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| Sennheiser Product Highlights at the 110th AES Convention |
| AudioBeam – A New Type of Transducer for Focused Sound Reproduction |
Conventional loudspeakers radiate sound in an omni-directional pattern when the wavelength is greater than the
circumference of the transducer diaphragm. A directional effect only occurs as the frequency increases.
Conventional loudspeakers, therefore, are unable to provide a highly directional wideband sound reproduction.
Sennheiser’s AudioBeam, however, is able to focus sound – just like a spotlight does with a concentrated beam of
light. A 5° deviation off the main transducer axis will result in approx. 20 dB reduction in sound pressure level. At
angles greater than 15°, the direct sound is almost inaudible.
Its special acoustic properties make AudioBeam the ideal choice for sound reinforcement and communication
situations, for which conventional equipment would be unsuitable:
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|  | Information in museums and at exhibitions can be radiated directly from the exhibits –only visitors in front of an object are addressed.
| | Microphone and loudspeaker in hands-free units for mobile phones can be housed in the same compact casing without the risk of feedback.
| | Users at PC workplaces could listen without headphones.
Computers, vending machines, and automated telling machines could address a customer without bystanders being able to hear what the machine says.
| | In general, AudioBeam can be described as a personal loudspeaker, which can, for example, also be used to address individual persons within a security area. |
Audible Sound from Ultrasound
The operating principle of AudioBeam is comparable to that of a radio transmitter, but uses ultrasonic frequencies
instead of radio frequencies as a carrier. Ultrasound can be strongly focused, and ultrasonic radiators with beam
angles of 1° are technically well feasible. The transducer is driven by two ultrasonic signals: the carrier and a
frequency mix containing the original audio signal. The resulting difference frequency is audible.
Features:
AudioBeam (Master)
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| | Modulation: wideband AM
| | Carrier frequency: approx. 40 kHz
| | Input sensitivity: 0 dBm (775 mV) or –10 dBm (245 mV), switchable
| | SPL: 75 dB ± 5dB at 700 Hz – 12 kHz at 4 m
| | Amplifier power: approx. 90 W
| | Dimensions: 264 x 82 x 3200 mm |
AudioBeam (Slave)
The Slave serves to increase the sound pressure level of the Master AudioBeam. It contains a mains unit, amplifier
and transducer, but no modulation electronics. Connection to a master is required for operation.
As the world's leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems, the Sennheiser Group, based in
Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, registered a sales revenue of more than DM 380 million in the year 2000. The export share is
approx. 80%. Sennheiser has a total workforce of approx. 1,300 employees, 800 of them in Germany. Sennheiser is active worldwide
with subsidiaries in France, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Singapore, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as independent
distributors in many other countries.
For further information, please contact:
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Public Relations • Edelgard Marquardt
Am Labor 1 • 30900 Wedemark
Tel: +49 (5130) 600-329
Fax: +49 (5130) 600-295
e-Mail: marquare@sennheiser.com
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