Auditorium Acoustics

Chapter 23

Sound Propagation

Free field

sound pressure proportional to 1/r SPL drops 6 dB with every doubling of distance. Reflections

Indoors

Reflections (Review)

Flat surface

Mirror Concentrates/focuses (Scatters)/spreads diffuses

Concave

Convex

Rough/Irregular

Direct, Early, Reverberant Sound

Direct: Sound travels straight from source to listener (not reflected) Early: initial reflections, reaching listener within 50 to 80 ms of direct sound. Reverberant: reflections build up and become merged into continuous sound

Precedence Effect (1)

Localization mechanisms Early reflections complicate time-based localization Early reflections are usually not heard as separate sounds (within 50 - 80 ms, same envelope)

Precedence Effect (2)

Precedence effect: first sound is heard as the direct sound

Successive sounds arrive within 35 ms. Successive sounds share similar spectra and env. Successive sounds are not too much louder than the first sound

Early Sound and Concert Hall Acoustics

Intimate: 20 ms delay between direct and first reflected sound Rectangular shape: first reflections usually come from the side walls. Listener preference for first reflections coming from side rather than ceiling.

Spatial responsiveness or impression

Reverberant Sound

Simplification Alert:

Reverberation time at mid-frequency (500 2000 Hz) good indicator of liveness.

For steady sounds, reverberant sound builds to a steady energy level, then decays upon release. Too much reverberant sound leads to a loss of clarity.

Determining Reverberation Time

Factors

Power of the source Volume of the room Area of all surfaces in room Absorption coefficients for all surfaces

Simple (Bare Room, all surfaces same)

volume RT K area

More on Reverb time

RT or T60 Equal to time it takes to for sound level to decrease by 60 dB Different decay curves for initial decays and final decays can cause problems. Decay curves can exhibit peaks due to standing waves.

Absorption (1)

Consider volume and area relationship.

Since surface area reduces reverb time, it acts as an absorptive element.

Absorption is like an open window. It completely absorbs sound.

Ratio of room volume to area of absorbing window.

Absorption (2)

Window absorbs all sound

Absorption coefficient of a = 1

Total absorption for the room:

Add up absorption for each surface exposed to sound.

A equals absorption, instead of Area. Absorption if frequency dependent.

Absorption (3)

Calculate Absorption:

A = S1a1 + S2a2 + S3a3 . . .

Table 23.1 on p. 531

Air Absorption

Large auditoriumair absorbs sound, especially at high frequencies People and seats also absorb sound. Table 23.2, p. 533.
V RT 0.161 A mV

Criteria for Good Acoustics (p.534)

Adequate loudness.

Issues: size and absorption (not too much of either)

Issues: blending of stage sound, diffusion of hall sound (no dead spots) Issue: needs sufficient absorption Issue: feel that sound comes from all around Issue: too much separation in time of reflected sound

Uniformity

Clarity

Liveness (Reverb)

Freedom from Echoes