Manual SoundCheck 20 V20220321

SoundCheck
User Manual
20
VERSION 20
Loudspeakers & Smart Devices Headphones & Smartphones Automotive Microphones Wireless Telephones Hearing Audio
Microspeakers Headsets & Tablets Devices Aids Electronics
Listen, Inc. 580 Harrison Ave, Suite 3W Boston, MA 02118

Tel: (617) 556-4104 Web: www.listeninc.com Sales: [email protected] Support: [email protected]
PN: 8010 REV 031722 SOUNDCHECK

®
VERSION 20 USER MANUAL © COPYRIGHT 1995-2022 LISTEN, INC.
REV 031722
Contents
Listen Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
1 Installing SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Minimum Computer Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 SoundCheck Installation on macOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.4 Computer Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.5 Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.6 Upgrading From an Earlier Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.6.2 Rules - Installing SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.7 SoundCheck Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.8 Silent Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.9 Listen Hardware Drivers for Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.10 Drivers for macOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.11 Hardware Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.12 SoundCheck Demo Viewer - Windows only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.13 Optional Modules and Protected Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.14 Windows Setup Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.15 European Decimal Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.16 Windows Display - Text Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.17 macOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.18 macOS Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.19 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2 New Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.1 Enhanced Perceptual Rub & Buzz - ePRB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.2 POLQA® - Post Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.3 New Multichannel RTA functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.4 RTA Live Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.5 Batch Processing of External Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.6 Save to Multichannel WAV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.7 Signal Generator Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.8 New Features for Communications Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.9 Median - Custom Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.10 Reset Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.1 Listen Hardware Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.2 Full Multichannel Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.3 SoundCheck ONE™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.4 Operating Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.5 Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
3.6 Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
3.7 Sequence Run Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
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3.8 Test Equipment Setup for Typical Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.9 Microphone Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4 Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
4.1 First Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Note: RULES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
4.2 Creating Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4.3 Audio Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
4.4 A Note About Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
5 SoundCheck Main Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

5.1 Quick Launch Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.2 Control Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.3 Offline Tab Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.4 Drop-down Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
5.4.6 Rules - Offline Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
5.5 Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.6 Mass Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
5.7 SoundCheck 20.ini File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
5.8 Diagnostic Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
6 Controls and Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

6.1 Graphs and Cursors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
7 Login . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
7.1 Access Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
7.2 User Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
7.3 Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
7.4 Login Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
8 Hardware Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
8.1 Hardware - System.Har . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
8.2 Hardware Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
8.2.1 Rules - Hardware Editor and Production Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
8.3 Audio Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
8.4 Audio Interface Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
8.4.1 Rules - Audio Interface Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
8.5 Listen Hardware Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
8.6 External Hardware Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
8.7 Interface Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
8.8 NI DAQ Digital I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
8.9 NI DAQmx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
9 Calibration Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
9.1 System.Cal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
9.2 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
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9.3 Calibration Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
9.4 SoundCheck Signal Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
9.5 Table View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
9.5.1 Rules - Naming Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
9.5.3 Rules - Calibrated Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
9.6 Defining the Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
9.7 Calibrating SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
9.7.1 Rules - Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
9.8 Digital Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
9.9 Equalization and Correction Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
9.10 Input Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
9.11 Output Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
9.12 Digital Channel Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
9.13 Reference Codec & dBm0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
9.14 Bluetooth Sequence Setup Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
10 Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
10.1 Units Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
10.2 Analysis Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
10.3 Display Editor – Memory List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
10.4 Post-Processing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
10.5 Message Step Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
11 Stimulus Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

11.1 Sweep Equalization for Minimized Transients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
11.2 Frequency Stepped Sweep (Stweep™) Excitation Signal Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
11.3 Stimulus Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
11.4 Right-click Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
11.5 Stimulus Step Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
11.6 Analyze Yes/No Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
11.6.1 Rules - Compound Stimulus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
11.7 Compound Stimulus - Stweep Optimized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
11.8 Compound Stimulus - WAV File With Trigger Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
11.9 Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
11.10 Memory List Waveform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
11.11 Signal Parameters for Amplitude Sweep Excitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
11.12 WAV File Excitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
11.13 DC Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
11.14 Control Method: Analog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
11.15 Two Tone Stimulus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
11.16 Sweep Type - Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
11.17 Active Speech Level Stimulus Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
11.18 Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
11.19 Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
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11.20 Memory List Waveform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
12 Acquisition Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

12.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
12.2 Play & Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
12.2.7 Rules - Bluetooth Latency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
12.3 Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
12.4 Virtual Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
12.4.2 Show/Hide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
12.4.3 Rules - Virtual Instrument Acquisition Step Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
13 Analysis Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

