Loudspeaker filter design software news

24 Nov 2018

Introducing FIR Designer M (Multi-way)

Build a complete loudspeaker preset for multiple channels simultaneously with FIR Designer M. It utilizes the same easy-to-follow workflow of FIR Designer but provides up to 6-way, simultaneous multi-channel filter design. Create finite impulse response (FIR) filters and complete mixed FIR + IIR filter loudspeaker presets for single and multi-way loudspeakers, using multi-way loudspeaker driver measurements. Simulate the combined multi-way frequency response and time/frequency (wavelet) behaviour.

FIR Designer M also includes a new integrated Help menu to further enhance the software’s usability.

Learn more about FIR Designer M or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

To coincide with the launch of FIR Designer M, the pricing of (single channel) FIR Designer is changing. Learn more.

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer M. Existing FIR Designer 2 license-holders are eligible to convert their license to a FIRd M license at no additional cost (just contact us to set it up).

8 Oct 2018

Loudspeaker Measurement Averaging in Averager vs. FIR Designer

Combining multiple measurements, especially for spatial averaging, can result in a more accurate filter design & overall system response. Eclipse Audio has three software products which can average an unlimited number* of loudspeaker measurements – of any supported format – into a single response: Averager, FIR Designer M and FIR Designer. All accept loudspeaker measurements from any tool, such as Systune, Easera, Smaart, Klippel & others.

Averager is a stand-alone software application enabling the creation of an averaged response for use in any other audio & plotting tools (ie. not just those developed by Eclipse Audio).

FIR Designer M & FIR Designer both include the same averaging functionality as an optional step within the filter design workflow. Generate a response for export or for use within the program (from the Import tab).

Averaging filenames and settings can be saved as an ‘Averaging Session File’ which can be can be shared between FIR Designer M, FIR Designer & Averager.

*Subject to computer memory limits

About Measurement File Sample Rates

Measurement files can have different samples rates and don’t have to match the FIR filter design sample rate when using FIR Designer M or FIR Designer. All measurements are resampled to the FIR filter design sample rate as they are loaded.

Tutorial: Loudspeaker Measurement Averaging in “Averager”:

Tutorial: Loudspeaker Measurement Averaging in FIR Designer*:

Select the ‘Measurement Averaging’ tab
Select a directory of measurements.
Choose a “Reference” measurement. All other measurements are automatically time aligned to this reference.
For each of the other “Comparison” measurements, adjust the time-delay, average weighting and polarity.
Select one of four averaging modes: Complex, Power (flat, zero phase), Power (minimum phase) and Power (minimum phase + excess reference phase).
Finally, in FIR Designer copy the average measurement to the Import tab for use in your FIR or IIR+FIR filter design, or export the average response to file. (Export is not shown in video below.)

*Same instructions apply for FIR Designer M

13 Sep 2018

FIR Designer 2.7.0 Expands Averaging Functionality & Adds Kaiser-Bessel Windowing

Current licensees can access the latest download on the “update available” dialog within FIR Designer 2.

FIR Designer 2.7.0 is now available and includes both new features & updates:

The “Measurement Averaging” tab has been completely updated to the new workflow and plotting, recently released in the stand-alone Averager application. (Averaging session files can be exchanged between both FIR Designer 2 and Averager).
FIR filter windowing now has a Kaiser-Bessel option with adjustable alpha.
The parameter table drop-downs open in one click.
Parameters dialog has been updated for ease of use and flexibility for the future.

See the Release Notes (for all versions) here.

Learn more about FIR Designer or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2; just contact us.

Screenshots from Averager, the measurement averaging tool from Eclipse Audio

26 Aug 2018

Introducing Averager – New Loudspeaker Measurement Averaging Tool

By popular demand, we’ve developed a stand-alone application for averaging multiple loudspeaker measurements into one measurement, which can then be used in other audio tools, plotting tools & in FIR Designer’s ‘Import’ tab. Averager accepts loudspeaker measurements from any tool, such as Systune, Easera, Smaart, Klippel & others. It expands on the functionality found within FIR Designer‘s ‘Measurement Averaging’ tab with improvements to the workflow, additional plot comparisons & statistics, & the ability to save the average response to file. Averager can load an unlimited number of measurements – subject to computer memory limits – and features a new, integrated help function. The updated Averager functionality will be included in FIR Designer’s ‘Measurement Averaging’ tab & available to FIR Designer license holders.

