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
28 Sep 2008
Nero AAC Encoder 1.3.3.0. A few days ago the new version of free Nero AAC Encoder (1.3.3.0) became available. According to its change log there are no significant improvements affecting quality of stereo encoding though. But taking into account that previous version (1.1.34.2) didn’t participate in SE testing at all and any version of this encoder never tested at SE at low bit rates where it usually shows the best efficiency we decided to perform extensive testing of the new encoder starting from low bit rates (thank you, Lance Penguin for this proposal). First four settings added are VBR: -q 0.15, -q 0.20, -q 0.25, -q 0.35. They dropped into the sections respectively: 32 kbit/s, 48 kbit/s, 64 kbit/s, 96 kbit/s. We intentionally did not tune resulting bitrates with q – parameter but exercised commonly used anchor values instead. Fine-tuned contenders can be added later if needed. As usually first reliable results will appear in a week or two. Thank you all for participation in listening tests and Vito Marolda personally for donation. Comment this story ...
23 Jul 2008
Lame 3.98 (-V 0) added. Next setting of new Lame mp3 encoder (3.98) to be tested at SE is “–V 0” – the highest quality VBR mode of the encoder. Resulting in 231.9 kbit/s on SE test files it fell into 224 kbit/s group. As usually first reliable results are expected in a week or two. But you can help SE to improve some of its green (grey) ratings faster - just take part in testing … if you want. Comment this story ...
6 Jul 2008
Lame 3.98 in 128 kbit/s group. We must thank developers of free Lame mp3 encoder for their time and efforts - Lame 3.98 released to public. In order to compare the new encoder not only with other encoders but also with previous Lame versions SE will add new Lame with the settings which are the same as or similar to the ones already used in Lame SE testing. It will depend on resulting bit rates produced by new Lame on SE test samples, though. Read more ...
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 ...