Level adjustment for multi-channel impulse response measurements in building acoustics Paulo Medeiros Massarania, Marco A. Nabuco de Araujob, Rodolfo Venegasc a,b

Acoustics Testing Laboratory – Inmetro, Av. N. Sra. das Graças, 50 Xerém 25250-020 - Duque de Caxias - RJ – Brazil c Departamento de Acustica, Universidad Pérez Rosales, Brow Norte 290, Santiago, Chile a

[email protected]

Abstract Methods that use deterministic excitation signals to estimate impulse responses, like MLS and sweep sine, are being used in building acoustics measurement to improve signal-to-noise ratios. The sound pressure levels of the impulse responses can not be associated directly to absolute values after the digital processing steps involved in the estimation. To measure building acoustics properties, normally it’s necessary to account for level differences or rates of level change. This can be done after the impulse response integration. In many cases it’s very convenient to use multi-channel measurement systems, collecting data at several points in a room for spatial averages, or in two rooms for sound isolation measurement. The differences between the channel sensitivities, including the microphone responses, have to be observed. Some procedures for channel adjustment are included in the ISO/DIS 18233, using sound calibrators or by doing comparative measurements with microphones placed close to the excitation source. This work presents experimental results for multi-channel level adjustment using sound calibrators and room measurements. The main purpose is to compare the results obtained by the adjustment methods. 1. INTRODUCTION Some properties of acoustic systems can be measured by means of the transfer functions. Its identification can be done by applying new techniques in which the system under test is excited by a special class of deterministic broadband functions. These excitation signals are designed to optimise the deconvolution or decorrelation of the system outputs, giving reliable transfer function estimates. The MLS (Maximum Length Sequence) and Sweep Sine are two of the most know system identification techniques. In the last years, the new techniques has been applied successfully in building acoustic measurements. At the Inter-Noise 2001, a special section about this topic was planned. Some authors, like Michael Vorländer [1], pointed out the main aspects of the technique

application. The technical procedure has been standardised by the ISO TC43/SC2/WG24, resulting in the creation of a new standard [2]. The main advantage of the new method over the traditional building acoustics methods is the improvement of the signal to noise ratio, S/N. After the transfer function measurement, the time-energy distribution in the resulting room impulse response is rearranged so that over an appropriate time selection the S/N is effectively improved. Indeed, room properties like reverberation time can be determined easily by reverse impulse response integration. Reverse impulse response integration also gives a representation of the room sound pressure level. Sound isolation measurements between rooms can be done by relating the spatial average sound levels, collected by a number of microphones. When a multi-channel measurement system is available, the task can be made easier and faster. Nowadays these systems are much more accessible than in last 10 years ago. There is an increasing offer of soundcards for personal computers. Some are targeted to multi track audio recording having 8 or 10 input channels with high precision AD converters. Other system components needed are a microphone signal conditioning device and a power amplifier. Some devices integrate all the components in a single device. For instance, the Figure 1 shows two alternate multichannel system. The left picture presents a system composed by a 10-channel recording/playback frontend, a 10-channel microphone preamplifier and a power amplifier. The right picture shows an integrated system of 4 microphone input channels and internal power amplifier.

Figure 1: Examples of multi-channel measurement systems.

If a multi-channel system is used, the differences in the channel sensitivities must be adjusted, this way diminishing the results variation and thus the measurement uncertainties. For two microphones of same type, same design and same manufacturer, the differences in sensitivity can reach values above 1 dB. The purpose of this paper is to analyze two procedures for channel sensitivity adjustment. One of them is by using a sound calibrator, which is suitable for direct level measurements, but the additional signal processing steps in the new methods must be controlled to keep the sensitivity differences. A second procedure is to measure the channel transfer functions fixing one position of the source and the microphone in the sound field, as is proposed in the ISO/DIS 18233 [2].

2. MEASURING SYSTEMS A transfer function measuring system diagram for a single channel is presented in Figure 2. The digital excitation signal x(n), where n is the discrete time, feeds a loudspeaker in the test room, after conversion from digital to analog and power amplification. Microphones sense the sound pressure in the room, caused by the source. After the microphone conditioning, the channel output signal is converted to the digital domain, yielding the system response y(n), or in the frequency domain Y(k), where k is the discrete frequency. The response Y(k) to a broadband excitation corresponds to the traditional direct level measurement method. The sound pressure level, SPL, is calculated with the help of the known channel sensitivities and is analyzed in fractional octave frequency bands. Amp x(n)

DA

Mic. Cond.

