Acoustics of multiuse spaces

The article “Exploring cultural heritage through acoustic digital reconstructions” by Brian Katz, Damian Murphy, and Angelo Farina (Physics Today, December 2020, page 32) gives an excellent review of the state art in computer simulation room acoustics. However, authors seem unfamiliar with revolution concert-hall, theater, worship-space design that started Peter Parkin J. H. Taylor’s work London’s St Paul’s Cathedral11. P. Parkin, Taylor, Wireless World, February 1952, p. 54,and March 109, reprinted Audio Eng. Soc. 54, 67 (2006). 1952. Beginning pioneering effort, room-acoustics designers have found ratio early-arriving sound energy to reverberant at listener’s ears is least as important reverberation for speech music acoustics.22. See, example, M. Long, Architectural Acoustics, 2nd ed., Academic Press (2013), 748;M. D. Egan, McGraw-Hill (1988), 98.,33. L. Klepper, “An autobiographical assessment importance early-to-reverberant sound-energy ratio, ‘clarity,’ acoustics,” Pro Encyclopedia (1 September 2016), www.proaudioencyclopedia.com/?p=363;L. G. Marshall, Acoust. Amer. 96, 2251 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1121/1.410097 usual division between early 50 ms 80 music. “Usual” word.At one extreme, acoustically “dry”—that is, nonreverberant—thrust-stage or in-the-round theater needs special electroacoustic sound-reflecting surfaces ensure enough reaches a listener who seeing back someone speaking rather than his her face. Otherwise, no real departure from previous practice, echoes usually reduce intelligibility.44. 43, 599 (1995), An Anthology Articles on Sound Reinforcement . , Engineering Society (1996), 392;Clayton Acoustics Group, “St. Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish, Washington, DC” (2005), www.claytonacoustics.com/pages/portfolio/houses%20of%20worship/project%20profiles/St.%20Paul's.html.A more relevant frequent application reconciliation same space. A multiuse auditorium can, course, variable acoustics, but moving drapes, curtains, sound-absorbing panels middle worship services hardly practical. Thus greatest value energy-ratio concept has been houses worship, particularly large Christian churches cathedrals, places where treatments are not suited architecturally.44. www.claytonacoustics.com/pages/portfolio/houses%20of%20worship/project%20profiles/St.%20Paul's.html.The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque Alam, Malaysia, largest dome any religious building. Behind two sets tan tiles central section sloped ceiling seen here clusters loudspeakers together cover main prayer area under dome.B.O’KANE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTOPPT|High resolutionPerhaps best demonstration Mosque, known Blue Malaysia. It dome—more 51 m diameter, rising 75 above hall—of also most complex sound-reinforcement system. Designed Larry Philbrick, system uses directional properties control echo increase clarity. Two large, loudspeaker clusters—one close worshippers, far worshippers—cover dome. Additional line-source built into interior courtyard columns. mosque can accommodate 24 000 worshippers time.ReferencesSection:ChooseTop pageReferences <<CITING ARTICLES1. Google Scholarand Scholar2. 748; ScholarM. 98. Scholar3. www.proaudioencyclopedia.com/?p=363; ScholarL. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.410097, ScholarCrossref, ISI4. 392; ScholarClayton www.claytonacoustics.com/pages/portfolio/houses%20of%20worship/project%20profiles/St.%20Paul's.html. Scholar© 2021 American Institute Physics.