Speaker
Description
This paper presents the historical development of research and teaching infrastructure at the Department of Electroacoustics of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, the only university-level department in Croatia fully dedicated to acoustics. Established in 1954, the department’s early research relied on analog instrumentation. The paper outlines several key pieces of equipment that defined this period, including early sound level meters, measurement microphones, audiometers, ultrasound measuring systems, but also analog sound mixers, audio microphones and loudspeakers. These instruments formed the technological foundation for research in room acoustics, electroacoustics, hearing studies, and environmental noise.Particular emphasis is placed on the gradual transition from analog measurement and signal processing toward digital technologies during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Because research funding was often limited, the department adopted a pragmatic approach to modernization, combining legacy analog equipment with emerging digital systems. The paper discusses how the introduction of digital measurement platforms, computer-based analysis and advanced measurement software expanded experimental possibilities and improved the precision and efficiency of acoustic research. Through selected examples, the paper illustrates how equipment acquisition decisions influenced research directions, laboratory capabilities, and teaching outcomes, highlighting the broader technological transition that shaped acoustic research at the turn of the 21st century.