Posts

SoundCheck 21 New Features

Check out our short demo video for a brief introduction to all the new features in SoundCheck 21. From exciting new algorithms for transient distortion detection, to security features to protect your sequences, it features something for everyone!

SoundCheck 21 New Features

Ready to try SoundCheck 21 for yourself?

If you are ready to upgrade your system to SoundCheck 21, or want to discuss how SoundCheck 21 can help your testing needs, contact your local sales engineer or sales@listeninc.com with any questions.

Already own SoundCheck 21, but aren’t on the latest version? SoundCheck 21.01, a patch for version 21 released in March 2023, and is a free update for all registered version 21 users. You can download it here. This patch fixes several minor bugs and is recommended for all users.

Learn more

The new enhanced Loose Particles algorithm correlates objective results to subjective analysis. To hear this algorithm for yourself, and to learn even more about how enhanced Loose Particles works, check out the full enhanced Loose Particles page.

To see some of the other great features, algorithms, and functionality from previous SoundCheck versions, check out our version timeline to learn more about Listen’s 20 years of innovation.

 

New Transient Distortion Measurement Algorithm

At Listen, we’re at the forefront of audio measurement research, and we’re always looking to improve on existing audio measurement techniques, even our own! Loose Particle detection has been a valuable production metric for analyzing transient distortion since we launched it in 2004. This new iteration uses our own original research to improve accuracy and reliability, show a clear correlation to audibility, and simplify limit setting. In addition to production line testing of speakers, headphones, drivers and other devices, it is also valuable for automotive Buzz, Squeak and rattle (BSR) measurements and measuring rattling components such as keys and buttons on a variety of devices. All is explained in the short video below.

Transient Distortion Detection Launch Video

Watch our launch video (broadcast date 05/25/2023) for the full details.

 

Ready to Measure your Transient Distortion?

If you have SoundCheck 21, you already have this new algorithm! Download our free complete end of line test sequence with enhanced Loose Particles to start using it right away.

If you don’t have SoundCheck 21, but have an older version, you can send us your recorded waveforms and we’ll analyze them for you and send you the results. Please contact sales@listeninc.com for a test sequence to record the waveforms.

No SoundCheck system at all? No problem! You can send us your speakers and we’ll test them for you. Or we may be able to arrange a system loan. Contact your sales engineer at sales@listeninc.com for more information.

Prefer to Read About It?

We know not everyone has 15 mins free to watch a video, although its hard to beat the benefits of a proper demonstration. So here’s a brief summary of the information about this new algorithm that is presented in the video:

What it does

The new algorithm measures transient distortion caused by loose particles that may become trapped in a device during manufacture and create an unpleasant sound when they vibrate in the finished product. This is measured in the time domain rather than the frequency domain as these artifacts appear randomly over time, and not periodically in the same way that harmonic distortion artifacts are presented. This algorithm has a couple of unique features:

1) It measures transient distortion separately from harmonic distortion which gives deeper insight into the failure mode and accelerates troubleshooting, particularly on the production line.

2) It’s easy to correlate with audibility as the algorithm removes the stimulus waveform to allow the user to listen to just the distortion artifacts. As well as enabling the user to truly understand how measured results correlate to listening, this also facilitates limit setting.

3) It’s reliable even in the presence of transient background noise since it relies on a cumulative event count rather than a single event triggering a fail. Limit setting is simple as it is not frequency dependent

 

Applications

  • Production line driver test
  • Production line finished product test (rattling buttons, keys, grills, and other components)
  • Buzz, Squeak and Rattle (BSR) / Impulsive distortion measurements in cars

 

How it works

Like Listen’s original 2004 transient distortion detection algorithm, enhanced Loose Particles relies on a time domain analysis of the waveform. However, rather than simply filtering and counting transients, it removed the stimulus, performs a time domain analysis of the remaining transients, then applies a unique Prominence calculation to evaluate each transient in the context of the surrounding waveform. A threshold is applied, and the number of transient events above that threshold are counted. The event count indicates whether a device has a transient distortion problem. Transient events caused by speaker manufacturing issues tend to repeat many times as particles bounce around in side the speaker, or components vibrate. In contrast, background noise events occur infrequently during the duration of the measurement. The threshold is set based on audibility, and the Loose Particle count limit can be set according to the environment to fine-tune the algorithm for the specific operating conditions.

 

Graphic demonstrating how the Transient Distortion algorithm (Loose Particles) works

4 Stages of the enhanced Loose Particles algorithm for transient distortion measurement: Response waveform, Loose Particle waveform, Prominence and enhanced Loose Particles.

 

 

For additional background, comparison to other methods, such as Crest Factor Analysis, and live demonstrations, please check out the video above.

