Headphone development research
Kinnunen, Teemu (2022)
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022051810242
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022051810242
Tiivistelmä
Modern headphones have been manufactured since the first half of the 20th century, but there are still uncertainties in the industry on how neutral-sounding headphones should sound and measure. Measuring devices that meet current industry standards are expensive, and devices from different manufacturers give varying results. The challenge of measuring headphones is one of the reasons why it is difficult to find a consensus.
This master's thesis is part of headphone product development for a company called MojoLab. The objective of the thesis was to find out whether existing headphones could be modified to make them more neutral in timbre. This would allow them to be used more widely in professional audio work. The thesis first goes through the human auditory system and how the understanding of it has developed over time. The history of the headphones is also reviewed, as well as how different measurement techniques and devices have evolved. The thesis will explore studies on different target curves and the listener preferences on them.
As a part of the research, different types of commercial headphones will be measured and there will also be a comparison of headphones measured by different methods. Listening tests will be used to see how listening perceptions work in conjunction with measurements. In-room responses are also used as a reference for headphones. In the main part of the thesis, everything that has been learned is applied and one headphone model is modified based on the measurement results and feedback from the users.
The modified headphones proved to be a success, and 50 units were produced during the project mainly for pro audio users. According to the feedback, the headphones are serving their purpose. They reproduce the entire hearing range, have a balanced sound, are comfortable to wear and are affordable. The goal for the future is to take advantage of the lessons learned from this project and design headphones from the scratch.
This master's thesis is part of headphone product development for a company called MojoLab. The objective of the thesis was to find out whether existing headphones could be modified to make them more neutral in timbre. This would allow them to be used more widely in professional audio work. The thesis first goes through the human auditory system and how the understanding of it has developed over time. The history of the headphones is also reviewed, as well as how different measurement techniques and devices have evolved. The thesis will explore studies on different target curves and the listener preferences on them.
As a part of the research, different types of commercial headphones will be measured and there will also be a comparison of headphones measured by different methods. Listening tests will be used to see how listening perceptions work in conjunction with measurements. In-room responses are also used as a reference for headphones. In the main part of the thesis, everything that has been learned is applied and one headphone model is modified based on the measurement results and feedback from the users.
The modified headphones proved to be a success, and 50 units were produced during the project mainly for pro audio users. According to the feedback, the headphones are serving their purpose. They reproduce the entire hearing range, have a balanced sound, are comfortable to wear and are affordable. The goal for the future is to take advantage of the lessons learned from this project and design headphones from the scratch.