Workflows in EASE enabled by the Acousteer real-time simulation engine

The release of EASE 5 Third Edition marks a transformative moment in acoustic simulation, unlocking opportunities and workflows that were previously unimaginable. At the heart of this leap forward lies its groundbreaking feature: the Acousteer calculation engine. Acousteer recalculates audience area mappings in milliseconds, delivering real-time feedback on any adjustments to your 3D model or sound system. This innovation redefines acoustic simulation, shifting the process from iterative guesswork to dynamic exploration.

Acousteer Acoustic Simulation Engine Horizontal Stripe

A new era of interactivity

EASE 5 seamlessly integrates real-time mapping within the same workspace used to edit 3D geometries and loudspeaker configurations. Any change is immediately reflected across single or multiple 3D views, creating a dynamic, interactive design environment. The absence of waiting time means every idea, no matter how unconventional, can be tested instantly. This speed invites creative experimentation while dramatically enhancing the precision and efficiency of your designs.

In the following sections, we will show how this new level of interactivity redefines or enhances the workflows we’ve relied on for years. The key concept is enabling mapping from the very beginning, even before finalizing a meaningful speaker layout. This brings unparalleled benefits to speed and significant advantages to design accuracy. Not having to wait for any updates also allows learning much more intuitively how the sound field depends on the room and system configuration. While we highlight the most obvious applications below, we also encourage users to explore further on their own. Real-time simulation, as a new technology, still holds a big undiscovered potential.

While Acousteer currently focuses on real-time SPL mapping, future releases of EASE 5 will expand its capabilities to many acoustic parameters, further broadening its impact and scope.

Redefining workflows

1. Loudspeaker selection made simple

When adding loudspeakers to your model, you can immediately see their SPL projections on the audience area, making it easy to identify and address unacceptable coverage. For instance, in pursuit of better STI in a reflective room, you can quickly test loudspeakers with narrower directivity in real time, switching between different models or manufacturers as needed. See the illustration below:

🚫 Loudspeaker with coverage angles: 90° x 40°
High likelihood of strong reflections off the side wall, reducing the STI. More influence on the adjacent audience area, possibly causing slap delays.

Speaker selection in EASE 5 acoustic simulation. Wide angle.

✅ Swapped to loudspeaker with coverage angles: 60° x 60°
Precise targeting of the audience area with less contribution from wall reflections, resulting in better STI. Much less influence on the adjacent audience area.

Speaker selection in EASE 5 acoustic simulation. Narrow angle.

Mappings are shown as Isoline Plot with 2 dB color steps at 4 kHz, 1 octave band

2. Loudspeaker configuration in minutes

Experimenting with line-array or cluster setups becomes seamless as you see coverage updates live. Quickly narrow your choices to the most accurate options, reducing the need for more time-consuming ray tracing analyses. For example, in the early stages of designing a sound system for a football stadium, a single array configuration is typically tested before distributing similar units across the tribunes. In the example below, real-time SPL mapping made it possible to adjust the initial setup in a few minutes. By leveraging available gain headroom and using a fast trial-and-error approach to reposition the array farther away, the design proceeded with a configuration reduced by two boxes, significantly lowering the total sound system cost.

Loudspeaker Configuration in EASE 5 Acoustic Simulation

Mappings are shown as Patch Grid (smooth color transition) at 1 kHz, 1 octave band

3. Finding the perfect loudspeaker count

Covering large or extended areas - whether it’s concert stage front fills, delay lines, or stadium tribunes - no longer requires guesswork. Real-time mapping allows you to experimentally evaluate solutions for the number and positioning of loudspeakers instantly, saving significant time and effort. In this example, the front fills for the music hall were intended to cover the parterre audience area. Before aligning them with the main arrays, determining the optimal number of front fills was straightforward. By focusing the mapping calculations solely on the front fills and displaying their coverage on an isoline plot, the ideal quantity was easily identified by duplicating and moving the units while tracking the progress live.

Mappings are shown as Isoline Plot with 3 dB color steps at 4 kHz, 1 octave band. The target range is represented by 2 steps from 81 to 87 dB.

4. Streamlining system tuning

Fine-tuning an entire system is now faster and more intuitive than ever. You can adjust individual loudspeakers, balance them against each other, and group them into processing blocks to achieve perfect harmony between groups or zones—all while viewing the results in real time. Every part of your signal chain is at your fingertips, making adjustments seamless and efficient. For example, balancing main PA systems with delay lines can now be accomplished in a matter of moments.

Mapping is shown as Isoline Plot with 3 dB steps at 1 kHz, 1 octave band

Sound system tuning throughout the entire signal chain

5. Bridging venue design with sound system performance

When architectural and acoustic performance designs evolve together - whether a venue is being designed from scratch or undergoing refinements - EASE 5’s interactive tools for 3D modeling and sound system configuration truly shine. Real-time SPL mapping allows you to seamlessly refine venue shapes and audience areas in relation to loudspeaker configurations, ensuring optimal results as the project progresses. The example in the video clip illustrates a part of the audience area design for a music festival.

Mapping is shown as Patch Grid (smooth color transition) at 1 kHz, 1 octave band

7. Enhancing collaboration and client engagement

EASE 5 Third Edition fosters new levels of collaboration and communication. Whether working with clients, team members, or external specialists, the ability to adjust designs in real time changes the game. Show your client how changes affect coverage in a visually engaging, interactive environment. Discuss mounting possibilities, aim angles, or system layouts while seamlessly incorporating feedback. From refining public address systems in airports to designing immersive audio for theaters, EASE 5 empowers you to explore, demonstrate, and validate designs live. Whether in person or remote, you can confidently explain and support your choices, bridging the gap between concept and execution.

Additionally, when working with mapping displays, consider leveraging the Isoline Plot instead of the Patch Grid. The Isoline Plot allows you to set precise step sizes and visualize the exact borders of acoustic values to make informed decisions. For presentation purposes, however, switching back to the Patch Grid may allow understanding qualitative aspects more easily and provide a visually appealing display.

Using Patch Grid vs Isoline Plot for acoustic simulation mapping

Mappings are shown as Isoline Plot with 2 dB steps (left) and Patch Grid (right) at 63 Hz, 1 octave band

The future of acoustic simulation

EASE 5 Third Edition and the Acousteer engine set a new benchmark for speed, interactivity, and creativity in acoustic design. As real-time simulations become more advanced, adapt your workflows to harness their full potential. Explore, experiment, and innovate - you’re at the forefront of a new era.

Applies to:

EASE 5