Easy to Learn and Use
BassBox Pro has many
features that make it very easy to learn and use. For example, when
the program is first run, a Welcome window (shown below) will appear
to help you configure the program and introduce you to its on-screen
manual.
The on-screen manual (shown below) is extensive and contains most
of the same information as the beautiful 364 page printed manual.
Both the on-screen and printed manuals are the best in the industry
and include a "Box Designer's Guide", "Sample Designs" and "BassBox
Pro Reference".
BassBox Pro also includes a "balloon" help feature (shown below).
When the mouse pointer hovers over a control or label, a small text
box will appear to provide a definition or explanation of the object
below.
Box Design is as easy as 1-2-3
There are many
ways to begin a speaker design with BassBox Pro, including the use
of its innovative Design Wizard. In general, speaker design involves
the following steps:
- Enter the driver parameters such as Fs, Vas and Qts. BassBox
Pro's driver database contains parameters for thousands of
drivers.
- Calculate the box volume and tuning. This is very easy with
the program's helpful "Suggest" button. It will cause BassBox Pro
to recommend a box that will produce a smooth bass response.
- Evaluate the performance with the graphs. This can include the
effects of the acoustical environment. For example, BassBox Pro
can estimate the in-car response in the graphs to show how the
speaker will sound to passengers inside a car.
Each box design can be saved and re-opened or re-used later. As
many as ten different designs can be open at the same time. Box
designs can also be duplicated so that driver or box information
does not need to be re-entered.
Design Wizard
BassBox Pro includes a powerful
Design Wizard (shown below) to help new users quickly design a
speaker. It can start with either the driver or the box and then it
will walk you through BassBox Pro as it prompts you for information
in an orderly progression. In this way it serves as a "smart"
assistant to help you use the program.
Main Window
The centerpiece of BassBox Pro is
its resizable main window (shown below) that includes a summary of
all open designs. Up to ten designs can be open simultaneously.
A mini preview graph is provided for each design to show its
amplitude response. These preview graphs are automatically updated
whenever a design is altered, providing "real time" feedback. A
small picture beside each mini graph displays the box type that has
been selected (closed, vented, bandpass or passive radiator). A
summary of the driver and box parameters is listed in a text
box.
Largest Driver Database
BassBox Pro includes
the world's largest database of driver parameters! Users can add,
edit or delete drivers and the database can be searched by
manufacturer, driver model name, driver parameters or suitability
for a closed or vented box.
Driver Properties
Information about a driver
is contained in the Driver Properties window. The driver information
can be entered manually, imported from another BassBox Pro or
BassBox Lite speaker design file, imported from the CLIO or LAUD
measurement systems, or it can be loaded from BassBox Pro's
extensive driver database. Like many windows in BassBox Pro, the
Driver Properties window uses tabs to organize the information.
Three of its six tabs are displayed below. The first illustration
shows the "Configuration" tab where the number of drivers and their
mechanical and electrical configurations are set.
Notice above that the mechanical configuration settings include
compound or isobaric and push-pull.
The second illustration shows the "Parameters" tab containing the
driver's Thiele-Small and electromechanical parameters. "Net"
parameters are displayed when more than one driver is specified. If
the driver has a dual voice coil, separate parameters can be entered
for each of the three voice coil wiring methods (separate, parallel
and series). An "expert mode" is available to analyze driver
parameters for errors.
The third illustration shows the "Dimensions" tab containing the
driver's outer shape, piston type, dimensions and volume
settings.
Not shown are the "Description", "Response" and "External"
tabs.
Design Many Different Box Types &
Shapes
BassBox Pro models a wide variety of box types
including closed, vented, vented with active HP EQ filter (B6),
single-tuned and double-tuned bandpass and passive radiator boxes as
shown below:
Twenty-two different box shapes are available as shown below:
Box Properties
The information about the box
is contained in the Box Properties window. Three tabs are displayed
below. They depict a single-tuned bandpass box with three chambers
(using two drivers). The first illustration shows the "Box Design"
tab where the box type, shape, volume, tuning and dimensions are
set. Notice that it includes a scaled drawing of the box. This
drawing automatically updates in "real time" whenever the box is
changed.
