Product News
SoundCheck® 19 Released: New Features for Multichannel Measurements
SoundCheck® 19, the new release of Listen, Inc.’s flagship audio test and measurement system, offers additional functionality for multichannel measurements, including a new Multi-channel RTA, WASAPI-exclusive mode, and AmpConnect 621 control. Additionally, the inclusion of room acoustics measurements offers increased capability for those looking to evaluate devices in real-world situations. Many of these features also add value on the production line, minimizing setup time, reducing the chance of user-error, and ensuring smoother operation in automated situations.
In this release, the original ANSI S1.11-2004 Class 0 standard compliant, single-channel RTA has been enhanced to show multiple channels simultaneously. Settings for these can be configured independently, e.g. adding different weighting curves, and the power-averaged response displayed. This presents a convenient view of many measurements across a wide range of applications including overlaying left and right earphone responses to check for fit and seal, microphone array captures (e.g. in-vehicle cabin measurements), real time adjustment of active noise cancellation filter, and more. For maximum flexibility, spectrum settings are set independently for each channel, and all multi-channel RTA functionality can also be used within a test sequence for automation.
The optional RT60 Room Acoustics module enables measurement of the reverberation time and clarity of any room or space with fully calibrated signal paths. This is useful for quantifying how speakers will interact with the acoustics of a particular type of room. It can also help identify problems with room acoustics so that the floor, ceiling and walls can be treated accordingly. SoundCheck uses a continuous sine sweep with the Log TSR algorithm to obtain the impulse response. The reverberation decay curve is calculated from the backwards integrated impulse response. This method, conforming to ISO 3382-1:2009, offers extremely fast measurements, requires just one measurement at each location, and minimizes the effect of noise and distortion on the measurement.
Another enhancement is the option to use WASAPI-exclusive mode with Windows 10 audio devices. This advanced interface offers superior communication with audio devices, allowing SoundCheck to bypass the Windows audio engine, and send audio streams directly to the device. This delivers lower latency and ensures that sample rate conversion from the built-in Windows audio engine will not occur. It also enables SoundCheck to put an exclusive lock on the audio interface so that a measurement cannot be disrupted by system sounds. The ability to use multiple WASAPI devices simultaneously offers significant advantages for multichannel applications, particularly where the channel count requires multiple audio interfaces. WASAPI and ASIO devices can be combined to increase channel availability.
SoundCheck 19 supports AmpConnect 621, Listen’s new high resolution (up to 192kHz) multichannel audio interface. AmpConnect 621 has no front panel controls; it is exclusively configured via the SoundCheck 19 software. Set-up and configuration is extremely simple and fast with full plug-and-play functionality and TEDS support for automatic identification, configuration and calibration of microphones and accelerometers. The absence of front panel knobs also provides an added level of test integrity by ensuring that settings cannot be inadvertently adjusted outside of your test configuration. SoundCheck 19 with AmpConnect 621 is a simple and cost-effective solution for automotive measurements with a 6-microphone array, sound power measurements, or for measuring devices with multiple speakers such as smartphones or sound bars.
Also new is a diagnostic window which enables suppression of warning dialog windows when running a sequence, logging any errors, warnings, and information in a separate file. This is useful when Soundcheck is run in unattended or in highly automated situations (for example, on a production line) where dialog windows would interrupt the execution of a sequence. It also facilitates troubleshooting as the log is easily shared via email. SoundCheck also now allows the Drok USB Controller Knob to be used to adjust the SoundCheck Signal Generator, simulating the feel and control of operation of a traditional manual analog signal generator. Used with other virtual instruments such as the RTA, spectrum analyzer and distortion meter, this offers a rapid way to identify defects by observing the response while manually fine-tuning the signal generator.
More information (video, PDF, graphics, etc.): https://www.listeninc.com/products/soundcheck-overview/new-soundcheck-release-version-19/
SoundCheck 18.1 Released
SoundCheck 18.1 is now available. This update to version 18 includes a couple of new features and several bug-fixes. It introduces control for the upcoming AmpConnect 621 interface, an all-in-one multichannel interface (6-in, 2-out) that is exclusively controlled via the software for seamless integration with test sequences and virtual instruments. It also includes the new Auto Delay+ algorithm for increased accuracy of open loop measurements, especially in cases where the delay is longer than 1 second. It is particularly useful for measuring smart devices such as smart speakers, automotive audio, hearables, etc., where test signals are sent via the cloud. In addition, there are several bug fixes. Version 18.1 is available free of charge to all owners of version 18. If you have not received a download link from your sales engineer, please contact us.
