Sound Engineering
Sound Engineering
in
Region Representation
Focus on the internal properties, such
as colour, texture or skeleton shape.
These representation works based on
FIGURE 5.23 Segmentation of Palm Image
the number of pixels present in that
5.8.9 Representation and
region.
Description 2. Description
Description means that we quantify
1. Representation
the objects which we represented.
After an image is segmented into Based on the representation we have
regions in the segmentation process, two types of descriptors.
learning outcome
After studying this chapter, students can understand the following
1. Analog and Digital Image Processing.
2. Representation of Digital Image.
3. Components of Digital Image Processing.
4. Fundamental steps of Digital Image Processing.
5. Applications of Digital Image Processing.
ANSWERS
1(c) 2(a) 3(b) 4(b) 5(c)
6(d) 7(a) 8(b) 9(c) 10(d)
06
CHAPTER
Sound Engineering
learning objective
The students can understand the following in this chapter
1. Characteristics of sound waves 5. PA system and Audio power amplifier
2. Microphones & Speakers circuits
3. Audio mixer-types 6. Effects of noise pollution
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Vibration of particles
Direction of energy transfer
by one full vibration of the vibrating body. Microphones enable many types of audio
So, we can say that the time taken to recording devices for purposes including
complete one vibration is known as time- communications of many kinds, as well as
period. It is denoted by letter T. The unit of music vocals, speech and sound recording.
measurement of time-period is second (s). The following is the method of conversion
4. Frequency/pitch
of sound waves into electrical signal.
Sound waves strike the diaphragm.
Low
frequency Diaphragm vibrates in response.
The voice coil, attached with the
High diaphragm, vibrates with it.
frequency
The voice coil is surrounded by a
FIGURE 6.3 High and low frequency magnetic field created by the magnet.
The number of complete waves or cycles The motion of the voice coil in this
produced in one second is called frequency magnetic field generates the electrical
of the wave. Since one complete wave signal.
is produced by one full vibration of the The basic types of microphones,
vibrating body, so we can say that the classified according to their principle of
number of vibrations per second is called operation are: Carbon, Crystal, Dynamic,
frequency. The SI unit of frequency is Hertz Ribbon and condensor.
(Hz). The pitch of a sound is the ear and
brain interpreting the frequency of the Characteristics of microphone
sound. When there is a high frequency, the Each of these has its own characteristics
ear interprets the sound as a higher pitch, of microphone: (1) Output level
when the frequency is low the ear hears a (2) Frequency response, (3) Output
low pitch as shown in fig 6.3. It is a measure impedance and (4) Directivity.
of sound in frequency.
Among the above the important
5. Speed or Velocity characteristic of a microphone is its output
The distance travelled by a wave in one impedance. This is a measurement of
second is called velocity of the wave or speed the AC resistance looking back into the
of the wave. It is represented by the letter v. microphone. Generally, microphones can be
The SI unit for measuring the velocity is divided into low (50–1,000 ohms), medium
meters per second (m/s or ms-1). (5,000–15,000 ohms) and high (20,000+
ohms) impedance.
6.3 Microphones
Though we studied about microphones in XI 6.3.1 Specifications of Microphone
standard, here we see some more important Frequency response.
role of microphones in sound engineering.
Polar response.
A microphone is a device that Sensitivity.
translates sound vibrations in the air into
electronic signals and scribes them to a Maximum sound pressure level.
recording medium or over a loudspeaker. Self-noise.
Circuitry Chip
When the electrical signal hits your third, or midrange, speaker is also used,
ear cup, it is sent to the electromagnet, and in a few systems there are separate
which rapidly switches its polarity back “subwoofers” and “super tweeters” to
and forth depending on the pattern it reproduce the extremities of the audible
sent or the sound being reproduced. spectrum. The sound energy is measured
When the electromagnet switches it is by the unit called decibels (dB).
polarity, it’s rapidly repelled and attracted
to the permanent magnet, which makes it 6.5.1 Basic Speaker Parts
vibrate. Those vibrating electromagnets
are attached to what is called a ‘diaphragm’ Figure 6.8 shows various parts of a speaker
which is a thin membrane. When the (driver).
