Audio Engineering Society

Convention Paper 9873

rd
Presented at the 143 Convention
2017 October 18–21, New York, NY, USA

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Journal of the Audio Engineering Society.

A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible

Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Part 3)
Naotaka Tsunoda ([email protected])1, Takeshi Hara ([email protected])2, and Koji Nageno
([email protected])3
1
Sony Video & Sound Products Inc., 2-10-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-8610 Japan,
2
Sony Video & Sound Products Inc., 2-10-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-8610 Japan
3
Sony Video & Sound Products Inc., 2-10-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-8610 Japan
Correspondence should be addressed to Author ([email protected])

ABSTRACT
New headphone frequency response measuring scheme was standardized as JEITA RC-8140B-1 in March 2016.
The basic idea of the scheme is that the frequency response is to be measured by HATS and compensated by a
free-field HRTF of HATS used in the measurement.
One of the advantage of this measuring scheme is obtained results has equivalent implication with the results of
free-field frequency response of the loudspeakers.
This report supplement the previous report which proposed basic idea of above said scheme by adding topics
regarding newly developed HATS to improve signal to noise ratio in high frequency area above 20 kHz with ear
simulators.
standard for frequency measurement scheme above
1 Introduction 20 kHz which loudspeakers have. To solve this issue,
Growing supply of Hi-Res (Wider frequency / Japanese standardization organization JEITA
dynamic range by higher sampling rate / published a new standard for headphone frequency
quantization bit) digital audio sources were led by response measurement in March 2016.[1] This
popularization of internet contents downloading or standard is based on ideas of using frequency
streaming. This also led higher demand for Hi-Res response measured by HATS conformable with IEC
capable audio equipment throughout the industry. 60318-7 and free field compensation using the
Japanese audio manufacturer’s alliance, “Japan HRTFs of said HATS. (Figure1)
Audio Society (JAS)” offered criteria for their “Hi-
Res” icon program and this icon became the sign of
“good quality audio equipment” now.
The headphones are one of the most vital driving
forces to the industry. JAS also stated its criteria as
“High frequency requirement of the Rated
Frequency Response” is 40 kHz or above.
In loudspeaker area, above criteria is based on
standard measuring system described in IEC 60268-
5. However in the area of headphones, there were no
Tsunoda et al. A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Pt. 3)

1/2” capsule [4,5,6] which has low sensitivity in high

frequency area.
To solve above issue, new HATS was designed and
constructed.
In this report, below items are to be reported.
a) HATS construction: Introduction of new HATS
prototype (Prototype 2) with higher sensitivity and
better signal to noise ratio in high frequency area.
The HATS comes with ear simulators and 1/4”
microphones instead of 1/2” or 1/8” microphones.
b) Examples of measured results using above system.

Also in discussion part, simulation result of sound

Figure 1. RC8140B-1 Measurement System.[1] pressure distribution in ear canal will be reported
This standard measuring method enabled to and the advantages of 1/4” microphone application
evaluate measurement result regardless of to HATS are also to be shown.
microphone frequency result by comparing
headphone response and individual HRTF of HATS
used in the measurement. This also enabled to 2 New HATS Concept
compare the result directly with those of loudspeaker Based on past discussion, newly developed HATS
response in free-field environment. Thus now, above were designed as to accommodate below conditions.
new standard is cited by Japan Audio Society (JAS :  Implementation of ear simulators.
Japanese audio manufacturer’s association) as a  Use of 1/4 inch microphone.
standard measurement scheme to judge whether the
products are good to label with “Hi-Res Icon” or not.
The purpose of this series of study is to establish
practical measurement system to cover entire
frequency from below 20Hz to 100 kHz or more. In
a series of our past reports, studies for the HATS
including our own prototype (Prototype 1) and
standard one and technical tips for methodology for
free field compensation for high repeatability were
shown.[2] Then a conclusion is inducted as a
combination of Standard HATS and ISO R10
frequency points (=1/3 Octave, Averaged from
R160 : 1/48 Octave response) free-field
compensation filtering were proposed as a practical
solution to obtain good reproducibility.[3]
However, above solution using conventional Figure 2. HATS Prototype 2
standard HATS has some difficulty on measuring
headphones and also HRTF for free field HATS Prototype 2 shares most parts with current
compensation due to its low signal to noise ratio in existing industrial standard HATS but has different
high frequency area. Sometimes it needs 100 mW of ear simulator.
input to headphone for frequency response and 10
watts of input power to loudspeaker for HRTF
measurement which are extremely high and far away
from normal listening level. This was coming from
microphone used on the standard HATS were using

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Tsunoda et al. A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Pt. 3)

Figure 3. Ear Simulators

Ear Simulator is located around the 1/4 inch

microphone and its acoustic impedance is set to
follow IEC 60318-4.

Figure 5. Measurement system block diagram

3.2 Measured Results by the System
Here are measured results of several different
types of headphones: Circum-aural type, Supra-
aural type and Insert type headphones. All the
headphones were measured at 1mW input to driver
unit. 1mW was chosen as to represent normal
listening level by the consumers.

