Audio Research
My first foray into the field of psychoacoustics research was the exploration of the DFA Fader. This paper focusses on how suggestive stimuli can interact with how we judge loudness. The paper was presented at the 142nd AES International Conference in Berlin on May 22nd. See the article written on this E-Brief by Dr. Joshua Reiss here.
Can Visual Priming Affect the Perceived Sound Quality of a Voice Signal in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Applications?
by Jack Haigh, Dr. Malachy Ronan & Dr. Chris Exton
Verbal suggestions of loudness changes have been reported to result in significantly higher loudness ratings than those of a control group [1]. This study seeks to extend these results to VoIP applications by implementing visual priming cues within a VoIP interface and assessing their effect on audio quality ratings. A list of common visual priming cues was compiled and cross-referenced with prevalent design features found in popular mobile VoIP Applications. Fourteen participants were divided into two groups: one received embedded priming cues and one did not. Quality ratings were gathered using a MOS rating scale. The results are presented and their relevance discussed.
Engineering Brief on Audio Engineering Society Website
The DFA Fader: Exploring the Power of Suggestion in Loudness Judgments
by Jack Haigh & Dr. Malachy Ronan
Anecdotal evidence suggests that when performers request loudness increases in their on-stage monitoring device, feedback regarding task completion is sometimes sufficient for the performer to perceive a loudness change. This is colloquially known as a DFA fader. Given the dearth of empirical evidence, qualitative interviews were conducted with live sound engineers to investigate the type of feedback required to successfully deliver a suggestion of a loudness change. Following this, 22 participants completed a paired comparison listening experiment to determine whether verbal suggestions produce perceived loudness changes. The experimental results demonstrate a significant difference between participants receiving a verbal suggestion and those that did not in 12 out of 20 presentations. These results support the use of verbal suggestions to convey loudness increases in live sound contexts.
Engineering Brief on Audio Engineering Society Website