electromagnets vibrate, the diaphragm The Driver. A loudspeaker is defined
does too, which causes the air around it as the sound driver or driver.
to vibrate, which is what we called sound. The Enclosure. Made from wood,
Different frequencies vibrate at plastic and in some cases drywall or
different rates so the electromagnet vibrates concrete. The enclosure is the box or
faster to produce high tones, or slower to cavity where the driver is mounted.
produce slow tones. When we turn the The Diaphragm.
volume up or down, the vibrations are more
The Cone.
or less intense, which causes the air to vibrate
high or low and thus sound varies. Most of The Voice Coil.
the headphones uses dynamic driver unit. The Dust Cap.
The Spider.
6.5 Speakers The Surround.
Loudspeaker, also called speaker, is a Every speaker has at least three parts –
sound reproduction device for converting enclosure, driver (or drivers), and electronic
the electrical energy into acoustic signal components (crossovers, amplifiers).
energy, that is radiated into a room or
open air.. The term signal energy indicates
Speaker Driver
that the electrical energy has a specific
form, corresponding, to speech, music, Driver is the part of the speaker that
or any other signal in the range of audible actually transforms all the electrical
frequencies (roughly 20 to 20,000 Hertz). signals into sound. It consists of several
A single loudspeaker cannot fully parts that are glued together.
reproduce the entire frequency range At the bottom of the driver, there is a
of recorded sound, so it is customary to rear (bottom) plate and a pole piece (they are
divide the frequency spectrum into parts made of metal). A ring-shaped permanent
that are reproduced by different kinds magnet is placed onto the bottom plate and
of speakers designed for a particular then glued to the top (front) plate. The voice
frequency range. The low-frequency coil windings are held by the voice coil former,
speaker is called a woofer, and the high- which fits the pole piece. Two ends of the
frequency speaker is called a tweeter. voice coil are attached to the solder terminal
In many sound reproduction systems a (which is located somewhere on the frame).
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The amplifier is also connected to the solder to the voice coil former and to the rubber
terminal. When the electrical signal from surround which is the thing that keeps the
the amplifier (alternating current) is fed to diaphragm in place (along with spider). The
the coil, the coil becomes an electromagnet diaphragm is glued to the frame.
and reacts with that ring-shaped permanent
magnet. This basically means that the voice The spider
coil moves back and forth depending on
the orientation of the poles (electromagnet It is the part that keeps the voice coil in
changes the orientation of the poles if the position and ensures that the voice coil
current flow is reversed). The electrical only moves along the axis. The spider is
signal fed to the coil constantly changes the glued to the frame and to the voice coil.
flow of the current causing the voice coil to
move. The metal frame (basket) is glued to The dust cap
the top plate and it holds the speaker cone It covers and protects the voice coil and
(diaphragm). internal parts of the speaker.
When the electrical signal (current)
Cone/Diaphragm is fed into the coil, the coil moves back and
It is the part that creates the sound waves forth and along with the coil, the diaphragm
(converts the mechanical motion of the voice (cone or dome) moves, since it is glued to
coil into sound). The diaphragm is glued it. The diaphragm basically gets pushed and
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three smaller outputs signals (low, mid, components. The sound would exist even
and high-frequency signals) and send without the enclosure but there are a few
them to appropriate drivers. These devices reasons for using it. The first reason is the
are called crossovers. Figure 6.10 shows most basic one – it is more convenient
cross over connection of speakers. to install everything inside one compact
box. The enclosure is also very important
6.5.4 Enclosure/Housing/ for sound quality. (see the Fig 6.11). It is
Cabinet supposed to eliminate the driver vibrations
and handle the air (sound) that gets pushed
The box inside which all the drivers and
behind the driver cone (diaphragm). The
other components are installed is called
diaphragm vibrates due to the movement
enclosure. Depending on the type and size
of the voice coil – it pushes the air toward
of the enclosure, the sound will be different.
our ears but it also pushes it back toward
6.5.5 T
he Importance of the the enclosure (it moves back and forth).
