Microphone Self Noise Measurement Test

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Microphone self noise measurement

The purpose of this sequence is to perform a microphone self noise measurement for a condenser microphone. To do this, we use the spectrum analysis step and a power sum calculation to derive an RMS rating for the unit under test.

The sequence has several parts, a few of which are optional. The first section begins by prompting you to enter your mic preamp’s gain. If your preamp does not have a gain setting with labeled detents you may wish to use the “Amplifier THD + N” sequence located in C:\SoundCheck 18.1\Sequences\Electronics\ to determine this value. The following part tests the preamp’s self noise so that the system can determine whether you have a high enough signal (signal being the microphones self noise) to noise ratio to accurately measure your microphone.

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Active Noise-Cancelling Headphone Battery Life Test

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ANC battery life sequence screenshotThis SoundCheck test sequence measures the performance characteristics of Active Noise Cancelling headphones (ANC headphones) while monitoring the DC voltage and current provided to the headphone by its batteries. The sequence first measures the passive attenuation of the headphone before moving into a loop. The loop plays a 2 minute pink noise stimulus at high output level to accelerate battery drain. During this stimulus period, a current measurement is made by Listen’s DC Connect. Immediately following the stimulus, battery voltage is measured followed by acquisition and analysis of audio parameters (response, THD and THD Normalized). The active attenuation of the headphone is then measured followed by a series of post processing and Autosave steps. The looping continues until no output is detected from the headphone, when the device shuts down due to insufficient battery capacity.

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EN-50332-2: Measuring SPL of Portable Devices

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EN50332_screenshotThese two sequences follow the test standard detailed in EN50332-2 for measuring the maximum levels of portable music players and earphones/headphones. This section of the standard covers the individual testing of the devices rather than the combined testing that is detailed in part 1. Note that the physical setup and connections will be different between the two sequences. Please read the hardware and calibration sections of this instruction carefully.

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Headphone Active Noise Cancellation Test Sequence

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Screenshot of the final test result for active noise cancellation headphone test, showing active, passive and total attenuation.This SoundCheck test sequence measures headphone active noise cancellation (ANC). It measures both the active and passive noise cancellation and calculates total attenuation over the operating frequency range of the headphones. Passive Attenuation is the amount of noise that is reduced at the ear simply by the headphones being worn. Active Attenuation is the amount of noise that is further reduced by turning on the device’s active cancellation circuits. Lastly, Total Attenuation is the combined reduction in noise from passive and active sources and is what the end user of the product will experience.

To calculate these metrics this SoundCheck test sequence performs three separate measurements using a Head and Torso Simulator and a small speaker which serves as a noise source. This is a simple, low-cost alternative to using a diffuse background noise environment with multiple speakers playing uncorrelated noise, although the sequence could be user-modified to support this.

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Thiele-Small Parameters

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Loudspeaker system performance can be quantitatively related to a set of electro-mechanical parameters. These parameters are known in the industry as Thiele-Small parameters. They were first introduced by A.N.Thiele and Richard H.Small in a series of famous articles published in the 1971-72 Journal of AES (Audio Engineering Society).  Over the years these parameters have become standards in the industry, and are used by loudspeaker designers worldwide. This package contains SoundCheck sequences for measuring measuring Thiele-Small Parameters by Added Mass, Known Volume, Known Driver Mass methods.

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Impedance Measurement – Dual Channel Method Using Math Post-Processing

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This sequence demonstrates an alternative to the traditional SoundCheck single channel impedance measurement method. A stepped sine sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz is played through the speaker while the signal across the loudspeaker terminals is recorded by Direct In 1 and the signal across the sense resistor (impedance box) is recorded by Direct In 2. A heterodyne analysis step is then applied to calculate the fundamental response from both inputs and a math post-processing step divides Fundamental A (speaker terminal voltage) by Fundamental B (voltage across sense resistor). A post-processing step corrects for the value of the reference resistor before displaying the final impedance curve. The curve is then post-processed to calculate resonance frequency, maximum impedance and Q of the resonance peak. A set of arbitrary limits steps are also provided to generate pass/fail results.

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Perceptual Rub & Buzz

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Perceptual Rub & Buzz ScreenshotThis sequence uses the CLEAR algorithm for perceptual Rub & Buzz measurement to detect AUDIBLE Rub & Buzz. It uses a simplified auditory perceptual model to measure the loudness of Rub & Buzz distor­tion in phons rather than the more traditional dB SPL and % distortion units. These better identify whether distortion due to manufacturing defects can be heard by the listener than conventional measurements. In addition to a result which corresponds more accurately to the human ear, this new test method also offers two significant advantages for use on the production line. It is less sensitive to transient background noises than traditional methods, therefore is reliable in noisy environments, and it is much simpler to set limits than when us­ing conventional distortion measurements. The sequence includes saved data that can be loaded from disk, so even if you don’t have a speaker handy you can still listen to the wav. file and see how SoundCheck displays the data.

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Impedance Measurement – Dual Channel Method Using Transfer Function

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This sequence demonstrates an alternative to the traditional SoundCheck single channel impedance measurement method. A pink noise stimulus (10Hz – 10kHz) is played through the speaker while the signal across the amplifier terminals is recorded by Direct In 1 and the signal across the sense resistor is recorded by Direct In 2. A transfer function analysis step is then applied to the recorded time waveforms to calculate the impedance curve. The curve is then post-processed to calculate resonance frequency, maximum impedance and Q of the resonance peak. A set of arbitrary limits steps are also provided to generate pass/fail results. The final display shows the impedance curve and a results window.

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ABOUT LISTEN INC

Listen is a global leader in audio measurement and analysis, with over 30 years’ experience developing innovative test methods and algorithms. SoundCheck, our powerful software-based audio analyzer, pairs with our test interfaces, precision microphones, and accessories to offer a complete solution for testing loudspeakers, headphones, microphones, smart devices, communication systems, hearing aids, automotive audio, and more. Trusted by engineers worldwide, Listen delivers the accuracy and flexibility essential for modern audio testing, from the R&D lab to the production line.

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