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Acoustical Transmission Report

Please find the data on the acoustical transmission tests run on the dome samples sent. Themeasurement results are shown in the attached sheets.The data is presented in the form of an amplitude response of the acoustic transfer function for eachsample. The transfer function is developed by normalizing the sample measurements to anidentical test run with no sample in place (free air). Thus, the 0dB line is a free air reference. Thegraph shows the amount of attenuation in dB each panel presents as a function of frequency.Understanding the data is to be used as a reference to select materials based on their acousticproperties for use with loudspeakers in a cinema setting, the presented graph for each sample is aprocessed data set. The test procedure includes five time delay spectrometry measurements foreach sample. The first measurement is with the panel perpendicular to the direct path betweenloudspeaker and test mic (0 degrees). We then repeat this measurement adjusting the angle ofincidence to the sample in increments of 10 degrees. Thus, the data set includes measurements of 0,10, 20, 30, and 40 degrees which is our best attempt at a realistic representation of the acousticenergy that will pass through the material in a dome theater setting. The measurement accuracy isstrongly susceptive to sample size as the acoustic energy with wavelengths larger than the samplecan simply bend around the sample. Therefore, the data shown here is only valid over 1kHz. It isour experience the frequencies less than 1 kHz will always possess 100% transmission in screensurfaces that have a rigid structure and pass 1 kHz at 100%.The test geometry used keeps the loudspeaker 40” from the sample surface, keeping any returnreflection energy minimized and resulting anomalies outside the valid frequency range of the test.The slight ripples in the response above 1 kHz (both positive and negative) are attributed to edgediffraction of the sample material and would not be present in a much larger sample size.The five measurements for each sample are taken and averaged together in a non-weightedaverage. The data is octave smoothed.Analysis of each sample presents very similar results. The transmission loss is isolated to thefrequency range above 4 kHz, which is consistent with other perforated materials. As you will see,the void percentage is critical if under 25%. In addition, a smoother response is achieved when thenumber of holes is increased, versus larger holes and fewer of them.It should be noted that a 6dB transmission loss at 10 kHz is considered a ‘do not exceed’ whentrying to create a quality audio presentation through the material. The loudspeaker and amplifiercombination have to compensate for this loss and requires the system to produce 4 times the powerin this frequency range. January 2, 2008