An ultrasound system, comprising: an array of transducer elements grouped into element groups, wherein the transducer elements of the array are CMUTs, wherein each CMUT comprises only two electrodes, a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a cavity, and wherein the element groups comprise: a plurality of first element groups having a first orientation; and a plurality of second element groups having a second orientation, different from the first orientation; a set of first conductors with a first conductor shared between elements in each first element group, wherein a first conductor is connected to the first electrode of each element of a first element group, and a set of second conductors with a second conductor shared between elements in each second element group, wherein a second conductor is connected to the second electrode of each element of a second element group; a first plurality of bias voltage circuits (V B); and a second plurality of transmit and receive circuits (T/R); wherein each element group is adapted to be activated for transmission or reception by the application of a bias voltage from a bias voltage circuit and controlled by a transmit and receive circuit, wherein the system is adapted to acquire: first ultrasound data in which the element groups of the array, or the element groups of a sub-array of the element groups, are activated by a bias voltage circuit via a first conductor; and second ultrasound data in which the element groups of the array, or the element groups of a sub-array of the element groups, are activated by a bias voltage circuit via a second conductor. an array of transducer elements grouped into element groups, wherein the transducer elements of the array are CMUTs, wherein each CMUT comprises only two electrodes, a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a cavity, and wherein the element groups comprise: a plurality of first element groups having a first orientation; and a plurality of second element groups having a second orientation, different from the first orientation; a plurality of first element groups having a first orientation; and a plurality of second element groups having a second orientation, different from the first orientation; a set of first conductors with a first conductor shared between elements in each first element group, wherein a first conductor is connected to the first electrode of each element of a first element group, and a set of second conductors with a second conductor shared between elements in each second element group, wherein a second conductor is connected to the second electrode of each element of a second element group; a first plurality of bias voltage circuits (V B); and a second plurality of transmit and receive circuits (T/R); wherein each element group is adapted to be activated for transmission or reception by the application of a bias voltage from a bias voltage circuit and controlled by a transmit and receive circuit, wherein the system is adapted to acquire: first ultrasound data in which the element groups of the array, or the element groups of a sub-array of the element groups, are activated by a bias voltage circuit via a first conductor; and second ultrasound data in which the element groups of the array, or the element groups of a sub-array of the element groups, are activated by a bias voltage circuit via a second conductor. first ultrasound data in which the element groups of the array, or the element groups of a sub-array of the element groups, are activated by a bias voltage circuit via a first conductor; and second ultrasound data in which the element groups of the array, or the element groups of a sub-array of the element groups, are activated by a bias voltage circuit via a second conductor.