A system configured to dynamically adjust the ultrasonic carrier level in a parametric array system in response to changing source signal input levels, and which employs a look-ahead delay strategy to enable optimal modulation of the carrier wave to eliminate constant ultrasonic carrier emission and reduce the ultrasonic carrier emission to what is actually needed to accommodate the db range of the source material, and at the same time, to also minimize noticeable distortion and sound artifacts of a high-power ultrasonic carrier, and/or distortion/artifacts arising from modulation of an ultrasonic carrier to reduce average power output; and thus it realizes advantages of carrier modulation based on source-signal level, while minimizing inherent drawbacks of carrier modulation.