Bass enhancement system

Abstract

A bass enhancement system can provide an enhanced bass effect for speakers, including relatively small speakers. The bass enhancement system can apply one or more bass enhancements to an input audio signal. For example, the bass enhancement system can exploit how the human ear processes overtones and harmonics of low-frequency sounds to create the perception that non-existent (or attenuated) low-frequency sounds are being emitted from a loudspeaker. The bass enhancement system can generate harmonics of at least some low-frequency fundamental frequencies in one embodiment. Playback of at least some harmonics of a low-frequency fundamental frequency can cause a listener to perceive the playback of the low-frequency fundamental frequency. Advantageously, in certain embodiments, the bass enhancement system can generate these harmonics without performing processing-intensive pitch-detection techniques or the like to identify the fundamental frequencies.

Description

[0001] related application

[0002] This application is a non-provisional application of US Provisional Application No. 61 / 580,448, filed December 27, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background technique

[0003] The audio and multimedia industries are constantly striving to overcome the shortcomings of sound reproduction. For example, it is often difficult to adequately reproduce low-frequency sounds such as bass. Traditional methods of improving the output of low frequency sound include using higher quality speakers with larger cone area, larger magnets, larger enclosures, or larger cone excursion capabilities. Furthermore, traditional systems attempt to reproduce low frequency sounds using a resonating chamber and horn that match the acoustic impedance of the loudspeaker to that of the free space surrounding the loudspeaker.

[0004] However, not all audio systems can simply use more expensive or powerful speakers to reproduce low...

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