Sound capture method and apparatus

A sound capture apparatus for capturing sound produced by a loudspeaker having a conical diaphragm and an annular periphery, the sound capture apparatus comprising:

• a support adapted to be coupled at the front of said loudspeaker and comprising an annular member that fixes against or around an annular periphery thereof and a span element that extends radially inward from the annular member, the span element being a crossbar that spans a diameter of the loudspeaker or an arm extending radially inward across the front of the loudspeaker from an edge thereof;
• a beam diffuser mounted on said support to be substantially concentric with the loudspeaker, the beam diffuser comprising an inner diffuser element which is convex towards the loudspeaker and has an array of openings that block beaming of treble frequencies from a center of the loudspeaker, and an outer element which forms a beam diffuser housing with the inner diffuser element;
• and
• a microphone mounted in the beam diffuser housing and located within a conical volume surrounded by said loudspeaker diaphragm when said support is coupled at the front thereof.

A sound capture apparatus for capturing sound produced by a loudspeaker having a conical diaphragm and an annular periphery, the sound capture apparatus comprising:

• a support adapted to be coupled at a front of said loudspeaker and comprising an annular member or a segment of an annular member that fixes against or around the annular periphery thereof and a span element that extends radially inward from the annular member or segment, the span element being a crossbar that spans a diameter of the loudspeaker or an arm that reaches out across the front of the loudspeaker from an edge thereof;
• a circular beam diffuser mounted on said support to be substantially concentric with the loudspeaker, the beam diffuser comprising a circular inner diffuser element that blocks beaming of treble frequencies from a center of the loudspeaker, and an outer element which forms a beam diffuser housing with the inner diffuser element;
• and
• a microphone mounted in said beam diffuser housing and located within a conical volume surrounded by said loudspeaker diaphragm when said support is coupled at the front thereof, the microphone having a directional sensitivity pattern having a pattern axis and being mounted in said beam diffuser housing such that when the support is coupled to said loudspeaker, the pattern axis is inclined away from the speaker axis by an angle from 45° to 90°.