Audio system operable in directional and non-directional modes

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve the aforementioned technical problems by providing an audio system of a simple structure with which each sound channel from the individual speakers can be distinctly received.
The above and other objects of the present invention can be achieved by providing an audio system comprising a multi-channel amplifier and at least two speaker units containing speakers which are individually driven by the outputs of this amplifier, and characterized wherein a diffuser is removably attached to the front surface of each of the speaker units opposite the speaker and wherein the amplifier includes a circuit for compensating its output level and frequency characteristic individually for these channels when the diffuser is used.
With an audio system thus structured, sound waves from each speaker are diffused by the reflecting surface of the diffuser and propagated radially within a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the speaker.
Since the amplifier includes a circuit for correcting the level of sound pressure and frequency characteristic when the diffuser is used, furthermore, a non-directional audio system can be realized within a plane around the central axis of the speaker if this central axis is oriented in a certain direction.
Since the diffuser is removably attached to the speaker unit, this system can be used also as a conventional speaker unit by removing the diffuser and orienting the central axis of the speaker in the direction of the listener.