News & Events
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Headphone & Headset Measurements – Tokyo, Japan – March 9, 2018
Presented by:
Due to popular demand, we are now holding our headphone testing seminar in Tokyo!
Learn about the latest in headphone test systems and methods from design to EOL Test. Industry experts Steve Temme (Listen, Inc.) and Peter Wulf-Andersen (G.R.A.S.), as well as guest speaker Dr. Sean Olive (Harman International) will discuss test equipment (ear couplers, test fixtures, test software and hardware) and demonstrate practical test setups for both R&D and QC headphone testing. It will cover in-ear monitors, Bluetooth, lightning/USB, noise-cancelling and high resolution headphones, in addition to conventional analog headphones. You can even measure your own headphone using our equipment in the hands-on session. Please see the full agenda below.
There is no charge for this one-day seminar. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so please RSVP today.
Location and Dates:
Tokyo: Friday March 9th, 2018. Otemachi SUNSKY ROOM 27th floor, room #B Asahi Seimei Otemachi Bldg. 2-6-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo.
See what people are saying about this event (we presented similar last year in the US)
Agenda (10am-4pm)
- Introduction
- Overview of Headphone Test Systems and tools
- Traditional tools vs. modern consumer demands
- Introduction to head and ear related terminology and definitions.
- Historical perspective and background for the tools and standards used today.
- Limitations vs. Possibilities in term of the measurement capabilities. How does that relate to the modern challenges with Bluetooth and ANC related testing tasks?
- Tools for Next Generation Headphone Testing
- Solutions to some the challenges addressed above.
- Examples based on products and measurements.
- What about frequencies above 20kHz? Science or marketing? Measurement Consistency – Development vs. Production
- Progress in measurements from Head and Torso Simulator (KEMAR) to Production Test Fixture (45CC – flat plate). How the different components affect the measurements:
- Software and hardware for headphone testing including typical headphone measurements and test setups
- Traditional tools vs. modern consumer demands
- Practical examples of headphone measurements on.
- Analog Headphones
- Bluetooth Headsets
- ANC Headphones
- Lightning/USB Connected Headphones (using triggered recordings)
- Hi-Res Headphones
- In-ear monitors
- Measurements including:
- Frequency Response relative to a target response
- Left/Right tracking
- Impedance
- Noise attenuation
- Distortion including Non-Coherent Distortion
- Standards including Max SPL EN-50332 & IEC-60268-7
- Headphone Design: Perception and Measurement of Headphones – What is the Preferred Target Response? (Guest Speaker: Dr. Sean Olive, Harman International)
- Hands-on testing: Bring your own device and test it using one of our measurement setups
Headphone & Headset Measurements – Seoul, Korea – March 6, 2018
Presented by:
Due to popular demand, we are now holding our headphone testing seminar in Seoul!
Learn about the latest in headphone test systems and methods from design to EOL Test. Industry experts Steve Temme (Listen, Inc.) and Peter Wulf-Andersen (G.R.A.S.), as well as guest speakers Dr. Sean Olive (Harman International) and Prof. Lee (New Media Communication Joint Institute of Seoul National University) will discuss test equipment (ear couplers, test fixtures, test software and hardware) and demonstrate practical test setups for both R&D and QC headphone testing. It will cover in-ear monitors, Bluetooth, lightning/USB, noise-cancelling and high resolution headphones, in addition to conventional analog headphones. You can even measure your own headphone using our equipment in the hands-on session. Please see the full agenda below.
There is no charge for this one-day seminar. Space is limited, so please RSVP today.
Location and Dates:
Seoul: Tuesday March 6th, 2018. Korea National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul.
See what people are saying about this event (we presented similar last year in the US)
Agenda (9am-4pm)
- Introduction
- Overview of Headphone Test Systems and tools
- Traditional tools vs. modern consumer demands
- Introduction to head and ear related terminology and definitions.
- Historical perspective and background for the tools and standards used today.
- Limitations vs. Possibilities in term of the measurement capabilities. How does that relate to the modern challenges with Bluetooth and ANC related testing tasks?
