Concentrating sound into a smaller solid angle raises horn sensitivity

Evidence

Note that the 40°  20° horn has a higher sensitivity, because it is concentrating the sound into a smaller solid angle. Note that the level is now much more uniform—to about halfway down the audience the maximum variation is 4.5 dB, or 2.25 dB. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 2519

Categorization

Category: Causal Relationships

• DEFINE: Couples directivity, sensitivity, and solid-angle geometry in a single causal chain useful for speaker design.

Related

• Boundary placement boosts sound intensity 3 dB per boundary by increasing directivity (similarity 0.83)
• Horn coverage angle doubles for every octave below the minimum directivity frequency. (similarity 0.82)
• A horn’s main benefit is source loading, not directional aiming. (similarity 0.81)
• Horn size physically constrains the frequency range of directional coverage (similarity 0.80)
• Curved surfaces concentrate sound locally while draining power elsewhere in the room (similarity 0.80)
• A horn amplifies sound without increasing diaphragm motion (similarity 0.79)
• Constant-directivity horns are efficient but cannot cover frequencies below 500 Hz (similarity 0.79)
• Controlled boundary measurements confirm the predicted 6 dB per solid-angle-halving gain (similarity 0.79)
• Horn loudspeakers amplify sound through proximity resonance in a narrow throat (similarity 0.79)
• Nearby reflective surfaces can load a source and boost its output (similarity 0.79)
• Sound waves diffracting at speaker cabinet edges distort the frequency response (similarity 0.79)
• Horn throats boost output by constructive interference with the source (similarity 0.78)
• Noncoincident resonances yield smoother speaker response than spherical shapes (similarity 0.78)
• Diffuse surfaces prevent sound focusing away from the optimum listening position (similarity 0.78)
• Curved surfaces can focus reflected sound and enhance its intensity (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Each added boundary surface boosts sound intensity by 3 dB up to three boundaries #corroborates (0.90) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 313
• Reflections increase sensitivity to low and mid-Q resonances in reproduced sound #complicates (0.75) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 497