vs
Which is "right" for you?
We offer our popular speaker box design program in a "Pro" and a "Lite" version. Three of the largest differences between the "Pro" and "Lite" versions are:
- BassBox Pro includes the world's largest driver database with the parameters for thousands of drivers. BassBox Lite does not include (nor can it use) the Harris Tech driver database. Instead, driver parameters are either entered manually or imported from an existing BassBox Lite or BassBox Pro speaker design file. Since designs can be saved and re-used, you only need to enter the driver parameters for a driver model once.
- BassBox Pro offers two graph modes which use one or more external graph windows to display the performance of a design. With BassBox Lite, the graphs are a permanent part of the main window (similar to older versions of BassBox). This allows BassBox Lite to "fit" better on notebook computers with low resolution displays (VGA or 640x480 pixels). However, many notebook computers now have XGA resolution (1024x768 pixels) and they can easily accommodate the Pro version. See the BassBox Pro and BassBox Lite pages on this website for pictures of the programs.
- The price of BassBox Lite is only $79 while BassBox Pro is $149 plus shipping & handling (U.S. dollars). If you do not need the large driver database and specialized features of the Pro version, you can save money and purchase the Lite version. The Lite version still has 85% of the features of the Pro version.
The remainder of this page will provide a detailed list of the features of both programs to help you evaluate which version will best serve your needs.
BassBox Pro and BassBox Lite Features:
Printed Manual Pro only
On-Screen Manual both
Design Wizard Pro only
Box Types...
Closed both
Vented both
Vented w/ active HP EQ filter both
Single-tuned Bandpass both
Parallel double-tuned Bandpass both
Series double-tuned Bandpass both
Passive Radiator both
Suggest Box Volume both
Suggest Vented Box Resonance both
Vented Box Extended Bass both
3-D Scaled Box Drawing both
Box Shapes (single chamber)...
Barrel Pro only
Cone Pro only
Cone, truncated Pro only
Cube both
Cylinder both
Cylinder, domed Pro only
Cylinder, truncated Pro only
Ellipse Pro only
Prism, square both
Prism, optimum square both
Prism, regular polygon Pro only
Prism, slanted front both
Prism, truncated edge both
Pyramid, four-sided Pro only
Pyramid, three-sided Pro only
Pyramid, truncated (trapezoid) both
Sphere Pro only
Wedge both
Box Shapes (multi-chamber)...
Cylinder, 2-chamber bandpass both
Cylinder, 3-chamber bandpass both
Prism, 2-chamber bandpass both
Prism, 3-chamber bandpass both
Internal Box Dimensions both
External Box Dimensions both
2 Box Wall Thicknesses both
Box Leakage Losses (QL) both
Box Interior Acoustic Absorption (Qa & y)...
None both
Minimal both
Typical both
Heavy both
Ignore ("classical" equations) both
Multiple Vents both
Vent Cross-section Shapes...
Round both
Rectangle (and square) both
Other (any shape) both
Vent End Correction both
Vent End Type...
One flush end both
Two flush ends both
No flush ends both
One flared end both
Two flared ends both
Vent "Pipe" Resonance both
Vent Losses (QLv) both
Multiple Passive Radiators both
Passive Radiator Test Procedure both
Interior Box Displacement Volumes...
Automatic driver volume both
Manual driver volume Pro only
Automatic vent volume both
Manual vent volume Pro only
Brace volume Pro only
Driver Mounting...
Front Pro only
Flush Pro only
Rear Pro only
Multi-driver aim setting Pro only
Vent Wall Thickness setting Pro only
Box Parts List both
2-D Scaled Box Part Drawings both
Box Parts Dimensions both
Cut Angles both
Driver Thiele-Small Parameters both
Driver Electromechanical Parameters both
Driver Parameter "Expert" Mode both
Driver Parameter Status Indicators both
"Net" Parameters for multiple drivers both
Driver Database Pro only
Driver Database Search Capability...
by Company name Pro only
by Model name Pro only
by Parameters Pro only
by Box (closed or vented only) Pro only
Driver Database Edit Options...
Add, edit, delete companies Pro only
Add, edit, delete drivers Pro only
Compact database Pro only
Repair database Pro only
Multi-driver Mechanical Settings...
Standard both
Compound (isobaric) both
Bessel both
Push-pull both
Coherent / Not Coherent both
Multi-driver Electrical Settings...
Parallel both
Series both
Series-Parallel both
Separate both
Dual Voice Coils both
Dual Voice Coil Wiring Options...
Separate both
Parallel both
Series both
Driver Q Estimator both
Driver Le Estimator both
Driver Outer Shapes...
Round both
Round w/ square sides both
Round w/ flat top & bottom both
Round w/ mounting tabs both
Pincushion both
Oval both
Square both
Rectangular both
Driver Piston Types...
Cone both
Planar (flat) both
Concave both
Convex both
Driver Acoustic Response...
Frequency data points Pro only
Import frequency-domain data Pro only
External Series Resistance both
External Passive Network Pro only
Import Xover Pro Passive Network Pro only
Driver Test Procedure Pro only
Acoustical Environment Support both
Architectural Acoustic Response...
Frequency data points Pro only
Import frequency-domain data Pro only
3, 6, 12 dB/octave boost filter both
3, 6, 12 dB/octave shelf filter both
Automotive Acoustic Response...
Frequency data points Pro only
Import frequency-domain data Pro only
12 dB/octave boost filter both
User Interface...
English, metric and mixed units both
Modular design both
Tab interface both
"Real time" calculations both
Number of designs that can be open
at same time: Pro = 10, Lite = 4
Combination Graph window Pro only
Individual Graph windows Pro only
Graphs are part of the main window Lite only
Floating Graph Properties window Pro only
Mini Preview Graphs both
Resizable main window Pro only
Fixed-size main window Lite only
Driver Properties window Pro only
Box Properties window Pro only
Design Properties window Lite only
Room / Car Acoustics window both
Balloon Help both
Status bar in main window both
User preference settings both
Keyboard shortcuts both
Graphs...
Normalized Amplitude Response both
Custom Amplitude Response both
Maximum Acoustic Power both
Maximum Electric Input Power both
Cone Displacement both
Vent Air Velocity both
System Impedance Response both
Phase Response both
Group Delay both
Graph Options...
7 graph memories both
Auto-open Pro only
10 standard plot colors both
2 custom plot colors both
Grid darkness both
Overlaid plot lines both
Cursor both
Expanded vertical scale both
5 Hz to 2 kHz both
5 Hz to 20 kHz both
Large graph size Pro only
Include options...
Driver acoustic response Pro only
Vent resonance peaks both
Acoustical environment both
External network response Pro only
On-axis piston band Pro only
Diffraction response shelf Pro only
Copy graph to Windows clipboard both
Print Options...
Title block both
Import logo for title block both
Box properties both
Driver Properties both
Overall box dimensions & drawing both
Box parts list & parts drawing both
English fraction scale both
Wiring diagram both
External circuit components Pro only
Selected performance graphs both
2 printed graph size options both
Wavelength Calculator Tool Pro only
Required Hard Disk Space (Mbytes)...
Minimum installation: Pro = 25, Lite = 17
Full installation: Pro = 36, Lite = 23