13.1 Latest Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
13.2 Navigating the Analysis Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
13.3 Broadband RMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
13.4 FFT Spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
13.5 HarmonicTrak™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
13.6 Heterodyne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
13.7 Time Selective Response (TSR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
13.8 Transfer Functions - Dual Channel Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
13.9 Multitone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
13.10 RTA Spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
13.11 Analysis Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
13.11.4 Rules - Normalized THD/Normalized Rub and Buzz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
13.12 Perceptual Rub & Buzz - CLEAR Distortion Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
13.13 Intermodulation and Difference Distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
13.13.4 Rules - Measurement Confidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
13.14 Electrical Tab - Impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
13.14.7 Rules - Impedance Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
13.15 Electrical Tab - DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
13.16 Loose Particle Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
13.17 Reverberation Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
13.18 Room Acoustics RT 60 (option modules required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
13.18.2 Rules - RT60 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
13.19 Stimulus Step Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
13.20 Acquisition Step Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
13.21 Analysis Step Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
13.22 Measurement Data Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
13.23 RTA Center Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
14 Autosave Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

14.1 Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
14.1.2 Rules - Autosave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
14.1.3 Rules - Relative File Path in Autosave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
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14.2 Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
14.2.7 Rules - Text File Autosave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
14.3 Test Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
14.4 Filename . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
14.5 Apply Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
14.6 In a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
14.7 Memory List Value Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
15 Recall Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241

15.1 File Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
15.1.2 Rules - Relative File Path in Recall Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
15.2 Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
15.3 Prompt Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
15.4 File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
15.5 File Path Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
15.6 Curve Names to be Recalled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
15.7 Order of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
15.8 Recall in a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
16 Post-Processing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

16.1 Search Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
16.2 Desired Result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
16.3 Average Curve/Waveform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
16.4 Arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
16.5 Constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
16.5.1 Rules - Axis choices for Operand A in Post Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
16.6 Unary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
16.7 Scalar (Statistics) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
16.8 Zwicker Loudness (optional module required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
16.9 Zwicker Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
16.10 Smoothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
16.11 Intersection (search) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
16.12 User Equation (optional module required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
16.13 Windowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
16.14 Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
16.15 Directivity Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
16.16 Nth Octave Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
16.17 Resampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
16.18 Frequency Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
16.18.5 Rules - Frequency Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
16.18.6 Rules - Resampling and Frequency Shift Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
16.19 Time Domain Waveform Filter (optional module required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
16.20 POLQA® - Perceptual Objective Listening Quality Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
16.21 Histogram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
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16.22 Level vs Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
17 Post Processing Use Chart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

18 Message Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
18.1 Listen Hardware Control Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
18.2 AudioConnect Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
18.3 SoundConnect 2 Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
18.4 AmpConnect 621 Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
18.5 AmpConnect ISC Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
18.6 Custom Step Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
18.7 DC Connect Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
18.8 Portland Tool & Die BTC/BQC-4148/4149 Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
18.9 Portland Tool & Die DCC-1448/9 and PQC Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
18.10 Operator Message - Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
18.11 Display Local Language Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
18.12 Numeric Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
18.13 Digital I/O Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
18.13.4 Rules - Digital I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
18.14 External Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
18.15 Syntax for Sending RS232 (serial) or IEEE-488 (GPIB) Commands in SoundCheck . 318
18.16 Reading RS232 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
19 Limits Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

19.1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
19.2 Precision of Limits Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
19.3 Critical Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
19.4 Limits Editor Summary Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
19.5 Data Tab Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
19.5.4 Rules - Waveform in Limit Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
19.6 Multimeter Limit Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
19.7 Parameters Tab - Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
19.8 Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
19.9 Absolute Comparison Precision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
19.10 X Axis - Log vs. Linear Interpolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
19.11 Failed Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
19.12 Comparison of Absolute Limits, Floating Limits and Floating Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
20 Display Editor and Memory List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