AD

y(n)

FFT

Href Sensitivity mV/Pa

Y(k)

Filter H = Y Href H

FFT

H SPL 1/3 octave bands

IFFT

Filter Window

h

Filter

Levels 1/3 octave bands

Integrated IR Energy levels 1/3 octave bands

Figure 2: Measurement system diagram.

The transfer function measurement proceeds by further processing the system response. The response Y(k) is deconvolved by the reference Href(k), giving the transfer function H(k). By this means, the excitation signal magnitude and phase are rearranged. In Figure 3, a diagram with an alternative procedure to obtain the reference function is shown, including the sweep sine technique [3] used in the following experimental measurements. Briefly, the reference is the inverted complex spectrum of the excitation signal. It can include frequency response aberrations of the measurement system by connecting the DA to the AD converters. The transfer function magnitude does not have any direct relationship with the SPL at the

microphone positions due to the energy redistribution after the deconvolution. By using the sweep sine techniques, it becomes possible to separate the harmonic distortion of loudspeakers from the linear component [3]. The transfer function H(k) can be used for indirect levels measurement. Although the absolute level relationship between sound pressure and voltage is lost, the levels can be used in relative way. If the transfer function is considered without any further processing, the relative levels in frequency bands could be used in building acoustic measurement, but there is no gain in S/N over the Y(k). The effective S/N improvement is achieved by gating the impulse response, this way excluding the tail of the IR where background noise predominates. This time selection can be done by time windowing the impulse response and then Fourier Transform the result, or by performing an inverse impulse response integration (Schroeder method) of the significant first part of the IR. Amp x(n)

DA

AD

xl(n)

LP FFT

X(k)

1/X

HP Href

Figure 3: Reference calculation diagram.

In the next sections, the relative adjustment between different channels of the measurement system after the additional steps for function transfer identification and time period selection will be verified. 3. MULTI-CHANNEL ADJUSTMENT In some building acoustics applications, it is necessary to determine the average level of rooms from a number of source and microphones positions. In these cases, the use of multichannel systems is a very welcome tool. However, it is necessary to determine the relative difference between the sensitivities of each individual channel. In traditional methods, based on direct level measurement, a sound calibrator could be used for each channel to yield the calibrated SPL. For some models of microphone preamplifiers, it is possible to make fine gain adjustment by means of screws in order to equalize the channel sensitivities. The relative channel adjustments in the new indirect methods have to consider the additional steps for function transfer identification and time period selection. 3.1 Adjustmen t with sound calibrator The most direct channel adjustment technique is the use of a single frequency sound calibrator. It’s a simple and fast procedure in which each channel microphone is placed inside the calibrator cavity and the levels are recorded for further corrections. The measurement system output is a function of the sound pressure at the microphone, the microphone sensitivity and the channel response. The equation (1) expresses this function dependence in the frequency domain (the frequency variable is omitted from here on), where: P is the sound

pressure spectrum, S is the microphone sensitivity frequency response and C is the channel frequency response. Y = P.S .C

(1)

The SPL at the sound calibrator cavity has fixed values in a single frequency. Based on the calibrator values it, the transduction rate between sound pressure unit (Pa) to electrical signal unit (V) can be measured. By using equation (1), the calibration factor K, in dB relative to 1 V and 1 Pa is given by: Y  K = 20 log   . P

(2)

For a pair of microphone channels, the adjustment factor, Kij, can be found by relating the two outputs: Y K ij = 20 log i Y  j

  = Ki − K j  

(3)

where the index j indicates the channel chose to be the reference. The levels measured on channel i could be adjusted to be compatible with the reference channel measured levels by use of the equation (4). Li = Li ,measured + K ij

(4)

