REPUBBLICA ITALIANA

DIPARTIMENTO
DI INGEGNERIA INDUSTRIALE

Ing. Angelo Farina

PROFESSORE ASSOCIATO
Dottore di Ricerca in Fisica Tecnica
Cod.Fisc. FRNNGL58P25G337F
------------------------------------------------------------

I-43100 PARMA Parco Area delle Scienze, 181/A

Tel. +39 - 0521 - 905701 Fax. +39 - 0521 - 905705
P.IVA: IT 00308780345
C.F.: 00308780345

Abitazione: Viale Duca Alessandro n 8 - 43100 PARMA

Tel. (+39) 0521 207718 Fax. (+39) 178 2208484
HTTP://pcfarina.eng.unipr.it
E-MAIL: farina@pcfarina.eng.unipr.it

Anechoic measurement of the polar plots

of a Soundfield ST-250 B-format microphone
This brief document contains the results of a verification test made on a Soundfield St-250,
connected to its own preamplifier / power supply.
The measurements were made in an anechoic chamber (m 4 x 3 x 2.5), with a cutoff frequency of
185 Hz. The sound source was a Quested F11P studio monitor, powered with a Crown K1 amplifier.
Figure 1 show the microphone in the anechoic chamber.
The measuring system was a Notebook PC (Dell Inspiron 8000, Pentium III 1 GHz) equipped with
a professional sound board (Digigram VX-pocket 2), working at 48 kHz, 24 bit resolution. The
rotating table was an Outline ST-1, driven directly from the right analog output of the VXpocket
board.
The measurement software was Aurora v. 3.2 (www.ramsete.com/aurora). The test signal was
MLS, order 15. Each measured impulse response was truncated at 4096 samples. An average of 8
sequences was computed at each angular step. The angular resolution was 5.
After the measurements were made, for each microphone output pair (WX, WY, WZ) a 24-bit,
stereo WAV file was saved, containing the sequence of measured IRs. These files were later postprocessed by means of the software Spectra Lab. V.4.32.16 (www.soundtechnology.com), by means
of a sliding window of 4096 point, and re-computation of the octave-band spectra from each FFT
block. The sequence of 72 spectra were automatically saved in an ASCII text file, from which they
were read and imported in Microsoft Excel, which was employed for plotting the directivity patterns.
The amplitude of channel W was re-aligned with that of channels XYZ, multiplying the measured
pressure values by 1.414. Thus pressure and velocity are plotted on the same scale, and their values
should be the same for the incidence of maximum sensitivity of each velocity pattern.
Furthermore, the scale of the three polar plots, at the same frequency, were held unvaried. This
means that the polar plots can be superposed, at each frequency.
The last three pages contain the directivity plots, measured in 8 octave bands, for the three channel
pairs (WX, WY and WZ), obtained by separate measurements. The WZ measurement required to
remount the microphone on the rotating board, so that at O position it was pointing toward the source.
The test was performed on 18 September 2001 in the laboratory of the University of Parma.

Fig. 1 The Soundfield St-250 and the loudspeaker, in the WX and WY mounting mode.

The measurement procedure is briefly documented by figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 show CoolEditPro
during the phase of simultaneous playback and recording. The upper stereo waveform, which is being
played during the measurement contains 72x8 repetitions of the MLS15 signal on its left channel. Its
right channel contains instead the rectangular pulse, at the end of each group of 8 repetitions, which is
employed for giving the TTL pulse to the rotating table.
The lower stereo waveform is instead the recorded signal coming from the microphone outputs
(W and X, in this case). It is quite evident how the W signal was constant, while the table was rotating,
and instead X is changing significantly, although it never goes to zero as in theory it should be.
The measured raw data sequence is then subjected to deconvolution, and this way a sequence of
72 impulse responses are obtained, as shown in fig. 3. It is quite evident, in this figure, that W always
stays very similar, whilst X changes amplitude and polarity during the rotation.
After the deconvoled set of impulse responses was obtained and saved to disk, it was re-processed
through SpectraLab, producing the multiple spectrum, in octave bands, which was employed for
drawing the polar plots.

