What do they mean by proper acoustic phase?
11-04-2015, 03:58 PM
#1
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What do they mean by proper acoustic phase?
I was reading an article from 12volt but this particular paragraph interests me as I want to make some changes to my fronts.
What are they meaning here by proper acoustic phase and how do I go about doing this?
Is this about time alignment? Because my HU has this feature. Or do they mean using 0 or 180 degree phase change?
All modern vehicles have been purposely designed to emit all of their noises in the mid bass range. From the engine to the rumble of the tires to the sound of the AC system, every device in your Car has been designed to keep their noises with in the 50hz-250hz range. From Mercedes to Honda, auto manufacturers have done their homework and know that people have an inability to perceive sounds based on frequency in this range. By limiting noises to this range the Car will seem much quieter and any noises made are much more tolerable. Because this frequency range is already so cluttered your mid bass drivers need to be in proper acoustic phase and all precautions taken to ensure that they are performing correctly in order to overcome this noise floor. When this is done the end result is that your brain will accept this information (music) and reject all of the cars noises.
What are they meaning here by proper acoustic phase and how do I go about doing this?
Is this about time alignment? Because my HU has this feature. Or do they mean using 0 or 180 degree phase change?
11-04-2015, 08:23 PM
#2
Super Moderator
When you put the + wire on the HU to the + wire on each speaker, you're done thinking about it. When speakers are out of phase, there is a strange odd sound that you will know the second time you hear it. This is much easier to hear in a home stereo because the automobile is a HORRIBLE environment for audio and lots of things you wouldn't tolerate in the quiet of your home, you drive with and hardly notice. Also, because you are not smack in the middle of the speakers in a car, different frequencies can be very badly out of phase - only a few WILL be perfectly in phase.
This is something to not worry about.
Time alignment can help to fix the soundstage for exactly ONE listening position in the car. If you don't want it to sound *worse* to the people in the other seats, don't worry about this feature.
As for all that blah-blah about the engineering to a sound range, it translates to: car makers don't want sh*t to be squeaky and rattly, so they add mass or bolts or welds until it's just "road noise" because you can be expected to dismiss road noise as normal but the squeaky window regulator gets the warranty service call.
This is something to not worry about.
Time alignment can help to fix the soundstage for exactly ONE listening position in the car. If you don't want it to sound *worse* to the people in the other seats, don't worry about this feature.
As for all that blah-blah about the engineering to a sound range, it translates to: car makers don't want sh*t to be squeaky and rattly, so they add mass or bolts or welds until it's just "road noise" because you can be expected to dismiss road noise as normal but the squeaky window regulator gets the warranty service call.
11-04-2015, 10:26 PM
#3
Senior Member
The article seems accurate I would imgaine. I would agree that a car is a terrible sound stage to begin with. Proper acoustic phase? Not sure how you do this without some high quality gear. My Pioneer might, I should look. I believe they are saying that since mid bass is in this frequency range, that your speakers, if 180 degrees out of phase of the natural noise your car makes, would cancel each other out and you will loose all mid bass reproduction from your speakers. It does make sense, not sure how practical it is without some high dollar car audio equipment though. I've simply used old school eqs to pull my mids up to an acceptable level.