Model and estimation method for predicting the sound radiated by a horn loudspeaker - With application to a car horn

This paper deals with a new car horn device made of a sound synthesizer and an electrodynamic horn loudspeaker. It presents an one-dimensional model allowing to predict the loudspeaker efficiency and a specific method to estimate experimentally the model parameters. First, this model aims at reducing the time spent in the design process. Second it aims at correcting the sound emitted by the sound synthesizer in order that the listener hears the sound designed for creating the warning message. The study gives a survey of the vast loudspeaker literature. It is based on the conventional electroacoustic approach used for electrodynamic loudspeakers and on wave propagation models used for characterizing acoustic horns. The estimation of the model parameter values is performed using measurements of the electrical impedance of the loudspeaker and of the acoustic impedance of the horn. The model is assessed by comparing the calculated and measured electrical impedances and horn efficiencies. Results show that the model predicts well the horn efficiency up to 2500 Hz, the limitation being due to the horn radiation impedance modelization. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.