The fifth edition of Charles E Speaks’ Introduction to Sound Acoustics for the Hearing and Speech Sciences is a comprehensive, teaching-first textbook spanning 11 chapters. It begins with the nature of soundwaves presented in concise, well-structured sections on transmitting mediums, properties of sound sources, sound propagation and wave motion.
In a similar fashion subsequent chapters build the reader’s comprehension of simple harmonic motion, acoustic impedance, scales of measurement and a careful, step-by-step treatment of logarithms and antilogarithms. Sound intensity and sound pressure (including an in-depth introduction to the decibel) are well delineated, followed by complex waves, resonance and filtering, distortion and sound transmission.
A welcome new chapter on the acoustic theory of speech production develops understanding of fundamental principles from the vocal apparatus to the acoustic properties of speech sounds. The final chapter on room acoustics not only covers key elements such as reverberation and sound treatment of rooms, but also provides an overview of psychophysical assessment of speech understanding. The book is thorough, yet easy to navigate. Equations and figures are clearly signposted in contrasting font and indexed for quick retrieval; useful ‘frequently misunderstood concepts’ sections appear in most chapters. Practice problems, with worked answers, serve as knowledge checks as one progresses through the textbook. A companion website offers supplementary animations and additional problems for students, and instructors can access PowerPoint slides. While some maths and / or physics grounding is assumed, a key strength is the text’s stepwise handling of complex topics.
Because it is geared toward a student audience, clearer end-of-chapter summaries and explicit learning objectives per section, would enhance its utility for self-directed study. In short, this textbook is ideal for audiology and hearing / speech sciences students and a reliable reference for qualified professionals.