The second illustration shows the "Vents" tab which contains the
vent parameters and dimensions. The vent parameters include the
number of vents, their shape and end type. If a passive radiator box
is selected, this tab will appear as the "Passive Rad." tab.
The third illustration shows the "Parts List" tab with a scaled
drawing of each box part, a list of dimensions and, if appropriate,
cut angles.
Not shown are the "Description", "Damping" and "Interior"
tabs.
Acoustic Properties
BassBox Pro accepts two
different types of acoustic data. It can be entered manually or
imported from several popular measurement systems (B&K, CLIO,
IMP, LMS, JBL/SIA Smaart, MLSSA, Sample Champion and TEF-20). This
acoustic data is added to relevant graphs to improve their
accuracy.
The acoustic response of the listening environment is entered
into the Car/Room Acoustic Properties window (shown below). For
example, the acoustic response of a motor vehicle interior can be
entered to show how a speaker will sound to a passenger inside a
car.
The normalized acoustic response of the driver is entered into
the "Response" tab of the Driver Properties window (not shown). The
driver's acoustic response is normalized to its predicted
Thiele-Small response.
Performance
BassBox Pro provides nine graphs
to evaluate the performance of a speaker design. The Normalized
Amplitude Response, System Impedance, Phase Response and Group Delay
graphs are provided for small-signal analysis. The Custom Amplitude
Response (shown below), Maximum Acoustic Power, Maximum Electric
Input Power, Cone Displacement and Vent Air Velocity graphs are
provided for large-signal analysis.
The graphs include numerous options. There are two graph modes: a
combination graph window which displays graphs one at a time for
computers with low VGA resolutions and separate graph windows for
simultaneously displaying multiple graphs for computers with higher
XGA resolutions.
The graphs can display the "pipe" resonance of vents, the
estimated piston band on-axis amplitude rise of a driver and the
estimated diffraction response shelf (of selected box shapes) that
can result from the front-panel circumference of the box.
Other options include two vertical and two horizontal scales,
seven graph memories, cursor and an export (copy) function via the
Windows clipboard.
Custom Printouts
Custom printouts can be
created which include the box and driver parameters, a
three-dimensional box drawing with internal and external dimensions,
a parts list with two-dimensional box part drawings, dimensions and
cut angles, an English fraction-to-decimal conversion table, wiring
diagram with an external network parts list and nine graphs. A
custom logo or graph can be imported and printed in the title
block.
Test Procedures
Driver and passive radiator
test procedures are included in the program to help you measure most
Thiele-Small parameters. (Requires test equipment such as: sine wave
generator, frequency counter, power amplifier, 1000 ohm 2-watt
resistor, voltmeter, ohmmeter, test box.)
Passive Network
A passive network (high-pass,
band-pass or low-pass filter, impedance EQ network and/or L-pad) can
be entered or imported from X•over Pro to display the system
impedance.
Compatibility
BassBox 6 Pro can open speaker
design files from BassBox 6 Lite, Eminence Designer 1 and older
versions of BassBox (versions 5.1, 5.0, 4.0 and 3.0). Passive
network information can be imported from X•over 3 Pro.
BassBox Pro includes:
A BassBox Pro license
includes a CD-R disc with the BassBox Pro computer program, driver
database and online manual. A beautiful 364 page printed manual is
also included.
System Requirements
BassBox 6 Pro is a 32-bit
Windows application and requires a 32-bit version of Microsoft®
Windows® including Vista, XP, 2000, NT4, Me or 98 and a compatible
computer, 36 Mbytes of free hard disk space and a CD-R compatible
CD-ROM or DVD drive. Also, the Arial and Symbol TrueType fonts must
be installed (both fonts are a standard feature of Windows).
Buy BassBox Pro 6
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