20.1 Memory List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
20.2 Tabs (Curves, Values, Results and WFM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
20.3 Memory List Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
20.4 Memory List Drop-down Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
20.4.2 Rules - Display Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
20.5 Data Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
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20.5.5 Rules - Protected Data - Protected Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
20.5.6 Rules - Autoprotect/Undo Autoprotect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
20.5.8 Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
20.6 Report Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
20.7 Right-click - Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
20.8 Window Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
20.9 Help Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
20.10 WAV File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
20.10.1 Rules - WAV File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
20.11 WAV File Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
20.11.1 Rules for scaling Waveforms when they are saved as WAV files: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
20 Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
20.12 Offline Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
20.13 Display Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
20.14 Display Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
20.15 Right-click - Graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
20.16 Graph Header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
20.17 Graph Footer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
20.18 Creating a Display Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
20.18.1 Rules - Display Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
20.19 Display Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
20.19.5 Rules - Adding Polar Curves to Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
20.20 Report Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
20.20.1 Rules - Report Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
21 Print Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387

21.1 Print Type Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
21.2 Report Generator Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
22 Report Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395

22.0.1 Rules - Report Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
22.1 Manually Creating Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
22.2 Creating a Word Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
22.3 Manual Report With Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
22.4 Print Step Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
22.5 Creating an Excel Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
23 Serial Number Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403

23.1 Auto Increment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
23.2 Prompt Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
24 Statistics Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405

24.1 Online Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
24.2 Offline Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
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24.3 Statistical Process Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
24.4 Choosing What Statistics to Create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
24.5 SPC - Statistical Process Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
24.6 Best Fit to Average . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
24.7 Adding Statistics Steps to the Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
24.8 Verdict of the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
24.8.1 Rules - Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
24.9 Statistics Example Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
25 SoundMap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
25.1 Time Frequency Analysis Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
25 SoundMap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
25.2 Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
25.3 Time-Frequency Analysis Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
25.4 Time-Frequency Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
25.5 3D View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
25.6 Analysis Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
25.7 Algorithm Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
26 Custom Steps Included With SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447

26.1 Outline Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
26.2 Instrument Open Close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
26.3 System Custom Step - Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
26.4 System Custom Step - macOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
26.5 Command Line Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
26.6 Mixer Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
26.7 RS232 Read Integer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
26.8 Serial Number Write Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
26.9 Open Before Converting Old Custom VIs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
26.10 Copy via Config File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
26.11 Median . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
n Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
27 Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

27.1 Creating a Custom VI for SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
27.1.3 Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
27.2 Creating a Custom Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
28 Sequence Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465

28.1 What is a sequence? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
28.2 What is a step? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
28.3 Default Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
28.4 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
28.5 Sequence Editor Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
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28.6 Relative File Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
28.7 Sequence Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
28.8 Editing Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
28.9 Editing Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
28.10 Step Template Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
28.10.3 Rules - Sub-sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
28.11 Right-click Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
28.12 Configure Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475
28.13 Configure Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
28.13.3 Rules - Sequence Editor: Conditional Branching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
28.14 Creating a New Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
28.15 Exporting Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
28.16 Document Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
29 Virtual Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

29.1 Instrument List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
29.2 Overload Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
29.3 Common Instrument Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
29.4 Virtual Instrument Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
29.5 Opening Multiple Instances of Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
29.5.1 Rules - Instrument Operation Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
29.6 Signal Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
29.7 WAV File playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
29.8 Why use an equalized WAV file? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494
29.9 Equalize a WAV file (Requires optional module 2013 - EQ a Wav File) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494
29.10 Multimeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
29.11 Strip Chart Recorder (optional module) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
29.12 Spectrum Analyzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
29.13 Oscilloscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
29.14 Multi RTA - Real Time Analyzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512
29.15 Distortion Analyzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517
29.16 Frequency Counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
30 SoundCheck ONE™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519

30.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
30.2 Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
30.3 Template Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
30.4 Setup & Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
30.5 Generating SoundCheck ONE Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
30.6 Sequence Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
31.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
31.2 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
31.3 MemoryList.Set Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
31.4 Sequence Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
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31.5 MemoryList.Set TCP/IP Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
31.6 Controlling SoundCheck with TELNET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528
31.7 C# Example App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530
31.8 LabVIEW Example App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531
31.9 Python Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
31.10 Command Set Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
32 SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library (soundcheck_tcpip). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

33 Controlling SoundCheck From ActiveX - DEPRECATED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
33.1 ActiveX Control - Legacy Examples (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
33.2 API Specification (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
34 Database Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567

34.1 Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
34.2 Database V2 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
34.3 Supported Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568
34.4 Database Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568
34.5 The Database Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
34.6 Creating the Database Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570
34.6.1 Rules - ODBC Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570
34.7 Database V2 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
34.8 SoundCheck DB v2 Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
34.9 Table Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
34.10 Database Schema 1 for Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580
35 Data File Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585

