A Method for Measuring Source Impedance and Tube Attenuation

If the active face, or acoustic output terminal, of a sinusoidal sound source moves as a plane piston, then the source can be characterized by a blocked pressure and an acoustic output impedance. If this piston is coupled to a microphone by means of a closed air column, the pressure at the microphone depends on the acoustic impedance of the microphone, on the impedance of the source, and on the air column. An expression for this pressure as a function of the length of the air column is developed, and data are presented which show how source impedance, tube attenuation and other quantities may be obtained.