Multiple-level Digital Loudspeaker Array

Abstract

In modern audio systems, the signal path is generally digital in nature, with the notable exception being the analogue loudspeaker. Digital Loudspeaker Arrays (DLA) have been proposed as an alternative approach. Generally, they have a relatively poor acoustic output, as high audio quality requires an impractically large number of speaklets (tiny loudspeakers). We address this limitation by proposing an increase in the number of quantizing levels, thus requiring fewer speaklets. A comprehensive system simulation has demonstrated the feasibility of such a system to produce high quality sound, with a hardware implementation currently being investigated.