ECE__356 / ECE 357

FUNDAMENTALS OF ACOUSTICS

(The main reference of this presentation is the one provided by Marshall Long)

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FUNDAMENTALS OF ACOUSTICS
• Frequency And Wavelength
• Superposition Of Waves
• Sound Waves
• Acoustical Properties
• Levels
• Source Characterization

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 Source Characterization
• Point Sources and Spherical Spreading
• Sensitivity
• Directionality, Directivity, and Directivity Index
• Line Sources
• Planar Sources

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Point Sources and Spherical Spreading
• Sources that are small compared with the measurement
distance are called point sources Sensitivity

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• For a given sound power level the sound pressure level
decreases 6 dB for every doubling of the measurement
distance. This rule doesn’t apply for near field

L W = sound power level (dB re 10-12 W)

L p = sound pressure level (dB re 2x10-5 Pa)
S = measurement area (m2 or ft2)
K = 10 log (ρ0 c0 / 400) + 20 log (r0)
= 0.1 for r in m, or 10.5 for r in ft
r0 = 1 m for r in m or 3.28 ft for r in ft
 Sensitivity
• Important for the specifications of loudspeakers
• The sensitivity is the sound pressure level measured at a
given distance (usually 1 meter) on axis in front of the
loudspeaker for an electrical input power of 1 Watt.
• Given in the maximum power handling capacity and
directivity of the device.

Lp = measured on-axis sound pressure level (dB)

Ls = measured sensitivity (dB at 1 m for 1 W electrical input)
J = electrical power applied to the loudspeaker (w)
r = measurement distance (m or ft)
r0 = reference distance (m or ft) 7
 Directionality, Directivity, and
Directivity Index
• Directionality: the sound pressure level at a given distance
from its center is not the same in all directions
• Directivity: the changes in level with direction of a source;
provides “directivity pattern”
• Directivity Index: the difference in decibels between the
sound pressure level from the measured sound pressure
level in a given direction from the real source, and the
average sound pressure level from an omnidirectional
source:

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Source Directivity Shown as a Polar Plot
• The directivity index:

• The directivity:

• The average intensity:

• The intensity in a particular direction:

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Ls = loudspeaker sensitivity (dB at 1 m for 1 W input)
r = standard measurement distance (usually = 1 m)
J = input electrical power (W)
Q (θ, ɸ) = loudspeaker directivity for a given direction
Q (θ, ɸ) = Q0 Qrel (θ, ɸ)
Q0 = on-axis directory
Qrel (θ, ɸ) = directivity relative to on axis
θ, ɸ = latitude and longitude angles with respect to the aim
point direction and the horizontal axis of the loudspeaker
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 Line Sources
• Line sources: are one-dimensional sound sources such as
roadways or loudspeakers that extend over a distance that
is large compared with the measurement distance.

S = surface area of the cylinder (m2 or ft2)

r = radius of the cylinder (m or ft)
l = length of the cylinder (m or ft) 12
∆L = change in level (dB)
 Planar Sources
• Planar source: is a two-dimensional surface that is large
compared to the measurement area and usually, though not
always, relatively flat

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• It can be shown that:

Lp = sound pressure level (dB re 2x10-5 Pa)

LW = sound power level (dB re 10-12 W / m2)
Q = directivity (dimensionless)
S = area of the radiating surface (m2 or ft2)
z = measurement distance from the surface (m or ft)
K = 0.1 (z in m) or 10.5 (z in ft) for standard conditions 14