Sonosub

Use this free software to assist you in building your "sonosub" style subwoofer.

Sonosub saves you having to get out the calculator to work out the sizes for your tubes. It also checks that your components will all fit with the correct clearances.

Main screen

Features of current version - V2.02

Specify Working volume & Tuning frequency to find Height & Port length or vice versa
Graphic shows port, cover plate and driver mounting details at a glance
Checks for sufficient clearances between components
Select driver from built-in list of common drivers or enter manually
Missing parameters automatically estimated from list of generic values
Work in metric or imperial measurements
Preferences automatically saved
Project can be saved for future reference
Most often used variables and results located on front screen
Endcaps screen allows full specification of timberwork
Account for change in tuning with port flares
Sag calculator to check suitability of driver for downfiring use
Print function on main screens

Sonosub is written in Visual Basic 6 and runs under Windows. Filesize 815,104 bytes
If you don't have them installed, you may need to grab the VB6 Runtimes - Windows XP already has them.

Notes: After downloading a new version of this software, you may find that opening a previously saved project results in the wrong driver being shown. This is a result of adding drivers to the internal database whilst the project files store the driver as a number only. If this is the case, please re-select your driver from the list and re-save your project. This should be sorted in a release or two, meanwhle it was felt that the advantage of having current drivers listed outweighed any inconvenience.

Minor error found in earlier versions of sonosub.exe
The driver-to-box-top resonance shown in sonosub.exe versions 1.04 and earlier was wrong
It was calculated on the assumption that the driver acts as the open end of a resonant pipe
These experiments show that it acts as a closed end
The resonance is thus half-wave rather than quarter-wave and the frequency needs to be doubled as a result
This error was corrected for versions 2.00 onwards

Additional screenshots

Endcaps screen

Drivers screen

The built-in database has some common drivers listed. If you wish to enter a driver manually, you will need to supply up to four parameters. If you don't know one of the values, just enter zero for it's value.The software will use the generic value based on the nominal diameter you select for the driver. (shown here in red). When you return to the front screen, the known values will be shown in blue and any substitutions will be shown in red.

Checks and Warnings screen

Several of the checks need some explanation...
Clearance between port intake and driver should equal to or larger than the port diameter
Clearance between port exit and top cover (when fitted) should equal to or larger than the port diameter.
The gap between the driver and the bottom plate should be such that the air leaving the driver doesn't encounter a cross-sectional area that is any smaller than the cone area. This check is simplified somewhat by basing it on the nominal diameter of the driver.

Changes to the software are tracked in the Version notes
For more information about using Sonosub, see the FAQ

Other software available on this site

Boxnotes - check your enclosure design for resonances. Print your cutting list
Flare-it, - find the correct port flare size to avoid audible turbulence
Subsaver - calculator for finding component values for a 2nd-order high-pass filter
QRDude - calculator for designing advanced QRD diffusers

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