Listening tests

Our aim is to make perceptual evaluation a natural part of the product development process and benchmarking. In this way, we help our customers develop products that are more pleasant to use because they are customised to end-users’ senses. 

Essential solutions within listening tests

The essential solutions that SenseLab can bring include:

• A wide selection of both custom and standard-compliant listening tests 
• Benchmarking 
• Quantifying the key perceptual characteristics of your product using sensory evaluation 
• Linking perceptual characteristics to consumer preferences 
• Finding the number of user groups and their perceptual needs.

A one-stop shop for listening tests

SenseLab is highly qualified in the field of doing listening tests, starting from setting up and analysing data from different standardised and custom-made listening tests through to the development of perceptual models.

SenseLab’s domain experience includes:

• Speech/audio codecs, noise suppression technologies, and tele-communication systems 
• Hearing aids, headphones, and other personal audio systems 
• Speaker systems and spatial sound reproduction 
• Watermarking technologies 
• Product sound quality and alarm signals 
• Low-frequency sound, loudness, annoyance etc. 

Standard listening test types 

SenseLab offers standard compliant, fast-turn-around listening tests according to a number of recommendations. This includes (but is not limited to):

• ITU-T P.800 series, ITU-T P.835 
• ITU-R BS.1534 (MUSHRA), ITU-R BS.1116 
• Various applied sensory methodologies (attribute-based test types, flash profiling methods etc.) 

International consumer studies 

SenseLab has been accepted as a member of the European Sensory Network. This gives us an international network of collaborating partners and access to laboratories across Europe.

Listening panels

SenseLab Expert panel

SenseLab’s services include our highly skilled and maintained expert assessor panel (ISO 8586-2), as well as access to larger groups of consumers (also hearing impaired). Through our network and professional collaborations, we offer the possibility of conducting international studies in multiple languages if needed.

We acknowledge that listeners are one of our key sources in providing our clients with reliable data and that the feedback they give is crucial in the R&D process.

Our measuring tools 
Continuous training, good motivation, and a high level of activity is the key to good panel performance.

In working with sensory evaluation, you need two types of panel, an expert panel and a consumer panel. At SenseLab, we hold both types.

Our expert panel is the backbone of our sensory work. We have carefully selected and trained the highly-skilled panellists who provide us with objective measurements within the sensory modalities of hearing, vision and touch. 

The SenseLab Expert Panel currently consists of »30 highly motivated assessors, who have been screened using a range of detection and physical tests.

Panel performance 
We continually survey our assessors’ performance, making sure that we live up to high standards in delivering good and objective data sets.

By surveying the assessors’ performance, we are able to hand pick those whose skills match a specific type of task or sensory modality.

Hearing impaired panel

SenseLab’s services includes a trained hearing impaired listener panel with a ‘N3’ moderate hearing loss according to IEC 60118-15.

The listeners all have +3 years experience as hearing aid users and they play a key role for our services related to evaluating sound quality of hearing aids or hearing aid accessories.

The panel is employed for establishing knowledge about how hearing aid products are perceived and preferred, and results are both used for benchmark/marketing purposes as well as internal R&D work for optimization of product sound quality.

The hearing impaired panel currently counts 18 listeners.

A selection of SenseLab related publications and presentations

SenseLab contributes to the continuous research and development within the field of perceptual audio evaluation, sensory evaluation, acoustics, psychoacoustics and the general use of listening tests. Here is a selection of SenseLab related publications.

Perceptual Audio Evaluation

Bech, S., & Zacharov, N. (2006). Perceptual Audio Evaluation – Theory, Method and Application. London: John Wiley & Sons

Bech, S., & Zacharov, N. V. (2008). Perceptual audio evaluation: Theory, method and application. (Tutorial). 125th AES convention (San Francisco, USA)

Fischer, R., Junius, D., Legarth, S. V. (2013). Sensory profiling – a method for improving sound quality of hearing aids. Z Audiol 2013; 52 (3) 107-113

Kvist, P., Pedersen T. H. (2006). Translation into Danish of the questions and modifiers for socio-acoustic surveys. Euronoise 2006 proceedings

Legarth, S. V., & Zacharov, N. V. (2009). Assessor selection process for multisensory applications. Proceedings of the 126th Convention of the Audio Engineering Society (Munich, Germany)

Legarth, S. V., Ramsgaard. J., Le Ray, G., Zacharov, N. (2010). A performance comparison of Home Usage Testing and Central Location Testing in small impairment listening tests. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Perceptual Quality of Systems (PQS), (Dresden, German)

Legarth, S.V., Simonsen, C.S., Bramsløw, L., Le Ray, G., Zacharov, N. (2010). Sensory evaluation of hearing aid performance based on normal-hearing listeners. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Perceptual Quality of Systems (PQS) (Dresden, Germany)

Lokki, T., Pätynen, J., Zacharov, N. (2011). Concert hall acoustics assessment with sensory evaluation – tools and practices. In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Auditorium Acoustics (Dublin, Ireland)

Lorho, G., Legarth, S. V., Zacharov, N. (2010). Perceptual validation of binaural recordings for mobile multimedia loudspeaker evaluation. AES 38th (Piteå, Sweden)

Pedersen, T. H., & Zacharov, N. V. (2008). How many psycho-acoustic attributes are needed? Proceedings of the 5th Forum Acousticum (Paris, France)

Simonsen, C. S., Legarth, S. V. (2010). A Procedure for Sound Quality Evaluation of Hearing Aids. Hearing Review, Dec. 2010

Ramsgaard, J. Zacharov, N., Khalid, J., Le Ray, G. (2011). Evaluation of complex audio systems using Rapid Online Listening Test methods. Pangborn 2011 Symposium (Toronto, Canada)

Torben Holm Pedersen, Tore Stegenborg-Andersen (2013). Live concert sound quality – Measurements and assessments of eight concert venues

Christer P. Volk, Torben Holm Pedersen (2013). System Audio – Q113. Lyttetest med hi-fi-højttalere

Zacharov, N., Ramsgaard, J., Le Ray, G., & Jørgensen, C. V. (2010). The multidimensional characterization of active noise cancellation headphone perception. Quality of Multimedia Experience (QOMEX) (Trondheim, Norway)

Zacharov, N. V. (2008). Perceptual evaluation techniques for spatial sound. (Invited presentation). Ears Wide Open (Rennes, France).