 

Learn More

Huge Discounts on SoundCheck 21 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: $4,175 for owners of SoundCheck 15 or 16, $3,402 for owners of version 17, $2,646 for owners of versions 18 and 19, and $1,465 for owners of version 20. All the modules on your present system will be included. Promotional pricing is valid till June 30th, 2023.

When you upgrade to the latest version of SoundCheck, the license is perpetual – in other words, you keep all the new features you have acquired for ever (or until you decide to upgrade to an even newer version).  Please ask us if you have any questions about upgrade licensing!

SoundCheck® 21 offers new features for both R&D and Production, as well as many usability upgrades including:

  • Enhanced Loose Particle Detection: A new enhanced Loose Particle detection algorithm for measurement of transient distortion is more accurate and offers improved correlation to subjective listening. In addition to identifying distortion caused by foreign material in the voice coil gap of a speaker, it is also valuable for detecting rattling buttons on smart devices and Bluetooth speakers, and identifying buzz, squeak and rattle in automotive audio applications.
  • Multichannel Spectrum Analyzer: A new multi-channel FFT analyzer replaces SoundCheck’s original single channel spectrum analyzer. This high resolution constant bandwidth linear filter analyzer enables any number of live FFT spectra to be simultaneously viewed in real time on the same graph.
  • Metadata for Simplified Data Collection and Recall: SoundCheck’s new Metadata feature simplifies data collection and documentation. Curves, values, results and waveforms can now be saved to a single TDMS file, along with all test parameters acquired during the sequence run such as test conditions, test sequence used, operator, serial number, microphone position, data entered via a message step and more.
  • Sequence Protection: Sequence protection guards your intellectual property and adds an additional level of assurance that your tests are run as-intended by your production facility or contract manufacturer. Any test sequence can now be locked and password protected before distribution. This prevents sequence steps and limits from editing and sequence steps cannot even be viewed, protecting the intellectual property in your sequences.
  • AudioConnect 2 Support: SoundCheck 21 supports AudioConnect 2TM, Listen’s new portable, compact and high resolution (up to 192 kHz) dual-channel audio interface. AudioConnect 2 is designed for measurements anywhere from the production line to out in the field.

Upgrade from Version

Upgrade List Price

Promotional Upgrade Price

Discount

15

$9,450

$4,175

56%

16

$7,875

$4,175

47%

17

$6,300

$3,402

46%

18

$4,725

$2,646

44%

19

$3,150

$2,646

16%

20

$1,575

$1,465

7%

If you are using a version prior to version 15, please contact your sales engineer for discounted price information.

PLEASE NOTE:

  • Versions of SoundCheck prior to 16 are no longer supported. We highly recommend that you take advantage of this limited time offer to upgrade your systems to the latest version. 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 $998. With this, you will receive SoundCheck 22 when it is released at no extra charge, as well as priority support service.
  • Discounted upgrade prices are only available to registered owner of software, for their exclusive use.

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. You can also 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.

request_quote

SoundCheck Online Basic Training, May 2023

Registration is now open for our Online SoundCheck Basic Training class from May 9th-18th.

The course will again consist of 6 x 2-hour sessions over a 2 week time period, and will cover all the same content as our standard in-person basic training course. Each session is led by a live trainer and will include instruction, demos, quizzes, breakout sessions and discussion. Hands-on exercises will be provided to be completed between sessions and reviewed in subsequent classes.

We are restricting attendance to 30 attendees to better facilitate breakout sessions, so sign up early to secure your spot. Registration closes on May 1st, and a 10% early booking discount will apply to all registrations received by April 17th.

Dates: May 9th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 18th

Time: 6 x 2hr sessions from 11.00am-1.00pm Eastern US Time (8.00am-10.00am Western US Time)

Attendees must attend all 6 sessions to complete the course.

Cost: $295 ($195 for support contract holders). Additional discounts for multiple people from the same company signing up together (2-3 people: 10%; 4 people: 15%; 5+ people: 25%). Additional 5% early bird discount when signing up prior to April 17th.

Instructors: Mark Latshaw and Pranav Swaroop

Course Outline

Session 1: Hardware & Calibration – Configuring audio interfaces and external equipment; certified audio interfaces; Calibration of different DUT types (telephones, speakers, etc.)

Session 2: Memory list, Data management, Virtual Instruments (Spectrum Analyzer, RTA, Multi-meter, Signal Generator, Oscilloscope), Sequence Editor Basics

Session 3: Sequence Writing Part 1 – Introduction to the sequence editor; stimulus; acquisition; basic analysis

Session 4: Sequence Writing Part 2 – Limits; Displays; Autosave; Recall; Printing

Session 5: Sequence Writing Part 3 – Messages & sequence logic; Post Processing; Statistics

Session 6: Sequence Writing Part 4 – Sequence Writing Examples

 

Group discounts are available for multiple attendees from the same company:

2-3 attendees: 10% discount

4 attendees: 15% discount

5+ attendees: 25% discount

 

Early bird discount: 10% until April 17th.

