Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers, Rooms and Headphones

by Floyd E. Toole, Sean Olive, Todd Welti

Overview

This fourth edition of Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers, Rooms and Headphones, explains the physical and perceptual processes that are involved in sound reproduction, and demonstrates how to use these processes to create high-quality listening experiences in stereo and multichannel formats.

Understanding the principles of sound production is necessary to achieve the goals of sound reproduction in spaces ranging from recording control rooms and home listening rooms to large cinemas. This revised edition includes:

• Sections on two-channel stereo, headphones, binaural listening and DIY multiple-subwoofer solutions to room resonance problems
• Measurable performance guidelines for loudspeaker designers
• Criteria for the selection of timbrally neutral loudspeakers and headphones using industry-standard measurements
• Guidance for how best to employ loudspeakers in stereo and multichannel formats in small rooms with problematic bass resonances
• Advice on identifying and separating the recording and playback factors that influence sound quality and the spatial/enveloping perceptions that contribute to our satisfaction

This is essential reading for loudspeaker designers, recording professionals and educators, and aspiring professionals learning in and out of the classroom, as well as being accessible for audio enthusiasts looking to enrich their hobby.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040426937
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/07/2025
Series:	Audio Engineering Society Presents
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	536

About the Author

Floyd E. Toole PhD. is a retired NRC Canada scientist and VP Acoustical Engineering for Harman International. He has won AES Silver and Gold Medals, CEDIA and ALMA lifetime achievement awards, and the IOA Peter Barnett Memorial Award. He is a Fellow of ASA, past president of AES, in the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame.

Sean Olive PhD. is a Senior Fellow for Harman International. From 1986-1993 he was a research scientist at the National Research Council of Canada. He is a member of the Acoustical Society of America, and a Fellow and past president of the Audio Engineering Society.

Todd Welti holds a Master’s in Acoustics from Aalborg University and has over 24 years of research experience at Harman, earning more than 15 patents. A former acoustical consultant, he has contributed to the industry as an author, CEDIA SME, AES committee member, and educator.

Table of Contents

1. An Overview of the Research 2. A New Standard for Loudspeaker Measurements 3. Perspectives on Sound Production, Recording, and Reproduction 4. Sound Reproduction: Part One—Mono to Stereo 5. Loudspeakers, Rooms, Recordings and Adaptation: Key Factors in What and How We Hear 6. The Perception and Measurement of Reflections 7. Space: A Motivator for More Channels 8. Audio Formats: Part Two—Multichannel Audio 9. The Perceptual and Physical Dimensions of Sound 10. Subjective Measurements: Turning Opinion into Fact 11. Closing the Loop: Predicting Listener Preferences From Measurements 12. Room Acoustics and Acoustical Devices 13. Acoustics: Adjacent-boundary effects 14. Below the Transition Region: Optimizing the Experience 15. Headphones: The Perception and Measurement of Sound Quality 16. Hearing and Hearing Preservation 17. Summary and Conclusions