# Directional Loudspeakers



## Sandro Gomes (Jul 8, 2009)

Does anyone here, ever worked with them?

They are very common in Museums Exhibits. The most usual is the Dome Speaker.

I never used them in any installation, but I've seen it working in some Exhibits and my first impression was that it doesn't do what it says, but with some more observation i realized that the floor was sound reflective throwing away some hundred dollars :spend:

Now someone asked info about this kind of sound installation and I wanna know if someone knows about it here.

Thanks


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## Kirill (Apr 14, 2010)

I've seen those Dome Speakers at CBC building in Toronto. It was an interesting experience. First of all the system turns on when you enter the area of sensors, but I believe this staff works pretty much on more or less closer distances. Say a 2-3 meters around it. Or most likely underneath them. I believe it works like a parabolic microphone in a reverse way. Thus the Hemispherical shape of the speaker concentrates most of the reflections within the hemisphere, thus driving the sound more direct compare to a regular speaker. Interesting piece, but not too sure if it's worth the money... I also heard about a laser speakers as well that can follow the listener within the range of the sensors. Not too sure how much that system is developed but maybe try to research if you are interested in that. Apparently it's much more direct than Dome speakers, it's kind of like a sound walks with you together 

Kirill


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## Kirill (Apr 14, 2010)

Also check this out as well.

http://www.browninnovations.com

Brown Innovations Inc.
Chicago-Sales & Marketing
1545 W. Nelson, Suite 1R
Chicago, IL 60657

Boston-Engineering & Manufacturing
369 Congress Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02210

Phone: 773-477-7500
Fax: 773-477-7501


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## PepAX7 (Mar 11, 2008)

I was curios about some of the pro line of "steerables" like the "Iconyx" from Renkus Heinz.

http://www.renkus-heinz.com/loudspeakers/iclive/index.html

I think these are used for FOH and am curious if they're "long throw" capable and such? I'm gonna see the literature available.

Pep


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## 1Michael (Nov 2, 2006)

When Altec was designing the mantaray horn they found they could control the directivity of the sound. All speakers are designed with directivity or dispersion in mind...


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## Kirill (Apr 14, 2010)

buggers said:


> When Altec was designing the mantaray horn they found they could control the directivity of the sound. All speakers are designed with directivity or dispersion in mind...


Altec doesn't seem to be in existence any more though as a company... I'm not sure, but I didn't find any official web site, notta... 

Kirill :blink:


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## PepAX7 (Mar 11, 2008)

Does anyone have any technical resources on "How" they actually do the steering? I know you can do some "phase" things with horns and I know there are long throw and short throw, but steering, to me, implies multiple drivers.

Anybody?

Pep


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## Kirill (Apr 14, 2010)

Actually when you go to the "Iconyx" page, they have some staff there about the speaker controls as well as specs and etc. I think steering is performed via software of some sort that comes with those speakers. 

Pep, By steering you are talking about controlling the directionality of the speakers right?

Kirill


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## PepAX7 (Mar 11, 2008)

Yes... I'm thinking of actually placing the sound beam left or right of diaphragm center. Also, throw distance could come into play also.

I know sound companies do this for the balcony people but they are usually long-throw horn cabinets that can be directed towards them and not the floor crowd.

Pep


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## Kirill (Apr 14, 2010)

PepAX7 said:


> ...companies do this for the balcony people but they are usually long-throw horn cabinets that can be directed towards them...Pep


I see what you saying. I believe the directionality isn't manual. At least from the way it looked on a web site.
There is a software that comes with those cascading "Iconyx" that's definitely.Look at the page more carefully they have a lot of info on those speakers there.

Kirill


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