SoundCheck 18 New Features Video
In this short video, sales engineer Les Quindipan gives a brief overview and demonstration of the new usability enhancements and features to simplify automation, multi-channel and voice controlled testing in SoundCheck 18. New features previewed include:
- Automation Enhancements: Test configuration data can now be passed into SoundCheck from external programs using TCP/IP commands. By externally storing parameters such as limits, test levels, and test signals, a single sequence can be used for multiple products, simplifying the number of sequences that a large organization needs to maintain, and reducing test configuration time.
- Plug’n’play hardware setup: Listen and Portland Tool & Die Hardware now auto-configure parameters such as sampling rate and calibration values, and create input and output signal paths, making setup faster.
- Simplified Gain Control Selection: auto read and auto range gain settings are now easily accessible as drop-down options in the gain menu in the acquisition step editor, and auto-read is available in virtual instruments. This makes it much faster to make quick gain adjustments while developing sequences.
- Improved sampling rate management: Improved communication with audio interfaces that have a sampling-rate dependent latency enables you to now specify the latencies for various sampling rates, either by entering them manually or importing from a file, and SoundCheck will automatically default to these. Sampling rate can also now be set in the stimulus editor.
- MEMS interface control: Portland Tool & Die MEMS microphone interfaces can now be fully controlled from within SoundCheck for faster measurement setup and greater measurement reliability as the device settings can be built into the test sequence.
- TEDS Support: When used with compatible Listen hardware, SoundCheck will automatically identify, configure and calibrate TEDS microphones and accelerometers, saving time on initial hardware setup and whenever hardware is changed.
- WASAPI driver support: WASAPI driver support in Windows 10 offers improved multichannel capabilities.
Huge Discounts on SoundCheck 18 Upgrades
For a limited time we are offering deep discounts on a system upgrade to enable you to get up to date with the latest version of SoundCheck. The upgrade offer is a simple flat rate: $3,950 for owners of SoundCheck 12 or 13, $3,250 for owners of version 14, $2,500 for owners of versions 15 through 16, and $1,395 for owners of version 17. All the modules on your present system will be included.
SoundCheckTM 18’s feature-packed release offers many features to simplify multi-channel and voice controlled testing, as well as many usability upgrades including:
- Automation Enhancements: Test configuration data can now be passed into SoundCheck from external programs using TCP/IP commands. By externally storing parameters such as limits, test levels, and test signals, a single sequence can be used for multiple products, simplifying the number of sequences that a large organization needs to maintain, and reducing test configuration time.
- Plug’n’play hardware setup: Listen and Portland Tool & Die Hardware now auto-configure parameters such as sampling rate and calibration values, and create input and output signal paths, making setup faster.
- Simplified Gain Control Selection: auto read and auto range gain settings are now easily accessible as drop-down options in the gain menu in the acquisition step editor, and auto-read is available in virtual instruments. This makes it much faster to make quick gain adjustments while developing sequences.
- Improved sampling rate management: Improved communication with audio interfaces that have a sampling-rate dependent latency enables you to now specify the latencies for various sampling rates, either by entering them manually or importing from a file, and SoundCheck will automatically default to these. Sampling rate can also now be set in the stimulus editor.
- MEMS interface control: Portland Tool & Die MEMS microphone interfaces can now be fully controlled from within SoundCheck for faster measurement setup and greater measurement reliability as the device settings can be built into the test sequence.
- TEDS Support: When used with compatible Listen hardware, SoundCheck will automatically identify, configure and calibrate TEDS microphones and accelerometers, saving time on initial hardware setup and whenever hardware is changed.
- WASAPI driver support in Windows 10 for improved multichannel capabilities.
