a stupid question about speakers

[royharper3220]

After hearing a bunch kids talk about how cool those square subwoofers are (car audio), It got me thinking. why are most speakers and mic diaphrams round? sorry if this is the stupidest question ever

 

[TexRoadkill]

The square box is just a cover and part of the design to amplify the sub bass frequencies. Inside is a decidedly round speaker.

 

[HangDawg]

But he wants to know why speakers ( not the enclosures) are round. Good damn question

 

[Massive Master]

No, he's talking about square subwoofers. They're out there. They use a square shape to maximize "air movement" - Of course, they're stiff and sound like crap, but that's just my opinion...

Round Rules!

Could you imagine trying to tune a drum with a square head? I've never even thought of that... How could that possibly resonate properly? Oh well, that's why those subs don't resonate properly...

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

 

[royharper3220]

i imagine it has somthing to do with a flat frequency response.
A somewhat in depth explanation would be great.surely its not a stiffness issue, but i obviuosly dont know

 

[NuTT98]

Heh, nothing to do with frequency response, certainly not at that depth.

The only reason they make square subs is because of constrictive space in a car. A square driver matches a square box, therefore you can effectively fit more into less.

 

[acorec]

After hearing a bunch kids talk about how cool those square subwoofers are (car audio), It got me thinking. why are most speakers and mic diaphrams round? sorry if this is the stupidest question ever

Square speakers tend to sound "boxy"
Round speakers have a more "rounded" sound

I guess it is all subjective.

 

[barefoot]

Take a sheet of paper, roll it into a cylinder, and tape it up. Now take another sheet of paper, fold it into a rectangular tube, and tape it up. Which is stronger?

Cones and cylinders have inherent structural rigidity. They also distribute force more evenly. Rectangles flex and create a lot of resonances and distortion. Someday we'll have materials so light and strong that we can make a speaker whatever shape we like. But even with graphite and kevlar composites, that day still hasn't come.

Thomas

__________________
Thomas Barefoot
Barefoot Sound LLC.
Recording Monitors

 

[noisedude]

square ones are gonna have four creases where it will flex and resonate differently. that might make the sound quite unpredictable or just plain bad.

 

[Garry Sharp]

A circle has the highest ratio of perimeter length to enclosed area. I haven't got the faintest idea if that's relevant but I just remembered it from 30 years ago so I thought I'd mention it

 

[noisedude]

really? yeah i guess that must be true! so maybe a circular speaker is still a better use of space than a square one ... ?

 

[Garry Sharp]

hey noisedude - you didn't spot my "deliberate" mistake!! Obviously you realised I meant lowest, not highest; i.e. it's the most efficient shape for maximising internal area. I should drink less before posting.

 

[noisedude]

No, i think you're right, just by increasing your perimeter to use all the space of any given rectangular speaker enclosure, you would obviously have more speaker area. but the original statement was probably ok.

i'll ask my brother, he does maths!!