Digital evaluation of the acoustics of small models: The midas package

Compared with more fashionable computer modeling, acoustical modeling is far from being superseded. In fact, there is often no alternative to acoustical modeling when designing an auditorium. Careful analysis of the laws of similarity shows that there remains some possibility of improving the acoustical testing of small models. This improvement does not solely concern transducers but the processing of impulse responses as well. Digital processing provides both accuracy of computation and compensation for air attenuation. Based on these principles, a computer‐aided testing plant was designed and a computer package was written to drive it. A modular structure was selected as giving the maximum flexibility. Thus a digital evaluation of objective room‐acoustical parameters can be achieved within a few minutes. So far, computer‐aided acoustical modeling has proved well adapted for research and designing purposes.