Loudspeaker array with signal dependent radiation pattern

• US 5,870,484 A
• Filed: 09/05/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hal Greenberger
• Inventors: Greenberger, Hal
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Minsun Oh
• Application Number:
  US08/711,686
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 381/24, 381/1, 381/28, 381/2, 381/120, 381/17, 381/300, 381/303
• US Class Current: 381/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/288 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/022 Plurality of transducers corresponding to a plurality of sound channels in each earpiece of headphones or in a single enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

This invention features a sound reproduction system in which both signals of a stereo pair of signals are radiated with a directional radiation pattern having a first order gradient characteristic over the frequency range where interaural time difference cues dominate localization in the human auditory system. The directional radiation patterns have main radiation lobes pointing in different directions.

Claims

1. A sound reproduction system that accepts as input a stereo pair of electrical signals and outputs in response acoustical signals, the system comprising:

input means for accepting a stereo pair of electrical input signals,

first and second amplification means for amplifying said pair of signals,

first and second loudspeaker means for outputting a pair of acoustical signals, and

first and second wave type directional devices for modifying the radiation pattern of said output acoustical signals,

wherein the first input signal of the stereo pair of signals is amplified by said first amplification means, and wherein the output of said first amplification means is applied to said first loudspeaker means which gives rise to a first acoustic signal which is modified by said first wave type directional device so that it is radiated with a directional radiation pattern over at least the majority of the frequency range where interaural time difference (ITD) cues dominate localization in the human auditory system, said range covering frequencies from approximately 150 Hz to 1500 Hz, in which the directional radiation pattern has a main radiation lobe which is pointed in a first direction; and

wherein the second input signal of the stereo pair of signals is amplified by said second amplification means, and wherein the output of said second amplification means is applied to said second loudspeaker means which gives rise to a second acoustic signal which is modified by said second wave type directional device so that it is radiated with a directional radiation pattern over at least the majority of said frequency range, in which the directional radiation pattern has a main radiation lobe which is pointed in a second direction which is different from said first direction.

23. The system of claim 1, further including signal processing means and user adjustable spatial control means, wherein said signal processing means forms first and second signals that represent the sum and difference respectively of the two input electrical signals, wherein said user adjustable spatial control means adjusts the relative level of the difference signal with respect to the sum signal, and wherein said signal processing means forms additional third and fourth signals that represent the sum and difference respectively of said first and second signals formed by said signal processing means that have been adjusted by said user adjustable spatial control means.

32. The system of claim 1 further including dynamic gain reduction means located in the acoustic source signal path, wherein said dynamic gain reduction means includes voltage controlled amplifier means and control voltage generator means, wherein said control voltage generator means senses the level of signal present in the acoustic source signal path, generates a control voltage that is a function of that signal level, and applies that voltage said voltage controlled amplifier means to change its gain, for dynamically adjusting the level of the signal applied to the acoustic sources.

2. A sound reproduction system that accepts as input a stereo pair of electrical signals and outputs in response acoustical signals, the system comprising:

input means for accepting a stereo pair of electrical input signals,

signal processing means for altering characteristics of accepted input signals,

and acoustic source means for outputting first and second acoustical signals,

wherein the first input signal of the stereo pair of signals is processed by said signal processing means, wherein the resulting output of said signal processing means is applied to said acoustic source means which gives rise to a first acoustic signal which is radiated with a directional radiation pattern having a first order gradient characteristic over at least the majority of the frequency range where interaural time difference (ITD) cues dominate localization in the human auditory system, said range covering frequencies approximately from 150 Hz to 1500 Hz, in which the directional radiation pattern has a main radiation lobe which is pointed in a first direction; and

wherein the second input signal of the stereo pair of signals is processed by said signal processing means, wherein the resulting output of said signal processing means is applied to said acoustic source means which gives rise to a second acoustic signal which is radiated with a directional radiation pattern having a first order gradient characteristic over at least the majority of said frequency range, in which the directional radiation pattern has a main radiation lobe which is pointed in a second direction, which is different from said first direction.

