Loudspeaker enclosures should curve near drivers and offset them vertically

Evidence

In 1950, Olson (1969) demonstrated, experimentally, that the enclo­ sure shape and size significantly affect the frequency response of a loud­ speaker, due to diffraction effects. These diffraction effects can occur at any frequency where the wavelength is of similar size, or smaller than the box. This means that they can occur in any small enclosure, such as a top mounted tweeter. They can also occur in the main cabinets if there are drivers whose frequency ranges produce wavelengths of appropriate dimen­ sions relative to the box sizes. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 2198 (#expands, via linked claim)

The approach offered by Allison (1974, 1975) and Ballagh (1983) involves choosing the position of the loudspeaker with respect to the boundaries in a manner that minimizes the variations in frequency response at the listening locations. Obviously, the goal is to arrange for the woofer-to-boundary distances, floor and walls, to be as different as possible, while not being multiples of each other. The more different these distances are, the less will be the effect. Finding an optimum result may involve some trial-and-error in practical listening. It may also result in visually unappealing, asymmetrical, or incorrect (in terms of stereo or multichannel imaging) locations for the loudspeakers. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1068 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Loudspeaker enclosures should curve near drive units to reduce diffraction; Loudspeaker enclosure shape and size alter frequency response via diffraction — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 2198; Optimal woofer placement makes boundary distances as different and non-multiple as possible — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1068

Broader Connections

• Loudspeaker enclosures should curve near drive units to reduce diffraction #corroborates (1.00)
• Loudspeaker enclosure shape and size alter frequency response via diffraction #expands (0.80) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 2198
• Optimal woofer placement makes boundary distances as different and non-multiple as possible #complicates (0.75) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1068