Simple Explanation

Dispersion is how widely or narrowly a speaker spreads sound into a room—it describes the area where you can clearly hear the sound.

Concise Technical Definition

Dispersion refers to the directional spread of sound waves from a source, often influenced by the shape and design of speaker components like horns, tweeters, or waveguides.

Layman-Friendly Analogy

Like how a flashlight can have a narrow beam or a wide flood of light, speakers can focus sound in a tight area or spread it out widely.

Industry Usage Summary

In loudspeaker design, dispersion describes how sound radiates from the driver. Engineers use this to shape coverage patterns—narrow dispersion for controlled environments, wide for broad audience coverage. Horns and waveguides are tuned to control dispersion angles.

Engineering Shortcut

Angle or pattern of sound spread from a speaker; shaped by driver housing and design.

Full Technical Explanation

Dispersion is the measure of how sound radiates from a loudspeaker or acoustic source across space. Unlike diffusion, which describes how sound scatters after reflection, dispersion describes the original propagation from the source. It's affected by factors like the frequency of the sound and the geometry of the driver and enclosure. Designers use waveguides, horns, and baffles to tailor dispersion characteristics. It can be quantified using horizontal and vertical beamwidths or polar response plots. Proper dispersion ensures consistent tonal balance across the listening area and minimizes acoustic issues like hotspots and dead zones.