Audio Engineering

(3-0-0-3)

CMPE Degree: This course is Selected Elective for the CMPE degree.

EE Degree: This course is Selected Elective for the EE degree.

Lab Hours: 0 supervised lab hours and 0 unsupervised lab hours.

Technical Interest Groups / Course Categories: Threads / ECE Electives

Course Coordinator: Robert Allen Jr Robinson

Prerequisites: ECE 3043 [min C] or (ECE 3741 [min D] and ECE 3084 [min C])

Catalog Description

Concepts of acoustics and electroacoustic modeling for the analysis and design of microphones, loudspeakers, and crossover networks. Methods of analysis and design of audio power amplifiers.

Textbook(s)

Introduction to Electroacoustics and Audio Power Amplifier Design

Course Outcomes

Create and use electromechanical and electroacoustic models to solve for variables in mechanical and acoustic systems.

Relate model parameters to system behavior. 

Characterize and model moving coil loudspeakers. 

Design infinite baffle, closed box, and vented box loudspeaker systems.

Strategic Performance Indicators (SPIs)

N/A

Topic List

  1. Basic Principles: Introductory concepts and definitions
  2. Fundamentals of Acoustics: An introduction to the fundamentals of acoustics.  Pressure, particle velocity, volume velocity, intensity, diffraction, reflection. Plane wave and spherical solutions to the wave equation.
  3. Electro Acoustical Analogous Circuits: Development of analogous circuits for acoustic sources and elements. Plane wave tubes, acoustic resistance, acoustic mass, and acoustic compliance. Analogous circuits for radiation impedances.
  4. Electro Mechanical Analogous Circuits: Development of analogous circuits for mechanical sources and elements. Mobility and impedance analogs. Transducer analogous circuits.
  5. Microphones: Microphone classifications, analogous circuits, pressure microphones, pressure gradient microphones, combination microphones, SPICE simulations of microphones, promximity effect.
  6. Moving Coil Loudspeaker Drivers: Direct radiator loudspeaker driver construction and modeling. Analogous circuit, pressure response, radiated power, small-signal parameters. SPICE simulations.
  7. Loudspeaker Driver Parameter Measurements: Methods for the measurement of small-signal loudspeaker parameters.
  8. Closed Box Loudspeaker Systems: The analysis and design of closed-box direct-radiator loudspeaker systems. SPICE simulations.
  9. Vented Box Loudspeaker Systems: The analaysis and design of vented-box direct-radiator loudspeaker systems.  Applications of network synthesis to vented-box design. SPICE simulations.
  10. Crossover Networks: Analysis and design of passive and active loudspeaker crossover networks. Effects of loudspeaker phase response on crossover network design. SPICE simulations.
  11. Acoustic Horns: Solutions to the Webster horn equation.  Exponential, conical, parabolic, and hyperbolic horns.  Analogous circuits for horns and horn driving units. Frequency response.
  12. Audio Power Amplifiers: Concepts of feedback amplifier design. Stability, frequency compensation, circuit topologies, gain-bandwidth and slew-rate relationship, power supply decoupling and grounding, protection circuits.