Master Handbook of Acoustics, Sixth Edition, 6th Edition

CHAPTER 9

Diffusion

To make their calculations easier, theorists often assume a completely diffuse sound field, one that is isotropic and homogeneous. That is, a sound field where at any point, sound can arrive from any direction, and a field that is the same throughout the room. In practice, that rarely occurs, especially in small rooms. Instead, as we plainly hear every day, the characteristics of sound are markedly different throughout most rooms. In some cases, directionality is welcome, because it may, for example, help a listener localize the source of the sound. In most room designs, diffusion is used to more effectively distribute sound ...