1. Technical Field
This invention relates to processing of audio source content, and more specifically to processing audio source content to modify acoustic characteristics of an acoustic space in which the audio source content drives loudspeakers.
2. Related Art
Audio source content can be any form of sound, such as a voice or music. Audio source content can be received and converted to electrical signals with any device sensitive to sound waves, such as a microphone. Audio systems can be used to amplify, adjust and transport electrical signals representative of received audio source content. Audio source content can be reproduced with a transducer, such as a loudspeaker, that converts the electrical signals to sound waves.
In general, audio source content is available in the form of either a live performance or a pre-recorded performance. With either recorded performances or live performances, the audio source content inherently includes acoustic characteristics related to the conditions and environment in which the sound was produced during the performance. Such acoustic characteristics include a level of reverberation caused by the acoustic space in which the sound was originally produced. The audio source content may also include a level of reverberation produced by electronic means. When such performances are re-produced in another acoustic space, the acoustic characteristics may be significantly altered by the conditions and environment in which the sound is being reproduced. In addition, when sound is created in an acoustic space or reproduced in an acoustic space, the acoustical characteristics of the acoustic space may have an undesirable effect on the sound.
It is often not convenient or impossible to measure the acoustic characteristics of an acoustic space in order to replicate sound previously generated in the acoustic space. For example, an audio recording of a singer in a concert hall includes acoustic characteristics of that particular concert hall however; access to the concert hall to measure the acoustic characteristics may be difficult. In addition, even with access to the concert hall, replication of the acoustic conditions at the time of the recording (e.g. location of the singer and the microphone, presence of an audience, ambient conditions, etc.) could be quite difficult. Therefore, a need exists to be able to modify an acoustic space with an audio signal so that production or reproduction of the audio signal in the acoustic space imparts desirable acoustic characteristics to the acoustic space or replicates sound production in another acoustic space.