35.1 DAT Binary Data File Format – SoundCheck 4.13 (DAT v2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585
35.2 DAT Binary Data File Format – SoundCheck 5.54 (DAT v3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
35.3 DAT Binary Data File Format SoundCheck 6.01-7.01 (DAT v6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
35.4 4 WFM Binary File Format – SoundCheck 6.01-7.01 (WFM v3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
36 Res Binary Data File Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591

36.1 Python Reader (Appendix) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
Appendix 1: Hardware Compatibility List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
Appendix 2: PXI/PCI 4461 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607

A2.1 PXI 1031 Chassis Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607
A2.2 NI 4461 Install and Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608
A2.3 SoundCheck Hardware Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609
Appendix 3: Connection Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611

A3.1 Amp Calibration - Single Ended Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
A3.2 Amp Calibration - XLR Balanced Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
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A3.3 Amp Calibration - Bridged Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
A3.4 Mic Calibration - SoundConnect™ Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614
A3.5 Loudspeaker Test Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
A3.6 Loudspeaker Test Connections with Impedance Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
A3.7 Detailed Drawing of Impedance Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
A3.8 Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
A3.9 Balanced vs. Single Ended Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Appendix 4: Serial Port Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621

A4.1 Footswitch and Buzzer Control Via Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
A4.2 Serial Port Pin Out Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
A4.3 Buzzer On/Off Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
A4.4 Remote Control Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
Appendix 5: System Verification Using SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625

A5.1 Hardware Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626
A5.2 Sequence Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626
Appendix 6: Verifying SoundConnect™ Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627

A6.1 SoundConnect 2 Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628
A6.2 Noise Floor and Ground Loop Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631
Appendix 7: Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631

Mac Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 632
Appendix 8: Stweep Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633
Appendix 9: Equation Editor Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635

Appendix 9: User Equation Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635
Appendix 10: Weighting and Window Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637

A10.1 TSR Window Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637
Appendix 11: Time Selective Measurements With Log Sweep . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639
Appendix 12: Excel Template Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641

A12.1 Step 1 – Write Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641
A12.2 Step 2 – Create Autosave Step(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641
A12.3 Step 3 – Create Initial Excel File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 643
A12.4 Step 4 – Create Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 643
A12.5 Step 5 – Use the Template in the Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents xi

Instruction Manual
Appendix 13: Barcode Reader Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
A13.1 Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
Appendix 14: Running Sequences from a Network Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649

A14.1 Master PC Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
A14.2 Workstation PC Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
15 Data Import Wizard Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651

A15.1 Importing text from a saved file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651
16 Default Sequence List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655
Available Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 673
xii Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Listen Software License Agreement
READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE
INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE. THE SOFTWARE IS COPYRIGHTED AND LICENSED (NOT SOLD). BY
INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU ARE ACCEPTING AND AGREEING TO THE TERMS OF THIS
LICENSE AGREEMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE
AGREEMENT, YOU SHOULD RETURN THE SOFTWARE, HARDWARE KEY, AND DOCUMENTATION
WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF YOUR INVOICE DATE, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A CREDIT OR A
REFUND.
The enclosed Software is provided to the purchaser of the Software ("End-User") by LISTEN, Inc., ("Licen-
sor") for use only under the terms set forth in this Agreement. Licensor reserves any right not expressly
granted to the End-User. The End-User owns the disk on which the Software is recorded, but Licensor
retains ownership of all copies of the Software itself. The End-User assumes sole responsibility for the
installation, use and results obtained from use of the Software.
1. License. Licensor grants to End-User a limited, non-exclusive and nontransferable license to install,
maintain and use the Software in object code form on a single computer owned or leased by End-User
solely in connection with the End-User's own business. End-User may make one copy of the Software, in
machine-readable form, solely for backup or archival purposes for the computer on which the Software is
installed. The Software is protected by copyright law. As an express condition of this License, the End-User
must reproduce on the copy Licensor's copyright notice and any other proprietary legends on the original
copy supplied by Licensor.
2. Restrictions. End-User agrees that the Software is a proprietary product and that all right, title and inter-
est in and to the Software, including all associated intellectual property rights, are and shall at all times
remain with Licensor. End-User may NOT sublicense, assign, or distribute copies of the Software to others.
THE END-USER MAY NOT DECOMPILE, REVERSE ENGINEER, DISASSEMBLE, OR OTHERWISE
REDUCE THE SOFTWARE TO A HUMAN READABLE FORM. THE END-USER MAY NOT MODIFY,
ADAPT, TRANSLATE, RENT, LEASE, LOAN, RESELL FOR PROFIT, DISTRIBUTE, OR OTHERWISE
ASSIGN OR TRANSFER THE SOFTWARE, OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS BASED UPON THE
SOFTWARE OR ANY PART THEREOF.
3. Protection and Security. End-User agrees that the Software contains trade secrets, proprietary informa-
tion and copyrighted material of Licensor. End-User agrees to use its best efforts and to take all reasonable
steps to safeguard the Software to ensure that no unauthorized person shall have access thereto and that
no unauthorized copy, publication, disclosure or distribution, in whole or in part, in any form, shall be made.
End-User acknowledges that the Software contains valuable confidential information and that unauthorized
use and/or copying are harmful to Licensor. End-User agrees to assist and cooperate with Licensor in the
identification and removal of illegal copies of Listen software or software based on Listen’s source-code
located on the End-User’s computer, computer system, or at End-User’s place of business. End-User
agrees to only install and use authorized, genuine and licensed versions of the Software. Installation or use
of any unlicensed or illegal copies, or software based on Listen’s source code shall be deemed a material
breach of this Agreement.
4. Termination. This License is effective until terminated. This License will terminate immediately without
notice from Licensor if the End-User fails to comply with any of its provisions. Upon termination the End-
User must destroy the Software and all copies thereof. End-User may terminate this License at any time by
destroying the Software and all copies thereof.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Listen Software License Agreement i

