del.icio.usWhat is SoundExpert
SoundExpert (SE) provides audio quality ratings of sound equipment and technologies such as mp3, aac, wma ... encoders, portable players, sound cards, amplifiers ... (only coders at the moment, though).
The ratings are based solely on results of blind listening tests where listeners don't know the particular device they test. So the values are completely unbiased and free from any marketing and advertising noise.
The ratings are computed in real time while new participants return their grades to SoundExpert. The testing procedure is simple and short enough that anyone, including you, can participate.
SoundExpert is independent non-commercial research project. It provides ratings because visitors take part in testing. The more number of participants - the more devices and technologies could be tested.
To take part in testing download a test file (≈3Mb), listen it (≈15s) and send back your judgment. Details are in test file. The more accurate grades - the more reliable ratings.
The main idea behind this service is consumer control over sound quality measurements of various audio equipment on the market. SoundExpert, being a human distributed project, combines tiny efforts of audio gear users for carrying out this task.
News
29 Jun 2008
Bluetooth audio quality (A2DP). Bluetooth audio devices become more and more popular today – stereo headsets and headphones, wireless audio transmitters/receivers, cell phones and mp3 players with Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). Headphones and headsets seems benefit the most from Bluetooth (BT) audio. To be honest first BT stereo headphones were of poor sound quality – dirty sound with annoying “hiss” on background. Definitely that was not because of BT technology limitations but mainly because of poor implementation of the latter and slipshod design of analog audio circuits. The situation changes slowly but steadily. [Read more ...]
25 May 2008
New codec in 256kbps section – AAC VBR from iTunes. Now both CBR and VBR modes of iTunes AAC codec @256kbps are under test. Definitely VBR mode consumes a bit more bits for encoding SE test files. Does this lead to any quality improvements? We’ll see. SE thanks Bill Justin for this codec suggestion. [Comment this story ...]
19 May 2008
Low bitrate codec eAAC+ @48 kbps widely used for uploading music to mobile phones is added. Thank you Gert (aka Snoyt) for the suggestion. [Comment this story ...]
18 Jan 2008
HE AAC codec from Winamp (aac he, cbr, 64 kbit/s) was added to SE testing system. Low bitrate sections of SE are a bit outdated at the moment, so starting with this codec we plan to fix the situation soon. SE thanks Giulio Franco for this codec proposal. [Comment this story ...]