Figure 4. Measured HRTF

3 Measured Results by Newly

Developed HATS
3.1 Test System
Figure 5 shows actual system used to test the new
HATS. With this system, free-field compensation
calculation was done manually by using Microsoft
Excel spread sheets.

Figure 6. Measured Results

Circum-Aural Type Headphones on different HATS

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Tsunoda et al. A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Pt. 3)

They show similar frequency response on three

different HATS except low frequency area on
supra-aural headphone measurement on Prototype
1. (Figure 7) This difference was from air leakage
caused by bad fitting between its hard ear pinna
and the headphones. This was improved in
prototype 2 by applying soft pinna.
Figure 8 shows measured results of insert type
headphones.
Prototype 1 shows higher response in area of 20
Hz to 4 kHz due to lack of ear simulator. This
problem is discussed in previous report.[3]
Industry standard HATS shows almost identical
response with new HATS however output in high
frequency area is very low in comparison with
other HATS and close to background noise level.
(Figure 9-11)

Figure 7. Measured Results

Supra-Aural Type Headphones on different HATS

Figure 9. HATS output vs. background noise

Figure 8. Measured Results spectrum Instant Value:
Insert Type Headphones on different HATS HATS Prototype 2

Figure 6 to 8 shows measured results for circum-

aural headphones, supra-aural headphones and
insert type headphones.
These result shows HATS Prototype 2 shows
best probability among three HATS.

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Tsunoda et al. A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Pt. 3)

3.3 TIPS for Better Measured Results

To obtain good results on the frequency response
measurement in high frequency area, signal to
noise ratio at the measurement environment must
be considered carefully. To obtain good enough
probability of +/- 1dB, signal to noise ratio must
be at least 10 dB or more in instant value.
In case of measurement result shown in Fig.9,
Supra-aural headphones measurement do not have
good signal to noise ration of 10dB. Increase of
electrical input to the headphones helps to obtain
good signal to noise ratio. (Figure 12)

Figure 10. HATS output vs. background noise

spectrum: Instant Value :
HATS Prototype 1

Figure 12. HATS output vs. background noise

spectrum: Instant Value:
HATS Prototype 2

4 Discussion
As touched in previous section, choice of
Figure 11. HATS output vs. background noise microphone used in HATS is very important to
spectrum: Instant Value: obtain good measurement results in a point of view
Industry Standard HATS of signal to noise ratio.

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Tsunoda et al. A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Pt. 3)

However there is one more question that the

microphone mechanical-acoustic construction does
represent that of human body.
A series of simulation of steady state SPL
distribution in human ear canal was done to figure
out this question. Ear canal shape was from an
individual and taken by MRI. (Figure 13 to 17)
All the figure are rear view of left ear canal.

Figure 15. SPL Simulation inside of human ear

canal: (46 kHz)

Figure 13. SPL Simulation inside of human ear

canal: (20 kHz)

Figure 16. SPL Simulation inside of human ear

canal: (105 kHz)

Figure 14. SPL Simulation inside of human ear

canal: (31 kHz)

Figure 17. SPL Simulation inside of human ear

canal: (200 kHz)

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Tsunoda et al. A Headphone Measurement System Covers both Audible Frequency and beyond 20 kHz (Pt. 3)

[2] N. Tsunoda et al., A Headphone

At the point of 20 kHz, entire SPL distribution Measurement System For Audible Frequency
shows single dimensioned behaviour. However and Beyond 20kHz., AES Paper 9375; AES
above approximately 30 kHz, distribution mode Convention 139; October 2015
transfers into 3- dimensional mode. In this area,
sound pressure level on ear drum is not even on ear [3] N. Tsunoda et al., A Headphone
drum surface and the average sound pressure level Measurement System For Audible Frequency
of ear drum is given as an ear drum area wide and Beyond 20kHz., AES Paper 9530; AES
integral value of this local SPL distribution. From Convention 140; June 2016
this point of view, the size of microphone membrane
should be considered as to follow the size of human [4] Product Data Sheet, Head and Torso
ear drums. Simulator, Type 4128-C, Bruel & Kjaer
From the observation, 1/4 inch microphone is best (2014-10)
or best compromise among the current existing
standard microphones. [5] IEC 60318-7 (2011)

5 Conclusions [6] IEC 60318-4 (2010)

• HATS with ear simulators and 1/4 inch

microphone with real human ear canal shape
showed a good performance in measuring all
type of headphones including circum-aural,
supra-aural and insert type headphones’
frequency response using measuring method
specified by JEITA RC-8140B-1 standard.

• Application of 1/4 microphone to HATS is

the best or best compromise when taking
distribution of sound pressure level inside of
ear canal into account because size of
membrane of said microphones are close to
human ear drum.

6 Acknowledgement
This work was supported by many of our company
colleagues who dedicated their time for designing
HATS and also for their great efforts using
specialties in computer simulation to identify SPL
distribution inside of ear canal.

References

[1] JEITA RC-8140B-1 (2016)

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