Calendar

Course calendar.

WEEK #	TOPICS
1	How audio and speakers work What sound is, and how it's represented electrically Music in the time and frequency domain Experience the frequency ranges of music instruments and sound effects How a speaker driver works Examine behavior of two different drivers at different frequencies and angles Construction process of speakers
2	The recording process and hi-fi systems Demonstrate microphones and mixing/panning Apply equalization to change the tone of instruments Use two speakers to create a soundstage Listen to speaker distortion and why it's different from tone Frequency response vs. harmonic distortion vs. intermodulation Components of an audio system: Sources, amplification, etc. Live sound, theater and car audio systems
3	Basic speaker design ideas; passive components and filters What do these letters mean? R, L, C, I, V, Z Impedance and frequency response of speakers and electronics Listen and experiment with simple filters Compare two speakers that look the same but have different crossovers Dividing up the spectrum: Woofer, mids, and tweeters "Accuracy" in terms of frequency and phase-response Crossover slopes and frequencies Discuss class project and driver selection
4	MATLAB® activity: Crossover design Learn how to use MATLAB® Load speaker measurements from the Internet Generate impedance data for R/L/C circuit branches Simulate effect of connecting circuits to drivers Refine your own crossover design
5	Measurements on drivers and crossover design Install drivers in test baffle Do MLS, tone and noise measurements Distraction and baffle step Distortion and power handling of drivers Discuss approaches to crossover design Simulate some of our possibilities
6	Enclosure design and planning Speaker sizes and shapes Enclosure damping Physics of sealed, vented, dipole and horn enclosures Mechanical design
7	Building enclosure from a flat kit Safety and tools Split up tasks Assemble our cabinets
8	Building crossovers and other audio electronics Soldering Understanding circuit diagrams Transistors, diodes and op-amps PCBs, protoboards and breadboards Where to buy electronic components and everything else "Spice" circuit simulation How to build your own amplifier Build the crossovers for our speakers
9	Putting it all together Speaker connectors and wiring Woodworking stuff: Finishes Stuffing and enclosure damping Play music Measure responses on- and off-axis; distortion
10	Testing, music and party Tweak our system Enjoy food Talk about future projects