OPTIMAL EXCITER ARRAY PLACEMENT FOR FLAT-PANEL LOUDSPEAKERS BASED ON A SINGLE-MODE, PARALLEL-DRIVE LAYOUT

摘要

Flat-Panel Loudspeakers are most effective at reproducing audio non-directionally when operating at frequencies with many overlapping modes. Frequency regions with low modal overlap produce directional acoustic radiation, long decay times, as well as sharp peaks and notches in pressure. Exciter arrays re-enable use of these frequency regions by restricting structural excitation to a single mode until the frequency region of high modal overlap. An optimization method is described here for determining the placement of exciters such that they are all driven by a single amplifier yet only excite a single structural mode. Experimental results are reported for an acrylic panel with 4, 8, and 11 exciters that demonstrate successful operation of the exciter arrangements.