Reference

Reference · Tiles

TILEHORNSPA·S/M³

Horn Acoustic Impedance

Horn Acoustic Impedance describes the acoustic load at a station: local pressure divided by local volume flow. It is useful for understanding the horn’s loading, rather than choosing an amplifier.
Shows
Pressure divided by volume flow at a horn station, as magnitude, phase, resistance or reactance.
Healthy when
You are reading the intended station and distinguishing acoustic loading from the amplifier’s electrical load.
If it is not
Compare pressure and velocity there, or choose another station if volume flow vanishes.

The tile#

Horn Acoustic Impedance

kPa·s/m³

  • Main H2 mouth
  • Main H4 mouth
Tapped-horn example at 100 W, half space, 1 m. Stations are measured from the closed end. Simulated when this page was built.

The example compares a narrow station with the mouth; its axis uses kPa·s/m³ to keep the values readable. In the app choose the station and then the display mode. Electrical Impedance, in ohms, is a different tile.

ModeMeaning
MagnitudeThe size of the pressure-to-flow ratio, in Pa·s/m³.
PhaseThe phase angle of pressure relative to volume flow, in degrees.
ResistanceThe real part of the acoustic impedance.
ReactanceThe imaginary part, which can change sign around resonances.

A closed end needs care#

At exactly zero volume flow the ratio is undefined and the solver can leave it absent. Very small numerical flow can instead give an extremely large ratio. A closed-end throat is therefore a poor starting station for a readable impedance comparison; choose a station farther along the path.

The sign convention treats flow towards the stored segment end as positive. Keep the same location and orientation when comparing resistance, reactance or phase. A missing matching station in another enclosure is omitted, not represented by zero.

What moves it#

ChangeEffect
Input power alonePressure and flow scale together, so the linear ratio is unchanged.
Path length, area or flareChanges resonances and the load seen at a station.
Stuffing or chamber lossesChanges the dissipative and reactive behaviour.
Selected stationReads a different local load within the same horn.

What to try#

TryWhat it changes
Separate the componentsSwitch between Magnitude, Phase, Resistance and Reactance.
Explain a gapA station with no flow has no defined acoustic impedance; a missing value is not zero.
Check amplifier load elsewhereUse Impedance for electrical impedance in ohms.

Ask your AI#

Ask your AI

Using 00 Simulator, inspect the acoustic impedance of my horn at a non-zero-flow station and at the mouth. Explain the magnitude, resistance and reactance in the working band, using the pressure and volume flow to explain any extreme values.
or open it inClaudeChatGPT

Connect your assistant so it can open your designs.