Ambient Noise Sound Field Restoration Test Lab
To achieve the best performance, running simulations of real user scenarios in different environments is key. In addition to the high cost of field testing, there are many risks and constraints. Different environmental factors are often unpredictable and uncontrollable. This is the reason why field testing is crucial for the makers.
Traditional noise reduction tests usually only use swept tones or white noise, which cannot truly present the actual conditions in life. To respond to the market demand, Allion provides ambient noise sound field restoration test services, which record the real noise conditions in each field, and then use sound field reconstruction technology to restore and build the actual noise environment to verify the most realistic performance of the product.
Does the noise reduction function of the product really work?
In the face of the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, noise-canceling products are undoubtedly the best choice for businesspeople who need to focus on their business or commuters who want to enjoy a moment of peace and quiet from the outside noise. But do you have developed a product that fully meets the expectations of your consumers?
Communicating with the customers, Allion’s wireless digital acoustics consulting team clearly understands the potential risks in the wireless digital acoustics ecosystem that can affect the noise reduction effect of your products, such as:
1. Selective soundproofing for different environmental noises:
Some noise reduction products are only designed to soundproof specific frequencies of noise, such as low-frequency traffic noise or high-frequency human voice. If the product has not been tested for sound field restoration, it may not perform as well as expected in certain real-world environments. For example, a noise-canceling headphone may perform well in isolating low-frequency machine noise, but not in isolating low-frequency human voice.
2. Residual penetration noise interferes with speech:
Even with good acoustic insulation, a small amount of noise may still penetrate the user’s ears. This residual penetration noise may interfere with speech or other important sounds heard by the user, especially in situations that require attentive listening, such as meetings, school or work. If the product has not been tested with sound field restoration technology, background noise may prevent certain critical information from being transmitted clearly, which in turn affects the user experience.
3. Difficult to distinguish between external safety warning sounds:
In some situations, warning sounds exist to protect users from danger. However, if a noise cancellation product is unable to adequately distinguish or penetrate external safety warning sounds (such as car horns, train whistles, or other emergency alarms), the user is exposed to safety risks.
4. Disrupted the immersive experience:
This is especially true for AR/MR (Augmented Reality/Mixed Reality) related products. Consumers of such products expect an immersive experience and feel, which means that if noise interferes, this negative feeling will be amplified.
- Impact of immersion: If external noise penetrates inappropriately, it will definitely break the immersion and affect the overall experience of the user.
- Interaction experience: AR/MR devices need to interact with real-world sounds, such as simulating the sounds of objects in the real environment. If the device is unable to capture or simulate these sounds correctly, it may result in an unrealistic or unnatural interaction experience.
5. Acoustic problems in indoor spaces:
- Interference from echo/reverberation: Excessive echo or reverberation may muffle the speaker’s voice and affect the addressee’s level of understanding of the information.
- Impact of the sound field environment on the respondent’s mind: A poor acoustic environment not only makes it difficult for the respondent to concentrate, but may also cause both the sender and the respondent to feel tired or uncomfortable, and may even affect their moods, and in the case of an educational site, may even affect their learning.
Ambient noise sound field restoration consulting services, accompany you to solve the problem of sound reproduction
To achieve the best performance, running simulations of real user scenarios in different environments is key. Allion utilizes decades of acoustic verification and the wireless digital acoustic consulting team has communicated with headphone manufacturers. However, we found out the field testing is crucial for the makers.
In addition to the high cost of field testing, there are many risks and constraints. Allion’s wireless digital acoustic consulting team, focusing on various application scenarios and user habits, actually went to each scene to record the real noise conditions of the scene, and through the sound field reconstruction technology restoration, the actual noise environment is restored and constructed in the laboratory.
Ambient Noise Sound Field Restoration Test image
Sound Field Reconstruction
[Listening Room Details]- Inside Space (L*W*H) : 6*5*2.4 m
- Noise Floor : ≤ 19 dBSPL(A)
- Reverberation: 0.25s ≤ RT60avg ≤ 0.4s
- Octave Bands 125~8000Hz
Available Recording Field
Allion has been recording real-world environmental noise in various application scenarios, including train stations, airports, noisy offices, buses/trams/High Speed Rail and other public transportation vehicles, and can also record the sound field according to the customer’s specific scenarios to help customers accurately evaluate the noise reduction effect of their own products.