3. The system of claim 2, in which both input signals are radiated with first order gradient radiation patterns which have an apparent origin in space from which sound appears to emanate, wherein the apparent origins for the first and second radiated signals are located in close proximity to each other, so that they appear approximately coincident over said frequency range.

4. The system of claim 2, in which said acoustic source means includes at least one monopole acoustic source and at least one dipole acoustic source, wherein said first order gradient directional patterns are formed by combining the outputs of said monopole acoustic source and said dipole acoustic source.

5. The system of claim 4 in which said signal processing means includes means for altering the signals applied to the monopole and dipole acoustic sources so that the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the dipole acoustic source output for the first input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the monopole acoustic source output for the first input signal, and the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the dipole acoustic source output for the second input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the monopole acoustic source output for the second input signal, and wherein said means for altering the signals applied to the monopole and dipole acoustic sources also alters the phase relationship between the dipole and monopole acoustic source outputs, so that the phase frequency responses of the monopole and dipole acoustic source outputs, for the first and second input signals, are either approximately in phase or approximately 180 degrees out of phase, over said frequency range.

6. The system of claim 4 in which said dipole acoustic source includes a loudspeaker, wherein the loudspeaker includes transducer means, wherein said transducer means has front and back sides which both radiate sound simultaneously;

and enclosure means, wherein said transducer is mounted in said enclosure means so that both the front and back sides are exposed to free air.

7. The system of claim 4 in which said dipole acoustic source includes a loudspeaker, wherein the loudspeaker includes a pair of transducer means, wherein said transducer means each have front and back sides which both radiate sound simultaneously;

and enclosure means, wherein said transducer means are both mounted in said enclosure means to separate radiation from the front of said transducer means from radiation from the back of said transducer means, wherein both said transducer means are mounted in close proximity to each other, and wherein the signals radiated by the front sides of said two transducer means have inverted relative polarity.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said signal processing means processes the signals applied to said monopole and dipole sources differently, wherein the difference approximates an integration function over said frequency range, said integration function having a magnitude frequency response that decreases 20 dB per decade as frequency increases, and a phase frequency response that has a constant 90 degrees of phase shift, wherein the approximate integration function is performed on the signal that is applied to the dipole acoustic source but is not applied to the signal that is applied to the monopole acoustic source.

9. The system of claim 8, further including high pass filter means in the dipole acoustic source signal path to reduce the low frequency boost applied by said signal processing means which approximates an integration function, below said frequency range;

and all pass filter means in the monopole acoustic source signal path, wherein said all pass filter means is constrained to have the same phase frequency response as that of said high pass filter means added in the dipole acoustic source signal path.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said high pass filter means is critically damped and has second order, and wherein said all pass filter means is first order, and the corner frequencies of the high pass filter means and the all pass filter means are identical.

11. The system of claim 4, including first and second monopole acoustic sources and first and second dipole acoustic sources, wherein the outputs of the first monopole source and first dipole source are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the second monopole source is combined with the output of the second dipole source to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern.

12. The system of claim 4, including first and second monopole acoustic sources, and a dipole acoustic source, wherein the outputs of the first monopole source and said dipole source are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the second monopole source is combined with the output of the dipole source to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern.

13. The system of claim 4, including a monopole acoustic source and first and second dipole acoustic sources, wherein the outputs of the monopole source and first dipole source are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the monopole source is combined with the output of the second dipole source to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern.

14. The system of claim 4, including a monopole acoustic source and a dipole acoustic source, wherein the outputs of the monopole source and dipole source are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the monopole source is combined with the output of the dipole source to also simultaneously radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern.

15. The system of claim 4, including a pair of monopole acoustic sources, wherein each said source acts as a monopole, and simultaneously both said sources are combined to form a dipole, wherein the dipole is formed by applying the same signal simultaneously to both monopole sources with inverted relative polarity, and wherein the output of the first monopole is combined with the output of the dipole formed by the pair of monopoles to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the second monopole source is simultaneously combined with the output of the dipole source formed from the two monopole sources to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern.