Learn more about Averager or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2; just contact us.

8 Jul 2018

FIR Designer 2.6 now imports Monkey Forest SPK & Klipppel Impulse Response text files

Current licensees can access the latest download on the “update available” dialog within FIR Designer 2.

FIR Designer 2.6.0 is now available and includes new import options plus some user interface updates. Notable updates (since the last update post for v2.4):

Monkey Forest (FourAudio) SPK files and Klippel Impulse Responses can now be loaded. Steps to extract data from a Klippel Impulse Response plot can be found here.
When importing a measurement file on the Import or Target tab, when “Normalise magnitude to max” is set, the “Magnitude offset (dB)” field now displays the normalisation gain. This is useful starting point when setting the offset gain manually.
Time based plots now have an optional millisecond (ms) scale and right-click now enables zoom-to-maximum (in addition to the “Max” buttons).
The Target file now has a use “Phase only” option which helps with matching loudspeakers based just on phase.
All lists and filter prototype tables now have a “Reset” option to take them back to defaults.

See the Release Notes (for all versions) here.

Learn more about FIR Designer or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2.6; just contact us.

Klippel Impulse Response files and Four Audio's Monkey Forest SPK files supported in FIR Designer

17 Jun 2018

Side Load Pre-Existing FIR Filters to Loudspeakers

Pre-existing FIR filters – from sources other than FIR Designer/Creator – can be loaded (with or without resampling) in FIR Designer & FIR Creator EX. The filters can then be pushed – in combination with FIR Designer’s IIRs, gain, delay and polarity settings – to select Lab.gruppen Lake Processing & Powersoft amplifiers via Direct-To-Processor (DTP) functionality.

This video shows how to side load audio FIR Filters into FIR Designer when pushing a DSP preset to the LAKE 3-way module.

Learn more about FIR Designer or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2.2; just contact us.

22 Apr 2018

New FIR Creator EX shares FIR Designer’s advanced export options

A new, standalone version of FIR Creator is now available: FIR Creator EX offers the same advanced export options found in FIR Designer, including the brand-new Direct-To-Processor functionality for integration with Lake & Powersoft amplifiers. It will be priced at a one-off cost of USD$299+tax (vs. FIR Creator @USD$249+tax). Unlike the mostly static feature set of FIR Creator, FIR Creator EX will be updated as necessary to incorporate any new DTP integrations developed between FIR Designer & other brands (ie. in addition to Lake & Powersoft). However, beyond updating DTP functionality, FIR Creator EX won’t receive updates (apart from essential bug fixes), as our development efforts continue to be focused on the subscription-based FIR Designer.

See the Product Comparison Table to compare features of FIR Creator, FIR Creator EX & FIR Designer

The specific additions to FIR Creator EX (vs. FIR Creator) are as follows:

Two additional FIR Filter sample rates: 12 and 24 kHz (FIR Creator has 44.1, 48 & 96 kHz)
Three additional Export formats: Powersoft, Linea Research & EV/Dynacord (FIR Creator has text [inc. CSV], Binary & WAV)
Processor gain, polarity & delay settings (not available in FIR Creator)
Generate complete loudspeaker presets via the processor channel summary setting export option (not available in FIR Creator)
Direct-to-processor functionality (not available in FIR Creator):
- To LAKE PLM, PLM+ & D series amplifiers. Requires the FIR Designer LAKE plugin and the LAKE FIR 3-way module, & works over a (fixed or wifi) network.
- To Powersoft X, Ottocanali, Quattrocanali and DueCanali series amplifiers. Works via an XML file which can be loaded into the amplifier’s “Speaker EQ” or “Output EQ”.
- Can optionally side-load pre-existing FIR filters (with sample-rate-conversion, if necessary) from other programs for transfer to LAKE &/or Powersoft (subject to their FIR tap limits).

