Abstract:
A compact portable spatial array sound reproduction system employs a plurality of identical speakers coupled to a mechanical assembly that situates the speakers at a known, fixed distance from each other as well as a central listening point. The speakers can be coupled to a multi-channel amplifier that can be controlled in various known ways to reproduce a desired acoustic experience. The mechanical assembly is designed to be easily assembled and disassembled to permit transport of the system from location to location resulting in the reproduction of the identical acoustic experiences at different locations spaced in time. The system can be employed to standardize the acoustic characteristics of different venues so that uniform aural experiences can be shared simultaneously or sequentially by people at different locations.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application is related to and claims all available benefit to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/679,880 filed May 11, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Technical Field  
         [0003]     The present disclosure relates to multi-channel sound systems and to apparatus for producing a sound field that can be substantially independent from the acoustical effects of the playback room or environment. Such systems are well suited for producing repeatable and consistent sound fields for auralizing the characteristics of any selected venue at a second venue. As used herein, the term “auralizing” is intended to mean the process or method of rendering audible, by physical or mathematical modeling, the sound field of a source in a space, in such a way as to simulate the binaural listening experience at a given position in a modeled or another space.  
         [0004]     2. Related Art  
         [0005]     A widely accepted professional standard for speaker placement for multi-channel sound reproduction is the ITU-R BS.775-1. The standard identifies a few well-known points including the positioning of the reference listening point at the center of an imaginary circle having a radius between 2 m and 4 m (min. and max. radius defined in the ITU-R BS.1116-1 recommendation). According to the standard, a center speaker should be placed at a zero-angle reference position directly ahead of the listening point. There should be 60° between the front left and right speakers, with the center speaker in the middle. Both rear speakers should be placed within 100° to 120° from the zero-angle reference position, also known as the center line. If more than two rear speakers are used, they should be symmetrically placed between 60° and 150° from the center line. The acoustical axis of the front speakers—as defined by the speakers&#39; manufacturer—should be approximately at the listener&#39;s ear height. The height of the rear speakers may be less critical and an inclination of up to 15° can generally be accepted. The standard also recommends that each of the five speakers be positioned more than 1.1 m from any wall located behind the speaker. Any variations in deployment of the speakers may affect the aural perception of the sound produced by the set of speakers.  
         [0006]     Commercial surround sound systems are often installed at wide variance to this standard. Often the speakers selected for the various positions vary widely in sound reproduction characteristics. Small, even insignificant, variations in the sounds produced by such surround sound systems may be undetectable by the ordinary listener, but are very evident to the trained ear of a sound engineer. Special listening rooms have been constructed to permit the evaluation of various audio components or program materials by sound engineers. It has been observed, however, that various listening rooms have differing characteristics that affect the resulting sound field and different evaluations of sound components can result merely from the movement of the same component from listening room to listening room. It has also been observed that listening rooms of the same general design can have differing characteristics, due to construction and material variations, that affect the resulting sound field. This lack of listening room uniformity presents problems for audio system engineers in component design and standards compliance. The acoustic differences in the various listening rooms may be attributable to the differences in wall placement and covering as well as many other factors.  
         [0007]     In many regards, it would be desirable to be able to make professional listening rooms acoustically identical so that component designs could be more objectively assessed. This is particularly true of circumstances where evaluations of components or program materials may take place in different cities or countries. Such acoustically identical listening rooms could then be used as a consistent reference system to create “anchors” for various levels of audio system quality. It would also be desirable to be able to modify the acoustic character of such listening rooms in a purposeful way using digital signal processing to achieve, if desired, reproduction of the spatial characteristics of known venues such as various cathedrals, night clubs, stadiums, concert halls, automobiles, home theatres, studios, etc. It would also be desirable to be able to consistently reproduce multiple directional sound cues around listeners located in different rooms, automobiles, buildings, or even countries, so that a common acoustic experience could be assured at different locations, either simultaneously or spaced in time. It would also be desirable to provide systems capable of consistently reproducing multiple directional sound that faithfully reproduced the “sound room” quality in rather restricted environments such as home theaters, game rooms, home offices, and the like.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     Accordingly, a compact spatial array sound reproduction system employs a plurality of identical speakers coupled to a mechanical assembly that situates the speakers at known, fixed distance from each other as well as a central listening point. The speakers can be coupled to a standard surround sound reproduction system. The speakers can also be coupled to a multi-channel signal processing amplifier that can be controlled in various known ways to reproduce a desired acoustic experience. The mechanical assembly can be permanently installed in a single location. The assembly can also be designed to be easily assembled and disassembled to permit transport of the system from location to location resulting in the reproduction of the identical acoustic experiences at different locations spaced in time. The mechanical assembly can be designed to have minimal interference or reflective character so that its acoustic impact on the sound field developed by the speakers may be insignificant.  