Instruction Manual
5. Limited Warranty. Licensor warrants that, for ninety (90) days from the date of shipment by Licensor (i)
the media on which the software is furnished will be free of defects in materials and workmanship under
normal use; and (ii) the Software conforms to its published functional specifications current at the time of
shipment. Except for the foregoing, the Software is provided AS IS. If, during the warranty period, a defect
appears, End-User shall return the Software to Licensor and Licensor's only obligation shall be, at Licen-
sor's election, to replace the defective Software or refund the purchase price. The End-User agrees that the
foregoing constitutes the End-User's sole and exclusive remedy for breach by Licensor under any warran-
ties made under this Agreement. This warranty does not apply if the Software (i) has been altered or
changed in any way by anyone other than Licensor; (ii) has not been installed, operated, repaired or main-
tained in accordance with instructions supplied by Licensor (including the use of other Software versions) or
(iii) has been subjected to abnormal physical or electrical stress, misuse, negligence or accident. Licensor
is not responsible for problems associated with or caused by incompatible operating systems or equipment,
or for problems in the interaction of the Software with software not furnished by Licensor.
No oral or written information or advice given by Licensor or its dealers, distributors, employees or agents
shall in any way extend, modify or add to the foregoing warranty.
THE WARRANTY AND REMEDY PROVIDED ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRAN-
TIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE END-USER
ASSUMES ALL RISK AS TO THE SUITABILITY, QUALITY, AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE.
6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. IN NO EVENT WILL LICENSOR, OR ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS,
EMPLOYEES, CONSULTANTS, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, AGENTS OR AFFILIATES, BE LIA-
BLE TO THE END-USER FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR EXEM-
PLARY DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS REVENUES OR PROFITS,
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF DATA OR BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE), HOW-
EVER CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE,
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE OR ACCOMPANYING WRIT-
TEN MATERIALS, EVEN IF LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAM-
AGES.
LICENSOR'S LIABILITY TO THE END-USER (IF ANY) FOR ACTUAL DIRECT DAMAGES, HOWEVER
CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, WILL BE
LIMITED TO, AND IN NO EVENT SHALL EXCEED, THE AMOUNT ORIGINALLY PAID TO LICENSOR
FOR THE LICENSE OF THE SOFTWARE.
7. Enhancements. From time to time Licensor may, in its sole discretion, advise the End-User of updates,
upgrades, enhancements or improvements to the Software and/or new releases of the Software (collec-
tively, "Enhancements"), and may license the End-User to use such Enhancements upon payment of prices
as may be established by Licensor from time to time. All such Enhancements to the Software provided to
the End-User shall also be governed by the terms of this License. IN ORDER FOR THE END-USER TO BE
ASSURED THAT IT WILL BE ADVISED OF AND LICENSED TO USE ANY ENHANCEMENTS TO THE
SOFTWARE, THE END-USER MUST REGISTER THEIR SOFTWARE AT www.listeninc.com/register.
8. Export Regulations. Software, including technical data, is subject to U.S. export control laws, including
the U.S. Export Administration Act and its associated regulations, and may be subject to export or import
regulations of other countries. End-User agrees to strictly comply with all such regulations and acknowl-
edges that it has the responsibility to obtain licenses to export, re-export or import Software.
ii Listen Software License Agreement SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
9. General. This License will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts and the United States, and shall inure to the benefit of Licensor and End-User and
their successors, assigns and legal representatives. Any action, suit or proceeding arising out of under or in
connection with this Agreement whether, brought for equitable relief or money damages shall be brought
exclusively in either state or federal court in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Licensee irrevocably and
unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such courts and agrees to take any and all
future action necessary to submit to the jurisdiction of such courts. Final judgment in any such suit shall be
conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment, a certified or true copy of
which shall be conclusive evidence of the fact and the amount of any liability therein described, or by appro-
priate proceedings under any applicable treaty or otherwise. If any provision of this License is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable to any extent under applicable law, that provi-
sion will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions of this License will
remain in full force and effect. Any notices or other communications to be sent to Licensor must be mailed
first class, postage prepaid, to the following address:
LISTEN, Inc.
580 Harrison Ave.,
Suite 3W,
Boston, MA 02118
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter
hereof, and all prior proposals, agreements, representations, statements and undertakings are hereby
expressly canceled and superseded. This Agreement may not be changed or amended except by a written
instrument executed by a duly authorized officer of Licensor.
10. Acknowledgment. BY OPENING THIS PACKAGE AND/OR INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE, THE
END-USER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS READ THIS LICENSE, UNDERSTANDS IT, AND AGREES
TO BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Should you have any questions concerning this
License, contact Licensor at the address set forth above.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Listen Software License Agreement iii

