Topics and Notes Summary (last update 5/6/2008):

DATE COMMENT
  Final grades have been posted to the Banner system as of 11:30AM 5/6/2008.  These should be rolled into the MyInfo system soon.

Final exam summary:

65 Total points %
57.3 avg points 88.2%
65 hi points 100%
46 lo points 71%
60 median 92%
5.8 stdev 9%

Course Grades Histogram:

3 A
5 A-
3 B+
3 B
2 B-
1 C+
0 C
1 C-

Have a great summer, everyone!!

-R.C. Maher

 

May 5 (Monday)

FINAL EXAM:  regular classroom, noon-1:50PM.

The exam format will be similar to the mid-term.  Closed book and closed notes.

 

May 1 (Thurs)

Last day of class:  course wrap-up and review for final exam.

 

Apr. 29 (Tues)

Audio effects based on delay lines.

Handout on digital audio effects.

 

Apr. 24 (Thurs)

Audio electronics:  the audio chain.

Pre-amps, mixers, EQ, effects, power amps.

 

Apr. 22 (Tues)

Audio electronics:  interconnects.

Principles of balanced cables and connectors.

 

Apr. 17 (Thurs)

Loudspeakers

Basic principles and design types.

 

Apr. 15 (Tues)

Microphones

Handouts on transducer principles and microphone examples.

 

Apr. 10 (Thurs)

Begin discussion of electroacoustics.

In-class quiz on room acoustics.

Discuss course/instructor eval form.

Handout on architectural diffusers.

 

Apr. 8 (Tues)

Finish discussion of architectural acoustics

Eval form due at the start of class.

Discuss experimental results from Tuesday.

Sound isolation and attenuation.

 

Apr. 3 (Thurs)

Architectural acoustics (cont.)

HW#1 due at the start of class.

Discuss experimental results from Tuesday.

Sound isolation and attenuation.

Course/instructor evaluation form handed out (due Tuesday).

 

Apr. 1 (Tues)
No Foolin' !

Architectural acoustics (cont.)

 

Meet in Reynolds Recital Hall

Experiments:

  1. background noise level

  2. measure critical distance

  3. evaluate reverberation time at 125, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, and 4k Hz

  4. listening tests

 

Mar. 27 (Thurs)

Architectural acoustics (cont.)

Absorption vs. frequency.

Estimation of reverb time (Sabine equation).

Optimum reverberation characteristics/preferences.

Assignment:  Homework #1 (due at the start of class on April 3)

Mar. 25 (Tues)

Architectural acoustics

Return mid-term exams (average was 28/34).

Direct sound, early reflections, and reverberation.

Reverberation time: room volume and surface absorption.

Reading assignment:  Read chapter 9 in the Backus textbook.

Mar. 20 (Thurs)

Mid-term exam (in class, closed book and notes).

 

Mar. 18 (Tues)

NOTE:  no class this day (instructor out of town).

 

Mar. 11, 13 (Tues and Thurs)

SPRING BREAK (no classes this week)

Mar. 6 (Thurs)

Musical acoustics (cont.)

Review of course to this point:  prepare for mid-term exam.

Mar. 4 (Tues)

Musical acoustics (cont.)

Vocal synthesis using variable bandpass filters.

Overview of conventional music notation.

Mid-term exam will be held in class on Thursday 3/20/08.

Feb. 28 (Thurs)

Musical acoustics (cont.)

Resonance and vocal formants.

Reading assignment:  Read chapters 7 and 8 in the Backus textbook.

Feb. 26 (Tues)

Musical acoustics (cont.)

Scale tunings:  just vs. equal tempered scales.

Analysis and spectrographic representations.

Feb. 21 (Thurs)

Introduction to musical acoustics.

In-class quiz on reading assignment.

Reading assignment:  Read chapter 6 in the Backus textbook.

Feb. 19 (Tues)

Physiology of the ear and auditory demonstrations (cont.)

 

Feb. 14 (Thurs)

In-class quiz on interference and resonance.

Physiology of the ear and auditory demonstrations.

 

Feb. 12 (Tues)

Oscillations and resonance.  Helmholtz resonators.

Reading assignment:  Read chapter 5 in the Backus textbook.

 

Feb. 7 (Thurs)

In-class quiz on wavelength and sound speed.

Demonstration of acoustic wave effects and behavior.

 

Feb. 5 (Tues)

Wave reflection and interference.  Doppler Effect.  Standing waves and sustained oscillations.

 

Jan. 31 (Thurs)

Sound waves and wave propagation.  Speed of sound measurement.

(no quiz this week)

Reading assignment:  Read chapter 4 in the Backus textbook.

 

Jan. 29 (Tues)

EE280 class WILL MEET this day after all.  The previously announced cancellation is repealed.

Sound waves and wave propagation.

Jan. 24 (Thurs)

In-class quiz on basic units and spring systems.

Continued discussion of simple mass-spring systems and basic mass-spring-damper systems.  Begin coverage of wave physics.

A note on energy and power:

One dietetic calorie is 4,187 joules.

A 2000 calorie per day diet corresponds to 2000/24/60/60 = 0.023 calories per second, or (0.023 calories/second)(4,187 joules/calorie) = 96.9 joules/sec, which is 96.9 watts.  Thus, an average human burning 2000 calories per day is using just under 100 watts of power.

Reading assignment:  Read chapter 3 in the Backus textbook.

Jan. 22 (Tues)

Measurement units for distance, time, mass, frequency, force, energy, power, etc.

Vibration in simple mass-spring systems and basic mass-spring-damper systems

 

Jan. 17 (Thurs)

First class meeting at 1:10PM in Howard Hall Room 117.

Course introduction and some listening experiments.

Reading assignment:  Read chapters 1 and 2 in the Backus textbook.