Abstract: An arrayable loudspeaker system having a horn-loaded high frequency compression driver and a low frequency cone driver radiates acoustic energy from a focal point in a polar radiation pattern having amplitude and phase and includes a signal conditioning circuit for amplitude equalization and phase correction. The horn of the system's horn-loaded compression driver is designed in cooperation with the signal conditioning circuit such that the focal point of the loudspeaker system is substantially frequency independent over the operating frequency range of the loudspeaker system and such that over this operating frequency range the loudspeaker's focal point remains substantially fixed in space. Any two or more of such loudspeaker systems can be arrayed by aligning them in respect to their frequency independent focal points and by rotating the loudspeakers about an axis passing through the aligned focal points to obtain a desired coverage.

Abstract: An acoustical transmitting system and method for producing a narrow beam of acoustic energy over a broadband operating frequency range utilizes a parabolic reflector dish, a horn-loaded compression driver for directing acoustic energy toward the dish's reflecting surface, and a low frequency driver mounted behind a central aperture in the dish for producing acoustic energy that combines and interacts with the reflected acoustic energy produced by the horn-loaded compression driver. An input signal processing circuit is provided to condition the audio signal to the horn-loaded compression driver and the low frequency driver to achieve on-axis gain and off-axis cancellations at low frequencies. The addition of the low frequency driver to the reflector dish system effectively extends the ability of the system to produce and transmit acoustic energy in a narrow distribution pattern at frequencies below 1000 Hz using a four foot diameter dish.