Acoustics Instruments and Measurements

May 2013, Caseros, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

BINAURAL IMPULSE RESPONSE MEASUREMENTS OF AN AUDITORIUM USING DIFFERENT SOUND SOURCES

AGUSTN Y. ARIAS 1
1

Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero, Buenos Aires, Argentina. agustin.arias@outlook.com

1. INTRODUCTION The behavior of a LTI (linear time invariant) system can be completely characterized from its socalled impulse response. The impulse response allows us to analyze how the system takes the input signals, transforms them, and produces outputs [1]. Introducing at the entrance of any LTI system a short signal (ideally zero duration) and large amplitude (ideally infinite) and measuring the resulting signal at the output a complete characterization is obtained in time and frequency domain for that system. In acoustics, this methodology is universally used to obtain the impulse response of rooms that allow us to know, after the corresponding signal post-processes, the most important acoustic parameters. In order to obtain such impulse response, the room is considered as the system under test. In this report the results obtained, using different types of input sound signals, of the acoustical parameters defined in ISO 3382 [2] are analyzed. The goal is to perform several comparisons among these results, not to make an acoustical evaluation of the room. The measurements were performed in the Auditorium of the National University of Tres de Febrero, Caseros, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2. AUDITORIUM CHARACTERISTICS The Auditorium of the National University of Tres de Febrero was inaugurated in late 2012 and is used for various activities, such as conferences, institutional events, exhibitions, live music, and others. Therefore, its use can be classified as multipurpose. Regarding the dimensions, the auditorium has a volume of 2550 m3 and a total surface of 1698 m2. Figure 1 shows the plan and cross-section views. The location of the auditorium is in the second basement of Caseros II headquarters of the National University of Tres de Febrero, which optimizes the noise isolation produced by the pedestrians and trains passing near the university

STAGE

AUDIENCE AREA STAGE

Figure1. Auditorium views. Top: plane view. Bottom: Cross-section view.

a)

b)

c)

Figure2. Lateral walls panels location.

A quick hearing evaluation within the room denotes a short reverberation time (dry room)
1

considering the volume of the auditorium. It is due to the acoustical treatment based on several panels on the walls surfaces, as can be seen in Figure 2: a) consist of a micro perforated MAX panel with 30mm of glass wool; b) consist of a MDF plate; and c) is a MAX+MDF panel with grooves.
3. TYPES OF SIGNALS USED FOR THE

MEASUREMENT RESPONSE

OF

THE

IMPULSE

represented by +1 and -1 and may be generated by a shift register with feedback. The MLS signal used has the following characteristics: 1) Order (N) = 17A, 2) Number of sequences = 8 and 3) Number of repetitions = 1. Once the MLS signal is recorded, the audio file must be post-processed employing the Hadamard Transform in order to obtain the corresponding impulse response [4]. 3.3. INTERRUPTED PINK NOISE The pink noise signal is characterized to provide the same sound energy in each octave band. It is one of the traditional ways to measure impulse responses in enclosures. The signal is reproduced through a loudspeaker used as sound source the necessary time to generate a complete stationary sound state within the room. In this case, the duration of the signal was 6 seconds. Then, the source is turned off, allowing measure the sound energy decay. The impulse response cannot be obtained from this signal, but analyzing only the decay part of the signal the reverberation time (T30) and the early decay time (EDT) of the room can be calculated. To get reliable results, the background noise must be at least 40dB below the signal sound pressure level, but it could not be achieved. 3.4. BALLOON EXPLOSION The balloon explosion is another traditional way to perform impulse response measurements. The sound produced with this method can be considered as an impulse due to its short duration and relative high level. The advantage of this method is that it is not necessary any signal post-processing, because the recorded signal is already the impulse response of the room. But it has some disadvantages, namely: 1) poor repeatability, 2) limited frequency spectrum, 3) low sound pressure level (in cases where the background noise is high or if the measurement point is much far away of the balloon). 3.5. ORIGAMI IMPULSE SOURCE (OIS) Finally, the last signal is generated by the impulsive sound that produces the origami impulse source. The origami consists of a folded sheet of paper so that when making abrupt downward movement generates impulsive noise. For this reason it is commonly known as a paper gun. The advantages and failures of this method are the same as that for the balloon explosion. In addition, it has not enough directivity characteristics, regarding the omnidirectional radiation that the ISO 3382 requires, especially at high frequencies [5]. 4. EQUIPMENT EMPLOYED The following list describes the equipment employed to perform the impulse responses measurements:

