PREPRINTNO: 951 (D-3) : Roy F. Allison Allison Acoustics Inc. Wayland, Massachusetts
PREPRINTNO: 951 (D-3) : Roy F. Allison Allison Acoustics Inc. Wayland, Massachusetts
PREPRINTNO: 951 (D-3) : Roy F. Allison Allison Acoustics Inc. Wayland, Massachusetts
by:
Roy F. Allison
Allison Acoustics Inc.
Wayland, Massachusetts
PRESENTED AT THE
Roy F. Allison
Allison Acoustics Inc.
11 Clarence Road
Wayland, Mass. 01778
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
Measurements were made outdoors. Sine wave signals were used. The
boundaries were clay soil and poured concrete. Since the aim was to
measure total power radiated, measurements of output were made so
as to sample adequately the entire space into which the speaker
radiated. Pressure levels obtained were converted to intensity,
weighted according to solid angle represented, summed for the
entire radiation angle, and the sum converted to PWL (power level
re 130 dB=l acoustic watt.) As a check on accuracy of measurement
equipment, the test system was checked for absolute output level
vs. frequency in a 4Uenvironment by an independent acoustics lab-
oratory. Agreement was within 1 dB.
Figure 2 shows PWL vs. frequency for the test loudspeaker under
two standard measurement conditions, 4_and 2_space. Note that
the 4_ curve rises to and meets the 2_ curve at the upper end of
the woofer's frequency range. This is explained by the fact that
the minimum dimension of the cabinet front panel, 14", is _ wave
length at 485 Hz. At this frequency and above, the panel is an
effective 2_ baffle for the woofer.
3
It is clear that the saddle-shaped power curve is the result of
changes in the radiation angle over the woofer's operating range.
At iow frequencies the boundary is effective in restricting the
radiation angle to 2Wsteradians. In the middle frequency range
the boundary is too far Away to serve this purpose, and the cab-
inet front panel is not large enough to have any effect. Conse-
quently in this frequency region the radiation angle is 41_
steradians. At higher frequencies the cabinet front panel reduces
the effective angle again to 21T.
When the test cabinet fs turned so that its side is close to the
boundary, Figure 7, a power vs. frequency curve is obtained that
is virtually identical with the true 2_ response (Figure 2B.)
The only significant difference is a decrease incutoff slope
above 450 Hz, where x/A is in the 0.25 to 0.5 region.
Real rooms have more than one wall which must be considered.
Waterhouse7,_ and Waterhouse and Cook_ have investigated exten-
sively the matter of boundary influence on small sound sources.
The formulas given by Waterhouse are
w/wf = 1 + jo(_Wx/_)
w/wf= 1 + _o¢_Wx/_)
+ _o{4wy/_)
+ _o(4Wz/_)
+ jo[4w{xz
+ yt)_/_]
+ jo[_(x2 + y2 + z2}_/_]
where W = power radiated by a source located at x/x, y/_, and z/_
with respect to reflecting boundariesl
Wf= power that would be radiated by the source in 4_
steradian space_ and
jo(a) = sin a/a, the sphericalBessel function.
Moving the cabinet up off the floor along the wall intersection,
Figure 11, provides no improvement with conventional cabinet orien-
tation. It is obvious that the notch just above 300 Hz in both
Figures 10A and llA is produced primarily by reflections from the
walls, not the floor. When these reflections are moved up in fre-
quency by means of the unconventional orientation (Figure llB),
power output in the woofer range becomes considerably more uniform.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The woofer in the test system was designed originally for a rel-
atively low crossover frequency, and only the woofer range ham
been dealt with here. But the same boundary effects will apply to
mid-range units as to woofers; in order to minimize the effect of
a boundary on the mid-range unit, the distance between them must
be at least 0.75_ at the crossover frequency. Therefore, while a
very low crossover frequency may be helpful in keeping the woofer
out of trouble, it will exacerbate the mid-range problem.
