Loudspeaker Port Design for Optimal Performance and Listening Experience

Bezzola A, Devantier A, McMullin E. Loudspeaker Port Design for Optimal Performance and Listening Experience. In: AES Convention 147. Audio Engineering Society; 2019. Paper 10311. Available from: https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=20683

@inproceedings{Bezzola2019_20683,
  author = {Bezzola, Andri and Devantier, Allan and McMullin, Elisabeth},
  title = {{Loudspeaker Port Design for Optimal Performance and Listening Experience}},
  booktitle = {AES Convention 147},
  note = {Paper 10311},
  year = {2019},
  month = oct,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  url = {https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=20683}
}

TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Loudspeaker Port Design for Optimal Performance and Listening Experience
AU  - Bezzola, Andri
AU  - Devantier, Allan
AU  - McMullin, Elisabeth
T2  - AES Convention 147
M1  - Paper 10311
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/10/06
UR  - https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=20683
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - Bass reflex ports produce noise at high sound-pressure levels due to turbulence and vortex shedding. Flared ports can reduce port noise compared to straight ports, but the optimal flare rate in ports has remained an unsolved problem. This work demonstrates that there is in fact an optimal amount of flare, and it proposes a design method based on acoustic Finite Element simulations to efficiently predict the optimal flare rate for given port dimensions. Optimality of the flare rate is confirmed with noise and compression measurements as well as double-blind listening tests. At onset of unwanted port noise, optimally flared ports can be played 1 to 3 dB louder than slightly under-flared or over-flared ports, and 10 to 16 dB louder than straight ports.
ER  -