Fig. 2 raw signals being played and recorded WX measurement

Fig. 3 set of 72 deconvolved impulse responses WX measurement

125 Hz
350355
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190185

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105

190185

175170

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1.2

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75

0.4

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265

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260

Pressure
Velocity

100

255

175170

340
335
330
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320
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0.8

20

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75
0.2

275
0

Pressure
Velocity

105

190185

180

175170

110
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165160

355
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2.5

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Pressure
Velocity

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105

195190

185

180

175170

165

110
115
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125
130
135
140
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160

10 15

0.8

25

30

35
40
45

0.7

50
55
60
65
70

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3

285

20

75

0.2

80

0.1

85

270

95
105

165

0.9

280

100

175170

355 1

275

260
255

345350

85
90

180

90

80

265

185

85

265

340
335
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50
55
60
65
70

0.6

195190

75

270

250
245
240
235
230
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215
210
205
200

40

285

250
245
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210
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0.15

255

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

45

270

50
55
60
65
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0.2

16000 Hz
10 15

280

45

0.1

8000 Hz
5

40

260

105

35

0.25

285

85

355
345350 1.2

30

0.3

95

275

180

25

100

280

185

10 15
20

260

80

195190

265

0.2

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200

0.35

270

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
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35

1.4

280

355
0.4

4000 Hz
10 15
20

1.6

285

175170

0.05

2000 Hz
355
345350 1.8

180

1000 Hz

250
245
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235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

110
115
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125
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155
165160

Pressure
Velocity

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

255

105

190185

90
95

280

95

85

100

275

265

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

80
0

260

85
90

75

265

80

270

50
55
60
65
70

0.1

285

75

275

45

0.05

350
340345
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

45

0.05

40

0.15

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

40

285

35

255

35

0.15

30

0.2

ST250 (PR) - WX
10 15
20

25

0.25

270

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

500 Hz

10 15
20

0.3

275
Pressure
Velocity

105

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

280

85

0.35

285

80

0.02

270

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

355
345350 0.4

110
115
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155
160

Pressure
Velocity

90

265

95

260

100

255
250
245
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235
230
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220
215
210
205
200

105

195190

185

180

175170

165

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

Pressure
Velocity

125 Hz
350355
340345
0.14
335
330
325
0.12
320
315
0.1
310
305
0.08
300
295
290

250 Hz
10 15
20

25

30

35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70

0.06

285

75

0.04

280
275

90

265

95

260

100

255

190185

180

175170

350
340345
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

355
0.25

25

30

0.2

50
55
60
65
70

0.1

280

260

100

255

Pressure
Velocity

180

105

190185

175170

340
335
330
325
320
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310
305
300
295
290

25

30

40
45

1.2

50
55
60
65
70

1
0.8
0.6

75

0.4

275

270

90

265

95

260

Pressure
Velocity

100

255

175170

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

165

20

25

30

80

0.8
0.6

35

75

0.4
0.2
0

280

85

275

90
95

260

100

255

105

185

180

90

Pressure
Velocity

105

190185

180

175170

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

355
345350 3.5

10 15
20

25

30

35
40
45

2.5

50
55
60
65
70

2
1.5
1

75
80

0.5

85
0

90
95

Pressure
Velocity

100
105

195190

185

180

175170

165

175170

165

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

355
345350 1.2

10 15

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115
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130
135
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150
155
160

Pressure
Velocity

20

25

30

35
40
45

0.8

50
55
60
65
70

0.6
0.4

285

80

265

195190

85

265

340
335
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305
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50
55
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65
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280

250
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75

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210
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45

270

0.15

255

110
115
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150
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160