Enclosure Different types of enclosures handle
this air (or sound waves, if you want) in
The third part of a speaker is the different ways.
enclosure. This is the box (made of wood,
MDF, plastic, or some other material) that 6.5.6 Electronic components
holds the drivers and other electronic (crossovers and amplifiers)
Many speakers have amplifiers. Their
purpose is to amplify the electrical signal
and improve the accuracy of the output
signal. Some speakers (those with two,
three, or multiple drivers) have crossovers,
which redirect signals of different
frequencies to dedicated drivers (woofers,
midrange woofers, tweeters).
Application of Acoustics:
Acoustics have wide range of applications in
many fields. We can study some of them.
1. Noise and environmental Acoustics
Noise Specialists are mostly concerned
with making our world a (quitter) peaceful
place. They study man – made noise
caused by machinery, transportation
using roadways, Railways, aircraft and
general activities. Knowledge produced
by these scientists can be used to redesign
noisy machinery or to recommend
ways of redesign noisy machinery or to
recommend ways of shielding the noise,
They also help law makers and public
FIGURE 6.13 Digital Mixer
officials to create rules for limiting
One feature that is worth noting exposure of noise.
about digital consoles is that they can store
2. Medical Acoustics
your different setups as presets. You may
have three different bands playing at a venue Medical researchers and doctors studied
and instead of manually moving the faders and used acoustics to diagnose and treat
like you would on an analog console. You different types of ailments. The study
can save the settings for each band as presets of material acoustics includes the use of
and recall them with the press of one button. ultrasound and other acoustical techniques
to learn how different types of sound
interact with cells, tissues, organs and
6.7 Acoustic Engineering entire organisms. Bio medical acoustians
Acoustic is a branch of physics concerned may work with engineers, physician and
with the study of sound (mechanical waves in speech therapist.
gases, liquids and solids), and a scientist or an 3. Musical acoustics
engineer who works in the field of acoustics
Musical acoustians study the science of
is an acoustical. Acoustics have much
how music is made, travels and is heard.
application in the everyday world and this
Since musical acoustics combines elements
technology is called acoustical engineering.
of art and science, people with training in
The study of acoustical can be this field can work in the entertainment
sub divided into three parts. They are industry and much more.
production, transmission, and reception.
4. Speech and hearing
All these elements are necessary for sound
to occur. For example, a ringing alarm Hearing specialist and speech scientists are
clock cannot be heard if it is placed inside interested in how our ears sense sounds,
a vacuum container. Without air, sound what types of sounds can damage our ears
produced by the clock has no medium and how speech is made, is traveled and
through which it can travel. is heard. People interesting in hearing
and speech come from many different
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fields, including physics, speech and When the ear is presented with
hearing science, experimental psychology, reflections of a sound that arrive much later
linguistics, electrical Engineering and than the direct sound, the brain interprets
others. those as echoes, and is able to separate them
5. Architectural acoustics
from the original sound. Once the reflections
arrive soon enough after the direct sound to
Architectural acoustians study how to pass the threshold of 50 milliseconds, the
design buildings and other spaces that brain is then able to fuse the reflected energy
have pleasing sound quality and safe sound with the direct sound and use it to enhance
levels. Architectural acoustics includes the the intelligibility of the speech being heard.
design of concert halls, classrooms and
even heating systems they may work with
musical acoustians and noise specialists. Acoustic design principles
The main driver behind acoustic design
6.7.1 Acoustics in Auditorium in auditoriums comes down to the
and Theater phenomenon above: Strive to keep and
A most important part of our auditorium enhance ‘early’ reflections to arrive at the
design is the acoustics. We will start with listener not more than 50 milliseconds after
a brief description of how our ear works in the direct sound; and dampen and reduce
the context of listening. ‘late’ reflections that would arrive at the
listener more than 50 ms after the direct
sound. At a given listener location, if there is
more early acoustic energy than late, speech
will be intelligible. To that end, surfaces
should be provided and shaped to provide
such early reflections, and reflection paths
that provide late acoustic energy should be
made acoustically absorptive.