Traditional　acoustic　source　location　techniques　are　greatly　affected　by　the　threshold　value　of　the　acoustic　signals.　Based　on　the　theory　of　modal　acoustic　emission,　acoustic　signals　have　characteristics　indicative　of　multi-mode,　broad　band　and　dispersion.　One-dimensional　acoustic　source　location　theory　is　developed　to　incorporate　these　characteristics.　The　arrival　times　and　wave　velocities　needed　for　source　location　are　influenced　by　mode　and　frequency.　Based　on　the　number　of　sensors　used,　two　universal　source　location　techniques　have　been　investigated.　To　obtain　the　arrival　time　of　one　mode　at　certain　frequency,　the　Gabor　wavelet　transform　is　applied　to　the　analysis　of　acoustic　signals.　One-dimensional　acoustic　source　location　experiments　in　a　thin　plate　have　been　performed　using　a　lead　break　as　acoustic　source.　The　acoustic　source　location　techniques　have　been　greatly　improved　and　the　accuracy　of　these　acoustic　source　location　methods　has　been　verified.　Copyright　(C)　2007　John　Wiley　&　Sons,　Ltd.