Measuring short impulse responses with inverse filtered maximum-length sequences

Most loudspeakers have a non-flat frequency response which produces a long oscillating impulse response. An inverse filtering approach may be used to calculate the driving waveform necessary to equalize the response of the loudspeaker in order to radiate shorter acoustic pulses. When combined with the MLS technique, inverse filtering may be used to pre-emphasize the driving signal so that a shorter impulse response, with a prescribed waveform, is measured. This technique is described and illustrated by applying it to a distributed mode loudspeaker. Originally, this loudspeaker has a rather irregular response in a wide band. When the MLS signal is pre-emphasized with the proper inverse filter, a shorter impulse response is measured with a zero-phase cosine-magnitude spectrum.