40

1.2

275

50
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0.2

16000 Hz
10 15

1.4

285

45

0.1

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5

40

260

105

35

0.25

285

85

355
345350 1.6

30

0.3

95

275

180

25

100

280

185

10 15
20

260

80

195190

265

0.2

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200

0.35

270

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

35

1.4

280

355
0.4

4000 Hz
10 15
20

1.6

285

175170

0.05

2000 Hz
355
345350 1.8

180

1000 Hz

250
245
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230
225
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210
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200195

110
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155
165160

Pressure
Velocity

110
115
120
125
130
135
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150
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165160

255

105

190185

90
95

280

95

85

100

275

265

250
245
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235
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225
220
215
210
205
200195

80
0

260

85
90

75

265

80

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50
55
60
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70

0.1

285

75

275

45

0.05

350
340345
335
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45

0.05

40

0.15

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245
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200195

40

285

35

255

35

0.15

30

0.2

ST250 (PR) - WY
10 15
20

25

0.25

270

110
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125
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145
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165160

500 Hz

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0.3

275
Pressure
Velocity

105

250
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280

85

0.35

285

80

0.02

270

340
335
330
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320
315
310
305
300
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290

355
345350 0.4

75
80

0.2

85
0

270

90

265

95

260

100

255
250
245
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230
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220
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205
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105

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165

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Pressure
Velocity

125 Hz
350355
340345
0.14
335
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0.12
320
315
0.1
310
305
0.08
300
295
290

250 Hz
10 15
20

25

30

35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70

0.06

285

75

0.04

280
275

90

265

95

260

100

255

190185

180

175170

350
340345
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
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355
0.25

25

30

0.2

50
55
60
65
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0.1

280

260

100

255

Pressure
Velocity

180

105

190185

175170

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

25

30

40
45

1.2

50
55
60
65
70

1
0.8
0.6

75

0.4

275

270

90

265

95

260

Pressure
Velocity

100

255

175170

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

165

20

25

30

80

0.8
0.6

35

75

0.4
0.2
0

280

85

275

90
95

260

100

255

105

185

180

90

Pressure
Velocity

105

190185

180

175170

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

355
345350 3.5

10 15
20

25

30

35
40
45

2.5

50
55
60
65
70

2
1.5
1

75
80

0.5

85
0

90
95

Pressure
Velocity

100
105

195190

185

180

175170

165

175170

165

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

355
345350 1.2

10 15

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

Pressure
Velocity

20

25

30

35
40
45

0.8

50
55
60
65
70

0.6
0.4

285

80

265

195190

85

265

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

50
55
60
65
70

280

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200

75

270

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200

45

270

0.15

255

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

40

1.2

275

50
55
60
65
70

0.2

16000 Hz
10 15

1.4

285

45

0.1

8000 Hz
5

40

260

105

35

0.25

285

85

355
345350 1.6

30

0.3

95

275

180

25

100

280

185

10 15
20

260

80

195190

265

0.2

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200

0.35

270

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

35

1.4

280

355
0.4

4000 Hz
10 15
20

1.6

285

175170

0.05

2000 Hz
355
345350 1.8

180

1000 Hz

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

Pressure
Velocity

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

255

105

190185

90
95

280

95

85

100

275

265

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

80
0

260

85
90

75

265

80

270

50
55
60
65
70

0.1

285

75

275

45

0.05

350
340345
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

45

0.05

40

0.15

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

40

285

35

255

35

0.15

30

0.2

ST250 (PR) - WZ
10 15
20

25

0.25

270

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
165160

500 Hz

10 15
20

0.3

275
Pressure
Velocity

105

250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200195

280

85

0.35

285

80

0.02

270

340
335
330
325
320
315
310
305
300
295
290

355
345350 0.4

75
80

0.2

85
0

270

90

265

95

260

100

255
250
245
240
235
230
225
220
215
210
205
200

105

195190

185

180

175170

165

110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160

Pressure
Velocity