LMS and LEAP: comments?
Francis Vaughan
A small group of us are considering banding together to
purchase the LMS system and possibly the LEAP design
software produced by Audio Teknology Inc.
LMS (Loudspeaker Measurement System) is a PC card
plus software that provides quite a few seemingly nice
functions pertinent to loudspeaker design and measurment.
It provides computer controlled funtional blocks of:
Gated low distortion oscillator
dual tracking filters, programmable high, low, band, notch
average and gated peak detection
mic input stage (and phantom power)
plus a reference microphone.
It produces frequency responce graphs and all sorts of
other goodies. It looks that apart from a hobbyist market it
is intended to allow speaker manufactures to do production line
quality testing.
We are really only interested in the LMS system from a hobbyist
point of view. One could by a nice pair of speakers for the
same money. With a few of us pitching in it becomes affordable.
We are hoping that it could also be a lot of fun.
It seems that it could also be used to help tune room acoustics.
Has anyone on the net used, or owns the LMS system?
Comments? Recomendations? Limitations?
We may also consider the LEAP (Loudspeaker Enclosure Analysis
Program) which seems to be a pretty comprehensive package in
its own right. However it seems pretty pricy. Comments
on LEAP would also be very welcome.
LEAP will take the output of LMS to allow you to measure all sorts
of aspects of a speaker, including deriving the basic physical
parameters of a driver essentially by connecting the LMS system to
the driver (in and out of a known box).
Francis Vaughan
Chris Christensen
writes:
>A small group of us are considering banding together to
>purchase the LMS system and possibly the LEAP design
>software produced by Audio Teknology Inc.
I own the LEAP SW but not the LMS, yet. Be aware that the developer
of the LEAP/LMS SW is (rightfully) worried about pirating of the
product. LEAP requires a key on the printer port and I would expect a
similar anti-theft device on a stand alone LMS package.
This will probablt make the ownership by a group difficult.
I have the Demo of LMS and while I am told that the product isn't as
good a measuring device for measurements as others on the market I believe
that it is a good device for measuring speaker paramaters to import to
LEAP. This in it's self seems worth the money.
>LMS (Loudspeaker Measurement System) is a PC card
>plus software that provides quite a few seemingly nice
>functions pertinent to loudspeaker design and measurment.
>It provides computer controlled funtional blocks of:
> Gated low distortion oscillator
> dual tracking filters, programmable high, low, band, notch
> average and gated peak detection
> mic input stage (and phantom power)
>plus a reference microphone.
A calibrated reference microphone.
>It produces frequency responce graphs and all sorts of
>other goodies. It looks that apart from a hobbyist market it
>is intended to allow speaker manufactures to do production line
>quality testing.
The system could be used on an incomming inspection line for driver
acceptance (checking parameters). And I guess it could be used for
final system certification..... All of these tasks are worthy goals
that I'll bet not many manufacturers would do because of the
cost........
>We are really only interested in the LMS system from a hobbyist
>point of view. One could by a nice pair of speakers for the
>same money. With a few of us pitching in it becomes affordable.
>We are hoping that it could also be a lot of fun.
I am a serious hobbyist and I believe that the cost is well worth the
results, as well as the ability to _verify_ a design. I design
speakers for my own use.
>It seems that it could also be used to help tune room acoustics.
I believe that this is where the system is less likely to produce
accurate results. I could be wrong but this is what I have heard.
The marketing people at ATI seeme to think that this feature is
viable.
>Has anyone on the net used, or owns the LMS system?
>Comments? Recomendations? Limitations?
>We may also consider the LEAP (Loudspeaker Enclosure Analysis
>Program) which seems to be a pretty comprehensive package in
>its own right. However it seems pretty pricy. Comments
>on LEAP would also be very welcome.
Since I own and use the product I highly recommend it. The big boys
like JBL, Snell and many others use it also. The package is a
complete tool set for system developmant. Enclosure design, crossover
design, etc.
It is in fact worth the price. I wondered also but since I have used it
for a good while I am sold on it. Then ability to simulate at
different power levels, etc is very enlightening. The ability ti
iterate, port volume, enclosyre volume, different drivers, etc are
also some of the strong points.
I do have a couple of problems though......I would like to be able to
input inches, cubic feet, the height of the voice coil and the pole
piece and have the program convert it into "standard" units. I have
"dificulty" in visualixing cubic liters....... :-)
>LEAP will take the output of LMS to allow you to measure all sorts
>of aspects of a speaker, including deriving the basic physical
>parameters of a driver essentially by connecting the LMS system to
>the driver (in and out of a known box).
I hope to get LMS later on this year.
--
Chris Christensen The opinions I express are my own,
chr...@gold.gvg.tek.com and sometimes they are wrong!