16. The system of claim 4, including a pair of monopole acoustic sources, wherein both said sources combine to function as a single monopole, wherein the single monopole is formed by applying the same signal simultaneously to both monopole acoustic sources, and simultaneously both monopole acoustic sources are combined to form a dipole, wherein the dipole is formed by applying the same signal simultaneously to both monopole sources with inverted relative polarity, wherein the output of the single monopole formed by the pair of monopole acoustic sources is combined with the output of the dipole formed by the pair of monopoles acoustic sources to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the single monopole formed from the two monopole acoustic sources simultaneously is combined with the output of the dipole source formed from the two monopole acoustic sources to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern.

17. The system of claim 2, in which said acoustic source means includes at least two monopole acoustic sources, and wherein a first order gradient directional pattern is formed by combining the outputs of at least two monopole acoustic sources, wherein the signal applied to one monopole source is delayed and inverted in polarity by said signal processing means with respect to the signal applied to the second monopole source.

18. The system of claim 17 in which said signal processing means further includes means for equalizing said first and second input electrical signals over said frequency range, in which said means for equalizing has a magnitude frequency response that approximates that of an ideal integration, wherein said ideal integration has a magnitude frequency response that is a linear function of frequency which decreases 20 dB per decade as frequency increases for all frequencies, to alter the magnitude frequency response of said first and second input electrical signals radiated by said acoustic sources to have an approximately flat magnitude frequency response over said frequency range.

19. The system of claim 17, in which said signal processing means processes signals that are input to said acoustic source means, wherein said acoustic source means includes first, second, third, and fourth monopole acoustic sources, wherein the outputs of the first and second monopole sources are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the third and fourth monopole sources are combined to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, wherein said signal processing means delays and inverts the signals applied to the second and fourth monopole sources with respect to the signals applied to the first and third monopole sources.

20. The system of claim 17, in which said signal processing means processes signals that are input to said acoustic source means, wherein said acoustic source means includes first, second, and third monopole acoustic sources, wherein the outputs of the first and second monopole sources are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the outputs of the second and third monopole sources are combined to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, wherein said signal processing means delays and inverts the signals applied to the second monopole source with respect to the signals applied to the first and third monopole sources.

21. The system of claim 17, in which said signal processing means processes signals that are input to said acoustic source means, wherein said acoustic source means includes first, second, and third monopole acoustic sources, wherein the outputs of the first and second monopole sources are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the outputs of the second and third monopole sources are combined to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, wherein said signal processing means delays and inverts the signals applied to the first and third monopole sources with respect to the signals applied to the second monopole source.

22. The system of claim 17, in which said signal processing means processes signals that are input to said acoustic source means, wherein said acoustic source means includes first and second monopole acoustic sources, wherein the outputs of the first and second monopole sources are combined to radiate the first signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, and wherein the output of the first and second monopole sources are also simultaneously combined to radiate the second signal of the stereo pair of electrical input signals with a first order gradient directional pattern, wherein the portion of the first input signal applied to the second monopole source is delayed and inverted by said signal processing means with respect to the portion of the first input signal applied to the first monopole source, and wherein the portion of the second input signal applied to the first monopole source is delayed and inverted by said signal processing means with respect to the portion of the second input signal applied to the second monopole source.

24. The system of claim 2, further including a user adjustable spatial control, for adjusting the shape of the first order gradient directional radiation patterns, wherein said user adjustable spatial control simultaneously adjusts the first and second directional patterns.