The acoustic parameters defined in ISO 3382 can be obtained from the impulse responses evaluated in different sectors of the audience area. To obtain these impulse responses, five different signals were used to accomplish a comparison between the results obtained with each of them. These signals are defined as follows: 3.1. Log-Sine sweep The Log-Sine Sweep signal was generated according to the next formula:

: Start frequency: 20 [Hz] : End frequency: 20.000 [Hz] : Signal duration: 12 [s] This signal has some advantages that favor the measure, primarily considering the large signal-tonoise ratio is achieved. Because this type of signal increases in frequency proportionally with time, all the sound energy is concentrated moment to moment in a single frequency, producing a marked improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. To obtain the impulse response from measuring this signal, it is necessary to post-process the sound recorded performing the time-domain convolution between the recording and the inverse filter of the Log-Sine sweep [3]. 3.2. MLS (Maximum Length Sequence) With the maximum length sequence method (MLS method) it is possible to measure the impulse response with a great amount of accuracy and repeatability. The maximum length sequence method is based on the cross-correlation technique and thus highly robust to extraneous noise of all kinds. Even clicks, pops, footsteps etc. will all be transformed into benign noise distributed evenly over the entire impulse response. This property makes the method useful for acoustical measurements in very noisy environments. The maximum length sequence method uses a maximum-length sequence which is a periodic pseudo-random binary sequence as the source signal. The binary sequence x(k) is

Dodecahedral loudspeaker + Subwoofer OUTLINE, used as omnidirectional sound source to reproduce Log-Sine Sweep, MLS and Pink Noise signals. Sound Level Meter Svantek 959 class one Several Balloons An Origami Impulsive Source (OIS) Dummy Head to perform binaural-impulse response measurements Notebook HP Pavilion Fast-Track audio interface Aurora Plugins for Adobe Audition The Aurora Plugins for Adobe Audition were used to generate the Log-Sine sweep and MLS signals and to post-process the recordings for the five sound sources. The acoustical parameters were also obtained using this package of plugins. 5. ACOUSTICAL PARAMETERS EVALUATED The parameters studied and measured for this report are the next ones [6]: Reverberation time (T30): Defined as the time (in seconds) that elapses since the radiated source is stopped until the moment when the sound pressure level drops 30 dB SPL with respect to its initial value. To obtain the RT value (which requires a SPL drop of 60 dB) the decay curve is extrapolated. Early decay time (EDT): Defined as six times the time elapsed since the radiated source stops until the sound pressure level drops 10 dB SPL. Voice Clarity (C50): Relationship between sound energy that reaches the listener during the first 50ms from the arrival of the direct sound and the energy that arrives after the first 50ms. Musical Clarity (C80): Relationship between sound energy that reaches the listener during the first 80ms from the arrival of the direct sound and that comes after the first 80ms. Definition (D50): Relationship between the energy that reaches the listener within the first 50ms since the arrival of the direct sound (including the direct sound and early reflections) and the total energy received. Interaural (IACCe): Cross Correlation Coefficients

Cross correlation between the calculated impulse responses in both ears. Indicative of the degree of similarity between two signals.

As it is defined in Eqs.(2) and (3), the parameter studied is the IACCe (early), which correspond to a time interval from 0 to 80ms, and is related to the with the subjective perception of the "width" of the sound source (AWS): Apparent Source Width Centre Time (ts): Indicative of the "distance" (in ms) from the time origin t=0 to the "center of gravity" of the squared impulse response. 6. PROCEDURE 6.1. Background Noise A background noise evaluation was carried out in order to meet the acoustics conditions of the environment in which the impulse responses were measured. There were four background noise measurements, each of them having duration of one minute. Then, the values were averaged to classify the auditorium isolation according to the Noise Criteria profiles. The results are shown in Figure 3. The NC profile for the auditorium is NC-25, although it can be considered that the highest values are very close to the NC-20 profile. This result allowed setting the level of radiation from the sound source to reproduce the pink noise signal so as to minimize the effects of the background noise on the effective dynamic range of measurements. For both the LogSine sweep and MLS signals, there was not a great consideration about the background level due to the high signal-to-noise ratio characteristics defined in 3.1 and 3.2. For this reason, the same level set to reproduce the pink noise signal was employed to reproduce the Log-Sine Sweep and the MLS signals.

