AES E-Library

Is Phase Linearization of Loudspeaker Crossover Networks Possible by Time Offset and Equalization?

Conventional loudspeaker crossover networks of slope greater than 6 dB per octave, when properly implemented, result in a loudspeaker system whose acoustic transfer function, although of flat magnitude, has all-pass phase characteristics. The system is thus nonminimum phase, and complicated phase equalization using delay equalizers is required in order to render it linear phase and so transient perfect. A number of attempts are currently being made to "acoustically align" such systems by deliberately either introducing or eliminating time delays between the drivers and using conventional minimum-phase equalization to flatten their overall frequency response. It is shown that no choice of interunit time delay can render the system minimum phase, and hence that minimum-phase equalization cannot make such a system both flat and phase linear.

Authors: Vanderkooy, John; Lipshitz, Stanley P.
Affiliation: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3Gl, Canada
JAES Volume 32 Issue 12 pp. 946-955; December 1984 Import into BibTeX

Click to purchase paper or login as an AES member. If your company or school subscribes to the E-Library then switch to the institutional version. If you are not an AES member and would like to subscribe to the E-Library then Join the AES!

This paper costs $20 for non-members, $5 for AES members and is free for E-Library subscribers.

Learn more about the AES E-Library

E-Library Location: (CD aes4)   /jrnl7888/1984/8026.pdf

Start a discussion about this paper!