d&b audiotechnik has announced System Auralization, a new software feature that enables sound professionals to listen to their loudspeaker system design before deployment.
For decades, sound system prediction software such as d&b ArrayCalc has helped engineers visualise system performance through plots, maps and acoustic data. With System Auralization, d&b adds a new dimension to the workflow, allowing users to hear the direct sound of a system design and assess aspects of system performance that are often easier to evaluate by listening than by studying graphs alone.
System Auralization generates a real-time binaural rendering of the current system configuration. Users can move freely through a virtual venue in first-person mode, listening from different audience positions and exploring how design decisions influence the listening experience across the coverage area. This makes it possible to hear how design choices impact coverage, imaging, and tonal balance across the audience area.
Users can immediately hear the impact of changes to loudspeaker positioning, array geometry, amplifier settings, filters and ArrayProcessing configurations, helping them refine and validate decisions before arriving on site.
“With System Auralization, engineers can build confidence in their decisions and address many important design considerations beforehand. It’s a huge time saver, which is especially valuable before a show,” says Florian Hahn, Product Manager Applied Software at d&b audiotechnik. “While built to support professionals, it also makes system behaviour easier to explore and understand, offering a useful tool for the next generation of system engineers.”
Users can load audio material and listen to the simulated result of their system design in real time. Changes to system parameters are reflected immediately. Combined with ArrayCalc’s new snapshot recall functionality, users can easily compare different system configurations without interrupting audio playback.
The beta version of ArrayCalc featuring System Auralization is available for download from this LINK. User feedback gathered during the beta phase will help shape the feature ahead of its future general release.
