Recommended reading for new comers and inquisitive minds.

Skonopik · Dec 21, 2020

I am sorry for the late reply. But I really appreciate your advice. Covid has put much time back on the shelf for the moment and I have found this forum to be accessible albeit new info in every aspect. When Im not disturbing others with my lack of faith in eyeliner I drift off to dreaming of being amidst this forum and a day I comprehend most of what it says. Until then, never give up never surrender, etc.

Ge0 · Jan 12, 2021

I'm surprised I did not see these (I may have missed them):
Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 7th Edition Book (parts-express.com)
Audio Power Amplifier Design, Sixth Edition: Self, Douglas: 9780240526133: Amazon.com: Books

A few other sites and articles I find helpful:
PassDiy
The Localized Sound Power Method on JSTOR
Equalized Sound Power (ESP) Auto Sound System on JSTOR
techtalk.parts-express.com/filedata/fetch?id=1193425
Absoulute Sound Magazine | Magazine-Agent.com (com-sub.info)

Relax, I was just kidding about the last one

Speedskater · Jan 12, 2021

Ge0 said:
Absoulute Sound Magazine | Magazine-Agent.com (com-sub.info)
Relax, I was just kidding about the last one

I missed the joke on my first read!

Wes · Jan 12, 2021

well, now there is too much info to answer the questions posed by the OP - and many others

what is really needed is a Dummies Guide to Audio

I will condense things:

Buy the best speakers you can afford. Not everybody likes the same speakers (electrostatics vs. cone drivers in a box for example). Get your selections of cone based drivers down to a small number using the Toole based measurements here, then listen to them, in your own home if possible.

Next buy an amp to drive the speakers, if they don't have amps built in. Use a power calculator based on the speaker sensitivity, SPL and room size to figure out how many watts the amp needs to have.

Rip CDs to your computer or use a streaming service to get the music to your amp. Apple devices have good built in DACs. You might want an outboard DAC.

Move speakers around in the room away from the walls if you can and put yourself in a triangle with the speakers. Keep doing this until you are fatigued.

Ignore all the arguments about tubes, noise on your AC line, in the air, and weird adjectives about how any electronic unit sounds.

You have now achieved Base Camp in Audio, and for a nominal service charge you can cross the Wheatstone bridge and reach Nirvana by night.

Next step is to find the best sounding masterings/recordings of the music you like.

Step III - buy a small mirror and a Umik-1 or other measurement microphone.

quimbo · Jan 12, 2021

Dr. "AIX" Mark Waldrep is writing a new book that started on kick starter https://www.sdpaguide.com/ I received this email the other day:

It has been a couple of months since my last post. I regret not writing sooner but I have been consumed with responsibilities at the university, studying like crazy for my oral exam and check ride (Private Pilot - Glider Certificate), and dealing with the successful outcome of my recent Kickstarter campaign. If you were not already aware, 375 backers pledged $16,271 to help bring A User Guide to Streaming, Downloads, and Personal Audio to life. I've been writing almost everyday and am confident that I can complete the project by the summer 2021 deadline. If you are interested in backing the project, I'm offering a 30% discount coupon (SDPA_NYS_2021) until March 1, 2021. Simply enter the code during check out.

FrantzM · Jan 12, 2021

Ge0 said:
I'm surprised I did not see these (I may have missed them):
Loudspeaker Design Cookbook 7th Edition Book (parts-express.com)
Audio Power Amplifier Design, Sixth Edition: Self, Douglas: 9780240526133: Amazon.com: Books

A few other sites and articles I find helpful:
PassDiy
The Localized Sound Power Method on JSTOR
Equalized Sound Power (ESP) Auto Sound System on JSTOR
techtalk.parts-express.com/filedata/fetch?id=1193425
Absoulute Sound Magazine | Magazine-Agent.com (com-sub.info)

Relax, I was just kidding about the last one

oooooof !! You got me going !!

Bernard23 · Feb 17, 2021

I'm really disappointed not to see references to peter belt here...

being serious, this is what helped me get a grasp of things when PC audio was new, some of it is now out of date, but it's still a helpful guide to non technical experts.

https://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/index.html

sofrep811 · Feb 27, 2021

Wombat said:
Magazines

I used to devour these older magazines. So much solid info to gloss from. Thanks for the link I had lost it.

Gadget Goober · Mar 10, 2021

This thread is literally exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!!!

