{"id":10118,"date":"2020-12-26T21:13:38","date_gmt":"2020-12-26T15:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.digitalcreed.in\/?p=10118"},"modified":"2021-01-14T17:26:22","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T11:56:22","slug":"better-sound-from-speakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalcreed.in\/better-sound-from-speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Better Sound from your Speakers With This Little Trick"},"content":{"rendered":"
UPDATED: I have bought and built loudspeakers for decades and often wondered how to get better sound from speakers. No, I don\u2019t have a degree in sound engineering, though I studied sound for my major (Physics) at University. Over the years, I have indulged in various experiments, like lining speaker interiors with glass wool to building larger wooden enclosures. Yet, I discovered a simple trick to get big sound from little speakers like the JBL GO Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker<\/strong> (INR 1,599) and the recently acquired Amazon Echo Dot<\/strong>. I just move the small speakers to a corner of the room, where two walls meet at 90 degrees. A wooden shelf is mounted above the speaker. The loudness from the little speakers is closer to much larger speakers! Speakers also sound great on a wooden bookshelf. Read on to find out the science that makes this possible.<\/p>\n The basic principle of sound from speakers is\u00a0air volume and movement of air<\/strong>. Small, thin speakers sound tinny, since there is less volume of air within their enclosures. So, they are complemented with sub-woofers that produce the lower frequencies. That\u2019s why 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1 systems were invented. That\u2019s why audio enthusiasts mount subwoofers in the trunks of their cars. Heard the big, boomy sound in a tuk-tuk or auto-rickshaw? Look behind the passenger seat, and you\u2019ll find a box in which the speakers are mounted. That\u2019s an inexpensive solution for our\u00a0<\/span>autowallahs<\/span><\/em>! Their mobile sound systems can give your home system some serious competition!<\/span><\/p>\n The other important principle is the reflection of sound<\/strong> from surfaces. I\u2019m talking about Room Acoustics<\/span><\/strong>. A lot depends on how a room is designed. Do you have thick carpets and drapes in your room to absorb wildly reflective sound waves? Consider the room\u2019s geometry and architecture: Does your room have many beams and projecting surfaces like cabinets? Does the room open out into a long corridor?<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ve built 5 feet tall speakers, with two 15-inch full-range drivers in each unit. They sounded great in my 10 x 8 feet living room. But when I took them to an open-air party hall, the \u201cboomy\u201d sound could not be heard. I\u2019ve listened to active speakers (self-amplified) in large indoor party halls; they sounded awful because the ceiling had multiple beams in parallel and the sound waves were bounced around from beam-to-beam. That party hall also had large windows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After these observations, I concluded that it is not only about the speaker. The room acoustics are so critical.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Every hi-fi enthusiast or sound professional has heard about the Bose<\/strong> brand (which, in my opinion, is overhyped). But Bose is respected because of the massive investment in research, hence its tagline \u201cBetter Sound Through Research.\u201d Now Bose also develops software that it uses to check the acoustics of stadiums, outdoor locations, buildings, churches, convention halls, and wherever else it installs its loudspeakers. It\u2019s called Bose Modeler software<\/a>, and it helps system designers and acoustic consultants predict sound system performance in both indoor and outdoor environments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The software\u2019s advanced algorithms predict space\u2019s acoustic performance, including direct and reflected energy, and the Speech Transmission Index (STI). Designers can iterate quickly using Modeler\u2019s proprietary calculation pipeline, allowing them to trial different loudspeaker configurations and placements for optimal coverage. The idea is to position the speakers so that everyone gets the best sound, irrespective of where they sit in the room or hall or stadium.<\/span><\/p>\n RELATED STORY<\/p>\nIt\u2019s about Room Acoustics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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