In this context, the different signals captured from multiple sources on stage may vary from the threshold of hearing to over 120dB and they should all be replicated accurately by the system relative to the engineers mix of those sources. These factors will be determined by the quality and speed of the attached electronics, digital sampling rates, transducers and acoustic design, all of which are key elements of SLA.ĭynamic range is a system’s ability to reproduce the softest signals to the very loudest.
As the area of coverage increases, the demand grows for system resolution and dynamic range. The system must be capable of transferring an unchanged sound, including the ambience of a performance over distance at the required level to provide the greatest possible experience for the listener. The quality of each component in the signal path will determine the amount of information loss. To maintain high-quality sound, especially at a long distance, it is vitally important that each part of the audio chain is of the utmost integrity. Definition and Distanceįundamentally, the effect of a poor quality system comprising of inferior electronics, transducers and acoustic design is a lack of definition and detail, but equally important in a live audio situation is the distance in which a system can project clear defined audio. Most discussions relating to sound system design revolve around level and frequency response but fail to consider one of the most important factors – time the speed at which the electronics and digital converters can process audio signals without loss or distortion. For these reasons, extremely fast circuitry and high sampling rates are required to ensure total reproduction of the soundwaves arriving at micro second intervals to the microphone. Much of a sound’s spatial and directional information is directly related to the time component of the signal. Human hearing is able to recognise time definition, (the difference in incoming sounds), down to 10 microseconds and latest research has found that it may be as low as 5 microseconds. What is often neglected is the importance of resolution in time. As shown in Figure A below, normal human hearing is from 0 to 120 dB+ of signal level and 20Hz to 20kHz in frequency range. All three sound elements need to be properly replicated to achieve the optimum in sound reproduction and reinforcement.īy looking at the limitations of human hearing, we have a specification that if met by the systems performance will provide natural, uncolored sound to the audience. While this may be common knowledge to most, we are often surprised how people focus on certain specifications like frequency response or sound pressure level, without truly understanding their relevance in respect to a system’s overall performance. To understand how the principles of SLA provide superior audio performance, we first need to look at the three main parameters that make up sound – frequency, level and time.