25. The system of claim 4, wherein said signal processing means includes level adjustment means for varying the relative level of signal applied to said dipole acoustic source means with respect to the signal level applied to said monopole acoustic source means, and further including a user adjustable spatial control, for adjusting the shape of the first order gradient directional radiation patterns, wherein said user adjustable spatial control simultaneously adjusts the first and second directional radiation patterns, and wherein the directional radiation patterns are adjusted by adjusting said level adjustment means.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein said signal processing means includes time delay adjustment means for varying the relative amount of time delay applied to the signal input to second monopole source means with respect to the signal input to first monopole acoustic source means, and further including user adjustable spatial control means which adjusts said time delay adjustment means to simultaneously adjust the shape of the first order gradient directional radiation patterns.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said signal processing means further includes signal level adjustment means for adjusting the signal level of the time delayed signal applied to said second monopole source means relative to the signal level of the signal applied to said first monopole source means, and further including second user adjustable spatial control means which adjusts said signal level adjustment means, to simultaneously adjust the shape of the first order gradient directional radiation patterns.

28. The system of claim 26, in which said signal processing means includes a time delay, and further including voltage controlled first order filter means which has a corner frequency and a magnitude frequency response above the corner frequency which is flat, and a magnitude frequency response below the corner frequency which approximates an ideal integrator over said frequency range, further including means for applying a control voltage to said filter means to adjust said corner frequency to track the amount of time delay in the signal processing means, wherein said filter means substantially maintains a flat magnitude frequency response over the entire frequency range where first order gradient directional patterns are radiated for a particular time delay.

29. The system of claim 4 further including dynamic gain reduction means located in the dipole acoustic source signal path, wherein said dynamic gain reduction means includes voltage controlled amplifier means and control voltage generator means, wherein said control voltage generator means senses the level of signal present in the dipole acoustic source signal path, generates a control voltage that is a function of that signal level, and applies that voltage to said voltage controlled amplifier means to change its gain, for dynamically adjusting the level of the signal applied to the dipole acoustic source.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said first and second input electrical signals have a signal to noise ratio, wherein said signal processing means further includes a second input to said control voltage generator means that is responsive to said signal to noise ratio, wherein said control voltage generator means has an internal threshold function, and wherein the control voltage generator means generates a control voltage that reduces the gain in the dipole signal path when said signal to noise ratio drops below said internal threshold, to perform a mono blend function.

31. The system of claim 29 further including dynamic gain reduction means located in the monopole source signal path, wherein said dynamic gain reduction means includes voltage controlled amplifier means and control voltage generator means, wherein said control voltage generator means senses the level of the signal present in the monopole acoustic source signal path, generates a control voltage that is a function of that signal level, and applies that voltage to said voltage controlled amplifier means to change its gain, for dynamically adjusting the level of the signal applied to the monopole source.

33. The system of claim 2 further including dynamic gain reduction means located in the acoustic source signal path, wherein said dynamic gain reduction means includes voltage controlled amplifier means and control voltage generator means, wherein said control voltage generator means senses the level of signal present in the acoustic source signal path, generates a control voltage that is a function of that signal level, and applies that voltage to said voltage controlled amplifier means to change its gain, for dynamically adjusting the level of the signal applied to the acoustic sources.

34. The system of claim 4, wherein said signal processing means incorporates first dynamic filter means located in the dipole acoustic source signal path, and second dynamic filter means located in the monopole acoustic source signal path, wherein each dynamic filter means includes a voltage controlled high pass filter means which has a corner frequency, wherein said signal processing further includes control voltage generator means, where the control voltage generator means senses the level of signal present in the dipole acoustic source signal path, generates a control voltage that is a function of that signal level, and applies that voltage to each voltage controlled high pass filter means to change their respective corner frequencies in an identical manner, so as not to change the relative magnitude and phase frequency responses of the signals present in the monopole and dipole acoustic source signal paths, where the control function acts to increase the corner frequencies when the signal level sensed by the control voltage generator means increases, to dynamically adjust the level of low frequency signal applied to the acoustic sources.

