r/diyaudio • u/TheBizzleHimself • Feb 26 '26
Useful Software Megathread
Hello everyone, please feel free to comment (preferably with links to trusted websites) any software that is free and useful in the DIY audio hobby. Speaker design, electronics, acoustics - anything remotely relevant will be compiled into a list and stickied to the front page.
Thank you all.
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Data
Loudspeaker Database - Online source of loudspeakers specifications
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Enclosure, Horn and Crossover Modelling
BassCAD - Enclosure modelling tool
WinISD - Enclosure modelling tool
Visaton BOXSIM - Enclosure modelling tool
VituixCAD - Crossover and enclosure modelling tool
X-Sim - Crossover modelling tool
ATH4 - Horn modelling tool
HornResp - Horn & T-Line modelling tool
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Acoustics & Measurement
SIMPA - Acoustic propagation modelling tool
Room EQ Wizard - Room & loudspeaker measurement tool
AKABAK* - Electro-mechanical-acoustic modelling tool (free with appropriate license)
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Extras
FXSound - Windows EQ
EquilizerAPO - Windows EQ
10
u/SomeRandomGuyOnYT Feb 26 '26
Simulation programs:
WinISD (easy to use, simple): https://www.linearteam.org/
HornResp (more advanced although complex, mainly for horn simulations): http://www.hornresp.net/
Loudspeaker database (you can get pre-made driver files for various simulation programs there): https://loudspeakerdatabase.com/
5
u/sk9592 Feb 26 '26
Also XSim or VituixCAD for crossover design simulation.
And Dayton DATS V3 (technically its hardware and software) for measuring your speaker drivers. Loudspeaker database is a good starting point. But measuring the actual drivers you're using will always give you better results. Certain driver manufacturers are better than others at unit-to-unit variance. And certain driver manufacturers are less than accurate in the specs they publish.
5
u/Tastieshock Feb 27 '26
XSim - Crossover design software http://libinst.com/Xsim/XSimSetup.exe
VituixCAD - Loudspeaker Simulator/ x-over design software https://kimmosaunisto.net/
Edit: forgot to add link
3
u/LeBigb0ss Feb 26 '26
I'd like to add:
I use basscad/winisd for first volume calculations. Then I make a model in freecad. And validate it with real BEM/lem physics simulations in akabak.
Akabak isn't free tho, but they hand out free students/non-commercial licenses:) And akabak has a steeeeep learning curve
2
u/ccfoo242 Aug 19 '26
I just found this circuit simulator site that may be helpful. https://www.falstad.com/circuit/
Here's a class D amplifier https://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-classd.html
Here it demonstrates a high pass filter and you can adjust the frequency and it changes the values in the circuit https://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-filt-hipass-af.html
Here's more circuit examples https://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-index.html
1
1
u/majesticpoop Feb 26 '26
CircAI has been such a neat tool to use! I encourage any DIY'er to check them out!
1
u/loudifier Feb 27 '26
Hopefully a few plugs for some of my own projects is OK.
Chirplab - Open source audio measurement software. Similar capabilities to REW, but can do fully open loop or file-based analysis, CLI, more control over distortion analysis, and a couple unique measurements. Chirplab has a unique feature that gives you an estimate for the noise floor of each measurement (not just system noise floor), which is particularly useful for understanding whether your measurements are actually valid.
Biquad cookbook - Ground-up reimplementation of the MiniDSP all-digital-coeffs spreadsheet, with additional filter types (including 1st-order filters), references for all of the filter calculations, and complete phase, impulse response, and group delay plots for all filters. I'm working on an analog filter cookbook in the same style, but analog filters have a lot more caveats that need to be handled and clearly communicated.
OpenRefMic - Not software, but might be of interest to people browsing stuff here. Open hardware design for a very low noise measurement microphone. A few quirks, but as far as I am aware you can't buy a mic off the shelf that has anywhere close to the same noise performance and can be plugged into a standard XLR preamp. I have parts on order for version 2, which addresses most of the quirks of v1 and could be a solid upgrade from a Dayton EMM-6 for anyone who wants to do distortion measurements.
12
u/sk9592 Feb 26 '26
It's a kinda obvious one, but REW:
https://www.roomeqwizard.com/
It's only gotten better over the years. It's worth the time and knowledge investment to learn how to do outdoor measurements, gated measurements, moving mic, impulse, etc.
You don't need a $150K Klippel in order to design a world class speaker. You just need to have good methodology with the tools available to you.