- Tools for Next Generation Headphone Testing
- Solutions to some the challenges addressed above.
- Examples based on products and measurements.
- What about frequencies above 20kHz? Science or marketing? Measurement Consistency – Development vs. Production
- Progress in measurements from Head and Torso Simulator (KEMAR) to Production Test Fixture (45CC – flat plate). How the different components affect the measurements:
- Software and hardware for headphone testing including typical headphone measurements and test setups
- Traditional tools vs. modern consumer demands
- Practical examples of headphone measurements on.
- Analog Headphones
- Bluetooth Headsets
- ANC Headphones
- Lightning/USB Connected Headphones (using triggered recordings)
- Hi-Res Headphones
- In-ear monitors
- Measurements including:
- Frequency Response relative to a target response
- Left/Right tracking
- Impedance
- Noise attenuation
- Distortion including Non-Coherent Distortion
- Standards including Max SPL EN-50332 & IEC-60268-7
- Design & sound tuning of earphones (Guest Speaker Prof. Lee, New Media Communication Joint Institute of Seoul National University)
- Headphone Design: Perception and Measurement of Headphones – What is the Preferred Target Response? (Guest Speaker: Dr. Sean Olive, Harman International)
- Hands-on testing: Bring your own device and test it using one of our measurement setups
Boston SoundCheck and Electroacoustics Training – April 11-13, 2018
We are holding a 3 day training event on April 11-13 in Waltham, MA (Boston area). This event will feature a 1-day course on electroacoustics testing, presented by Marty Alexander of Alexander Acoustics, followed by a 2 day SoundCheck training class.
Electroacoustics – April 11th
In the Electroacoustics class, you will learn about the theory behind your audio measurements. The content will cover:
- Hearing and psychoacoustics
- Basics of acoustical measurements
- Basic quantities and how to describe them
- Sound sources, room acoustics and radiation
- Acoustic Instrumentation
- Loudspeaker measurements
- Microphone measurements
- Headphone/Earphone Measurements
- Communication System Measurements, e.g. telephones, mobile phones, speakerphones
Course presenter: Marty Alexander – Alexander Acoustics, LLC.
Cost: $495 ($350 with valid SoundCheck support contract)
SoundCheck – April 12th-13th
This hands-on class covers all the major features of SoundCheck version 16, including writing sequences, test signals, analysis, distortion measurements and more. The class is a combination of presentations interspersed with hands-on exercises to ensure that you are comfortable with all the concepts and methods taught before you leave the classroom. Although no previous SoundCheck experience is assumed, the course still offers plenty to users familiar with writing basic sequences. Content includes:
- Overview of SoundCheck software
- Software Options
- Hardware
- Configuring audio interfaces and external equipment
- Listen Certified Sound Cards
- Calibration
- Calibration of different DUT types (telephones, speakers, etc.)
- Virtual instruments
- Spectrum Analyzer, RTA, Multi-meter, Signal Generator, Oscilloscope
- Virtual Instruments – hands-on
- Online forum, bug and wish lists
- SoundCheck Steps & Sequences
- Philosophy & Architecture
- Creating and editing SoundCheck Test Sequences and Steps
- Using the Sequence Wizard
- Stimulus & Acquisition Step details
- Basic analysis
- Display
- Data Management Hands-on
- Limits
- Sequence Development – hands-on
- Printing
- Serial numbers
- Autosave and recall
- Messages – user prompts, calling external devices
- Post-processing
- Sequence Development (part 2) – hands-on
- Statistics
- Sequence loops and jumps
- Advanced sequence development
Course presenters: Steve Tatarunis, Mark Latshaw – Listen, Inc.
Cost: $950 ($665 with valid SoundCheck support contract)
Location / Dates / Time
Hilton Garden Inn, 450 Totten Pond Rd, Waltham, MA 02451
April 11-13, 2018. Coffee / snacks / sign-in starts at 8:00 AM and the training course runs from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM each day.
Seminar: Smarter Measurements for Smarter Speakers
Smarter speakers require smarter test methods!
Learn how to test smart speakers, robots, voice-controlled automotive audio and other IoT devices in our practical half-day seminar taught by industry experts Dan Knighten, and Marc Marroquin of Listen, Inc.