35. The system of claim 4, wherein said signal processing means incorporates first dynamic filter means located in the dipole acoustic source signal path, and second dynamic filter means located in the monopole acoustic source signal path, wherein the dynamic filter means in the dipole acoustic source signal path includes voltage controlled high pass filter means which has a corner frequency, and the dynamic filter means in the monopole acoustic source signal path includes voltage controlled all pass filter means which has a corner frequency, wherein said signal processing further includes control voltage generator means, wherein the control voltage generator means senses the level of signal present in the dipole acoustic source signal path, generates a control voltage that is a function of that signal level, and applies that voltage to each dynamic filter means to change their respective corner frequencies, wherein the control voltage generator means increases the corner frequencies of each dynamic filter means when the signal level sensed by said control voltage generator means increases, to dynamically adjust the level of low frequency signal applied to said acoustic sources, and

wherein the orders of the high pass filter means and all pass filter means are chosen so that the shape of the phase frequency response of the voltage controlled all pass filter means is substantially similar to the shape of the phase frequency response shape of the voltage controlled high pass filter means.

36. The system of claim 2, wherein acoustic source means that radiates the first input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern includes at least two loudspeaker means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes transducer means and enclosure means, wherein transducer means are mounted in enclosure means, and wherein enclosure means includes port means, wherein the transducer means and port means included in the loudspeaker means that form the acoustic source means are mounted such that the transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than the associated port means of the enclosures in which the transducers means are mounted, and

wherein acoustic source means that radiate the second input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern includes at least two loudspeaker means, wherein said loudspeaker means may or may not be the same loudspeaker means that form the first acoustic source means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes transducer means and enclosure means, wherein transducer means are mounted in enclosure means, and wherein enclosure means includes port means, wherein the transducer means and port means included in the loudspeaker means that form the acoustic source means are mounted such that the transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than the associated port means of the enclosures in which the transducers means are mounted.

37. The system of claim 4, wherein acoustic source means that radiates the first input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern includes at least two loudspeaker means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes transducer means and enclosure means, wherein transducer means are mounted in enclosure means, and wherein enclosure means includes port means, wherein the transducer means and port means included in the loudspeaker means that form the acoustic source means are mounted such that the transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than the associated port means of the enclosures in which the transducers means are mounted, and

wherein acoustic source means that radiate the second input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern includes at least two loudspeaker means, wherein said loudspeaker means may or may not be the same loudspeaker means that form the first acoustic source means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes transducer means and enclosure means, wherein transducer means are mounted in enclosure means, and wherein enclosure means includes port means, wherein the transducer means and port means included in the loudspeaker means that form the acoustic source means are mounted such that the transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than the associated port means of the enclosures in which the transducers means are mounted.

38. The system of claim 17, wherein acoustic source means that radiates the first input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern includes at least two loudspeaker means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes transducer means and enclosure means, wherein transducer means are mounted in enclosure means, and wherein enclosure means includes port means, wherein the transducer means and port means included in the loudspeaker means that form the acoustic source means are mounted such that the transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than the associated port means of the enclosures in which the transducers means are mounted, and

wherein acoustic source means that radiate the second input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern includes at least two loudspeaker means, wherein said loudspeaker means may or may not be the same loudspeaker means that form the first acoustic source means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes transducer means and enclosure means, wherein transducer means are mounted in enclosure means, and wherein enclosure means includes port means, wherein the transducer means and port means included in the loudspeaker means that form the acoustic source means are mounted such that the transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than the associated port means of the enclosures in which the transducers means are mounted.

39. The system of claim 3, wherein the resulting first order gradient radiation patterns of the first and second input electrical signals radiated are formed by combining the outputs of first and second acoustic source means, wherein said first acoustic source means has a first order gradient radiation pattern with a main radiation lobe pointed in a first direction, and said second acoustic source means has a dipole radiation pattern with a main radiation lobe pointed in a direction that is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the main radiation lobe direction of the first acoustic source means, wherein said signal processing means equalizes the signals applied to said first and second acoustic source means so that the outputs of said first and second acoustic sources have substantially identical magnitude frequency response shapes over said frequency range, and said first and second acoustic sources have substantially identical phase frequency response shapes over said frequency range.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said signal processing means further includes level control means for adjusting the relative level of the signals applied to first and second acoustic source means, which can be adjusted by the user to adjust the radiation pattern shape and main radiation lobe direction of the radiated first and second electrical input signals.

