Tutorial on Critical Listening of Multi-Channel Audio Codec Performance

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Publisher: SMPTE — White Plains, NY
Doc Type: Conference Paper
Content Type: Tutorial
Volume: 2012, No. 10, pp. 1–25
Abstract: Listening for impairments introduced by multichannel audio codecs is an important task. Classical objective methods are not adequate in assessing audio coding schemes. Accordingly, the ITU-R BS.1116 & 1534 recommendations provide guidelines for subjective evaluation of codecs. This paper provides a tutorial on the proper conditions to do reliable codec testing. Several key components covered are, proper experimental design, selection of listening panel and training of listeners, developing the test methodology, selecting balanced program material, loudspeaker/room and sound-field requirements, listening for artifacts, and statistical analysis. This paper addresses these various components including the sound-field requirements since, as per the ITU: “The characteristics of the reference sound field at the listening area are most important for the subjective perception of, or the quality assessment of, auditory events and their reproducibility at other listening places or rooms. These characteristics result from the interaction of the loudspeaker(s) and the listening room”.
Publication Date: 2012-10-01
DOI: 10.5594/M001483
Link: https://doi.org/10.5594/M001483
Author(s): Sunil BharitkarDolby Laboratories, Inc. 100 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103
Grant DavidsonDolby Laboratories, Inc. 100 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103
Louis FielderDolby Laboratories, Inc. 100 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103
Poppy CrumDolby Laboratories, Inc. 100 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103
Copyright: © 2012 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.

Bibliographic Reference(s)

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Sunil Bharitkar, Grant Davidson, Louis Fielder, and Poppy Crum; Tutorial on Critical Listening of Multi-Channel Audio Codec Performance, SMPTE Meetings and Conferences ( October 2012); SMPTE, 2012. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/M001483

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Sunil Bharitkar, Grant Davidson, Louis Fielder, and Poppy Crum; Tutorial on Critical Listening of Multi-Channel Audio Codec Performance, SMPTE Meetings and Conferences ( October 2012); SMPTE, 2012. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/M001483

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<span class="citation">Sunil Bharitkar, Grant Davidson, Louis Fielder, and Poppy Crum; <cite>Tutorial on Critical Listening of Multi-Channel Audio Codec Performance</cite>, SMPTE Meetings and Conferences ( October 2012); SMPTE, 2012. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.5594/M001483" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.5594/M001483</a></span>

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Sunil Bharitkar, Grant Davidson, Louis Fielder, and Poppy Crum; <cite id="bib-10-5594-m001483">Tutorial on Critical Listening of Multi-Channel Audio Codec Performance</cite>, SMPTE Meetings and Conferences ( October 2012); SMPTE, 2012
<span class="doi">10.5594/M001483</span>
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