Call your sales engineer today to receive a quote for upgrading all your SoundCheck systems. These discounted rates are only available until May 31, 2020, so please get your order in soon!
| Upgrade from Version | Upgrade List Price | Promotional Upgrade Price | Discount |
| 12.0 | $9,000 | $3,950 | 56% |
| 13.0 | $7,500 | $3,950 | 47% |
| 14.0 | $6,000 | $3,250 | 46% |
| 15.0 | $4,500 | $2,500 | 44% |
| 16.0 | $3,000 | $2,500 | 16% |
| 17.0 | $1,500 | $1,395 | 7% |
If you are using a version prior to version 12, please contact your sales engineer for discounted price information.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Versions of SoundCheck prior to version 13 are no longer be supported. We highly recommend that you take advantage of this limited time offer to upgrade your systems to version 18. Please contact your sales engineer to discuss additional multi-system upgrade discounts.
- If you have multiple systems with different purchase dates, we are happy to work with you to get them all upgraded to the latest version and onto the same annual support contract cycle.
- You can also reduce your future upgrade costs by purchasing an annual support contract for an additional $950. With this, you will receive SoundCheck 19 when it is released at no extra charge, as well as priority support service.
Please note that these prices are applicable to the US only. Users outside the US should contact Listen or their local representative for pricing information.
Please email your purchase order to sales@listeninc.com, or contact us on this email address if you would like to pay by credit card, have any questions, or need additional paperwork to support your order.
Please also see the detailed information on new features.
SoundCheck 18 Released: New Features for Large-scale Integration and Multi-channel / Voice-activated Device Testing
SoundCheck 18, the latest release of Listen, Inc.’s flagship audio test and measurement system, contains many new features focused on automation and simplicity. Some of these are specifically designed for large-scale integration in factory environments, while others are designed to accelerate R&D testing, particularly where multiple channels are required and/or voice-activated devices are being tested.
Test configuration data, such as limits, test levels, and test signals, can now be passed into SoundCheck from external programs using TCP/IP commands. By externally storing parameters, a single sequence can be used for multiple products, simplifying the number of sequences that a large organization needs to maintain, and reducing test configuration time. This functionality is also useful for applications where a sequence needs to be run many times with different parameters, for example, testing voice recognition with a range of voices or test levels, or where SoundCheck tests are run as part of a larger automated test framework controlled using Python, C#, Visual Basic, LabVIEW, etc.
Setup time is reduced with true plug’n’play hardware configuration. Listen and Portland Tool & Die interfaces are simply connected via the USB cable, and the software automatically creates input and output signal paths and populates parameters such as sampling rate and calibration values. Furthermore, when substituting devices of the same type, SoundCheck will re-use the configuration previously set up, either manually or during a sequence, so that signal paths and sequence configurations do not need to be updated. This offers significant time-savings when deploying a sequence over multiple stations accelerating set-up time for large-scale operations. New TEDS Support (with compatible Listen hardware) enables automatic identification, configuration and calibration of TEDS microphones and accelerometers, also saving time on initial hardware setup or whenever hardware is changed.
The development and optimization of test sequences has been simplified with improvements to gain control selection. Similarly, sampling rate management has been streamlined with automatic latency rate adjustment for devices where latency varies with sampling rate, and the ability to set sampling rate in the stimulus editor. Sampling rate when using WAV files is also now automatically adjusted, making it simpler to make measurement with wave file signals such as speech or music.
For MEMS microphone tests, the Portland Tool & Die MEMS interfaces can now be controlled from within SoundCheck for faster setup as well as greater measurement reliability as the device settings can be built into the test sequence. Sequences using the R&D grade DCC-1448 interface will also work seamlessly with the production-grade PQC-1448, making it much simpler to transition sequences from the R&D lab to the production line.
Additional new features include WASAPI driver support for improved multichannel capabilities, and enhanced digital I/O control for easy conversion of sequences between hardware options.
Updated Bluetooth Interface Supports High Definition and Low Latency Bluetooth
The updated BTC-4149 Bluetooth measurement interface now supports the aptX HD and aptX-Low Latency Bluetooth protocols for accurate measurement of high definition and low latency Bluetooth devices, in addition to the standard aptX, CVSD and mSBC codecs previously available. This enables manufacturers of Bluetooth audio devices to accurately test the audio of the latest high performance Bluetooth sink and Bluetooth source devices, making the same measurements as on traditional audio devices. In addition, the device has a new, larger color screen for improved ease of operation.