Register Now

 

Note about late signups: As training starts imminently, we do not have time to ship demo keys. This means that in order to participate fully, you must have a relatively up-to-date (version 20 or 21) hardware key available to use. If you do not, you can still follow along with the training in demo mode, but you will be unable to complete some of the hands-on exercises.

SoundCheck Basic & Advanced Training, Feb/Mar 2023 – Denmark

We’re excited to be back training in-person later this month in Copenhagen – a great location easily accessible from much of Europe.

We’re offering both our 2 day basic training and our 1 day advanced training consecutively. Attend either, or if you want to seriously power up your SoundCheck knowledge, come to both for 3 action-packed days!

Dates: Basic Training Feb 27th-28th. Advanced Training Mar 1st

Location : IDA Copenhagen, Kalvebod Brygge 31-33, 1780 København V (just 15 minutes from the airport).

Presenters: Mark Latshaw and Steve Temme

This training is being held in partnership with our Scandinavia distributor, Vibrakustik. You can find full information about the training including course outlines and cost here: SoundCheck Training 2023.

If you would like to register for the training, or have any questions please contact Vibrakustik directly.

External Control of SoundCheck Seminar

SoundCheck has led the way in production line audio measurement for over 25 years with its sophisticated suite of audio measurement algorithms that offer precise measurement, fast throughput, excellent noise immunity, and world-class reliability. However, many audio manufacturing factories are moving towards large, highly customized, integrated test configurations to evaluate products, not only for audio integrity, but often video, visual and other performance defects. This seminar explains how external control capability brings the advantages of SoundCheck into your automated test environment using any programming language compatible with TCP/IP  including C, C+, Python, LabVIEW and more.

External Control demonstrations include:

  • Enabling TCP-IP in SoundCheck, and an overview of commands
  • Using external control to open up and run a SoundCheck sequence using a python script, and returning data for use in any application
  • Changing test parameters via external control, so that test procedures can be simplified by adapting test conditions on the fly for different products
  • Loading, playing and controlling volume of  a test signal on a DUT  using a custom step in a SoundCheck sequence.
  • Using external control to automatically equalize wave files loaded into SoundCheck via TCP/IP
  • Using MATLAB with SoundCheck

Presenters: Mark Latshaw, Pranav Swaroop
Duration: 30 Mins

More about External Control of SoundCheck

The SoundCheck manual includes a full list of TCP/IP commands for use with SoundCheck, and an explanation of the JSON formatted return.

Learn more about SoundCheck for production test.

Resources for controlling SoundCheck with programs externally

To learn more about the Python programming language used in this seminar, check out the official Python website.

To learn more about MATLAB by MathWorks, check out the official MATLAB website.

AES75 (M-Noise) Measurement of Max SPL for Loudspeakers

The new AES75-2022 standard for Measuring Loudspeaker Maximum Linear Sound Levels Using Noise is a complex test process which uses the M-Noise test signal developed by Meyer Sound to measure the maximum linear sound levels of a loudspeaker system or driver. This test signal was specifically developed to emulate the dynamic characteristics of music.

Implementing the standard manually relies on an operator’s subjective judgment of real time spectrum analyzer data, and is labor intensive since it requires multiple iterations of a measurement. Our free SoundCheck test sequence fully automates the entire measurement, using calculated results to drive subsequent steps in the procedure. This removes subjectivity, increasing reliability, and saving time. This short video introduces the test sequence with a short demonstration.

Video Demo

Try it Yourself

Would you like to try this yourself? If you already have SoundCheck, you can download the AES75 (M-Noise) test sequence. Please note that you will need the waveform filter (part # 2032) and transfer function (part # 2021) modules installed on your SoundCheck system. You can download the AES75 Standard from the Audio Engineering Society website.

 

 

Video Script:

Make Max SPL Measurements to the AES 75 Standard using M-Noise

Our pre-written test sequence automates measurement to the new AES 75 standard for Maximum SPL, removing subjectivity, increasing reliability, and saving time.

This standard details a method for measuring maximum linear sound levels of a loudspeaker system or driver using M-Noise, a test signal specifically developed to emulate the dynamic characteristics of music. Clearly defined limits for linear frequency response and coherence determine the Max SPL level and remove any measurement ambiguity.

Implementing the standard manually relies on an operator’s subjective judgment of real time spectrum analyzer data. It also requires multiple iterations of a measurement, therefore is labor intensive.