LouisStrix · Mar 29, 2021

For people who are into headphones measurements, I think this article written by Tyll Hertsens is a very good starting place.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/innerfidelity-headphone-measurements-explained

Let's hope Tyll's contribution to the headphone world will not fall into obscurity.

haen · Jun 6, 2021

This is my first post here so... hello everyone!

I'm a person who so far listened on whatever mini-systems or PC speakers I happened to buy. Few years ago a bit weary of various Creative or Logitech speakers I bought supposedly 'neutral' monitor speakers from M-Audio (for which I will probably post some questions but that's another thing). Lately I toyed with an idea of setting up a stereo system and at some point I stumbled upon ASR.

As a total layman (who for example just recently learned what 2-way and 3-way speakers are or what crossover does) I wonder if there is some reputable book or set of articles who could gently guide people like me just to get basic understanding and vocabulary in place. As Wes mentioned few posts ago Dummies Guide to Audio may be best term here.

I downloaded a sample of Sound Reproduction by Toole. According to DonH56 an interested lay reader should be able to enjoy it, but his and mine definition of a lay reader may be not that compatible ;-). I'm slowly going through this sample taking notes on the way and so far I like the style. I wonder though if at some point the content won't become so much over my head.

I will probably buy this book anyway. I have one question though - is there a source which provides both PDF and ebook (EPUB, MOBI) formats? I prefer to have both for any kind of 'technical' books.

flipflop · Jun 6, 2021

haen said:
I will probably buy this book anyway. I have one question though - is there a source which provides both PDF and ebook (EPUB, MOBI) formats? I prefer to have both for any kind of 'technical' books.

Hi and welcome to the forum.
I can supply you with both the PDF and EPUB format of the book after you buy it. Or before

Just start a conversation with me if/when you're interested.

Wes · Jun 6, 2021

"I downloaded a sample of Sound Reproduction by Toole. According to DonH56 an interested lay reader should be able to enjoy it, but his and mine definition of a lay reader may be not that compatible ;-). I'm slowly going through this sample taking notes on the way and so far I like the style. I wonder though if at some point the content won't become so much over my head."

you might want to read a paper he co-wrote

Toole, F. E. 2006. Loudspeakers and Rooms for Sound Reproduction—A Scientific Review J. Audio Eng. Soc., Vol. 54, No. 6 June

Living rooms are in the transitional region, where the direct and early reflected sounds dominate, and late reflected sounds are subdued, and progressively attenuated with distance. The sound field is not diffuse, and there is no critical distance, as classically defined. SPL declines ~~ 3dB as distance doubles - p. 455

The late reflected sound field is greatly diminished with distance from the source. These are not “Sabine” spaces, and it is not appropriate to employ calculations and measurements that rely on assumptions of diffusivity. - p. 456

• Localization (direction)—the precedence effect; cognitive effect of direct sound setting location in the brain

• Localization (distance); reflections esp. earphones improve distance judgement; may be more driven by monaural cues p. 458

• Image size and position; delayed lateral sound caused a “pleasant broadening of the primary sound source” (Haas)

• Sense of space; get multichannels

• Timbre: comb filtering, repetition pitch; “Two ears and a brain have advantages over a microphone and an analyzer” p. 459

• Timbre: audibility of resonances; don’t record acoustic music outdoors

• Speech intelligibility; very important freq. range

- those are my notes/excerpts

DonH56 · Jun 6, 2021

Jave · Jul 23, 2021

For those who wish to study the basics of waves:
Waves (Draft) | David Morin (harvard.edu)

Wes · Jul 24, 2021

I like vol. 2 of the Berkeley Books

Jave · Jul 24, 2021

I really don't like the Berkeley books and think they have many great alternatives

Head_Unit · Dec 24, 2021

This is a classic with lots of practical stuff for DIYers but others as well.
https://meniscusaudio.com/product/loudspeaker-design-cookbook/

dualazmak · Feb 20, 2022

For those who may have interests on "multichannel multi-way multi-driver multi-amplifier stereo audio system";

My project thread entitled "Multi-Channel, Multi-Amplifier Audio System Using Software Crossover and Multichannel-DAC":

Please find here (on the above thread) and here (remote independent thread post) the Hyperlink Index of the above thread and some of my related posts in remote threads.

NathanR · Nov 7, 2022

Audio Myths Workshop - AES, Ethan Winer

Recommended reading for new comers and inquisitive minds.

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