Instruction Manual
LISTEN 䕃ӊ䆌ৃण䆂
䇋೼ᅝ㺙ᴀ䕃ӊѻકПࠡҨ㒚䯙䇏ᴀण䆂Ёⱘᴵℒ੠ᴵӊǄᴀ䕃ӊѻકᏆপᕫ㨫԰ᴗᑊ䖯㸠䆌ৃ
˄㗠䴲ߎଂ˅Ǆϔᮺᅝ㺙ᴀ䕃ӊѻકˈे㸼⼎ᙼᏆ᥹ফᑊৠᛣᴀ䆌ৃण䆂ⱘ৘乍ᴵℒǄབᙼϡৠᛣ
ফᴀण䆂ᴵℒⱘ㑺ᴳˈᙼᑨ೼থ⼼᠔䕑᮹ᳳПৢϝक(30)໽‫ݙ‬Ѹ䖬ᴀ䕃ӊѻકǃ⹀ӊ䩹࣭੠᭛ӊˈ
ᑊᇚӮᬊࠄ䗔ℒǄ
᠔䰘䕃ӊ⬅ LISTEN, Inc.( 䆌ৃᮍ ) ৥䕃ӊфᆊ˄᳔㒜⫼᠋˅ᦤկˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋乏ḍ᥂ᴀण䆂ᴵℒՓ