All the system component settings showed in Figure 2 must be controlled in order not to cause extra differences between the channels, including the gains in the AD converters, in the power amplifier and in the microphone conditioning device. The channel adjustment expressed by the equation (4) holds for the transfer function if the reference transfer function Href is also controlled between channel. Normally, the same reference transfer function is applied for all channels. Experimental results In the following, some experimental results from measurements in a diffuse field inside a reverberation chamber will be presented. An 8 channel system composed of an RME HDSP Multiface frontend, a 10 channel preamplifier/multiplexer (Larson & Davis) and 8 microphones (Larson & Davis) were used. The Larson-Davis preamplifier and the RME Frontend were remote-controlled by the software "Monkey Forest". The 8 impulse response where simultaneously measured by a sweep sine excitation reproduced by an omnidirectional source. The channel sensitivity corrections at 1 kHz (see Table 1) were determined by a sound calibrator (B&K), setting the microphone of the channel 1 as the reference. Table 1: Eight channel system sensitivity correction for sound calibrator (94 dB, 1 kHz).

Channel number Ki1 (dB)

Reverberation room Cabin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 -0.8 0.1 0.3 -1.2 -0.4 -1.3 -0.8

This system was used to measure the sound isolation of an audiometric cabin, whose results are presented in the reference [4]. The levels in 1/3 octave frequency bands are obtained from the transfer function H (from the FFT) by summing the energy in each band. Three different channel adjustment procedures where tested. In the first procedure, Ki1 added each 1/3 octave levels. The second procedure checked out consisted in correcting each channel impulse response before the FFT. In the third procedure, the corrected impulse responses was convolved by 1/3 octave filter impulse responses and then was integrated to calculated the band energy. All results for these different procedures were quite similar. To illustrate the effect of channel corrections, the Figure 4 shows the spatial average sound levels of the reverberation room. Levels at 6 microphone positions and 2 source positions were measured. The left curves shows all 12 measurement results without channel corrections and the right curve shows the levels after the channel adjustments. The spatial level standard deviation measured in the room drops 0.3 dB in mean, see Figure 5, after the correction. The smallest change on deviation occurs for the bands below 250 Hz and the biggest reduction occurs between 400 and 2500 Hz. 6

Before channel corrections

4

4

2

2

Levels (dB)

Levels (dB)

6

0

-2

After channel corrections

0

-2

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10 100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

10000

100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

10000

Spatial standard Deviation (dB)

Figure 4: Sound levels from 12 measurements inside a reverberation room after and before the channel corrections. 1.6 1.4

Before corrections After corrections

1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 100

1000

Frequency (Hz) Figure 5: Spatial standard deviation after and before the channel corrections

10000

3.2 Adjustmen t by sound field The channel adjustment also can be made from transfer function measurements made inside a room. Fixed source and microphone positions are selected in the sound field and the different microphone levels are compared. Besides the channel sensitivity differences, this procedures verifies the entire signal processing steps of the Figure 1 used to measure the transfer function. The new ISO 18233 [2] describe the technique that the microphones are placed close to the source and the impulse response energy levels in fractional octave bands are compared. The channel corrections can be determined in a similar way as for the sound calibrator procedure. One of the advantages from using the new method is the good repeatability obtained at a single sound field position, so that the microphone channels could be changed without adding significant random errors. Again one of the channels could be selected as the reference and the sensitivity differences can be calculated by the equations (2) and (3). Indeed, it is also possible also to apply a frequency dependent channel correction. Experimental results A set of measurements to verify the channel adjustment in sound field was conduct. The same reverberation room and microphones from the previous section were used, but this time, an alternative multi-channel measuring system was used. The system is called ModulITA and integrates 4 microphone inputs and the power amplifier for the omnidirectional loudspeaker. Again, the software "Monkey Forest" was used with the same sweep sine excitation. Two different field positions where tested. At the field position "A", the microphones where placed very close to the source, at a distance around 40 cm, in order to privilege the impulse response direct components. The field position "B" was set to be more influenced by the diffuse field, placing the microphones 2.5 meters away from the source. The microphone number 1 of Table 1 was selected as the reference, connected at channel number 1 of the measuring system. The microphone number 4, selected for the comparison, was connected at channel number 2 of the measuring system. The measurements was made in sequence, by locating one of the microphones in the sound position, estimating the transfer function, replacing the microphones at the same position and then repeating the operation. The frequency dependent channel correction was determined in both field positions by the equation (5). C S P C S  K 41 = 20 log 2 4  = 20 log 2 4   C1 S1 P   C1 S1 

(5)

The frequency dependent corrections from the positions "A" and "B" are quite similar, as can be seen in the Figure 6. The channel correction curves shows that, for the bands below 315 Hz and above 2500 Hz, the sensitivity differences diverge from a single value.