916-478-3419 FAX 916-478-3887 After all, I *AM* only human.
Martin Nieuwelaar
>In article <1s1m5s$3...@huon.itd.adelaide.edu.au> fra...@cs.adelaide.edu.au
>writes:
>
>of the LEAP/LMS SW is (rightfully) worried about pirating of the
>product. LEAP requires a key on the printer port and I would expect a
>similar anti-theft device on a stand alone LMS package.
LMS is a software/hardware combination, so no other protection
should be required (in the form of dongles etc.).
>>We are really only interested in the LMS system from a hobbyist
>>point of view. One could by a nice pair of speakers for the
>>same money. With a few of us pitching in it becomes affordable.
>>We are hoping that it could also be a lot of fun.
>
>I am a serious hobbyist and I believe that the cost is well worth the
>results, as well as the ability to _verify_ a design. I design
>speakers for my own use.
I would like LEAP, though it will probably be another year before
I can afford it. Even then it may only be a low end version,
since upgrading capabilities can be done very quickly - supposedly
it doesn't even require an update disk.
There is an ad for Version 4.5 in SB 2/93. Drool...
>>LEAP will take the output of LMS to allow you to measure all sorts
>>of aspects of a speaker, including deriving the basic physical
>>parameters of a driver essentially by connecting the LMS system to
>>the driver (in and out of a known box).
Unless you have a lot of drivers floating around, or are in a
production setup, I would think it more cost
effective to measure the drivers by other means than LMS,
as it is quite pricy, and to spend the money on LEAP.
Just my thoughts - those of a keen, but inexperienced hobbiest.
--
Martin van den Nieuwelaar | Voice: +64 (3) 348-7032 (TAM)
Postgraduate computer scientist | Varsity: mar...@cosc.canterbury.ac.nz
University of Canterbury | Home: va...@tragula.equinox.gen.nz
Chris Christensen
>In article <63...@gold.gvg.tek.com> chr...@gold.gvg.tek.com (Chris Christensen) writes:
>>In article <1s1m5s$3...@huon.itd.adelaide.edu.au> fra...@cs.adelaide.edu.au
>>writes:
NOTE: Text edited and $ in US currency)
>>LEAP requires a key on the printer port and I would expect a
>>similar anti-theft device on a stand alone LMS package.
>LMS is a software/hardware combination, so no other protection
>should be required (in the form of dongles etc.).
You are probably right there. The demo that I have of LMS does seem
to be complete minus the hardware.
>>I am a serious hobbyist and I believe that the cost is well worth the
>>results, as well as the ability to _verify_ a design. I design
>>speakers for my own use.
>I would like LEAP, though it will probably be another year before
>I can afford it. Even then it may only be a low end version,
>since upgrading capabilities can be done very quickly - supposedly
>it doesn't even require an update disk.
>There is an ad for Version 4.5 in SB 2/93. Drool...
(I _have_ 4.5!!!!! WEEEEEEE, ha ha ha ha ...!) Save up your money!
The base price (and this is from unprotected memory.....) Is something
like $250 then $125 for each module. I originally was only going for
the level without the import modules. That was up to about $700.
You are also right in that it doesn't require any disks to upgrade. It
only requires a few minutes on the phone with a service tech and he
walks you through the secret codes to activate the additional modules.
IT IS NOT really cost effective (IMHO) to buy the base and upgrade to
more modules. The cost goes way up over the package price.
And , NO, I didn't make note of the secret incantations to turn on
the modules, I did that on purpose! Buy the product, you won't
regret it!
>>>LEAP will take the output of LMS to allow you to measure all sorts
>>>of aspects of a speaker, including deriving the basic physical
>>>parameters of a driver essentially by connecting the LMS system to
>>>the driver (in and out of a known box).
>Unless you have a lot of drivers floating around, or are in a
>production setup, I would think it more cost
>effective to measure the drivers by other means than LMS,
>as it is quite pricy, and to spend the money on LEAP.
It depends on how much time you heve, how you value that time, and how
much _more_ time you would be able to spend doing iterations in the
design on if LMS is worth it or not. Also you get swept impedance
measurements, etc. The other poster noted that room
set-up could be done with it, etc. I have found that as soon as I
have the tool a vacuum is created......
>Just my thoughts - those of a keen, but inexperienced hobbiest.
To use a phrase, "Just Do It" !
Len Moskowitz
>A small group of us are considering banding together to
>purchase the LMS system and possibly the LEAP design
>software produced by Audio Teknology Inc.
That's a great idea. Too bad you're overseas or I'd try to join you.
Might there be other folks in the NYC/NJ/LI area who would be interested
in pooling together to buy LEAP and LMS?
--
Len Moskowitz
mosk...@panix.com