Pedersen, T. H. Karakteristik af lyden fra audioprodukter. Lydhjulet kan bruges til at give en objektiv beskrivelse af lyden. Tek’notat nr. 7, 2015

Pedersen, T. H. Perceptual characteristics of audio.The sound wheel can be used to provide an objective description of the sound. Tech document nr. 7 2015

Pedersen, T. H. Objektive lyttetests af audioprodukter. Et værdifuldt redskab til produktudvikling og forbrugerinformation. TEK’notat nr. 11 2016

Pedersen, T. H. Objective listening test of audio products. A valuable tool for product development and consumer information. Tech document nr. 11 2016

Product sound quality, psycho-acoustics, sound branding

Ellermeier, W., & Legarth, S. V. (2006). Visual bias in subjective assessments of automotive sounds. (Presentation). EuroNoise 2006 (Tampere, Finland)

Pedersen, T. H. (2001). Measurements and Judgments of Sound in relation to Human Sound Perception. DELTA Report AV 1461/01. Implemented as Nordtest ACOU 111, “Human Sound Perception – Guidelines for listening tests”, 2002

Pedersen, T. H. (2008). Semantic space of sounds. DELTA, Denmark

Pedersen, T.H. (2010). White paper on external warning sounds for electric cars – Recommendations and guidelines. AV 1224/10, DELTA, Denmark

Ramsgaard, J. (2009). Emotional profiling of sound logos. (MSc Thesis). Aarhus University, Denmark

Ramsgaard, J. Le Ray, G., Zacharov, N. (2010). Exploring the cross modal perception of sound and text in a study of sound logos. 4th EuroSense conference on sensory and consumer research, (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain)

Ramsgaard, J. Holme, S., Kjems, K., Zacharov, N. (2011). Audio Branding – what to test and why? Audio Branding Academy (ABA) Yearbook

Zacharov, N., Ramsgaard, J., Le Ray, G (2010). Quantifying the perceptual characteristics of sound logos. Oral presentation at the 39th European Marketing Academy conference (EMAC), (Copenhagen, 2010)

Ramsgaard, J. Le Ray, G., Winther, J., Beckmann, S. (2012). Free Association Profiling of Sound Logos: An Exploratory Study. In Audio Branding Academy (ABA) Yearbook, Nomos

Statistics

Le Ray, G. (2009). Development of a statistical routine with R in the field of audio engineering. (MSc Thesis). AGRO CAMPUS OUEST, France

Le Ray, G., Molto, Q., & Husson, F. (2009). Hierachical clustering on principal components (HCPC). (Presentation). useR! Conference (Rennes, France)

Le Ray, G., Zacharov, N., Ramsgaard, J. (2010). Multivariate analyses of cross modal perception sound logos and text strings, MATLS conference, Danish Technical University

Le Ray, G. Pedersen, T. H., Ramsgaard, J., Legarth, S. (2012). Aggregation of data from different sessions/experiments using anchor systems. Sensometrics 2012 (Rennes, France)

Lorho, G., Le Ray, G,. Zacharov, N. (2010). eGauge – A Measure of Assessor Expertise in Audio Quality Evaluations. AES 38th (Piteå, Sweden)

Noise and annoyance

Bendsten, H., Pedersen, T. H., Le Ray, G., Forsting, K. (2012). Reduktion af støjgener ved brug af tyndlagsbelægninger. Trafik & Veje 04-12

Legarth, S. V. (2007). Auralization and assessments of annoyance from wind turbines. (Presentation). Second International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise (Lyon, France)

Pedersen, T. H. (2001). Impulsive noise – Objective measuring method for the prominence of impulsive noise. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency. Work report no. 1, 2001. Implemented as Nordtest ACOU 112: Acoustics: Prominence of impulsive sounds and for adjustment of LAeq 2002-05

Pedersen, T. H. (2007). The “Genlyd” Noise Annoyance Model Dose-Response Relationships Modelled by Logistic Functions. DELTA report AV 1102/07

Pedersen, T. H. (2008). Prominent tones in noise – Proficiency testing among 30 laboratories of the ISO 1996-2 Annex C method and its predecessors. Acoustics 08 – Paris

Pedersen, T. H. (2008). Low Frequency Noise from Large Wind Turbines – A procedure for evaluation of the audibility for low frequency sound and a literature study. Project report AV 1098/08

Pedersen, T. H. (2011). Relations between wind turbine noise and health effects (in Danish). DELTA report AV 1017/11

Pedersen, T. H. (2012). SenseLabOnline listening test on sound insulation of walls – A feasibility study. DELTA report SenseLab 012/12

Haptic/tactile evaluation

Ramsgaard, J., Le Ray, G., & Zacharov, N. (2009). Application of napping® to the evaluation of digital camera zoom lens function. Pangborn 2009 Symposium (Florence, Italy)