Figure3. Background noise average values and NC profile assigned.

were expected, since this frequency range is the most critical in terms of accuracy of the results. For frequencies above 1000Hz, the MLS signal is the only one that produces divergent values regarding the other sound signals. It is due to a high frequency contamination founded in the impulse response deconvolution process. To understand this effect, Figure 6 shows the decay curves for the Log-Sine sweep and the MLS signal in one point of measurement in the 4000Hz octave band. The red line is the linearized fall to -30dB, interpolated to -60dB. It can be seen that the MLS signal has the smallest slope and for that reason, its T30 value is larger.

6.2. Source and receiver positions. Figure 4 denotes the positions selected for both source and dummy head to perform the measurements for the five signals. Three dummy head positions and two source positions were chosen, performing thirty measurements in total.

Figure4. () Microphone positions () Source positions

7. RESULTS The following are the comparisons between the results obtained from the measurements in the octave bands from 63 to 4000Hz. For all the acoustical parameters analyzed, the comparisons were performed between each ear of the dummy head and the values were obtained as a time-space average of all the source and receiver positions. 7.1. Reverberation time (T30) Figure 5 shows the average values of the reverberation time for the five sources and for each Dummy head ear. A high degree of similarity of the T30 values for the five sources between 125 and 1000Hz was observed. At lower frequencies, the results are more divergent, considering both ears. It is important to re-emphasize the limited useful spectrum that provide balloon burst and the OIS and low repeatability due to manual operation from both sources. Moreover, background noise contaminates always results in low frequency. For these reasons, the differences between various sources below 125Hz
Figure5. T30 results and comparisons

Figure7. EDT results.

7.3. ELR Energy relationships

Figure6. Decay curves comparison in the 4000Hz octave band. Top: Log-Sine sweep signal. Bottom: MLS signal.

7.2. Early decay time (EDT) Figure 7 shows the results of the EDT, where a more frequency independent behavior was observed, except for the Pink Noise signal, which values are always higher than the rest of the signals. The maximum difference founded is in the order of 30ms in comparison with the MLS signal for the 250Hz frequency band. Figure 8 shows Log-Sine sweep and Pink Noise signals decay curves to understand this phenomenon for the 1000Hz octave band. The Pink noise signal was reproduced at a lower sound pressure level regarding the background noise level (the 40dB difference mentioned in 3.3 could not be achieved), which produce that the decay curve of that signal contains a considerable amount of background noise energy. On the other hand, there are differences for frequencies below the 125Hz octave band among the sources. These are due to the same reasons explained in 7.1 for the T30 values, regarding the background noise, repeatability and limited source spectrum, especially for the balloon and the OIS.

The ELR (Early to Late Ratios) parameters analyzed are C50 (Voice clarity), C80 (Music clarity) and D50 (Definition). The results and comparisons for each one of these parameters are shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11 for both dummy head ears.

Figure8. Decay curves comparison in the 1000Hz octave band. Top: Log-Sine sweep signal. Bottom: Pink noise signal.

Figure9. C50 results

Figure11. D50 results

Figure10. C80 results

There are some common behaviors that can be observed in the results. In the first place, the Balloon explosion signal produces lowers values of that produced by the Log-Sine sweep, MLS and the OIS signals. At 1000Hz and higher frequencies, the values of these four last mentioned signals are very similar, having a maximum difference of 3.5dB for the C50 Right Ear. It is important to remember that the SPL produced by this source could not be enough to accomplish the Signal-to-Noise ratio required. This may be the reason why the results should be treated with caution, because although this type of impulsive sound source has been globally used for room acoustics evaluation, their limitations are considerable. These last comments lead to wonder why the results obtained with the OIS are so similar to those obtained with the Log-Sine sweep and the MLS signals as it is another type of impulsive source similar to the balloon explosion. The answer is related to the SPL produce by each source, since that these three parameters are energy-level relationships. To understand this, Figure 12 shows the impulse response of the five sources with the same amplitude scale in dBfs. It can be observed that the OIS, MLS and Log-Sine sweep maximum values are very similar and higher than those from the Balloon explosion and the Pink Noise, justifying the ELR values obtained. These recordings correspond to the center position of the microphone.

