Mixed sound absorptions create multi-slope reverberant decay curves

Evidence

In both of these cases the result is a sound energy curve as a function of time which has two or more slopes, as shown in Figure 6.15. This curve arises because the faster decaying waves die away before the more slowly decaying ones and so allow them to dominate in the end. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1900

Categorization

• XREF: Relevant to the reader’s interest in perceptual qualities of room acoustics — how mixed absorption shapes the audible tail of reverberation. — connects to: Reverberant sound decays exponentially because wall absorption removes a fixed fraction of remaining energy — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2456; Absorption at each reflection governs how fast reverberation decays — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1743; Room modes produce multiple decay times instead of a single exponential reverberation — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1996 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Room modes produce multiple decay times instead of a single exponential reverberation #corroborates (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1996
• Reverberation decay should be a smooth exponential of constant dB per unit time #complicates (0.88) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1913
• Reverberant sound decays exponentially because wall absorption removes a fixed fraction of remaining energy #qualifies (0.85) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2456
• A single slope measurement of dB decay directly yields the reverberation time #complicates (0.85)
• Room sound energy decays exponentially through repeated surface absorptions #qualifies (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1830
• Absorption at each reflection governs how fast reverberation decays #expands (0.80) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1743