Our test sequence is fully automated. We use the same test signal and calculations outlined in the standard, but automated analysis steps objectively calculate the measurements and drive the next steps in the procedure.

Let’s take a look.

Here, you can see we are using the freely available M-Noise test signal introduced by Meyer Sound. This stimulus features a relatively constant peak level as a function of frequency, but a diminishing RMS level with increasing frequency.

First, we use a test signal approximately 20dB below our expected Max SPL to obtain a provisional linear frequency response, linearity, coherence and signal to noise ratio. We then increase the test level by 3dB, and compare the results to the initial value. The results must be within +/- 1dB, have a coherence of at least 97% and a signal to noise ratio 15dB or higher so that we know we are operating in the speaker’s linear region and our signal to noise ratio is sufficient for accurate measurements.

Next we automatically increase the test level by 3dB and compare it to the initial results, normalized to the current test level. Multiple measurement iterations take place until one of the ‘stop’ conditions is reached. These conditions are either:

  • the live measurement differs from the linear frequency response by at least 2 dB over at least two octaves
  • the live measurement differs from the linear frequency response by at least 3 dB anywhere, or
  • the Coherence Reduction Target is met –  this means the signal to noise ratio is 10dB or less and/or the coherence is 91% or less.

When one of these limits is reached, the sequence then reduces the test level to the last level that passed and repeats the measurements in 1dB increments to find the precise Level at which the response deviates from the base level.

Once this level is established, the device enters a burn-in process, where the M Noise stimulus is played through the DUT for five minutes and fifty-three seconds and again compared to the initial result. This long duration measurement is also used to generate peak, rms and A weighted RMS sound levels. If the response curve remains consistent, this curve is the Max SPL curve according to the standard. If it is not within the acceptable limits, the device is cooled down and the tests repeated with a longer stimulus duration.

All the operator needs to do is enter any stimulus limits based on the operating range of the DUT into the sequence before starting, then return when the test is complete.

As well as saving time, SoundCheck mathematically calculates the data in analysis steps within the sequence, which avoids the subjectivity of relying on operator interpretation of real-time spectrum analyzer outputs. This increases repeatability and confidence in the results. This sequence is available free of charge on our website. Check it out!

ISEAT 2022,October 29-30 2022, Shenzhen, China.

Listen President, Steve Temme, will be presenting a paper entitled ‘Enhanced perceptual rub & buzz measurement for loudspeaker production test’.  Due to Covid-19 regulations, this paper will be presented by video.

ISEAT Web Site

 

SoundCheck Online Basic Training, October 2022

Registration is now open for our Online SoundCheck Basic Training class from October 4th-13th.

The course will again consist of 6 x 2-hour sessions over a 2 week time period, and will cover all the same content as our standard in-person basic training course. Each session is led by a live trainer and will include instruction, demos, quizzes, breakout sessions and discussion. Hands-on exercises will be provided to be completed between sessions and reviewed in subsequent classes

We are restricting attendance to 30 attendees to better facilitate breakout sessions, so sign up early to secure your spot. Registration closes on September 26th, and a 10% early booking discount will apply to all registrations received by September 15th.

Dates: October 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th 13th.

Time: 6 x 2hr sessions from 11.00am-1.00pm Eastern US Time (8.00am-10.00am Western US Time)

Attendees must attend all 6 sessions to complete the course.

Cost: $295 ($195 for support contract holders). Additional discounts for multiple people from the same company signing up together (2-3 people: 10%; 4 people: 15%; 5+ people: 25%). Additional 5% early bird discount when signing up prior to September 15th.

Instructors: Mark Latshaw and Pranav Swaroop

 

Course Outline

Session 1: Hardware & Calibration – configuring audio interfaces and external equipment; certified audio interfaces; Calibration of different DUT types (telephones, speakers, etc.)

Session 2: Memory list, Data management, Virtual Instruments (Spectrum Analyzer, RTA, Multi-meter, Signal Generator, Oscilloscope), Sequence Editor Basics

Session 3: Sequence Writing Part 1 – introduction to the sequence wizard; stimulus; acquisition; basic analysis; limits

Session 4: Sequence Writing Part 2 – Displays; Autosave; Recall; Printing

Session 5: Sequence Writing Part 3 – Messages & sequence logic; external control; sequence & step parameters

Session 6: Advanced Sequence Development – Post Processing; Statistics

 

Group discounts are available for multiple attendees from the same company:

2-3 attendees: 10% discount

4 attendees: 15% discount

5+ attendees: 25% discount

 

Early bird discount: 10% until Sept 15.

Register Now

 

We are also running Advanced Training, November 15-17th. Learn more.