Вопросы и ответы

Q: Can Audio Spotlight systems be used outdoors?

A: Our current systems are not certified nor warrantied for outdoor use, although many of our customers have used them in such a way with success. They usually protected the systems from weather by putting plastic wrapping over the back of the speaker and placing the amplifier in a waterproof plastic box. While there are no specific plans to produce a special outdoor design, if sufficient application opportunities were available, we could certainly do so.

Q: Can these speakers be used in a stereo application?

A: The word "stereo" means nothing more than "two speakers". Our systems are sold individually, and while you can certainly use them in stereo configurations, it's really not needed in 99% of the applications. Because of the unique acoustic properties of the technology, the sound appears to envelop the listener, and is heard as almost "inside the head", so the stereo separation helpful for traditional loudspeakers is really not necessary with the Audio Spotlight.

Q: What is the frequency response of the system?

A: Inherent in the use of ultrasound to reproduce audio is a trade off between maximum output level and low frequency response. This is controllable on the amplifier. In general, the response is about 200 to 400 Hz at the lower limit to 16 kHz or so. The AS-24 offers an additional octave of low frequency response and twice the output level compared to the AS-16.

Q: Is there any bleed outside of the sound beam?

A: When discussing how our systems work, it's best to use a lighting analogy. Our systems "shine" beams of sound onto a very specific area. Just like it is easy to see the light from the beam of a flash light in a very dark room, it is sometimes easy to hear very quiet sounds in a silent room. Typical background noise helps to mask the bleed, just like ambient lighting makes a flashlight beam invisible.

The sound will not be precisely zero outside the beam, but it will be extremely low (sound level drops by over 90% just outside the beam). This is a dramatic difference and should be plenty to maintain the quiet outside of the focused area. In the absence of all ambient noise, complete silence outside the beam is impossible, as the human ear is sensitive enough to hear 0.0001% of the energy; but just as this is a non-issue with light beams, it is usually is not an issue with beams of sound.

Q: How far can the Audio Spotlight speaker beam sound?

A: There is no exact measurement for how far the sound will travel. It's a bit a like trying to specify how far a flashlight will shine. The audible distance is heavily dependent on ambient noise levels and physical objects in the beam path, but we have noted clear audibility at distances of 200m.

Audio Spotlight systems are much less sensitive to listener distance than traditional loudspeakers, and while maximum performance is attained at roughly 1-2m (3-6 ft) from the listener, we have also had systems mounted eight stories up on a building rooftop, beaming clearly audible sound to street-level in Manhattan.

Related link: A&E's Manhattan billboard "whispers" with the Audio Spotlight

Q: Can the Audio Spotlight be used to fill a large area with sound, like a night club?

A: Our systems deliver sound to tight, narrow areas, just like spotlights. Multiple systems can be used to create a larger sound area, similar to track lighting. Our Technical Specifications (.pdf) show how much area is covered by each system.

Filling an entire dance floor with sound would nearly require tiling the ceilings with Audio Spotlight systems, rendering this quite impractical.

Q: How do Audio Spotlight systems compare to sound domes?

A: Sound domes are simply traditional loudspeakers mounted in a reflective dome, which does increase speaker directivity, but not by very much, and even then only when the listener is within a few inches of the dome opening. Our Audio Spotlight systems rely on completely different physics and offer a far greater degree of directionality; it's like the difference between a light bulb and a laser beam. Our systems also feature a thin, flat design that is easily incorporated into any environment.

Q: What additional hardware do I need?

A: Our systems consist of a speaker panel, amplifier/processor, power supply, and all connection cables. They are compatible with any standard playback device, including mp3, CD and DVD players, computers, projectors, and more. We offer a variety of mounting options, shown in detail on our Mounting Options catalog.

Our systems are based on unique acoustical physics, and are not compatible with traditional loudspeakers or traditional audio amplifiers. Do not attempt to connect any Audio Spotlight devices to this equipment as it could lead to equipment damage and/or potentially hazardous conditions.

Ссылка на сайт.