41. The system of claim 39, further including a user control means to vary the shape of the radiation pattern of the first acoustic source output, to adjust the radiation pattern shape and main radiation lobe direction of the radiated first and second electrical input signals.

42. The system of claim 40, further including a user control means to vary the shape of the radiation pattern of the first order gradient acoustic source output, to adjust the radiation pattern shape and main radiation lobe direction of the radiated first and second electrical input signals.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein said first acoustic source means is formed by combining the output of a monopole acoustic source with the output of dipole acoustic source, wherein said signal processing means includes means for altering the signals applied to said monopole and dipole sources that form the first acoustic source means, so that the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the dipole acoustic source output substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the monopole acoustic source output for the first and second input electrical signals, and wherein said signal processing also alters the phase relationship between the dipole and monopole acoustic source outputs, so that the phase frequency responses of the monopole and dipole acoustic source outputs are either approximately in phase or approximately 180 degrees out of phase, for the first and second input electrical signals, over said frequency range.

44. The system of claim 43, further including a user adjustable control for varying the relative level of the signal applied to the dipole acoustic source with respect to the level of signal applied to the monopole acoustic source that form said first acoustic source means, to allow the user to adjust the shape of the radiation patterns of the radiated first and second input electrical signals without altering the main radiation directions of the radiated pair of input electrical signals.

45. The system of claim 43, further including a user adjustable control for varying the relative level of the signal applied to the dipole acoustic source that forms part of said first acoustic source means with respect to the level of signal applied to the dipole acoustic source that forms said second acoustic source, wherein the relative levels vary with a sin/cos relationship, to allow the user to rotate the main radiation directions of the radiated first and second input electrical signals without altering the shapes of their associated radiation patterns.

46. The system of claim 4, wherein said acoustic source means that radiates the first input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern is formed from at least two loudspeaker means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes low frequency transducer means for reproducing low frequencies and high frequency transducer means for reproducing high frequencies, and enclosure means, wherein each transducer means are mounted said enclosure means, wherein the transducer means included in loudspeaker means that form said acoustic source means are mounted such that said high frequency transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than said low frequency transducer means, and

wherein said acoustic source means that radiates the second input electrical signal with a first order gradient directional radiation pattern is formed from at least two loudspeaker means, wherein each loudspeaker means includes low frequency transducer means for reproducing low frequencies and high frequency transducer means for reproducing high frequencies, and enclosure means, wherein each transducer means are mounted said enclosure means, wherein the transducer means included in loudspeaker means that form said acoustic source means are mounted such that said high frequency transducer means are spaced physically closer to each other than said low frequency transducer means, and

wherein said signal processing includes crossover means for splitting the input signals to each loudspeaker means into a low frequency signal and a high frequency signal, wherein the low frequency signal is applied to said low frequency transducer means and the high frequency signal is input to said high frequency transducer means.

47. A sound reproduction system that accepts as input a stereo pair of electrical signals and outputs in response acoustical signals, the system comprising:

input means for accepting a stereo pair of electrical input signals,

signal processing means for altering characteristics of accepted input signals,

and first and second acoustic source means for outputting first and second acoustical signals,

wherein said first acoustical source has a monopole radiation pattern and said second acoustical source has a dipole radiation pattern over at least the majority of the frequency range where interaural time difference cues (ITD) dominate localization in the human auditory system, and wherein the origins in space of the monopole acoustic source and dipole acoustic source radiation patterns appear substantially coincident, over said frequency range, and

wherein said signal processing means creates a first signal that is the sum of the pair of electrical input signals and creates a second signal that is the difference between the pair of electrical input signals, wherein said signal processing further includes means for altering the sum and difference signals so that the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the dipole acoustic source output for the first electrical input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the monopole acoustic source output for the first input signal, over said frequency range, and wherein the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the dipole acoustic source output for the second electrical input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the monopole acoustic source output for the second input signal, over said frequency range, when the altered sum signal is input to the monopole acoustic source and the altered difference signal is input to the dipole acoustical source, and

