Posted by jdbsound on April 26, 2015
The simple answer is as follows. Half, quart or third round devices or objects individually just scatter sound. A single barrel diffuser or tube radiator as I often call them just create a very uneven distribution of sound. As single units, it gives about the same amount of performance as placing a flat object of the same size and placing at a 15 to 35 degree angle on a wall.
When using barrel diffusers in various sizes and/or in spacing varying from 0 to 30 inches and apply them to all of the walls in a confined space, you are creating a diffusive field. You’re turning the church walls into a phase coherent sound field – like churches of yester year built between the 1400’s to 1700’s. When barrel tubes are used as a system you can program them to only manage the acoustical problems you want to get rid of and at the same time create a more desirable sound field like real reverberation that is musical and supportive to congregational singing.
Barrel tubes spaced too far apart just scatter the sound and reduces some bass but does nothing much else. Instead, you can program the diffusers to manage standing waves, bass buildup, notch a frequency or two and equalize a room. You can also program them to lower stage noise, manage monitor spill into the audience and improve congregational singing. They can also be programs to make the sound system perform better.
The software to program barrel diffusers is still in development. In the meantime, a test room, and a data base of real world testing is the best way to predict the final outcomes. Try and program a digital EQ to cut 350 hertz 40dB. It can be done but it sounds awful. When you program tube radiators to cut 40dB, it sounds sweet.
Joseph De Buglio
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Posted in Church Acoustics | Tagged: acoustics, air, Altar, Amplifier, Architect, barrel Diffuser, Bible, block, brick, Cathedral, Church, Church acoustics, Church sound, church sound system, churches, Digital, digital mixers, drywall, EQ. Equalizer, Equalizer, Former Catholic Church, glass diffusers, Hearing, Passive acoustics, Programming, Software | Comments Off on What is the difference between scattering sound and diffusion of sound? Are Diffusers Programmable?
Posted by jdbsound on January 31, 2015
These are the most popular comment congregational members say after the first worship service with their new acoustics. “Love the way the new sound system works. I can hear everything now!” or “Did we get a new sound system? I actually understood the music and the ministers message.” or “What did they do to the sound system? The people are singing, the music sounds great and I can remember what the minister preached about. Guess I’m going to have to come more often.”
The influence of the sound system in churches is so powerful that even when you do fix the room, people often judge the room by the sound system’s performance rather than how the room sings or how the room projects people’s voice or how the sound is getting off the stage rather than overloading the stage. Acoustical changes is way more powerful than what any change a sound system can do but when a sound system falls short, it must be the technology and somewhere someone has a gadget to fix that if you can afford it. Did you know that most acoustical fixes cost less than the speaker system most churches own?
Joseph De Buglio
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Posted in Church Acoustics | Tagged: acoustics, air, Architect, barrel Diffuser, Cathedral, Church acoustics, church sound system, Equalizer, Frequency Response, Tuning | Comments Off on First Acoustical Impressions
Posted by jdbsound on May 22, 2012
Is a New Church or existing Church complete after it opens for worship or after it has the proper acoustics installed?
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Posted in Church Acoustics | Tagged: air, block, brick, carpet, Cathedral, ceilings, chairs, Church, diffusers, drywall, padding, paint, pews, prefab construction, scattering, walls, warehouse | Comments Off on Finished Churches
Welcome to the world of Church Acoustics & Sound Systems 