The acoustic emission of a distributed mode loudspeaker near a porous layer

Experimental and theoretical modeling of the vibro-acoustic performance of a distributed mode loudspeaker (DML) suggest that their acoustic emission can be significantly affected by the presence of a porous layer. The amplitude of the surface velocity of the panel and the acoustic pressure on the porous surface are reduced largely in the vicinity of structural resonances due to the additional radiation damping and visco-thermal absorption phenomenon in the porous layer. The experimental results suggest that a porous layer between a rigid base and a DML panel can considerably alter its acoustic emission in the near field and in the far field. This is illustrated by a reduction in the level of fluctuations in the emitted acoustic pressure spectra. These fluctuations are normally associated with the interference between the sound emitted by the front surface of the speaker and that emitted from the back. Another contribution comes from the pronounced structural resonances in the surface velocity spectrum. The results of this work suggest that the acoustic boundary conditions near a DML can be modified by the porous layer so that a desired acoustic output can be attained.