CONCLUSIONS
The most severe effects are those which occur when the system il
placed at a distance from all room boundariesj the worst case is
that in which it is remote and equidistant from them. Some improve-
ment within the normal woofer frequency range is obtained when the
woofer is placed very close to one boundary only. Significant 'im-
provement is attainable if the woofer is placed very close to two
intersecting boundaries and several feet from the other. With
woofers of the usual size and enclosures of conventional design
it is not possible to place the woofer close enough to three boun-
daries simultaneously so that alT/2 radiation angle can be main-
7
rained up to a convenXent crossover frequency. Finally, care must
be taken to place the mid-rsunge unit beyond the adverse irufluence
of boundary intersections at and above the crossover frequency_
REFERENCES
TM _
HALF $PA¢_
Figure 2. Power level (PWL) vs. frequency of test woofer with radiation
angle loads of 4_Tsteradians (curve A) and 21T steradians (curve B). At
upper end of frequency range, cabinet front panel reduces radiation
angle towards 21_or half-space, with increase in power radiated (A).
Power inpu% to system is 1 watt at 3.5 ohms.
Figure 3. Model of
sound source close'to
a reflectin6 boundary.
Directional pattern 0- -- ---
and power
real half output
of spacein _ 7( __ PRESSURE
RELATIVE
DIRECTIVITY
POWER RADIATED
for a particular PATTERN
value
.. I_%__q_-/.-'+_t ......
___
F-_-u_-_. _'_F
--__,_F_--_-FF_,_I __ __,t_
'20 Hz 50 100 200 500 1000
Figure 5. Calculated and measured PWL vs. frequency for test system
with back of cabinet parallel with and I inch from single boundary.
Saddle-shaped output indicates that distance from woofer to wall is
too great for maintenance of boundary augmentation up to frequency
at which front panel becomes effective 21Tbaffle.
-A
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20 Hz 50 1O0 200 500 1000
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ase
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the side
of cabinet's
throughou_
rooms have more than one wall.
, .:
;
. _?
:oo
of woofer
woofer
frequency
_ I.LL---_--_
_ · '. ,__
0.1
_
_--rr _ _--_
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l_
i
0.2-
X, y,z/7_
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of the cabinet
to wall
mounting
range,
: .....
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next
is not more than
panel,
avoids
_T_._
horn
maintains
_:._._L.-
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,
soo
to the wall,
half
loading, But
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terms
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Figure 8
$_t_NbA_¥
Power
relative to its free-field power
output, when close to a single wall
(curve
mutually
angle (B),
of fractional
and z/l)
three-boundary
only on
A),
and lengths
wave three
For two- and
apply
lines
·
two
perpendicular
of
output
walls
I
of a source
intersecting
walls
symmetry (y=z
(C) .
-H!-F
,LFI
- - I:
20 Hz 50 100 200 500 I000
Figure 9. Calculated and measured PWL vs. frequency for test system
with cabinet side and bottom adjoining two intersecting boundaries.
One-inch spacing from wall is for baseboardt actual distances to cen-
ter of woofer from boundaries are 7_ and 8 inches. Effective radiation
angle of3T steradians is well maintained. However, third boundary must
be considered in practical rooms.
20 Hz 50 100 200 500 1000
Figure 10. PWL vs. frequency for "_'wo orientations oi r test system in a
room corner. Results of the unconventional placement (B) are clearly
superior, but this cabinet design prevents getting the woofer close
enough to corner apex to maintain %T/2 radiation angle over full range.
o
-- : :-::---:----_...._.._.._
.
::
.... t- i 'l-_ '---'4- t .,,..'4.. { i-q
{'¢ _,,
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i - 5:--
-_h:
,r ,---- ,
L--- [i_ I I _ t{."__ {_
o20 i _ ii-- 500 i'-_
I_
Hz 50 100 200 1000
Figure 12. Simulation of low-frequency results to be expected from an
"omni" system placed well away from a corner into the room. Getting
clear from all the boundaries is not the way to avoid the effect of the
cornerl it merely moves the hole down in frequency.
20 Hz 50 100 200 500 1000
Figure 14. PWL vs. frequency for test system standing on base 11 inches
high, with back of cabinet close to one wall and at two distances from
other closest wall. Four-foot curve (B) would be preferred to that for
two-foot distance from third boundary (A), but at neither distance does
this widely used system on its base provide uniform power output, despite
its potential capability to do so.
2
B
20 Hz 50 100 200 500 1000
o
20 Hz 50 100 200 500 1000