The Center for Acoustics and Vibration Engineering at Nagaoka University of Technology in Japan (Nagaoka Tech) recently installed a 41.2-channel 3D speaker system from Genelec, marking a major upgrade for the university.
This university is at the forefront of hearing research. At the heart of Nagaoka Tech is the Center for Acoustics and Vibration Engineering, a research center dedicated to advancing the understanding of sound and its countless applications, and where Genelec smart active monitors play a key role.
Created in 1984, the Center houses an extensive set of resources, including two reverberant chambers, an electromechanical acoustics laboratory and a psychological hearing laboratory. Among its features, the large anechoic chamber is the Center’s flagship, designed to minimize sound reflections and provide an ideal environment for conducting precise acoustic experiments.
The teacher Yasunori Sugita, deputy director of the Center, comments that “we are dedicated to creating immersive sound experiences using a minimum number of speakers. Understanding human auditory perception is paramount, prompting us to explore technologies such as stereophonic sound through bone conduction – to aid navigation for the visually impaired and control of wheelchairs – to localization and recognition. sound. Our students participate in various projects, from localizing sound images outside the head to stereophonic acoustics, with the goal of unraveling the mysteries of sound perception and tackling real-world challenges.
The Acoustic and Vibration Engineering Center has recently installed a 41.2 channel 3D speaker system, which represents a significant improvement for the university. The system is the cornerstone of various research, from the reproduction of sound fields to the remote control of robots using virtual and augmented reality.
Professor Sugita intends to use this technology to create immersive audio environments that reflect real-world scenarios: “Although it is already possible to reproduce visual information three-dimensionally using head-mounted displays, it has not yet been possible to reproduce sound, which is also crucial for remote control. “We wanted to analyze the sound of the space a person is in and then play it in a different space.”
Multichannel 3D speakers
“I’ve been researching stereo sound for a while, and when it comes to measuring head-related transfer functions, I need speakers with completely flat characteristics that I can then easily adjust if necessary. This is why we introduced a multi-channel 3D speaker system that could reproduce the sound field more accurately, and this ultimately led us to Genelec,” he highlights.
Composed of the smart active monitors 8320 and the 7380 subwoofers from Genelec, the system is designed to meet the rigorous demands of the university’s cutting-edge hearing research. “Genelec monitors not only meet our criteria, but also offer the flexibility and ease of calibration essential for our research needs,” says Professor Sugita. “Their scalability and stability, as well as compatibility with RME audio interfaces, make them ideal for the precision needed in our research.”
He GLM speaker management software from Genelec elevates system capabilities by facilitating precise control of individual speakers. “GLM simplifies the calibration process and ensures consistent performance across all channels,” says Professor Sugita. “This level of control is essential for our research, where precision and reliability are paramount.”
User comments echo Professor Sugita’s sentiments, with many expressing admiration for the fidelity and immersive quality of the sound reproduction. «Genelec monitors have exceeded our expectations. Their perfect integration and intuitive handling make them indispensable for this type of research.”
Looking ahead, Sugita plans to deploy the immersive system for in-depth research initiatives such as AudioSpot, whose goal is to offer tailored sound experiences in shared spaces. Thanks to sound localization and audio personalization, this initiative can revolutionize sectors ranging from automotive to entertainment, offering exceptional levels of personalization and immersion. “I know our students will make good use of this Genelec monitoring system for their hearing experiments, and I look forward to seeing how it will contribute to society at large,” concludes Sugita.
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