Loudspeaker array processing for multi-zone audio reproduction based on analytical and measured electroacoustical transfer functions

Abstract

Methods for generating multiple zones of sound with loudspeaker arrays have been implemented by using various control algorithms. In the sound control process, the electroacoustical transfer functions between the loudspeakers and the control points in the target region are important because they are used for the computation of the digital filters used to generate the input to the loudspeakers. For a given array, acoustic control performance depends mainly on these digital filters. The transfer functions of a prototype linear loudspeaker array composed of 16 loudspeakers are measured in specific acoustic environments and also calculated analytically assuming a model for the directivity of the individual loudspeakers. Using one multi-zone sound field control algorithm, the performance of multi-zone audio reproduction based on these different sets of transfer functions has been analyzed by computer simulations and experiments.