Diffusion, in acoustics and architectural engineering, is the efficacy by which

sound energy is spread evenly in a given environment. A perfectly diffusive

sound space is one that has certain key acoustic properties which are the same
anywhere in the space. A non-diffuse sound space would have considerably
different reverberation time as the listener moved around the room. Virtually all
spaces are non-diffuse. Spaces which are highly non-diffuse are ones where the
acoustic absorption is unevenly distributed around the space, or where two
different acoustic volumes are coupled. The diffusiveness of a sound field can be
measured by taking reverberation time measurements at a large number of
points in the room, then taking the standard deviation on these decay
times[citation needed]. Alternately, the spatial distribution of the sound can be
examined. Small sound spaces generally have very poor diffusion characteristics
at low frequencies due to room modes.
Contents [hide]
1 Diffusors
1.1 Maximum length sequence diffusors
1.2 Quadratic-residue diffusors
1.3 Primitive-root diffusors
1.4 Optimized diffusors
1.5 Two-dimensional ("hemispherical") diffusors
2 See also
3 References
4 Further reading
Diffusors[edit]
Diffusors (or diffusers) are used to treat sound aberrations in rooms such as
echoes. They are an excellent alternative or complement to sound absorption
because they do not remove sound energy, but can be used to effectively reduce
distinct echoes and reflections while still leaving a live sounding space.
Compared to a reflective surface, which will cause most of the energy to be
reflected off at an angle equal to the angle of incidence, a diffusor will cause the
sound energy to be radiated in many directions, hence leading to a more
diffusive acoustic space. It is also important that a diffusor spreads reflections in
time as well as spatially. Diffusors can aid sound diffusion, but this is not why
they are used in many cases; they are more often used to remove coloration and
echoes.
Diffusors come in many shapes and materials. The birth of modern diffusors was
marked by Manfred R. Schroeders' invention of number-theoretic diffusors in the
1970s.
Maximum length sequence diffusors[edit]

MLS Diffusor
Maximum length sequence based diffusors are made of strips of material with
two different depths. The placement of these strips follows an MLS. The width of
the strips is smaller than or equal to half the wavelength of the frequency where
the maximum scattering effect is desired. Ideally, small vertical walls are placed
between lower strips, improving the scattering effect in the case of tangential
sound incidence. The bandwidth of these devices is rather limited; at one octave
above the design frequency, diffusor efficacy drops to that of a flat surface.
Quadratic-residue diffusors[edit]

1000Hz Quadratic-Residue Diffusor

MLS based diffusors are superior to geometrical diffusors in many respects; they
have limited bandwidth. The new goal was to find a new surface geometry that
would combine the excellent diffusion characteristics of MLS designs with wider
bandwidth. A new design was discovered, called a quadratic-residue diffusor.
Today the quadratic residue diffusor or Schroeder diffusor is still widely used.
Quadratic-Residue Diffusors can be designed to diffuse sound in either one or
two directions. They too suffer from "flat plate" frequencies, but at a higher
frequencies than MLS diffusors.[citation needed] Fractal constructions can be
used to extend bandwidth.
Primitive-root diffusors[edit]
Are based on a number theoretic sequence. Although they produce a notch in the
scattering response, in reality the notch is over too narrow a bandwidth to be
useful. In terms of performance, they are very similar to Quadratic-Residue
Diffusors.
Optimized diffusors[edit]
By using numerical optimisation, it is possible to increase the number of
theoretical designs, especially for diffusors with a small number of wells per
period. But the big advantage of optimisation is that arbitrary shapes can be
used which can blend better with architectural forms.
Two-dimensional ("hemispherical") diffusors[edit]
Designed, like most diffusors, to create "a big sound in a small room," unlike
other diffusors, two-dimensional diffusors scatter sound in a hemispherical
pattern. This is done by the creation of a grid, whose cavities have wells of
varying depth, according to the matrix addition of two quadratic sequences
equal or proportionate to those of a regular diffusor.[1] These diffusors are very
helpful for controlling the direction of the diffusion, particularly in studios and
control rooms.