         [0009]     The assembly can employ a plurality of spacing elements coupled together at prescribed locations. The assembly can be provided with a plurality of hinges that allow the spacing elements to be folded one on another into a compact package for easy transport from location to location. Other coupling means can be employed such as plug, bayonet, or even screw connections between the spacing elements. The spacing elements can be supported by vertical standards that couple to the spacing elements. The spacing elements and the vertical standards can be adjustable in length. The vertical standards can be used to support the spacing elements with respect to any underlying surface such as a floor or desk top. The vertical standards can also be used to suspend the spacing elements from a ceiling or other overhead structure. The spacing elements can include all the wiring necessary to couple the speakers to the amplifier outputs as well as jacks to facilitate the connection between the wiring and the speakers. The jacks can be located so as to position speakers at the standard ITU angles around a central listening position, but can also be included at other locations. The radial separation of the speakers from the central listening position can be smaller than the ITU standard to facilitate the use of near-field monitoring techniques.  
         [0010]     Each speaker can be designed to couple directly to the spacing elements with mating connectors, including banana jacks, in the vicinity of one of the hinges. The mechanical coupling between the speaker and the spacing elements can be sufficient to immobilize the hinge. Additional hinge immobilization elements can be employed. The speakers preferably have an enclosure volume of no less than about 0.5 liter. The speakers can also have a sound reproduction range of at least 80 Hz to 20 kHz, and a power handling capability of at least 15 Watts. A suitable speaker that can be used in the present system is an Odyssey Warrior manufactured by Harman International. Other speakers or speaker assemblies, of comparable performance characteristics can also be employed. Low frequency responsive speakers can also be added to the system, if desired. The speakers can be coupled to the outputs of a multi-channel signal processing amplifier such as a Harman Kardon model AVR 630. Other DSP amplifiers can be used that have at least comparable sound reproduction and control characteristics. The speaker assembles can also be beneficially used with other amplifier systems to achieve satisfactory, if not optimal, sound reproduction capabilities to enhance the listening experience of the ordinary listener, particularly in home theatre or game station situations. In another embodiment, the spacing elements can also be used to house and enclose the speaker drivers, The spacing elements can be constructed from plastic tubing that fits together to form an array of various dimensions with speaker locations as needed to suit various specific requirements including non-standard azimuths and elevations.  
         [0011]     Using such a portable spatial array sound reproduction system, a sound engineer can minimize acoustic reflections and resonances to produce a sound field that may be substantially independent from the acoustical effects of the playback room or other environment in which the system may be installed. Therefore, the acoustical characteristics recorded into a signal source can better be demonstrated without the added effects caused by the playback environment and boundaries. Also, the system can be used as a means to consistently reproduce an acoustic sound field for purposes of listener training and testing, subjective referencing for evaluations, mixing/mastering, and other activities. Such a portable system can be used by a sound engineer to mimic the acoustic characteristics of any venue in which it may be installed. Preferably, the direct acoustic energy should be more than 10 dB higher in level than the early reflected acoustic energy that occurs within 10 ms and more than 20 dB higher in level than the reflected acoustic energy that occurs after 15 ms. This can be determined by measuring the impulse response of each speaker with a microphone located at the listener&#39;s position.  