⫼䆹䕃ӊǄ䆌ৃᮍֱ⬭᠔᳝᳾ᯢ⹂ᥜќ᳔㒜⫼᠋ⱘᴗ߽Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᢹ᳝ࠏᔩ᳝䕃ӊⱘ‫ˈ⹳ܝ‬Ԛܼ䚼
䕃ӊࡃᴀⱘ᠔᳝ᴗ⬅䆌ৃᮍѿ᳝Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᇍᅝ㺙ǃՓ⫼ঞ䕃ӊՓ⫼ⱘ៤ᵰᡓᢙ⣀ゟ䋷ӏǄ
1.䆌ৃǄ䆌ৃᮍ৥᳔㒜⫼᠋ᥜќϔӑ᳝䰤ⱘǃ䴲ᥦҪⱘǃϡৃ䕀䅽ⱘ䆌ৃˈ䆌ৃ೼᳔㒜⫼᠋ᢹ᳝៪
⾳⫼ⱘϔৄҙ⫼Ѣ᳔㒜⫼᠋㞾䑿Ϯࡵⱘ⬉㛥ϞˈҹⳂᷛҷⷕⱘᔶᓣᅝ㺙ǃ㓈ᡸঞՓ⫼ᴀ䕃ӊǄ᳔㒜
⫼᠋ৃҹᴎ఼ৃ䇏Ḑᓣࠊ԰ϔӑᴀ䕃ӊⱘࡃᴀˈԚࠊ԰ࡃᴀⱘⳂⱘ䳔Ўᇍᅝ㺙᳝ᴀ䕃ӊⱘ⬉㛥䖯㸠
໛ӑ៪ᄬḷǄᴀ䕃ӊѻકফ㨫԰ᴗ⊩ֱᡸǄ԰Ўᴀ乍䆌ৃⱘϔ乍ᯢ⹂ᴵӊˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᖙ乏ᡞ೼䆌ৃ
ᮍᦤկⱘॳ䕃ӊϞⱘ䆌ৃᮍ㨫԰ᴗໄᯢҹঞӏԩ݊Ҫϧ᳝ᴗᷛ⼎ϔৠ໡ࠊࠄ䕃ӊ໛ӑϞǄ
2.䰤ࠊǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋ৠᛣᴀ䕃ӊᰃϔ乍ϧ᳝ѻકˈᴀ䕃ӊЁⱘҹঞϢᴀ䕃ӊⳌ݇ⱘϔߛᴗ߽ǃᴗⲞ੠
߽Ⲟˈࣙᣀ᠔᳝Ⳍ݇ⶹ䆚ѻᴗˈഛ⬅䆌ৃᮍѿ᳝Ϩ೼ӏԩᯊ‫׭‬ഛᑨ⬅䆌ৃᮍѿ᳝Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ϡᕫᇚ
䕃ӊⱘࡃᴀߚ䆌ৃǃ䕀䅽៪䫔ଂќҪҎǄ᳔᳔㒜⫼᠋ϡᕫᇍᴀ䕃ӊ䖯㸠㾷ⷕǃড৥Ꮉ⿟ǃߚ㾷៪ҹ݊
Ҫᮍᓣᇚᴀ䕃ӊ䰡ԢЎৃ䇏ḐᓣǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋ϡᕫׂᬍǃᬍ㓪ǃ㗏䆥ǃߎ⾳ǃߎ‫׳‬ǃ⾳‫׳‬ǃҹ䌶߽Ў
Ⳃⱘߎଂǃ㒣䫔ˈ៪ҹ݊Ҫᮍᓣ䕀䅽៪䕀⿏ᴀ䕃ӊˈ៪෎Ѣᴀ䕃ӊ៪ᴀ䕃ӊⱘӏԩ䚼ߚ߯䗴㸡⫳԰
કǄ
3.ֱᡸ੠ᅝܼǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋ৠᛣ䕃ӊࣙ৿䆌ৃᮍⱘଚϮ⾬ᆚˈϧֵ᳝ᙃ੠৿᳝㨫԰ᴗⱘ䌘᭭Ǆ᳔㒜⫼
᠋ৠᛣሑ᳔݊໻ࡾ࡯ᑊ䞛প᠔᳝ড়⧚᥾ᮑᇍᴀ䕃ӊࡴҹֱᡸˈ䙓‫ܡ‬᳾㒣ᥜᴗ㗙Փ⫼ᴀ䕃ӊˈ䙓‫ܡ‬ҹ
ӏԩᮍᓣᇚᴀ䕃ӊᭈԧ៪݊Ёӏԩ䚼ߚ䖯㸠᳾㒣ᥜᴗⱘ໡ࠊǃ݀ᓔǃ᡿䴆៪䫔ଂǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᡓ䅸ᴀ
䕃ӊЁࣙ৿њᵕ‫݋‬Ӌؐⱘֱᆚֵᙃˈ᳾㒣ᥜᴗⱘՓ⫼੠/៪໡ࠊᇚӮᇍ䆌ৃᮍ䗴៤ᤳᆇǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋
