8–12 Sept 2026
Europe/Vienna timezone

Element-wise Equalization of Line Arrays

FA2026/98
9 Sept 2026, 15:40
20m
Saal 11B (Messe Congress Graz)

Saal 11B

Messe Congress Graz

Speaker

Lukas Gölles (University of Music and Performing Arts)

Description

Curved line arrays are typically optimized through geometric curvature and, when needed, delay loading to realize a prescribed direct-sound level decay over distance. While this effectively controls broadband level distribution, spectral inconsistencies remain due to discretization, element-to-element variability, and mutual coupling. This work proposes an element-wise equalization method that is directly linked to the curvature design via stationary-phase observation points. For each enclosure, distance‑ and frequency‑dependent responses are measured at its associated observation point, third‑octave‑averaged, and converted to a minimum‑phase representation using real‑cepstrum processing with cepstral windowing. Band‑limited spectral inversion then yields a per‑enclosure equalizer, with RMS normalization preserving the intended decay profile. Concert-hall measurements on a six-element RCF HDL26-A array demonstrate reduced spectral spread compared with a single common equalizer, particularly above 1 kHz. The approach improves frequency consistency while maintaining the desired A-weighted direct-sound attenuation, providing a practical complement to geometry-driven array design.

Authors

Lukas Gölles (University of Music and Performing Arts) Matthias Frank (University of Music and Performing Arts) Franz Zotter (University of Music and Performing Arts)

Presentation materials