         [0012]     Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be, or become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of, and be protected by, the following claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The present system can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the system. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a multi-channel surround sound amplifier that can be used in a spatial array sound reproduction system.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of a representative spatial array sound reproduction system.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view of another spatial array sound reproduction system.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a single tubular element that can be used to construct the spatial arrays shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a single tubular end element that can be used to construct the spatial array shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view of the set of tubular elements such as are shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  that can be used to construct the spatial arrays shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the tubular elements being folded together for ease of transport between venues.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view of a portion of the set of tubular elements shown in  FIG. 6 , the elements having been unfolded to form a planar array for use in the spatial array sound reproduction systems of  FIG. 2  or  3 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is an elevation view of a portion of a set of tubular elements immediately prior to connection to a supporting standard.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of the junction between the tubular element and standard of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of an alternate junction between a tubular element of the array and another type of vertical standard.  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a detail plan view of a hinged junction between two of the tubular elements forming a planar array.  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  is a schematic illustration of a connection between the tubular elements and a speaker.  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a representative spatial array sound reproduction system installed on a desk.  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a representative spatial array sound reproduction system installed as a suspended array.  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of another representative spatial array sound reproduction system installed on a desk suitable for use in connection with a gaming computer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0029]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a multi-channel surround sound source  100  that can include an analog input stage  102 . The analog input stage  102  can include any number of input channels, but typically includes at least two stereo channels (left and right), suitable for accepting an analog signal from a radio or television tuner, a CD, MP3, tape player, or other similar device. The analog input stage  102  can also include an analog to digital converter  104  for converting the signals in each input channel to a digital format to permit digital signal processing methods to be used on the input signals. The sound source  100  can also include a digital input receiver  106  that can be designed to accept digital signals (via SPDIF, AES/EBU) directly from various sources  105  such as a CD or DVD player, cable, satellite, game box, computer, or other similar device with discrete digital signals. Signals output from either or both of the A/D converter  104  and receiver  106  can be fed into a digital signal processing decoder  108  that can include any number of basic conventional commercial decoders  110  such as Dolby® Digital (AC-3), DTS (389r2) as well as others. The output of the signal processing decoder  108  can be directed to a digital signal processing control section  112 . The control section  112  can include specific preset processing functional aids  114  to provide for dynamic equalization, delays, mixing, and feedbacks leading to a multilevel surround output that can be fed to a first multi-channel digital to analog converter  116 . The control section  112  can also connected to a further control section  118  that includes user interface controls  120  and set buss commands  122  for developing a second multilevel surround output that can be fed to a second multi-channel digital to analog converter  124 . A multi-channel power amplifier  126  can amplify the analog outputs of the converters  116  and  124  to achieve a suitable signal for driving a set of speakers  18 .  
         [0030]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show schematic plan views of spatial array sound reproduction systems  10 . Each system  10  includes at least one sound source, which can be a pre-amplified signal that may be output from a radio, television, record turn table, CD player, tape player, I-pod, computer, or other similar device, but preferably the sound source  100  described previously. The sound source generally has suitable controls, such as the user interface controls  120 , to permit a sound engineer or other individual situated at position X shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  to control each output of the power amplifier  126 . Each of the outputs can be coupled to one of the speakers  18 . For example, a center channel output can be connected to speaker  18 CF. Front side outputs can be connected to speakers  18 LF and  18 RF, respectively. Side outputs can be connected to speakers  18 LS and  18 RS, respectively. Base outputs can be connected to one or more subwoofer speakers, such as speakers  28 L and  28 R. The spatial array of the system  10  situates the speakers  18  at fixed distances from each other. In both  FIGS. 2 and 3 , speaker  18 CF is situated directly in front of the listener situated at position X, and the line between speaker  18 CF and position X can be considered as the zero-angle reference position, and also defines the center line  20 . When used in connection with a visual output device such as a computer screen, as shown in  FIG. 13 , or a television screen as shown in  FIG. 14 , the speaker  18 CF can be positioned in line with, or directly above, the center of the visual output device. Speakers  18 LF and  18 RF are shown in both  FIGS. 2 and 3  to be situated at 30° left and 30° right, respectively, of the center line  20 , which may be angularly in accordance with the speaker placement standards for multi-channel sound reproduction specified in the ITU-R BS.775-1. The left and right angular displacement of the speaker  18 LF and  18 RF can vary between about 25° and 35°, but the angular displacement is desirably consistent from system to system where exact audio reproduction is desired.  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 2 , the speakers  18 LS and  18 RS are positioned at 111° left and 111° right, respectively, of the center line  20 . In  FIG. 3 , the speakers  18 LS and  18 RS are positioned at 120° left and 120° right, respectively, of the center line  20 . The systems of both  FIGS. 2 and 3  include some additional intermediate locations  22 L,  22 R,  24 L, and  24 R where other speakers could be added to the system, if desired.  FIG. 3  also includes the additional end locations  26 L and  26 R where still further speakers could be added to the system  10 . Alternatively the speakers  18 LS and  18 RS can be moved to the end locations  26 L and  26 R, respectively. In general the left and right angular displacement of speakers  18 LS and  18 RS can vary between about 105° and 140°, but the angular displacement is desirably consistent from system to system where exact audio reproduction is desired.  