0.4 0.2

Pos A Pos B

0.0

K 41 (dB)

-0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1.0 -1.2 100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

10000

Figure 6: Channel correction of microphone 4 related to microphone 1 for field positions A and B.

To verify the frequency dependent sensitivity correction, the manufacturer microphone charts was analyzed. A multi frequency calibrator (B&K 4226), giving SPL levels in octave band, was also used. As can be seen from the results plotted in Figure 7, the same tendency is found for bands above 2500 Hz. The low frequency divergence remains to be explained. In order to discard problems in the two system channels, the sensitivity correction for the microphone 1, including all the chain, was measured. Equation (6) represents the new condition and Figure 8 shows the results. The system channel difference has a constant value, around –0.1 dB, both for the measurements in the diffuse field and in the sound calibrator cavity. The low frequency deviation in the channel correction seems to be due to some microphone characteristics that occurs in the diffuse field. The manufacture chart was obtained by electrostatic actuator and the sound calibrator gives pressure field conditions, both cases in which only the microphone diaphragm is exposed to sound. C S P C  K11 = 20 log 2 1  = 20 log 2   C1 S1 P   C1 

(6)

0.4 0.2

Chart S1 (s.n.2529) and S4 (s.n.2778)

0.0

Calibrator

K 41 (dB)

-0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1.0 -1.2 100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

10000

Figure 7: Channel correction of microphone 4 related to microphone 1 from the manufacturer calibration chart, line, and from multi frequency calibrator, dots.

0.4 0.2 0.0

K 11 (dB)

-0.2 -0.4

Diffuse Calibrator

-0.6 -0.8 -1.0 -1.2 100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

10000

Figure 8: Channel correction of microphone 1 in system channel 2 related to microphone 1 in system channel 1 in diffuse field, line, and from multi frequency calibrator, dots.

4. CONCLUSIONS The multi-channel adjustment for applying the new method in building acoustics measurement can be done by relating levels from a sound calibrator or measurement inside rooms. Channel sensitivity differences obtained from sound calibrator are limited to discrete frequencies. Calibrators do not verify directly the impulse response from the transfer function identification methods, but only the channel output. Because the linearity of the deconvolution operation, the sensitivity difference from the calibrator is still valid for the impulse response. The sound calibrator procedure is the most simple and fastest channel adjustment technique and is a good option for in situ measurements. By placing the microphones close to a loudspeaker inside a room, the entire signal processing steps for impulse response estimations are included. The frequency dependent sensitivity curves are useful to correct at least the higher frequency bands. Possible reasons for the low frequencies deviations found experimentally yet have to be verified. In the future, the microphones used in the measurements will be calibrated in diffuse field. The adjustment procedure in sound field costs extra measurement time, but could be a good option instead for using multi frequency calibrator. The results presented in the previous sections are measured in very favorable conditions. The background noise level was kept around 60 dB lower than the excitation signal levels inside the Inmetro reverberation room in the whole frequency band of interest. For the measured impulse responses, the typical S/N was 80 dB. The maximum level variations found after ten impulse response repetitions at one field position were around 0.02 dB. Measurements in others rooms with less favorable conditions will be made in the future to verify the feasibility of the adjustment procedure.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank Swen Müller for the suggestions in the measurement procedures. REFERENCES [1]

M. Vorländer, Categorization of modern measurement techniques in building acoustics, Proc. 30rd Internoise, Den Haag, 2001.

[2]

ISO/DIS 18233, Acoustics – Application of new measurement methods in building acoustics, 2004.

[3]

S. Müller and P. Massarani, Transfer Function Measurement with Sweeps, J. Audio Eng. Soc. 49, 443471, 2001.

[4]

R. Venegas, M. Nabuco and P. Massarani, Sound insulation evaluation using transfer function measurements, Proc. 34rd Internoise, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2005.

Level adjustment for multi-channel impulse response ... - Inmetro

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