Perceptual Audio Evaluation - Theory, Method and Application

Preface. Organisation of the book. Acknowledgments. 1. Introduction. 1.1 Listening tests - motivation for. 1.2 Role of standardization. 1.3 Role of predictive models. I. EXPERIMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. 2. Definition of research question and hypothesis. 2.1 Principle of empiricism. 2.2 Principle of rationalism. 2.3 Other principles of scientific argumentation. 2.3. 1 Probabilistic reasoning. 2.3. 2 Argumentum ad hominem. 2.3. 3 Conclusion by analogy. 2.4 Summary. 3. Fundamentals of experimentation. 4. Quantification of impression. 4.1 Response attribute. 4.1.1 Perceptual measurements. 4.1.2 Affective measurements. 4.2 Response format. 4.2.1 Direct scaling. 4.2.2 Indirect scaling. 4.2.3 Selection of appropriate scaling procedure. 4.2.4 Context and bias effects. 4.2. 5 Other bias effects. 4.3 Overview of process. 5. Experimental variables. 5.1 Signal. 5.1.1 Signal category. 5.1.2 Recording technique, storage and encoding. 5.1.3 Time domain characteristics. 5.1. 4 Spectral characteristics. 5.1. 5 Spatial characteristics. 5.1. 6 Reference signals. 5.2 Reproduction system. 5.3 Listening room. 5.4 Subject considerations. 5.4.1 Categorisation and applicability. 5.4.2 Listening panels. 5.4.3 Subject selection. 5.4. 4 Training and monitoring. 6. Statistics. 6.1 Statistical experimental design. 6.2 Statistical analysis. 6.2.1 Classification of data type. 6.2.2 Levels of analysis. 6.2.3 Descriptive level. 6.2.4 Inferential level. 6.2. 5 Statistical checklist. II. TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS. 7. Electroacoustic considerations. 7.1 Listening rooms. 7.1.1 IEC 60268-13 listening rooms. 7.1.2 ITU-R BS.1116-1 listening rooms. 7.1.3 EBU 3276 listening rooms. 7.1. 4 General characteristics. 7.2 Listening booths. 7.3 Other spaces. 7.4 Listener and loudspeaker positioning. 7.4.1 Monophonic reproduction. 7.4.2 Stereophonic reproduction. 7.4.3 Multichannel reproduction. 7.4. 4 Separate bass loudspeakers. 7.4. 5 Listener position. 7.5 Accompanying picture. 7.6 Commonly encountered problems. 7.7 Electrical considerations. 8. Calibration. 8.1 Level calibration. 8.1.1 Level calibration methods. 8.1.2 Level metric selection. 8.1.3 Preferred listening levels. 8.1. 4 Reference reproduction levels. 8.2 Loudspeaker calibration. 8.2.1 Level calibration. 8.3 Headphone calibration. 8.3. 1 Headphone types. 8.3. 2 Ear measurement points. 8.3. 3 Headphone measurement. 8.3. 4 Target frequency response. 8.3. 5 Level calibration. 9. Test planning, administration and reporting. 9.1 Planning. 9.1.1 Experimental planning. 9.1.2 Logistic considerations. 9.1.3 Ethical considerations. 9.2 Administration. 9.2.1 Subject matters. 9.2.2 Subject familiarisation. 9.2.3 Listening test software. 9.3 Reporting. III. APPLICATIONS. 10. Commonly encountered experimental paradigms. 10.1 Standards. 10.1.1 ITU-T P.800 methods. 10.1.2 ITU-R BS.1116-1. 10.1.3 ITU-R BS.1534-1. IV. APPENDICES. A: Standards and Recommendations. A.1 Audio Engineering Society. A.2 American National Standards Institute. A.3 European Broadcasting Union. A.4 International Electrotechnical Commission. A.5 The International Telecommunications Union standards. A.5.1 Telecommunications Standardisation Sector. B: Attribute lists. B.1 Speech quality. B.2 Spatial sound quality. B.2.1 Loudspeakers. B.2.2 Headphones. B.3 Other quality attributes. C: Audio source and demonstration material. D: A-, B-, C- and D- weighting curves. E: DRP-ERP compensation curves. F: Abbreviations. Index.