AES New York 2017
Sound Reinforcement Session SR11
Thursday, October 19, 4:30 pm — 6:00 pm (Rm 1E14)
SR11 - Sound System Design for Public Address and Intelligibility
Presenter:Peter Mapp, Peter Mapp Associates - Colchester, Essex, UK
This Tutorial discusses what constitutes a difficult acoustic space and the effects of reverberation, echo, and noise on speech intelligibility. Sound system Intelligibility measurement methods and techniques will be reviewed, while system optimization techniques will also be examined. The tutorial includes numerous case histories and examples illustrating the techniques discussed. A fundamental question that will be raised will be “how intelligible do sound systems need to be and does this change with application or is intelligibility universal?” The case histories and examples will include Churches, Cathedrals and Houses of Worship, Concert Halls, Ceremonial Halls / Banqueting Halls, Shopping Malls, Sports Facilities and Arenas, Railway & Metro Stations, Road Tunnels and Airports. The challenges associated with each type of venue will be discussed, as will the thorny subject of aesthetics (i.e., Architects) and loudspeaker size and placement.