Compact audio reproduction system with large perceived acoustic size and image

摘要

A compact audio reproduction system for two input signals includes at least four loudspeakers disposed at the vertices of a quadrilateral not more than two feet on any side and such that no two loudspeakers are located at a distance from one another which is less than one-fourth the greatest distance between any two loudspeakers. The two input signals are connected to alternate speakers such that no two loudspeakers at adjacent vertices of the quadrilateral produce the same signal such that a listener at an arbitrary location perceives a sound source larger than the quadrilateral and significant stereo image. The signals received by two loudspeakers located at adjacent vertices may receive signals which are equalized separately from the signals received by the other loudspeakers for the purpose of reducing comb filtering and improving the tolerance of the device to placement near walls and other obstructions. Two loudspeakers may be delayed by a time corresponding to a sound distance at least equal to the shortest distance between two loudspeakers and not greater than the longest distance between two loudspeakers, for the purpose of reducing comb filtering and improving the perception of large sound source size and stereo imaging for listeners at arbitrary locations.