wherein said means for altering said sum and difference signals which are applied to the monopole and dipole acoustic sources respectively, also alters the phase relationship between the dipole and monopole acoustic source outputs, so that the phase frequency responses of the monopole and dipole acoustic source outputs, for the first and second input signals, are either approximately in phase or approximately 180 degrees out of phase, over said frequency range.

48. A sound reproduction system that accepts as input a stereo pair of electrical signals and outputs in response acoustical signals, the system comprising:

input means for accepting a stereo pair of electrical input signals,

signal processing means for altering characteristics of accepted input signals,

and first and second acoustic source means for outputting first and second acoustical signals,

wherein said first acoustical source has a monopole radiation pattern and said second acoustical source has a monopole radiation pattern, and

wherein said signal processing means creates a first signal that is the sum of the pair of electrical input signals and creates a second signal that is the difference between the pair of electrical input signals, wherein said signal processing further includes means for altering the sum and difference signals, wherein the altered sum signal is simultaneously input to both monopole acoustic sources with identical polarity to form a combined monopole source, and the altered difference signal is simultaneously applied to both monopole acoustic sources with inverted relative polarity to form a combined dipole acoustic source, wherein the origins in space of the combined monopole acoustic source and combined dipole acoustic source radiation patterns appear substantially coincident, over at least the majority of the frequency range where interaural time difference cues (ITD) dominate localization in the human auditory system, and

wherein said signal processing means alters said sum and difference signals so that the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the combined dipole acoustic source output for the first electrical input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the combined monopole acoustic source output for the first electrical input signal, over said frequency range, and wherein the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the combined dipole acoustic source output for the second electrical input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the combined monopole acoustic source output for the second electrical input signal, over said frequency range, and

wherein said means for altering said sum and difference signals also alters the phase relationship between the combined dipole acoustic source output and the combined monopole acoustic source output, so that the phase frequency responses of the combined monopole and combined dipole acoustic source outputs, for the first and second input signals, are either approximately in phase or approximately 180 degrees out of phase, over said frequency range.

49. A sound reproduction system that accepts as input a stereo pair of electrical signals and outputs in response acoustical signals, the system comprising:

input means for accepting a stereo pair of electrical input signals,

signal processing means for altering characteristics of accepted input signals,

and first and second acoustic source means for outputting first and second acoustical signals,

wherein said first and second acoustical sources have monopole radiation patterns, and

wherein said signal processing means creates a signal that is the difference between the pair of electrical input signals, wherein said signal processing further includes means for altering the electrical input signals and said difference signal, wherein the altered first electrical input signal is input to the first monopole source and the altered second input electrical signal is input to the second monopole acoustic source, and the altered difference signal is simultaneously applied to both monopole acoustic sources with inverted relative polarity to form a combined dipole acoustic source, wherein the origins in space of the monopole acoustic sources and the combined dipole acoustic source radiation patterns appear substantially coincident, over at least the majority of the frequency range where interaural time difference cues (ITD) dominate localization in the human auditory system, and

wherein said signal processing means alters said electrical input signals and said difference signal so that the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the combined dipole acoustic source output for the first electrical input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the first monopole acoustic source output for the altered first electrical input signal, over said frequency range, and wherein the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the combined dipole acoustic source output for the second electrical input signal substantially matches the shape of the magnitude frequency response of the second monopole acoustic source output for the second electrical input signal, over said frequency range, and

wherein said means for altering said electrical input signals and said difference signal also alters the phase relationship between the combined dipole acoustic source output and each monopole acoustic source output, so that the phase frequency responses of each monopole and combined dipole acoustic source outputs, for the first and second input signals, are either approximately in phase or approximately 180 degrees out of phase, over said frequency range.