The Advantages of Floor Coupled Up-Firing Speakers

-just ask yourself if there is a change in direction at that freq..

That change in direction is the key component of a reflection.

With Elias's example the floor doesn't cause a change in direction at 400 Hz.

Again - can You please post any reference for this?
I mean an explanation when a reflection can be treated as a specular reflection having regard to the wavelength and to the distance to the reflecting surface? Please be so kind. I would be very grateful. :)
 
I'm in the design phase of my new loudspeakers, and exploring the floor reflection contribution therein I made some FDTD simulations of the case.

The simulated waveform is a gaussian wavelet like this:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


The simulation includes reflective floor and ceiling. Vertical ends are absorptive. x and y grids are in meters.

Here is 0.8m tall dipole baffle with 12" element at 20cm above floor (to the center) at 500Hz: There got some edge diffraction from the baffle but no distinctive floor reflection.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.



For reference here the baffle is elevated 1m above floor and element in the center of the baffle at 500Hz: Here a clear floor reflection is seen.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.



- Elias
 
Again - can You please post any reference for this?
I mean an explanation when a reflection can be treated as a specular reflection having regard to the wavelength and to the distance to the reflecting surface? Please be so kind. I would be very grateful. :)

I searched a bit, couldn't find anything that was specifically on-point. :eek:

Rather than an affirmation, what's the point of diffraction (which does specifically relate to a wave's length and necessarily distance to an otherwise reflective surface)?
 
Here is 0.8m tall dipole baffle with 12" element at 20cm above floor (to the center) at 500Hz: There got some edge diffraction from the baffle but no distinctive floor reflection.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.



For reference here the baffle is elevated 1m above floor and element in the center of the baffle at 500Hz: Here a clear floor reflection is seen.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.



- Elias




Yup, that's pretty much what *anyone* should suspect. :)
 
Regarding the issue of similar binaural values for the ceiling and floor reflections: I may might need to disagree with myself. I am still thinking this one through

It is confirmed. I definitely disagree with my self.

At 0 or 180 degrees (front and back), the binaural cues for the direct sound, ceiling bounce, and floor bounce are all the same. However this is a special case. Off axis the "bounce" will not fall along the cone of confusion (for the direct sound). The binaural cues will differ from each other and also differ from the direct sound. The discrepancy gets larger as the sound source get closer to either of these boundaries.

I have admitted my mistake and I now feel better about myself. Insert smiley face somewhere
 
I have to disagree with myself too. The floor and ceiling reflections are not on the cone of confusion. If the ears would be in the floor plane then the floor reflection would be on the cone of confusion.

For a driver at 100cm from the floor, ear height at 95cm and a speaker distance of 346.4cm the interaural time differences are as follows:
Direct sound: 0.25ms
Floor reflection: 0.21ms
Ceiling reflection (ceiling height 2.4m): 0.19ms
 
Last edited:
It is confirmed. I definitely disagree with my self.

At 0 or 180 degrees (front and back), the binaural cues for the direct sound, ceiling bounce, and floor bounce are all the same. However this is a special case. Off axis the "bounce" will not fall along the cone of confusion (for the direct sound). The binaural cues will differ from each other and also differ from the direct sound. The discrepancy gets larger as the sound source get closer to either of these boundaries.

which means that...? what are the consequences?
 
I'm in the design phase of my new loudspeakers, and exploring the floor reflection contribution therein I made some FDTD simulations of the case.

The simulated waveform is a gaussian wavelet like this:
...
The simulation includes reflective floor and ceiling. Vertical ends are absorptive. x and y grids are in meters.

Here is 0.8m tall dipole baffle with 12" element at 20cm above floor (to the center) at 500Hz: There got some edge diffraction from the baffle but no distinctive floor reflection.

...

For reference here the baffle is elevated 1m above floor and element in the center of the baffle at 500Hz: Here a clear floor reflection is seen.
...
- Elias

great! thank You Elias! :worship:

can You post simulations for 700, 1000 and 1500 Hz?
 
I searched a bit, couldn't find anything that was specifically on-point. :eek:

me neither :(

but there certainly must be some formulas which make possible making such simulations as the one posted by Elias

Rather than an affirmation, what's the point of diffraction (which does specifically relate to a wave's length and necessarily distance to an otherwise reflective surface)?

I don't know - what is it?
 
Originally Posted by graaf
Again - can You please post any reference for this?
I mean an explanation when a reflection can be treated as a specular reflection having regard to the wavelength and to the distance to the reflecting surface? Please be so kind. I would be very grateful.
I searched a bit, couldn't find anything that was specifically on-point.
Wouldn't it (in this case) have been sufficient to construct the mirror source (through the floor) of the woofer? This would have shown, how the reflection is only a few degrees off the direct sound.
 
I have to disagree with myself too. The floor and ceiling reflections are not on the cone of confusion. If the ears would be in the floor plane then the floor reflection would be on the cone of confusion.

For a driver at 100cm from the floor, ear height at 95cm and a speaker distance of 346.4cm the interaural time differences are as follows:
Direct sound: 0.25ms
Floor reflection: 0.21ms
Ceiling reflection (ceiling height 2.4m): 0.19ms

Sorry, calculation error, ITD for the ceiling reflection is 0.18ms

I've also calculated the overall delay of floor and ceiling reflection relative to the direct sound:
Floor: 1.51ms
Ceiling: 3.01ms

Not sure what to conclude from those numbers.
 
Wouldn't it (in this case) have been sufficient to construct the mirror source (through the floor) of the woofer? This would have shown, how the reflection is only a few degrees off the direct sound.

But does our auditory system know anything about degrees as such?

Isn't it that all it senses are pressure fluctuations in time?
 
Last edited:
I have to disagree with myself too. The floor and ceiling reflections are not on the cone of confusion. If the ears would be in the floor plane then the floor reflection would be on the cone of confusion.

For a driver at 100cm from the floor, ear height at 95cm and a speaker distance of 346.4cm the interaural time differences are as follows:
Direct sound: 0.25ms
Floor reflection: 0.21ms
Ceiling reflection (ceiling height 2.4m): 0.19ms

I am not sure what Markus did calculate and how but can anyone who understands calculate the same for a driver at 20 cm from the floor?