Learn more about FIR Creator / FIR Creator EX or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Tell us which amplifier brands you’d most like to see facilitating direct-to-processor FIR Filters/DSP Presets from Eclipse Audio’s FIR tools

21 Apr 2018

FIR Designer 2.4 – New Direct-To-Processor Function for Powersoft Armonia

FIR Designer 2.4 now integrates with Powersoft amplifiers. Transfer a DSP signal chain directly from FIR Designer to Armonía for use in Powersoft amplifiers via our new DTP (Direct-To-Processor) functionality. Pre-existing FIR filters (from sources other than FIR Designer) can also be loaded – with or without resampling – and transferred in combination with FIR Designer’s IIRs, gain, delay and polarity settings.

DTP for Powersoft works via an XML file which can be loaded into the “Speaker EQ” or “Output EQ” on X, Ottocanali, Quattrocanali and DueCanali series amplifiers.

Powersoft is the second brand to offer close integration with FIR Designer (LabGruppen LAKE PLM, PLM+ & D series amplifier integration was released in FIRd v2.3). We’re hoping to provide direct integration with other amp/processor brands in the near future. In the meantime, FIR Designer can export data in a variety of formats for subsequent upload into most FIR-capable productsWe’d love your feedback: Which amplifier brands would you most like to see facilitating direct-to-processor FIR Filters/DSP chains from FIR Designer? Tell us here.

For more details on v2.4, see the Release Notes.

Learn more about FIR Designer or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2.4; just contact us.

Lake FIR filter designer. Design & load with FIR Designer. Screenshot of FIRd DTP dialog.

20 Apr 2018

Direct-To-Processor Function for LAKE FIR module

FIR Designer now integrates with LAKE PLM & D series amplifiers. Push a complete DSP signal chain directly from FIR Designer to the LAKE FIR 3-way module via our new DTP (Direct-To-Processor) functionality. Watch the video here. Pre-existing FIR filters (from sources other than FIR Designer) can also be pushed – with or without resampling – in combination with FIR Designer’s IIRs, gain, delay and polarity settings.

Edit November 2019: The Lake FIR 3-way module now works with LM series processors using Lake Controller 6.8.4 and higher.

DTP works locally – over either a fixed network or WiFi – with a new LAKE Controller plugin (supplied in the FIR Designer 2.3.0 Windows installer). Data transfer takes only a few clicks.

We’re hoping to provide direct integration with other amp/processor brands in the near future. In the meantime, FIR Designer can export data in a variety of formats for subsequent upload into most FIR-capable products.

We’d love your feedback: Which amplifier brands would you most like to see facilitating direct-to-processor FIR Filters/DSP chains from FIR Designer? Tell us here.

For more details on v2.3, see the Release Notes.

Learn more about FIR Designer or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2; just contact us.

FIR vs IIR filters - benefits of FIR when shaping loudspeaker phase - Demonstrated with FIR Designer screenshot

11 Mar 2018

Shaping Loudspeaker Phase: FIR vs IIR Filters

FIR filtering offers advantages over traditional IIR all-pass filters when flattening the phase of a loudspeaker or shaping the phase to match others in an installation. IIR filters have a negative phase gradient & only provide time delay with increasing frequency. However, FIR filtering can implement phase responses with both positive & negative gradients, providing arbitrary phase/time shaping of a loudspeaker response.

FIR Designer offers traditional 1st & 2nd order minimum-phase all-pass filter prototypes, plus maximum-phase (inverted phase) versions & a unique 4th order parametric phase filter with a range of ±90 degrees, adjustable BW & frequency. An unlimited number of prototypes can be used to create the combined FIR filter phase response.

Learn more about FIR Designer or download a free demo (Windows or Mac).

Existing FIR Designer 1 license-holders are eligible for a USD $100 coupon towards the first-year purchase of FIR Designer 2.2; just contact us.

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