foundational step in exploring audio hardware through the lens of industrial design.
Overview
Overview
Designed for audio-conscious users who value both performance and design. Whether used in home studios or living spaces, the system emphasizes clarity, material honesty, and mechanical precision—
delivering a tactile listening experience in a compact, monolithic form.
Designed for audio-conscious users who value both performance and design. Whether used in home studios or living spaces, the system emphasizes clarity, material honesty, and mechanical
precision delivering a tactile listening experience in a compact, monolithic form.
Who Its For
Who Its For
To prototype a sealed, high-fidelity speaker system that could be scaled or refined into a real consumer product. The goal was to resolve enclosure acoustics, frequency division, and component l
ayout into a minimal yet high-performance form factor that respects both sound engineering and design discipline.
To prototype a sealed, high-fidelity speaker system that could be scaled or refined into a real consumer product. The goal was to resolve enclosure acoustics, frequency division, and component l
ayout into a minimal yet high-performance form factor that respects both sound engineering and design discipline.
Design Intent
Design Intent
01 Acoustic System
01 Acoustic System
8” Woofer for deep bass response. Horn Tweeter for crisp directional highs. 2-way crossover for smooth frequency separation.
8” Woofer for deep bass response. Horn Tweeter for crisp directional highs. 2-way crossover for smooth frequency separation.
2-Way Passive Crossover
Why:
A two-way system balances simplicity and performance. It separates the signal into two clean bands—low (woofer) and high (tweeter)—without requiring a midrange driver or active processing, which
keeps the build lean and more approachable.
Key Traits:
→ Smoother frequency transition
→ Optimized load matching between amp and drivers
→ Lower cost and complexity than 3-way systems
2-Way Passive Crossover
Why:
A two-way system balances simplicity and performance. It separates the signal into two clean bands—low (woofer) and high (tweeter)—without requiring a midrange driver or active processing, which
keeps the build lean and more approachable.
Key Traits:
→ Smoother frequency transition
→ Optimized load matching between amp and drivers
→ Lower cost and complexity than 3-way systems
8" WOOFER
1/4" ALUMINUM MACHINED STAND
3/4" PLYWOOD
PLASTIC RADIAL HORN
1/8" ALMUNIUM BRACKET
JBL HORN
EXPLODED VIEW OF COMPONENTS
8" WOOFER
1/4" ALUMINUM MACHINED STAND
3/4" PLYWOOD
PLASTIC RADIAL HORN
1/8" ALMUNIUM BRACKET
JBL HORN
EXPLODED VIEW OF COMPONENTS
→ Sealed Cabinet: Improves transient response and eliminates port resonance for tighter bass
→ CNC-Cut Baffle: Ensures precise driver alignment and minimizes diffraction for cleaner imaging
→ ¾” Baltic Birch Plywood: Offers rigidity, tonal neutrality, and reduced cabinet resonance
→ Internal Acoustic Foam: Absorbs standing waves and reduces internal reflections for better midrange clarity
→ Airtight Construction: Glued, screwed and clamped joints maintain internal pressure and optimize driver performance
→ Sealed Cabinet: Improves transient response and eliminates port resonance for tighter bass
→ CNC-Cut Baffle: Ensures precise driver alignment and minimizes diffraction for cleaner imaging
→ ¾” Baltic Birch Plywood: Offers rigidity, tonal neutrality, and reduced cabinet resonance
→ Internal Acoustic Foam: Absorbs standing waves and reduces internal reflections for better midrange clarity
→ Airtight Construction: Glued, screwed and clamped joints maintain internal pressure and optimize driver performance
03 Assembly & Product Placement
03 Assembly & Product Placement
→ Low-Frequency Roll-off: The sealed enclosure starts to roll off
around 40 Hz, as expected, confirming the tighter, more controlled l
ow-end typical of closed-box designs.