Balloon Explosion

OIS

highest ts values located at low frequencies and then decreasing as increasing the frequency. The results obtained for the balloon explosion signal at 125 and 250Hz are higher than those obtained with the LogSine sweep and MLS signals. The maximum difference between sources is 24.87ms. 7.5. Interaural Cross Correlation Coefficients (IACCe)

MLS

Log-Sine sweep

Figure12. Impulse responses for four signals measured in the center microphone position.

7.4. Centre time (ts) Figure 13 shows the results obtained for the Centre time parameter.

Finally, the results for the IACCe (early) parameter are shown in Figure 14. This parameter is totally dependent of the measurement position, so it must be analyzed separately. The main difference observed is that the result obtained for Log-Sine sweep and MLS signals are slightly higher than those obtained for the OSI and Balloon explosion signals between 250 and 2000Hz. In addition, the Balloon and the OSI produce several differences for each source-dummy head positions. It may be produce due to the directivity characteristics of each sound source. The maximum difference is 0,45 between the LogSine sweep and the OSI in sound source position 2 and dummy head position 1. However, all the curves have the same spectral behavior. Source Position 1 Source Position 2

Figure 14. IACCe results

8. CONCLUSIONS
Figure13. ts results.

As can be seen, except for the balloon explosions, the results are very similar for both ears and the curves measured have the same behavior, with the

The results of the measurements show how the acoustic parameters defined in ISO 3382 vary according to the type of signal used to excite the room.

On the one hand, the parameters that characterize the decay time of the sound pressure level (T30 and EDT) exhibit a certain degree of invariance between different sound sources. In the case of T30, above 125Hz the values obtained differ by less than 10%, except for the MLS signal, that showed some high frequency harmonic contamination due to the deconvolution process. To improve this aspect it is necessary to use a longer sequence with more repetitions, which will significantly improve the results. The results also show certain consistency for the EDT values above 125Hz except the pink noise. As shown in Figure 8, the energy content of this signal in the band of 1000 Hz is greater than the other signals, producing a less slope decay resulting in a higher EDT value. It is due to the background noise level, which produce increased decay curve energy. Also, the lack of repeatability ( it only was measured once in each position) of the signal does not allow to calculate an average value, which may improve the results. In conclusion, the values of these two parameters can be evaluated with any of these five signals if the considerations mentioned above are taken for MLS and pink noise signals. In general, we found no significant or remarkable deviations to determine a point of serious conflict between the various signals. In both cases the curves follow the same trend without major differences. The ELR parameters (C50, C80 and D50) have some important characteristics that must be taken into account when a measurement process is being carried out regarding the type of sound signal. We have seen the high degree of dependence in terms of SPL that these parameters have in order to obtain accurate values. The ts parameter is the only one who produces very similar results for the five sound signals for more than it is dependent of the SPL. This results allows us to state that the four impulse response can be used to calculate the center time. The balloon explosion SPL is lower in comparison to the others sound signals, and this produces lower ELR values. The MLS, Log-Sine sweep and OIS sound signals have the same behavior and produced very similar results because they have almost the same SPL. The final consideration is about the frequency range analyzed. In all the results obtained for every acoustical parameter, the values below 125Hz have a divergent behavior, and for that reason they were not taken into account. The background noise and the limited useful spectrum for the Balloon explosion and the OIS (and the low SPL of the Pink Noise) produce several systematic errors in the measurements process. The most reliable results are those obtained with the Log-Sine sweep due to its signal-to-noise ratio improvements, although anyway they must be analyzed carefully. A deep investigation about this fact goes beyond the scope of this report.

9. REFERENCES [1]Oppenheim, Alan. Signals and systems, Alan V. Oppenheim Series Editor. 1996; p.94 [2]ISO-3382, Acoustics Measurement of the reverberation time of rooms with reference to other acoustical parameters. 2001. [3]Farina, Angelo. Impulse Response Measurements by Exponential Sine Sweeps. Parma, 18 October 2008. [4]Policardi, Franco. MLS and Sine-Sweep technique comparison in room-acoustic measurements. 2011. [5]Toyoda, Emi, Characteristics of the origami impulse source, INTERNOISE 2009. [6]Beranek, Leo. Aspects Of Concert Hall Acoustics. Audio Engineering Society.