Resource Hub
Hungry for knowledge? Looking to learn more about audio or manufacturing? Below is a centralised resource hub of all the interesting and useful websites that I use on a regular basis.
Free plans
- Speakerplans - classic free plans
- HornPlans - a good French website
- Freespeakerplans - a handful of free classic plans
- Speakerplans.eu - an up and coming website
- A SketchUp archive - some good plans, some are incorrect
- A Paraflex SketchUp archive - by Kaironex
- Paraflex plans - from the HOQS main page
- B&C suggested designs - plans from B&C, by B&C for their own drivers
- Precision Devices suggested designs - plans from PD, by PD for their own drivers
- 18 Sound suggested designs - plans from 18 Sound, by 18 Sound for their own drivers
Free downloads
- More coming soon - we've just moved to a new website, please be patient while we re-upload all our assets
Driver information
- Loudspeaker database - the largest searchable driver database I've found
- Woofer Search - untested by me so far, looks promising
- 18 Sound LF driver T/S database download
- 18 Sound HF driver info database download
Buy drivers
- Lean Business - UK shop
- Blue Aran - UK shop
- HiFi collective - DIY HiFi components
- Willys HiFi - more DIY HiFi components
- Thomman - UK and EU shipping
Buy hardware
- Penn Elcom - the gold standard of hardware
- Blue Aran - loads of choice
- Thomman - UK and EU shipping of parts
Crossover design
- Blue Aran XO designer tool - design your XO and buy the correct parts all in one page
- Speaker Wizard XO info - well explained XO design by Andy Kos
Acoustic and audio theory
- T/S parameters explained - good info by Andy Kos
- Understanding power - basic info by Andy Kos
- Understanding impedance - more goodness from Andy Kos
- DIYRM archive of topics - 90+ multi page PDFs on many different topics by Scott Hinson
- Taking good measurements without anechoic chambers - heavy reading, but great info
- How to set speaker limiters - the single best resource on limiters I've found, by Powersoft
- Audio Calculators - 100+ different acoustic and electrical calculators by MH Audio
- Excelsior Audio Labs - A vast resource of lots of different papers and PDFs on a range of topics. A+ quality information
Book suggestions
- Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook - classic reading
- Sound System Engineering 4th Ed - technical reference manual, very heavy reading but excellent content
- Sound System Design and Optimisation - classic book by Bob McCarthy
- The E Myth Revisited - advice for small business owners
Podcasts
- Business of Machining - Podcast about CNC machining and entrepreneurship (my number 1 favourite podcast)
- Sound Design Live - amazing audio engineering podcast by Nathan Lively
- Twenty Thousand Hertz - shorter 'edutainment' style podcasts
- Sound Girls - podcast about women in audio, good content
- Signal to Noise Podcast - great audio engineering podcast
Forums
- Speakerplans forum - classic audio forum
Software
- HornResp - Direct radiator and horn loaded loudspeaker simulator, free
- WinISD - Speaker design software, free
- VituixCAD - comprehensive speaker simulation software, free
- Akabak - BEM and LEM simulation software, free and ££££ versions
- COMSOL - Multiphysics simulation software, £££-£££££ versions
- Sketchup - basic 3D modelling software, free and ££-£££ versions
- Solidworks - My personal favourite CAD package, ££££
- Fusion360 - Cloud based 3D CAD, with simulation and CAM built in, free - £££ versions
- Vectric Aspire - Hobbyist CAM software, alright for the price, ££ to £££ versions
- REW - Acoustic measurement software, well featured, free
- SMAART - Acoustic measurement software, very well featured, excellent UI, £££-££££ versions
- Open Sound Meter - Acoustic measurement software, similar to a cut-down SMAART, free
- 10EaZy - Turnkey SPL measurement software and hardware, £££-££££ versions
- FIR Designer M - FIR filter creation software, very good - £££ to ££££ versions
- Dante Virtual Soundcard - The name says it all, ££
- Dante Controller - necessary to make the above software work, free
- Armonia+ - Powersoft control software, free
- VLC Media Player - my go to PC media player, free
- Davinci Resolve - professional video editing software, phenomenally well featured for free software, free