Loudspeaker apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is the principal aim of the invention to provide a loudspeaker apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings and deficiencies of the known arrangements.
According to the invention, there is provided a loudspeaker apparatus having a speaker enclosure in which sound energy emanating from the back of the loudspeaker is initially directed through a first sound wave compression zone in a first direction and then substantially equally into each of two second sound wave compression zones in respective second directions opposed to the first direction, each second compression zone having either a passive radiator or a port therein for propagating the sound energy received by the zone out of the enclosure.
Division of the interior volume of the enclosure into the first and second compression zones is preferably effected in conjunction with the exterior walls or shell of the enclosure by a spaced pair of virtually non-deformable, acoustically stiff divider members which extend alongside the loudspeaker from the speaker mounting baffle nearly to the back of the enclosure and in generally parallel relationship with the speaker axis and each other, and by a virtually non-deformable, acoustically stiff deflection piece at the enclosure back having two equal concave surfaces intersecting at a cusp lying on the speaker axis and pointing towards the speaker so as to intercept backwardly travelling sound energy and split it uniformly into halves, each of which proceeds by way of a straight transmission line portion into a respective one of the second compression zones.
The speaker enclosure, for example, is capable of optimum reproduction and reinforcement of notes within an operational frequency range of from 25 to 500 Hz with an eight inch loudspeaker (driver) or within an operational frequency range of from 15 to 200 Hz with a twelve inch loudspeaker (driver).
The operational frequency range depends on the loading of the driver, and such loading is controllable by selection of the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the driver to certain other cross-sectional areas within the enclosure