1. Indoor: Includes a variety of common indoor scenes, mainly the human voice and the operation of appliances sound transmission in different sizes of space.
- home / office / coffee shop / instant noodle store / mall food court / airport lobby
2. Outdoor: Outdoor scenes are usually vehicles, machinery, transportation tools as the main source of noise transmitted in open spaces.
- Street / near the construction site / near the airport / near the viaducts
3. Public transportation: Different transportation vehicles have their own special operation noise, together with the voices of passengers talking in different spaces.
- Buses / subway / MRT / trains / ships
Available Test Product
Allion Sound Field Reduction Testing Service can be applied to the following products:
1. ANC Headphones: The biggest selling point of Active Noise Canceling (ANC) headphones is to reduce background noise in noisy environments in order to provide a better listening experience, so field testing in a variety of specific noise environments (such as inside an airplane, in a café, or on the street) has become an important part of the validation of the ANC headset.
2. Hearing aids: The use of sound field reconstruction technology can simulate a variety of sound environments in the real world, to evaluate the performance of hearing aids, and to help the hearing impaired to get a better understanding of the sounds in the environment.
3. Communication devices (cell phones, walkie-talkies, etc.): While the performance of microphones and speakers in communication devices such as cell phones and walkie-talkies is important, the quality of speech disturbed by the acoustic environment can be evaluated in a simulated sound field, especially in noisy environments or specific acoustic environments, and this sound field restoration test should not be ignored.
4. Communication Headsets: The main purpose of a noise-canceling microphone for communication headsets is to ensure that the speaker’s voice is heard clearly and accurately by the receiver in all situations without being affected by background noise. Imagine a conference call in a noisy environment, if the headset’s noise cancellation performance is poor, it will not only reduce the efficiency of the meeting, but also may cause a major misunderstanding between the two parties, and cost more time and money in communication.
5. Entertainment products: In the case of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices, for example, the sound effects of these devices need to be validated interactively in simulated real-world sound environments, evaluating how the acoustic environment will be perceived as it interacts with the VR/AR, in order to ensure that the best possible immersion experience is provided.
6. Automobiles and transportation: Compared with the general use of electronic products, the complex environmental noise, relatively small space, and more diversified situations during the driving process may affect the safety of driving if a comprehensive situation simulation is not performed, so it is more important to evaluate the noise and acoustic environment inside the car. Allion’s sound field reconstruction technology can simulate different driving environments and situations, especially for conversations between occupants in the car, or the evaluation of music listening interfered by the external acoustic environment, etc. Allion’s sound field reconstruction technology is able to simulate different driving environments and situations.
7. Safety and alarm systems: Evaluate the clarity of alarms in a simulated sound field, especially if they are still effective in a variety of simulated background noise environments. For example, can a fire alarm be heard clearly in a noisy nightclub interior? If not, then the next step in the process would be to change the design of the product.
Application
Take wireless ANC Bluetooth headset as an example, Allion can provide a comprehensive range of acoustic testing services, including
Subjective assessment
Professionally trained experts will conduct listening assessments.
- Noise cancellation performance: Experts will evaluate the noise reduction performance of ANC headphones in various environments
- Call quality: Experts will evaluate whether the noise reduction can provide a better voice quality in various environments.
Objective assessment
Conduct objective evaluations with test standards and measuring equipment.
- Noise cancellation performance (Insertion Loss, ISO 4869-3)
- Call quality: (POLQA, ITU-T P.863)
Through comprehensive Ambient noise sound field restoration technology, Allion can bring the clients with a full range of automobile testing solutions, assisting them to achieve strict product quality control, and provide a faster, easier and better integrated consulting services and solutions.
If you have any further needs for testing, verification, or consulting services related, please feel free to explore the Audio and Acoustics Test Lab or contact us through the online form.