Sound Confining Ability
Our directional speakers use patented technology to confine sound to a specific listening region. The sound produced in the listening region is always five times louder than just a few feet outside this area. This effect is very apparent in an environment in which constant background noise is present. However, it is less apparent in a quieter environment. To understand this difference requires a basic understanding of how the human brain perceives sound.
People perceive volume in a relative, as opposed to an absolute way. Background noise provides a reference against which other sounds are heard and compared. A listener adjusts his/her perception of a sound based on its loudness relative to the reference sound. In a quieter environment, a person’s perception of loudness is actually “turned up” for softer sounds and “turned down” for louder sounds.
In a quiet environment, a great method of appreciating the sound-confining ability of directional audio is by listening remotely using a phone or microphone as another person moves the receiver in and out of the listening region. This works because the listener remains stationary, and thus remains in a constant ambient environment while being exposed to the sounds inside and outside of the listening region. The rule of thumb for maximum sound-confining effect in any environment is to adjust the volume of the directional speaker to a comfortable level, just above the level of ambient sound.