The BTC-4149 is designed as a R&D interface, testing both sink and source devices with full control over Bluetooth protocol settings, including explicit control over codec choice and transmitter power, as well as various pairing options.
Also available is a lower cost production tool, the BQC-4149. This tests Bluetooth Sink devices only, and offers only the standard aptX, CVSD and mSBC, along with more limited control of Bluetooth parameters. This model has been updated to use the same chipset as the BTC-4149 to ensure accurate production line replication of R&D tests for those customers who use both interfaces.
Both interfaces integrate seamlessly with SoundCheck, so that all parameters can be set and modified from within a test sequence for fully-automated testing of Bluetooth devices. This accelerates testing, particularly on the production line as it avoids the need to manually adjust Bluetooth settings, reducing the possibility of error. It also enables a device to be tested using multiple Bluetooth protocols and settings by taking sequential measurements using different settings in one continuous test.
SoundCheck 17 New Features Video
In this short video, sales engineer Les Quindipan gives a brief overview and demonstration of the new features and functionality of SoundCheck 17, including the new level and cross-correlation trigger, average curve/waveform post-processing functionality, new color palettes, save to MATLAB option, and more.
Listen Releases SoundCheck 17: New Features for Multichannel and Voice-Controlled Testing
Save to MATLAB
Listen is excited to announce the release of SoundCheck Version 17. This new Windows/Mac release offers many features to simplify multi-channel and voice controlled testing, such as a new level and cross-correlation trigger, average curve/waveform post-processing functionality, the ability to easily read and work with multichannel wavefiles, multiple DC Connect control, and enhanced database options. On the usability side, SoundCheck 17 offers increased flexibility in color palettes, save to MATLAB option, and the ability to recall CSV formatted text files.
Today’s modern audio devices have two important testing requirements: the ability to test a voice activated device with no analog input, and the ability to control and test multiple channels simultaneously, for example, microphone or speaker arrays. SoundCheck 17 contains a host of new features to facilitate this. For voice-activated measurements on devices with no analog input, such as smart speakers, wearables, hearables and smart home devices, the new level & cross-correlation ‘smart trigger’ offers improved performance. By using a chirp-based conditioning tone and searching for the exact log sweep frequency, it is more robust and less susceptible to false triggers than simpler level and frequency triggers.
To save time when testing smart devices where it is necessary to test microphone or speaker arrays, SoundCheck 17 can now directly read multichannel WAV files from the memory list, signal generator and stimulus steps. Also for testing multi-channel arrays, multiple DC Connects can now be controlled, independently configured, and used for data acquisition within SoundCheck. The new Average Curve/WFM post processing function which allows the average curve (or waveform) of a selected group of data in the memory list to be obtained, is particularly useful for power averaging selected curves, averaging curves from different spatial positions (e.g. microphone arrays), and complex averaging of multiple measurements with background noise. Finally, the database module has been enhanced and is now it 4x faster and 3x more space-efficient than previous versions. This is particularly important for testing modern audio products with multiple transducers (microphone arrays, multiple speakers, etc.), as these often generate large volumes of data.
New Level and Cross-Correlation Trigger
Usability enhancements include improved color pallets which offer ultimate flexibility in defining colors for backgrounds, grids, cursors and graph lines. New default color palettes are included, and user-defined palettes can be saved as pre-set files which will be applied to any new display created. Multiple palettes can be saved, for example allowing different color sets for different applications. In addition, SoundCheck can now save any data (including memory list curves and Soundmap (time frequency analysis) data ) to MATLAB for additional processing. Data is saved as a standard MAT file and can be manually or automatically saved in this format.
Additional new features include support for the new APTX HD codec for high resolution Bluetooth testing, a 64 bit Demo / Data Viewer which enables measured data to be recalled and viewed without the need to own a separate license, and the ability to recall CSV files as well as TXT files.
More Information: https://www.listeninc.com/products/soundcheck-software/specs/
