Acoustical and Audio Engineering

This module offers an introduction to a wide range of concepts in acoustics and allows you to begin to gain skills in the practical measurement and analysis of acoustic devices and audio technologies.

This module will enable you to design and prototype analogue electronic circuits for use in audio and other signal processing applications. You will cover the fundamental design principles of Analogue Electronics and how these are applied in electronic circuit implementation.  

You will be given the basic mathematical skills and concepts required to appreciate and succeed in understanding acoustics and audio engineering.

You will be taught about a wide variety of specialist acoustic and audio measurements, in terms of equipment familiarity, correct use, interpretation of data and correct reporting (oral and written).

This module is designed to give you an understanding of the underlying concepts and principles of multi-track production, develop your production skills to translate multi-source live music and sound into a recorded stereo image, and develop the organisational skills needed to successfully record an artist/group. Typically, you will use our Pro-Tools sound recording studios to record a band.

This module introduces the fundamentals of sound, signals, and systems, and then explores the signal flow of a complete generic audio system, from capture (microphones) to playback (loudspeakers) and transmission.

This module demonstrates the basic principles of AD conversion (sampling, aliaising, quantisation and dither), the principles and application for signal processing (impulse response, frequency response, and convolution), time-frequency transforms (Fourier, Laplace and Cepstrum), spectral analysis (Fourier spectrum and spectral estimation of stochastic signals) and digital filter design (FIR, IIR), as well as gives a general introduction to big data analysis, machine learning, and the applications of specific acoustic signal processing (reverberation, application of windowing). 

The principal aim of this module is to give a critical understanding of electroacoustic transduction mechanisms and the modelling techniques used in the design of microphones and loudspeakers. Loudspeaker (and microphone) design is the perfect example of a multi-physics problem, requiring an understanding of many branches of physics and engineering. In the quest to understand and develop suitable design methods this module will cover a broad selection of topics, including: electronics and circuit theory, mechanical vibration and dynamics, magnetism, and acoustics.

This module provides a general introduction into the subject of Physical Acoustics with an emphasis on sound radiation.  

You will understand the nature of entrepreneurs and the development of entrepreneurial organisations. You will cover popular business theories such as theory of management, the role of enterprise in the economy, leadership and management of an enterprise and developing and managing quality in the enterprise.

You will work together with course mates on a specific real world acoustic/audio design task and come up with a real practical solution using the acoustics laboratory facilities and the Maker Space facilities and equipment.

The use of computers to model and analyse physical phenomena and solve problems in physics is a powerful and ubiquitous technique in both academic and industrial research. This module will develop the application of numerical modelling, demonstrating how it can be complementary to mathematical-based analytical techniques, often allowing the examination of the characteristics beyond the limitations of standard approaches. The focus is on developing appropriate physical models and is applied to the core areas of mechanics, waves and thermal physics.

The final year project is your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding and application of the knowledge you have acquired on the course. The project topic chosen will be on an agreed subject related to audio or acoustics and you have the option to work within a group or as an individual with regular supervision.

This module aims to provide you with a thorough grasp of room acoustics principles, including theoretical models for both low and high frequencies, developing your ability to apply these in order to analyse existing rooms or design new ones. During the module, you will study wave theory and statistical theory for acoustic enclosures, including objective descriptions of and how these tally with listeners' perceptions. Techniques for designing and applying sound absorbing and scattering treatments will be covered, and you will consider the effectiveness and limitations of these in important application areas such as musical performances spaces and critical listening rooms. Techniques to mitigate noise ingress and egress will also be taught. 

This module will allow you to study in depth how the human auditory system works. Starting with the physiology and physics of the ear, you will develop a solid grasp of how loudness, pitch and the ear’s frequency bands really work. You will grapple with the fundamental difficulties of psychophysics – we cannot have direct access to any human’s perception, and you’ll discover how we get round this with clever experimental design. As the module progresses, we move up the chain of auditory perception, ending up with contemporary topics such as soundscape perception. You’ll apply your new knowledge and skills in a coursework assignment. 

You will gain an understanding of transducer systems for the capture and reproduction of 3D sound. You will then go on to develop understanding of how the human auditory system works and how this can be exploited to deliver realistic and immersive spatial audio experiences.  You will also learn how to design loudspeaker systems using typical enclosures or horns and develop the skills necessary to design PA systems using suitable loudspeaker systems and arrays. 

This module will teach you about two fundamental uses of computational methods in acoustics: for simulation and for signal classification. Both of these are increasingly essential and ubiquitous tools in modern acoustical engineering. The module will make good use of Salford’s strong research track record in these areas by exposing you to current research ideas, often via the researchers themselves. 

The first part will focus on established computer simulation techniques, such as finite element method and geometric room acoustics, learning the principles through simple examples in Matlab and then applying commercial software packages (e.g. COMSOL Multiphysics) to realistic problems. 

The second part of the module will focus on machine learning and signal classification following an introduction of acoustics signal feature extraction in the time, frequency and time-frequency domains, you will learn and develop in-depth understanding of two machine learning frameworks named supervised and unsupervised learning, and conceptualise deep learning, which is the mainstream of contemporary AI. 

In this module, you will learn about environmental noise measurement, modelling, and mitigation. You will carry out practical measurement and modelling exercises using appropriate instrumentation and state-of-the-art tools for the environmental noise assessment of road, rail, and air vehicles. The module will develop your ability to interpret and apply current environmental noise legislation, guidance, and best practice based on client requirements. You will also gain knowledge of noise control processes and methodologies, learning to select and apply suitable control options for realistic scenarios within the transport sector. Emphasis is placed on understanding and critically assessing current best practices in environmental noise management and adapting them for application in complex or unfamiliar situations. 

This module provides an in-depth understanding of vibro- and aero- acoustics, and the noise generation and transfer paths and mechanisms they include. Ideal if you are aiming to work in automotive, aerospace, environmental acoustics, or noise control engineering, this module combines theoretical knowledge with industry-relevant skills and practices. In the vibroacoustics part, you will learn the fundamentals of multi-DoF vibration analysis before moving onto state-of-the-art ‘component-based’ approaches to the analysis, simulation, virtual prototyping of machines and mechanical systems. This will include the study of dynamic substructuring and in-situ blocked force method, among other related topics. In the aeroacoustic part, you will explore propulsion and airframe noise mechanisms, sound propagation, and the impact of atmospheric conditions, focusing on the physical principles of aeroacoustics and the key noise sources in modern aircraft.