→ Bass Elevation (40–100 Hz): Slight elevation in this range suggests
favorable room coupling and good performance of the 8” woofer in
low-frequency reproduction.
→ Midrange Consistency (200–1k Hz): The response here is relatively
flat, indicating minimal coloration—ideal for accurate vocals and
instrumentation.
→ Presence Region Emphasis (2–5 kHz): A gentle rise in this band
enhances clarity and definition in speech and cymbals, attributed to
the horn tweeter’s efficiency and directivity.
→ High-Frequency Smoothing: Above 8 kHz, the response begins
to level off, suggesting that the tweeter’s dispersion is naturally
tapering—resulting in a less fatiguing listening experience.
→ Low-Frequency Roll-off: The sealed enclosure starts to roll off
around 40 Hz, as expected, confirming the tighter, more controlled l
ow-end typical of closed-box designs.
→ Bass Elevation (40–100 Hz): Slight elevation in this range suggests
favorable room coupling and good performance of the 8” woofer in
low-frequency reproduction.
→ Midrange Consistency (200–1k Hz): The response here is relatively
flat, indicating minimal coloration—ideal for accurate vocals and
instrumentation.
→ Presence Region Emphasis (2–5 kHz): A gentle rise in this band
enhances clarity and definition in speech and cymbals, attributed to
the horn tweeter’s efficiency and directivity.
→ High-Frequency Smoothing: Above 8 kHz, the response begins
to level off, suggesting that the tweeter’s dispersion is naturally
tapering—resulting in a less fatiguing listening experience.
02 Material Selection Justification
02 Material Selection Justification
Component
Component
Material
Material
Reason
Reason
Cabinet
Cabinet
Plywood (birch, 18mm)
Plywood (birch, 18mm)
Acoustic damping, stiffness, machinability
Acoustic damping, stiffness, machinability
Legs
Legs
Aluminum (6061-T6, ~14 gauge)
Aluminum (6061-T6, ~14 gauge)
Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, easy to machine
Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, easy to machine
Horn Tweeter
Horn Tweeter
Likely ABS/Polystyrene
Likely ABS/Polystyrene
Moldable, rigid, cheap
Moldable, rigid, cheap
Mounts
Mounts
Stainless Steel Screws
Stainless Steel Screws
High strength, wear-resistant
High strength, wear-resistant
Function
Function
Shape
Shape
Process
Process
Material
Material
To size my sealed speaker enclosure, I used the Thiele-Small alignment formula:
To size my sealed speaker enclosure, I used the Thiele-Small alignment formula:
03 Enclosure Design
03 Enclosure Design
With my actual driver, the GRS 8PR-8, having{Hz}fs=42Hzand Qts=0.6.69, I calculated:
With my actual driver, the GRS 8PR-8, having{Hz}fs=42Hzand Qts=0.6.69, I calculated:
This theoretical value provided a starting point, but I opted for a larger, real-world sealed box with internal dimensions of 400 × 400 × 200 mm, resulting in:
This theoretical value provided a starting point, but I opted for a larger, real-world sealed box with internal dimensions of 400 × 400 × 200 mm, resulting in:
This enclosure volume was chosen for clean low-end response, in conjunction with a 3-way 8Ω crossover and internal polyfill for acoustic damping.
This enclosure volume was chosen for clean low-end response, in conjunction with a 3-way 8Ω crossover and internal polyfill for acoustic damping.
For full compatibility and performance, I recommend accessing this project via a desktop browser.
In the meantime, here are some visuals.
8" WOOFER
1/4" ALUMINUM MACHINED STAND
3/4" PLYWOOD
PLASTIC RADIAL HORN
1/8" ALMUNIUM BRACKET
JBL HORN
8" WOOFER
1/4" ALUMINUM MACHINED STAND
3/4" PLYWOOD
PLASTIC RADIAL HORN
1/8" ALMUNIUM BRACKET
JBL HORN
OK… Now please go on a browser.