         [0032]     All of the speakers  18  can be located at a distance R from the position X of the listener, where R is generally between about 0.5 m and 1.5 m, which is considerably closer than the range given in the ITU-R BS.1116-1 recommendation. The distance R to all speakers  18  of a given system can be identical. The outside diameter D of the system  10  can be between about 1 m and 3 m. In the system in  FIG. 13 , the outside diameter D was constructed to be about 1.2 m so that the radius R was about 0.6 m, thus allowing the listener situated at position X to employ near-field monitoring techniques. Further, the speakers  18  should be positioned away from any adjacent wall by a distance S that is greater than R, so that reflection contributions to the sound being monitored at position X may be minimized. Optional sub-woofers  28 L and  28 R can also be added to the system if desired, and can be located at positions other than that illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The speakers  18  can be identical to each other, while the subwoofer speakers  28  can be of a different design from speakers  18 .  
         [0033]     The positions of the speakers  18  relative to the listener, and relative to each other, can be dictated by a mechanical coupling  30 . The mechanical coupling  30  can be designed to have minimal interference or reflective character so that the acoustic impact on the sound field developed by the speakers  18  may be insignificant. The mechanical coupling  30  can include a plurality of intermediate spacing elements  32  as well as end spacing elements  34  as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , respectively. The spacing elements  32  and  34  forming the mechanical coupling  30  can be formed of hollow rigid members such as metal or plastic tubing, which can have any desirable cross-sectional shape. Adjacent spacing elements  32  and  34  can be joined to each other by end structures  36  including releasable portions enabling the system  10  to be easily assembled and disassembled for transport from one location to another location. The end structures  36  can include a hinge so that the mechanical coupling  30  can be folded into a stack as shown in  FIG. 5 . The spacing elements  32  and  34  desirably have a uniform length L, which will be determined at least in part by the overall dimension D selected for the system  10 . The length L adopted for the systems illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  13  can be about 0.6 m. The length L adopted for the system illustrated in  FIG. 14  will generally be greater than 0.6 m to permit more than one person to occupy a position in the immediate vicinity of the central position X. The spacing elements  32  and  34  can include a medial bend  38 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , which in the illustrated system defines an included angle α of 150°. This medial bend  38  could be replaced by suitable end structures  36  that provided a suitable angular displacement for the spacing elements  32  and  34 .  
         [0034]     The mechanical coupling  30  that includes hinges at the end structures  36  can be easily deployed by unfolding the stack shown in  FIG. 6  in the manner shown by the arrows A in  FIG. 7 . C-shaped locking channel members  40  can be used to secure the spacing elements  32  and  34  in a coplanar relation to each other at a generally horizontal attitude. A plurality of standards  42  can be provided to support the mechanical coupling  30 . As generally indicated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , each standard  42  can include a plate member  44  that can be fixed in spaced relation to the end  46  of the standard  42 . The spacing between the plate member  44  and end  46  can be sufficient to receive the tubing wall defining the spacing elements  32  and/or  34  opposite a hinge  36 . Additional extension members  48  can be added to the ends  50  of the standards  42  opposite end  46  to permit the mechanical coupling to be suitably position vertically in generally planar alignment with the head of the listener located at position X. The vertical displacement of the speakers  18  supported by the mechanical coupling  30  may be no more than about ±15°, and the vertical angular displacement is desirably consistent from system to system where exact audio reproduction is desired.  
         [0035]     Alternatively, each standard  42  can include a U-shaped channel member  43  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The U-shaped channel member  43  can be fixed to the upper end of each standard  42  and have two upstanding arms  45  separated from each other by a dimension designed to receive one of the spacing elements  32  or  34  of the mechanical coupling  30 . A hole  47  can be provided in each of the upstanding arms  45 . Additional holes  49  can be provided at designated points along the spacing elements  32  and  34 . A clevis pin, bolt, screw or other fastener  51  can pass though the holes  47  and  49  to couple the upstanding arms  45  to the spacing element  32  or  34  that can be received in the U-shaped channel member  43 .  
