Speaker system including phase shift such that the composite sound wave decreases on the principal speaker axis

• US 5,828,763 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Kogure, Koushiro, Saito, Yuichi, Koyano, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US08/043,610
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 381/97, 381/98, 381/99, 381/59, 381/24, 381/17, 381/63, 381/61
• US Class Current: 381/97
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A speaker system for reproducing a high fidelity sound field. In one embodiment, the speaker system includes at least two speakers, one of which is coupled with a phase shifter for shifting the phase of an audio signal in mid- and high-frequency ranges. The phase shifter shifts the phase between ±120° and ±180°. In another embodiment, the speaker system includes three speakers and the phase shifter shifts the phase of the audio signal applied to two of the speakers from that of the audio signal applied to the third speaker which is a tweeter.

Claims

1. A speaker system for reproducing an audio signal, comprising:

a power amplifier for providing the audio signal;

a first speaker for receiving the audio signal from said power amplifier;

phase shifter means, coupled to receive the audio signal from the power amplifier, for shifting a phase of the received audio signal between ±

120° and

±

180°

in the mid- and high-frequency ranges; and

a second speaker for receiving the phase-shifted audio signal from said phase shifter means, a composite sound pressure wave of said first and second speakers decreasing on a principal axis (0°

) which corresponds to a line of symmetry of respective radiating axes of said first and second speakers;

wherein said first and second speakers are mounted in a single cabinet such that the respective distances from said first and second speakers to a listener are equal to each other, and wherein the speaker system reproduces the audio signal such that the principal axis is directed towards the listener.

2. The speaker system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second speakers is an all-frequency-range type speaker.

3. A speaker system for reproducing an audio signal, comprising:

a principal axis (0°

);

a power amplifier for providing the audio signal;

first, second and third speakers, said first and second speakers being connected in series;

phase shifter means, coupled to receive the audio signal from said power amplifier, for shifting a phase of the received audio signal between ±

120° and

±

180°

in the mid- and high-frequency ranges, said phase shifter means having output terminals connected in series with said series-connected first and second speakers, said phase shifter means shifting the phase of the received audio signal such that a composite sound pressure wave emitted from said first, second and third speakers decreases along the principal axis (0°

); and

high-pass filter for receiving the audio signal from said power amplifier, said third speaker being connected to receive an output of said high-pass filter.

4. The speaker system as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said first and second speakers is an all-frequency-type speaker.

5. The speaker system as defined in claim 3, wherein said third speaker is disposed between said first and second speakers.