Simple measurements for home loudspeakers

Measurements made in a home for loudspeakers intended for use in the home are discussed. Some new terminology includes replacements for the terms woofer, squawker, and tweeter. The measurement of enclosure volume, which is a first figure of merit for a speaker, is discussed. Terminal impedance, a simple measurement of limited use, is also considered. The bass-system alignment can be checked by three methods: by an outdoor anechoic test of axial frequency response; by Keele´s close microphone method; and by Small´s internal pressure method. The use of noise as a test signal for loudspeakers is rejected. Loudspeaker distortion requires more expensive test equipment than appropriate for a home laboratory, but loudspeaker driver parameters can be measured at home. It is suggested that this is worth doing if someone is building his or her own speaker