Equalization in extended Equalization in an extended area using multichannel inversion and Wave Field Synthesis

cote interne IRCAM: Corteel06bNone / NoneNational audienceWave Field Synthesis (WFS) targets the synthesis of the physical characteristics of a sound field in an extended listening area. This synthesis is however accompanied by noticeable reconstruction artifacts. They are due both to loudspeaker radiation characteristics and approximations to the underlying physical principles. These artifacts may introduce coloration that must be be compensated for over the entire listening area. Multichannel equalization techniques allow for the control of the sound field produced by a loudspeaker array at a limited number of positions. The control can be extended to a large portion of space by employing a new method that combines multichannel equalization with a linear microphone array-based description of the sound field and accounts for WFS rendering characteristics and limitations. The proposed method is evaluated using an objective coloration criterion. Its benefits compared to conventional equalization techniques are pointed out both for ideal omnidirectional loudspeakers and Multi-Actuator Panels