         [0036]     Each of the spacing elements  32  and  34  can contain wiring  52  suitable to connect the amplifier outputs  16  to the speakers  18  through jacks  54  as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . The jacks  54  can be arranged in pairs so that each speaker  18  can be connected to the contained wiring  52  within the spacing elements  32  and  34  by engagement of two jacks  54 . In the case of the intermediate spacing elements  32 , one jack  54  can be situated adjacent to each end  56 . In the case of the end spacing elements  34 , a single jack  54  can be provided adjacent the end  56  having a hinge or other end structure connection to an adjacent intermediate spacing element  32 . At the terminal end  58  of the end spacing elements  34 , a pair of jacks  54  can be provided as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0037]     A representative speaker  18 , shown in  FIG. 12 , has an enclosure  60  having two protruding prongs  62  that can be engaged in the jacks  54  on opposite sides of an end structure  36  joining two adjacent spacing elements  32  and  34 . The speaker enclosure  60 , which preferably has a contained volume of between about 0.5 and 1.5 liters, can be secured to the spacing elements by fasteners  64  in the nature of screws or bolts. Where the speakers  18  are employed at the junction of two spacing elements, the use of locking channel members  40  can be omitted since the speaker enclosure  60  when secured by fasteners  64  will ensure that the contiguous spacing elements will be retained in a fixed orientation with respect to each other. The speakers  18  can be any of a wide variety of speakers, however all the speakers  18  secured to the spacing elements of a given mechanical structure  30  should be as consistent in performance as possible. For example, the speaker enclosures  60  can include a multi-transducer grouping, and the amplifier  12  can include suitable controls for adjusting the output of each transducer within the multi-transducer grouping. The speakers  18  are desirably consistent from system to system where exact audio reproduction is desired. The speakers  18  desirably have a substantially flat sound reproduction range from 80 Hz to 20 kHz, and a power handling capability of at least about 15 Watts. By using the same speaker design at all locations, the amplitude and phase characteristics of each speaker&#39;s sound filed is the same. This provides a more coherent sound field which improves the spatial sound reproduction aspects of the sound field therefore improving the transparency and naturalness of the reproduced sound.  
         [0038]     One possible spatial array sound reproduction system  10  that could be used by sound engineers, computer gamers, and others is shown in  FIG. 13 . A mechanical assembly  30  can be provided that can be supported by, and may be coupled to, a desk  66 . A television or computer screen  68  can be centrally situated on the desk  66  immediately below speaker  18 CF. The mechanical assembly  30  includes spacing elements  32  and  34  that situate the other speakers  18 LS,  18 LF,  18 RF and  18 RS at known, fixed distance from each other as well as a central listening point located above a front edge  70  of the desk  66 . The speakers  18  can be coupled to a multi-channel amplifier  12  of standard surround sound reproduction system or a multi-channel signal processing amplifier that can be controlled in various known ways to reproduce a desired acoustic experience. Vertical standards  42  can be coupled to the spacing elements  32  and  34 , and can be coupled to the desk  66  to support the speakers  18  at a desired height, which can be adjustable to accommodate stature differences among listeners.  
         [0039]     The vertical standards closest to the screen  68  can be omitted by supporting the spacing elements  32  on the screen  68 . In such an installation, it may be desirable to include at least some magnetic shielding adjacent to the speakers  18  so as to not cause interference with the operation of the screen  68 . A single subwoofer speaker  28  is shown to be situated under the desk  66 , however, any number of subwoofer speakers can be included in the system. It will be appreciated that the height of the desk  66  can be designed for use with a chair, not shown, or could be design to be used by a listener who may be standing rather than sitting. The desk  66  can be a standard permanent desk design, or a portable desk designed for easy assembly and disassembly, similar to the previously described mechanical assembly  30 , so that the entire system  10  shown in  FIG. 13  can be transferred from location to location to ensure accurate sound reproduction in a variety of locations thereby auralizing the characteristics of any selected venue at a second venue.  
