Listen’s New Enhanced Perceptual Rub & Buzz Algorithm

Not all distortion is audible. Perceptual Rub & Buzz measurements identify only those devices with audible Rub & Buzz defects, rather than all Rub & Buzz defects. Basing end-of-line pass/fail decisions on this metric increases yield while maintaining customer satisfaction.

Listen’s new enhanced Perceptual Rub & Buzz algorithm is the first to perform better than the human ear. Its proprietary noise reduction technology and advanced perceptual algorithms make its performance in a noisy factory environment comparable to the performance of a human ear under normal listening conditions. In other words, it is the only perceptual Rub & Buzz metric that accurately correlates real-world end-of-line results with listener perception.

Furthermore, it is highly repeatable, simple to configure and set limits, and can be simultaneously implemented with other end-of-line tests with no increase in overall test time.

Watch It

Did you miss our launch event? Or was it so interesting you want to watch it again or share with colleagues? In this 20 minute video, Steve Temme explains the principals behind this new algorithm, demonstrates it, and shares results.

Need the executive summary? This short (<4 mins) version, also presented by Steve Temme, covers the basic facts, but without the background information and live demos.

Read About It

Product Flyer:

A brief summary of the new enhanced Perceptual Rub & Buzz algorithm with an explanation of how it works and the results it achieves.

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Article: The Evolution of Production Line Rub & Buzz measurements

A detailed article from the April 2022 AudioXpress discussing production line Rub & Buzz measurements from 1995 to the current day, covering everything from the earliest conventional algorithms to the development of this latest perceptual metric. It contains detailed performance data, and explains how it complements other distortion metrics for end-of line tests.

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Article: End-of-Line Distortion Measurements

This article from the 2022 Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook compares the new ePRB algorithm to other Rub & Buzz detection methods, sharing results and comparison with other methods.

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Hear It

Check out how our ePRB algorithm correlates with your hearing with our listening test!

Here are three recordings of speakers with varying levels of distortion, and one reference recording of a speaker with little to no distortion. Listen to each file, submit your answers, and see how the SoundCheck algorithm compares to your ears.

Just a couple of things to note:

  1. This is a recording which will be played through the device you are using. Any distortion introduced by your device will affect your perception, so we recommend using good quality speakers or headphones.
  2. Rub & buzz defects are hard for the untrained ear to detect compared to, say, an incorrect frequency response – some people may not be able to hear the distortion at all.

Enter your information, and rating of each speaker below.

Try It

Ready to try it?

If you already have SoundCheck 20, you already have access to this innovative algorithm at no extra cost! Simply download our free ePRB demo sequence and try it out. This pre-written sequence will walk you through the process of measuring and analyzing your speakers, so all you need to do is grab some speakers, run the sequence and compare the SoundCheck results to what you hear (or documented subjective analyses). Get Sequence

If you want to add ePRB to your end of line test sequence we offer a complete loudspeaker test sequence that includes ePRB measured simultanously with other distortion methods plus other end of line metrics such as frequency response, impedance, polarity, etc. Naturally this sequence can easily be adapted for your specific devices. Get Sequence.

If you don’t have SoundCheck, or haven’t yet upgraded to the latest version, we can still find a way for you to evaluate this algorithm. Typically we would either send you a demo SoundCheck license, or you would send either your speakers or recorded waveforms to us for evaluation. Please contact your local sales engineer or email sales@listeninc.com do discuss your options.

Buy It

Ready to get your hands on it? Talk to your sales engineer or local distributor, or contact sales@listeninc.com for upgrade or new system pricing.

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