Although acoustic testing of smart speakers and other voice-activated devices presents challenges such as injecting and extracting response signals, time delays, and triggering the system using voice commands, it is still possible to measure the same parameters as traditional loudspeakers, In addition we can also measure microphone array performance, speakerphone performance and more.
We demonstrate how to do this, focusing on:
- Stimulating and capturing responses from a device where you don’t have direct access to the microphone or speaker (open loop testing).
- Delays, asynchronous stimulus / acquisition, and working with the ‘cloud’
- Testing with real world signals such as speech and music, and how to analyze results from these test stimuli
- Voice Recognition – key word spotting, wake word testing, directionality, and the effect of background noise on voice recognition performance
- Telephony – testing smart speakers for hands-free calling
There is no charge for this one-day seminar and lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so please RSVP today.
Locations and Dates:
Cupertino (San Jose area): Wednesday February 14th, 2018 – 9.00am – 1.30pm. Hilton Garden Inn, Cupertino. 10741 N Wolfe Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
Culver City (Los Angeles area): Friday February 16th, 2018 – 9.00am – 1.30pm. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles – Westside. 6161 W Centinela Ave, Culver City, CA 90230
Agenda (9am-1.30pm)
- Introduction
- Open Loop Testing
- What is ‘open loop’ testing?
- Can you really measure frequency response and harmonic distortion in an open loop?
- Using Frequency Shifting to time align asynchronous stimuli and response
- Working with cloud based services
- Testing with Real World Signals
- How to use real voice and / or non test tones to evaluate acoustic performance
- Analysis techniques used for evaluating non test tone stimuli
- Voice Recognition
- Key Word spotting / Wake Up word testing
- Room effects, environmental distractors, and SNR…how they affect voice recognition performance
- Measuring directionality
- Telephony
- What voice quality metrics are important for speakerphones?
- Challenges of testing speakerphones in different environments
- Networking lunch
Smart Speaker Test Demo
See how easy it is to test a smart speaker such as the Amazon Echo in this short 4 minute video! We demonstrate how a SoundCheck test sequence can be set up to automatically activate the speaker, play a stimulus, record the response, and measure both the microphone and speaker performance.
Acquisition Tutorials
This series of 3 short tutorials explains the various acquisition options in SoundCheck, and demonstrates how to configure them.
Part 1 – Play and Record
Part 2 – Record Only
Part 3 – Virtual Instruments
Stimulus Tutorials
This series of 9 short tutorials explains the various stimuli available in SoundCheck, discussing when you might use them and how to configure them in SoundCheck.
Part 1 – SoundCheck Stimulus Basics
Part 2 – Advanced functions of the Stimulus Editor
Part 3 – Frequency Stepped Sweep (Stweep)
Part 4 – Frequency Log Sweep Stimulus
Part 5 – Amplitude Log Sweep Stimulus
Part 6 – Wav file Stimulus
Part 7 – Two-tone Stimulus
Part 8 – Noise Stimulus
Part 9 – Multitone Stimulus
AISE, Las Vegas, NV, Jan 5-6, 2018
This year’s AISE (formerly knows as the ALMA Winter Symposium) will focus on ‘The Revolution of the Audio Signal Chain” and Listen will be showcasing its suite of audio measurement equipment for measuring smart speakers, automotive audio, headphones, smartphones and tablets and more.
We will be exhibiting the new Version 16 of our SoundCheck software, demonstrating how flexible is for testing all types of audio devices, regardless of signal path. We will demonstrate how we can test both the speaker and microphone array performance of an internet-enabled smart speaker, and also how we can test a variety of headphones with different signal paths, such as USB, Lightning and noise-cancelling and high resolution headphones.
Steve Temme will also be presenting a paper co-written with Viktor Dobos at Harman Hungary on ‘Evaluation of Audio Test Methods and Measurements for End- of-Line Loudspeaker Quality Control’ and Daniel Knighten will present ‘Challenges of IoT Smart Speaker Testing’, a paper co-written with Glenn Hess of Indy Acoustic Research.
