Course detail

Electroacoustics

FEKT-BELAAcad. year: 2012/2013

Acoustic environment, sound propagation, basic quantities and relations, energy transmitted by sound. Sound spectrum. Physiological acoustics, sound masking and its utilization in compression algorithms, directional and spatial hearing. Noise and its measurement. Room acoustics, room impulse response, acoustic materials and structures. Electromechanical and electroacoustic analogy, types and operation principles of electroacoustic transducers. Microphones, practical design and measurement of characteristics. Loudspeakers, acoustic impedance and distortion, mechanical design, horn-loaded loudspeakers. Loudspeaker systems, types of loudspeaker enclosures, design and construction of loudspeaker systems and crossovers. Surround sound systems, principles and formats. Stereo and multichannel techniques of sound pickup.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. Jiří Schimmel, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Telecommunications (UTKO)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Graduate of the course is able to:
- name basic acoustic quantities and their units,
- explain physiology of hearing including binaural auditory perception,
- employ sound level meters and use them for noise and electroacoustic measurements,
- describe room acoustic properties, demonstrate measurement of room impulse response and reverberation time, name materials and structures used for room acoustic treatment,
- categorize electroacoustic transducers and state their principles, properties and their use,
- categorize microphones, state their properties and designs, and demonstrate measurement of their characteristics,
- describe properties of designs used for unloaded and loaded loudspeakers, measure and calculate their parameters,
- design loudspeaker systems and measure their characteristics,
- name types of surround sound systems and describe their principle,
- name methods of multichannel sound pickup and explain their principles.

Prerequisites

The knowledge of basic physical laws is required as well as knowledge of laws and quantities in electrical circuits, characteristics of electric circuit elements, circuit behaviour with inertia elements, periodical and non-periodical signal spectrum, random variables and basic terms from area of statistics.
The student who enrols the subject should be able to use instruments for measurement of electrical voltage, current, and resonant frequency, waveform generators and oscilloscopes.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching methods depend on the type of course unit as specified in the article 7 of BUT Rules for Studies and Examinations.
- Lectures provide the explanation of basic principles, subject methodology, examples of problems and their solutions.
- Laboratory exercises support practical acquiring of themes presented at lectures. Active participation of students is needed.
Participation at lectures is recommended. Participation at other ways of instruction is checked.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Evaluation of study results follows Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT and Dean's Regulation to the Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT. Up to 20 points is given for test from theoretical knowledge in the laboratory exercises. Up to 20 points is given for correct results and elaboration of all laboratory exercises. The minimal scale of elaboration of particular laboratory exercises and completive questions are specified by a regulation issued by the guarantee of the course and updated for every academic year. Up to 60 points is given for the final written examination and it is necessary to get at least 15 points for its successful completion. The exam consists of 10 groups of questions in the field of acoustics and electroacoustics according to the subject syllabus and one question is selected from each group.

Course curriculum

1. Acoustic environment, basic quantities and relations, wave equation of sound propagation, energy transmitted by sound, sound spectrum.
2. Physiological acoustics, sound masking and its utilization in audio compression algorithms.
3. Directional and spatial hearing, 3D room simulation using headphones and loudspeakers.
4. Noise and its measurement, basic measuring instruments for electroacoustic measurement and their application.
5. Basics of room acoustics, acoustic wave trajectory, room impulse response, acoustic materials and structures.
6. Electromechanical and electroacoustic analogy.
7. Types and operation principles of electroacoustic transducers.
8. Microphones, practical design and measurement of characteristics.
9. Loudspeakers, acoustic impedance and distortion, mechanical design, horn-loaded loudspeakers.
10. Loudspeaker systems, types of loudspeaker enclosures, design and construction of loudspeaker enclosures and crossovers.
11. Headphones, practical design and measurement of characteristics.
12. Surround sound systems principles and formats.
13. Stereo and multichannel techniques of sound pickup.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim of the course is to make students familiar with the chain of acoustic signal processing from their origination through their transformation to the electric signal and back to acoustic signal up to the listener's final perception.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

It is mandatory to pass all laboratory exercises in regular or alternative terms to complete the course. Other forms of the checked instructions are specified by a regulation issued by the guarantee of the course and updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Smetana, C. a kol. Hluk a vibrace, měření a hodnocení. Sdělovací technika, Praha 1998. ISBN 80-90-1936-2-5 (CS)
Škvor, Z., Akustika a elektroakusitka. Academia, Praha, 2001. ISBN 80-200-0461-0 (CS)

Recommended reading

Colloms, M., High Performance Loudspeakers, 6th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2005. ISBN 978-0-470094-30-3 (EN)
Eargle, J. The Microphone Book. 2004. ISBN 0-240-51961-2 (CS)
Sýkora, B. Stavíme reproduktorové soustavy, 1. – 48. díl. A Radio 10/97 - 9/2001 (CS)
Toman, K. Reproduktory a reprosoustavy, 1. díl. Dexon, 2003. (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme ZRZT-J Bachelor's

    branch J-ZRT , 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme EECC Bc. Bachelor's

    branch B-TLI , 2 year of study, summer semester, elective specialised
    branch B-EST , 2 year of study, summer semester, elective interdisciplinary

  • Programme EEKR-CZV lifelong learning

    branch EE-FLE , 1 year of study, summer semester, elective specialised

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Jiří Schimmel, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Acoustic environment, basic quantities and relations, wave equation of sound propagation.
Energy transmitted by sound, sound spectrum, Doppler principle, acoustic impedance.
Physiological acoustics, subjective and objective characteristics of sound, sound masking and its utilization in audio compression algorithms.
Directional and spatial hearing, 3D room simulation using headphones and loudspeakers.
Noise and its measurement, basic measuring instruments for electroacoustic measurement and their application.
Room acoustics, acoustic wave trajectory, room impulse response, acoustic materials.
Electromechanical and electroacoustic analogy.
Types and operation principles of electroacoustic transducers.
Classical and combined types of microphones, practical design and measurement of characteristics.
Loudspeakers and headphones, acoustic impedance and distortion, mechanical design, horn-loaded loudspeakers.
Loudspeaker systems, types of loudspeaker enclosures, design and construction of loudspeaker enclosures and crossovers, acoustic lenses.
Surround sound systems principles and formats.
Stereo and multichannel techniques of sound pickup.

Laboratory exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. David Kurc
doc. Ing. Jiří Schimmel, Ph.D.
Ing. Kristián Orlovský
Ing. Jan Špiřík
Ing. Václav Mach, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Getting familiar with the laboratory and the safety regulations, getting familiar with operating laboratory equipment.
Sound signal spectrum
Measurement of ear's own characteristics
Measurement of binaural hearing characteristics
Noise measurement
Room acoustics measurement
Test
Calibration of the electrostatic microphone by pistonphone
Measuring the impedance characteristic of loudspeakers
Measuring the frequency response of microphones
Design and simulation of loudspeaker system
Measuring the frequency and directional response of loudspeaker system
Test