Loudspeaker array behavior is analyzed as point-source superposition

Evidence

In order to understand how the properties of sequences or the size of a loudspeaker affect polar performance, we must first look at some theory behind array polar patterns. Consider an evenly spaced, linear array of perfect point source radiators, as shown in Figure A6.1, with complex amplitudes A0 … AN − 1. This corresponds to the radiated sound from an array of speakers, and the amplitudes represent the illumination of the surface. If we are an infinite, or at least very large, distance away, we can make the following approximations: 1. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2862