Optimum frequency response characteristics for music reproduction in the presence of noise

Abstract

The optimum frequency response characteristic for music reproduction in the presence of noise is considered from the view point of the sound quality as well as of its loudness. Sound quality of music is described by its 1/3 octave band Perceived Levels defined as logarithm of the masked loudness for each band. This is abbreviated as PFC in this paper. From experiments on the optimum amount of boost in low frequency region and compensation in high frequency region, it is known that subjects judge the sound quality compensated best when the PFC of music is restored to be similar to that in noiseless condition. On the basis of this fact, frequency response characteristic to keep not only the masked loudness of music at the level preferred, but also the PFC unchanged, is given by a simulation. Resultant compensation curves show that signal less than 2 kHz and that in high frequency should be boosted, when the noise similar to that in a passenger car is assumed. On the contrary, in the case of the noise with Hoth spectrum to simulate indoor noise, the compensation curves are less dependent on frequency so that the control of only a music level may improve the quality of music to some extent. PACS number: 43. 50. Qp, 43. 66. Dc, 43. 66. Jh, 43. 88. Md. © 1985, Acoustical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.