X-Treme Installer (XTI) is proprietary software that has been created and developed by the Sound Corporation R&D department to produce a 3D virtual installation of any X-Treme audio system; it therefore allows the user to calculate the distribution of the sound produced by such systems in a three-dimensional space, under free field conditions. A choice of listening areas can be set and the different systems can be positioned as preferred, either as single sources (single speaker) or as line arrays that are vertical (made up of various upper modules) or horizontal (various subwoofers), in a three-dimensional virtual space. The software provides, as output, the distribution of the maximum continuous SPL that can be obtained in the various areas of the simulated audience, with different representations, in wide band or by octaves.

For installation of the arrays, the software automatically calculates an ideal geometrical configuration and the α vertical pointing angle, starting with an analysis of the sound field produced for a range of possible configurations. XTI therefore incorporates all the characteristics of a very advanced “aiming” software, with some ingenious additions: for example, the calculation on a three-dimensional basis produces a more complete and complex visualization of the space to be reinforced. The software is essentially based on the phenomenon of interference, which allows a precise forecast of the phenomena of interaction between the various speakers, with much more accurate results, for example, than those that can be obtained with an algorithm based on Ray Tracing; such precision becomes inalienable to describe the directivity of complex audio systems such as the grouping of several array speakers.

With XTI or without?