         [0040]     For example, a portable spatial array sound reproduction system  10  such as that shown in  FIG. 13  can be positioned at a selected venue of interest and the sound characteristics of the venue matched by suitable modification of the various gain controls of the amplifier system  12 . The system  10  can then be moved to any other location and the controls returned to the levels matching the venue of interest with assurance that the sound produced by the system  10  will match the sound produced at the venue of interest. Additionally, the information concerning the various gain control levels can be communicated to others having a similar system  10  to permit the recipient to also reproduce the sound characteristics of the venue of interest. If the second location to which the system  10  is moved also has a resident sound system, it is even conceivable that one could calibrate the resident sound system of the second location to inherently have the sound characteristics of the venue of interest using the portable system  10  as a calibration standard.  
         [0041]      FIG. 14  shows another possible spatial array sound reproduction system  10  that could be used for sound evaluation training, or in a home theatre installation, and other similar situations. A mechanical assembly  30  can be provided that can be suspended from a ceiling  72  by the vertical standards  42 , which could be adjustable manually or automatically to change in height. Preferably, the vertical position of the speakers  18  should be such that the angular elevation of the speakers is not more than about 20° above the horizontal plane of the listener&#39;s ear level. A visual presentation screen  68  can be situated adjacent to a wall  74  of the room above a console  76  that can contain one or more subwoofers  28 . A seating location  78 , which may be designed to accommodate more than one person, may be provided in line with the visual presentation screen  68  and the speaker  18 CF mounted on the assembly  30 . The mechanical assembly  30  can include spacing elements  32  and  34  that situate the other speakers  18 LS,  18 LF,  18 RF and  18 RS at known, fixed distance from each other as well as the seating location  78 . The speakers  18  can be coupled to a multi-channel amplifier  12  of standard surround sound reproduction system or a multi-channel signal processing amplifier that can also be situated in the console  76  and controlled in various known ways to reproduce a desired acoustic experience. The speakers  18  can all be spaced from the walls  74  by a distance that may be greater than the distance between the speakers  18  and the seating location  78  to minimize any reflection, diffraction or other interference with the direct sound field information from the speakers  18 . Using the calibration information developed at a venue of interest as described in the previous paragraph, a sound system  10  located in a playback venue as shown in  FIG. 14  can be adjusted to reproduce the same sound characteristics. Additionally, the suitable gain control level information necessary to reproduce the sound characteristics of a musical selection recorded at such a venue of interest can be provided as a part of the reproduced recording or broadcast so that a suitable adjustment of the controls of the sound system of the playback venue can occur automatically, thereby facilitating simultaneous reproduction of the sound characteristics of a venue of interest at a number of different locations.  
         [0042]      FIG. 15  shows another possible spatial array sound reproduction system  10  that could be used in connection with a gaming computer, or for sound evaluation training, or in other situations. A mechanical assembly  30  can be provided that can be supported by the computer screen  68 , and may be coupled to desk  66 . The computer screen  68  can be centrally situated on the desk  66  so that the computer screen supports speakers  18 CF  18 LF and  18 RF. In such an installation, it may be desirable to include at least some magnetic shielding adjacent to the speakers  18  so as to not cause interference with the operation of the screen  68 . The mechanical assembly  30  can also include spacing elements  32  and  34  forming a part of the desk  66  that situate other speakers  18 LS and  18 RS at known, fixed distance from each other as well as a central listening point located above a front edge  70  of the desk  66 . Additional speakers such as rear speaker  18 RR can be positioned at a spaced location behind the listener or game player to further enhance the surround sound experience. The speakers  18  can be coupled to a multi-channel amplifier  12  of standard surround sound reproduction system or a multi-channel signal processing amplifier that can be controlled, by a gaming computer or other computer in various known ways to reproduce a desired acoustic experience. Vertical standards  42  can be coupled to the spacing elements  32  and  34 , and can be coupled to the desk  66  to support the speakers  18  at a desired height, which can be adjustable to accommodate stature differences among listeners or game players. A subwoofer speaker  28  can be situated under the desk  66 , however any number of subwoofer speakers can be included in the system. It will be appreciated that the height of the desk  66  can be designed for use with a chair, not shown, or could be design to be used by a listener or game player who may be standing rather than sitting.  
         [0043]     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.