Equipment
Anechoic chamber
It is possible to perform measurements in an absorbing room (4.5 m x 11.7 m x 2.3 m) on all sides (lower cut-off frequency approx. 300 Hz).
Dummy head
(Image: P. Stade, TH Köln)
Binaural measurement system
The available dummy heads (Head acoustics HMS II; Neumann KU 100) enable aurally correct recording of the sound field. If required, automated measurements of rotated dummy head sets are also possible. In addition, an in-ear measurement system with miniature microphones allows sound to be measured directly in the human auditory canal.
VariSphear
(Image: P. Stade, TH Köln)
High-precision microphone array measurement system and measurement and analysis software for wave field analysis
The VariSphear measurement system records the sound pressure on a spherical surface and performs a direction-dependent decomposition of the sound field.
Surrounding spherical microphone array
(Image: P. Stade, TH Köln)
Surrounding spherical microphone array
The array, which consists of 32 microphones, enables directional evaluation of sound sources within it and is an essential component of the system for implementing a reactive virtual auditory environment and for carrying out voice directivity measurements.
Dodekaeder
(Image: S. Moritz, TH Köln)
Concentric multi-way dodecahedron
The dodecahedron, which was developed in the context of a research project, enables a spherical sound radiation in a frequency range of 50Hz - 18000Hz. This is made possible by realizing the dodecahedron as a multi-way system. It allows high low-distortion sound power levels of up to 121 dB and complies with guidelines for omnidirectional sound radiation according to ISO 3382.
Measurement system incl. turntable for measuring loudspeakers and microphones
The system allows the acquisition of common measurement parameters on loudspeakers and microphones (e.g. frequency response, impulse response, directivity, distortion).
Headphone-based auralization system
The system enables headphone-based 3D audio reproduction from any sound source. Head tracking is used to adapt the presented sound field to head movements with 3 or 6 degrees of freedom (3/6DoF). In addition to a high-precision hearing test system, further workstations are available for development, testing and connection to audio workstations.
Listening room
Monitoring room with speaker booth and standard components of the recording studio technology (used in cooperation with the Institute for Media Technology)
Software tools
Numerous self-developed, scientific as well as commercial software tools are used
- SOFiA Sound Field Analysis Toolbox
- SUpDEq - Spatial Upsampling by Directional Equalization
- SoundScape Renderer
- Tools for measuring room acoustics
- Room simulation systems EASE and CATT
- Monkey Forest, Matlab
Other
- Other measurement devices: Handheld sound level meter, audio analyzer, Kundt's tube, audio audiometer.
- Various microphones, transducers and monitoring loudspeakers for performing a wide variety of audio engineering tasks
- Plasma loudspeaker for demonstration purposes