FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2006

Contact: Zarina Bhimani, Listen, Inc., 580 Harrison Avenue, Suite 2A, Boston, MA 02118
Phone: (617) 556-4104 email: zbhimani@listeninc.com

Listen Offers New Multichannel Analyzer for Audio Electronics Testing

Listen announces SoundCheck^TM 7.0 – the first multichannel analyzer with an unlimited number of analog/digital I/O channels. SoundCheck is software-based and the number of channels that can be used simultaneously is limited only by the number of I/O devices you have connected and your computer memory. Used with a high-accuracy data acquisition card such as National Instrument’s PCI/PXI 4461, it offers the accuracy of hardware based systems with the flexibility and lower cost of a windows software based system. SoundCheck is ideal for testing audio electronic devices such as MP3 players, amplifiers, mixers and sound cards.

SoundCheck is the only audio test system that offers complete control of Windows multimedia devices, making it ideal for testing audio electronics and multimedia devices such as IP phones, MP3 players and Bluetooth headphones. SoundCheck can play and record on different devices, and by using a sound card in conjunction with the PCI/PXI 4464 data acquisition card, the high accuracy of the NI hardware can be integrated with the Windows multimedia environment. The software communicates with Windows Multimedia devices in real time by sending WAV files.

Designed by experienced acoustics experts, SoundCheck is an established audio test system that has been on the market for over ten years. It is widely used for R&D and production line testing of loudspeakers, microphones, headphones, telephones and hearing aids. The addition of multichannel analysis and other new features, together with national Instruments PCI/PXI 4461 data acquisition cards has enabled Listen’s years of test and measurement experience to be applied in the audio electronics marketplace. SoundCheck contains many proprietary algorithms which ensure fast and accurate testing. Some of these have been specifically added to accommodate the requirements of audio electronics testing, for example, the latest software release contains new processing algorithms that allow resampling and sampling rate correction for digital measurements. This allows compensation for sampling rate shifts, commonly found in low-cost consumer products such as MP3 players.

SoundCheck can analyze a variety of parameters such as frequency response, distortion, crosstalk and impedance. Key characteristics of SoundCheck include the extremely fast measurement speed, advanced algorithms, test flexibility and ease of use. Tests can be configured for the R&D lab with detailed graphical and numerical output, or configured for one-click or automated production line use with a simple pass/fail output. Test information can be easily written to a database or integrated into a larger test environment.

SoundCheck’s simple point and click sequence editor makes it quick and easy to develop tests – no programming experience is required. A sequence wizard walks new users through the process of setting up a simple test with easy-to-follow instruction screens. The user is prompted to select and calibrate input devices, choose test signals, carry out the test, analyze the data and display the results. This sequence wizards enable new users to get up and running within minutes of installing the software. Tests that are created through the sequence wizard can be easily expanded and modified through the sequence editor. More advanced users can create tests from scratch using the simple point and click interface.

A free demo version of SoundCheck 7.0 can be obtained from the Listen website www.listeninc.com.

Test showing frequency response (magnitude and phase), impulse response and distortion measured simultaneously on 4 channels of a mixing board. Download high resolution picture (right click and "save target as")

About Listen, Inc.
Listen, Inc. (www.listeninc.com) is a world-leading developer of audio test and measurement software tools and complete measurement systems for R&D and production test of electroacoustic products including loudspeakers, microphones, handsets, headsets, telephones, cell phones, VoIP telephony products, and hearing aids.  Formed in 1995, Listen’s electroacoustic test systems have become the standard test platform at many of the world’s largest loudspeaker manufacturers.