System for photoacoustic inspection of an object, the system comprising: - a broadband emission source configured to generate an emission beam (315 1,..., 315 N); - a direction apparatus connected to the broadband emission source, the direction apparatus comprising N spectrum splitters (340 1,..., 340 N) each configured to split the emission beam into at least a first and a second component (345 1,..., 345 M) having a different wavelength, N being a natural number exceeding one, wherein the direction apparatus is configured to sequentially direct the first component to N first locations (15 11,..., 15 N1) on the object at N times to generate N first acoustic waves within the object, wherein the N first locations and N times are such that the N first acoustic waves at least semi-constructively interfere to generate a first propagating acoustic wave (20 1) within the object, wherein the direction apparatus is configured to sequentially direct the second component to N second locations (15 M1,..., 15 MM) on the object at said N times to generate N second acoustic waves within the object, wherein the N second locations and N times are such that the N second acoustic waves at least semi-constructively interfere to generate a second propagating acoustic wave (20 M) within the object, the first N locations and the second N locations being different from one another, each of the N spectrum splitters corresponding to respective ones of the N first and second locations, wherein the direction apparatus comprises routing means configured to sequentially direct the emission beam from the broadband emission source to one of the N spectrum splitters; and - a vibration sensing system configured to detect the first propagating acoustic wave at a first detection location (25 1) on the object and to detect the second propagating acoustic wave at a second detection location (25 M) on the object. - a broadband emission source configured to generate an emission beam (315 1,..., 315 N); - a direction apparatus connected to the broadband emission source, the direction apparatus comprising N spectrum splitters (340 1,..., 340 N) each configured to split the emission beam into at least a first and a second component (345 1,..., 345 M) having a different wavelength, N being a natural number exceeding one, wherein the direction apparatus is configured to sequentially direct the first component to N first locations (15 11,..., 15 N1) on the object at N times to generate N first acoustic waves within the object, wherein the N first locations and N times are such that the N first acoustic waves at least semi-constructively interfere to generate a first propagating acoustic wave (20 1) within the object, wherein the direction apparatus is configured to sequentially direct the second component to N second locations (15 M1,..., 15 MM) on the object at said N times to generate N second acoustic waves within the object, wherein the N second locations and N times are such that the N second acoustic waves at least semi-constructively interfere to generate a second propagating acoustic wave (20 M) within the object, the first N locations and the second N locations being different from one another, each of the N spectrum splitters corresponding to respective ones of the N first and second locations, wherein the direction apparatus comprises routing means configured to sequentially direct the emission beam from the broadband emission source to one of the N spectrum splitters; and - a vibration sensing system configured to detect the first propagating acoustic wave at a first detection location (25 1) on the object and to detect the second propagating acoustic wave at a second detection location (25 M) on the object.