Magnitude vs. Vector Averages

[BenR]

Hello all,

Could I receive an explanation on the difference between magnitude and vector averages? I'm not very understanding of the differences between the two. I've been needing to use vector averages to investigate measured modal behavior around a room, but I realize I need to know the difference between the magnitude and vector averages to properly understand my measured responses.

Thanks!
Ben

 

[John Mulcahy]

Vector averaging takes phase into account. As an extreme example of the difference that makes, the vector average of two values with the same magnitude but opposite phase is zero (minus infinity on a dB scale).