ৠᛣणࡽᑊ䜡ড়䆌ৃᮍ䆚߿ᑊߴ䰸ᅝ㺙Ѣ᳔㒜⫼᠋ⱘ⬉㛥ǃ⬉㛥㋏㒳៪ࡲ݀ഄ⚍ⱘ᳾㒣ᥜᴗⱘᴀ䕃
ӊ៪ⲫ⠜䕃ӊ˄ࣙᣀᴀ䕃ӊ݊Ҫ⠜ᴀ˅Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ৠᛣҙᅝ㺙ᑊՓ⫼Ꮖᥜᴗⱘǃℷ⠜ⱘᑊ㦋ᕫ䆌ৃ
ⱘᴀ䕃ӊⱘ䕃ӊ⠜ᴀǄᅝ㺙៪Փ⫼ӏԩ᳾㒣䆌ৃⱘ៪ⲫ⠜ⱘ䕃ӊⱘ㸠Ўᇚ㹿㾚Ўᇍᴀण䆂ⱘḍᴀ䖱
㑺Ǆ
4.㒜ℶǄᴀ䆌ৃᣕ㓁᳝ᬜⳈ㟇㒜ℶǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋䖱ডᴀ䆌ৃӏԩϔ乍㾘ᅮⱘˈᴀ䆌ৃᇚゟे㒜ℶ㗠᮴
䳔䆌ৃᮍ԰ߎк䴶䗮ⶹǄ㒜ℶৢˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᖙ乏䫔↕ᴀ䕃ӊঞ᠔᳝Ⳍ݇ᣋ䋱Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ৃ䗮䖛䫔↕
ᴀ䕃ӊ੠᠔᳝Ⳍ݇ᣋ䋱ⱘᮍᓣ䱣ᯊ㒜ℶᴀ䆌ৃǄ
5. ᳝䰤ⱘֱ䆕Ǆ䆌ৃᮍֱ䆕ˈ㞾䆌ৃᮍথ䋻П᮹䍋бक˄90˅໽‫˄˖ݙ‬i˅೼ℷᐌՓ⫼⢊ᗕϟˈᅝ
㺙њᴀ䕃ӊⱘ䕑ԧ೼ᴤ᭭੠Ꮉ㡎Ϟ≵᳝⨩⮉˗ᑊϨ˄ii˅ᴀ䕃ӊ೼থ䋻ᯊヺড়݊᠔݀Ꮧⱘࡳ㛑㾘
ḐǄℸ໪ˈᴀ䕃ӊᣝĀ⦄⢊āᦤկǄབᵰᴀ䕃ӊ೼ֱׂᳳ‫⦄ߎݙ‬њ⨩⮉ˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᑨᇚП䗔ಲ䆌ৃ
ᮍˈᑊϨ䆌ৃᮍଃϔⱘНࡵेˈ⬅䆌ৃᮍ㞾㸠䗝ᢽˈ᳈ᤶ᳝⨩⮉ⱘ䕃ӊ៪䗔䖬ӋℒǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋ৠᛣ
ࠡ䗄НࡵЎ᳔㒜⫼᠋಴䆌ৃᮍ䖱ডᴀण䆂乍ϟ᠔԰ⱘӏԩֱ䆕㗠ѿ᳝ⱘଃϔ੠ܼ䚼ᬥ⌢᥾ᮑǄབᵰ
ᴀ䕃ӊߎ⦄ҹϟᚙ‫ࠡˈމ‬䗄ֱ䆕ϡќ䗖⫼˄i˅Ꮖ㒣㹿䰸䆌ৃᮍП໪ⱘӏԩҎҹӏԩᮍᓣ᳈ᬍ៪ׂ
ᬍ˗˄ii˅≵᳝ḍ᥂䆌ৃᮍᦤկⱘ᪡԰ᣛफᅝ㺙ǃ᪡԰ǃׂ⧚៪㓈ᡸ˄ࣙᣀᇍᴀ䕃ӊ݊Ҫ⠜ᴀⱘՓ
⫼˅៪˄iii˅⬅Ѣফࠄ䴲ℷᐌⱘ⠽⧚៪⬉ᄤⱘय़࡯ǃϡᔧՓ⫼ǃ⭣ᗑ៪ᛣ໪ǄᇍՓ⫼ϡऍ䜡ⱘ᪡԰
㋏㒳៪䆒໛ᇐ㟈ⱘ៪ϢПⳌ݇ⱘᬙ䱰ˈ៪ᇚᴀ䕃ӊϢ䴲䆌ৃᮍᦤկⱘ䕃ӊϔ䍋Փ⫼᠔ᓩথⱘᬙ䱰ˈ
䆌ৃᮍϡᡓᢙ䋷ӏǄ
iv Listen Software License Agreement SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
䆌ৃᮍ៪݊㒣䫔ଚǃߚ䫔ଚǃਬᎹ៪ҷ⧚ଚᦤկⱘӏԩষ༈ⱘ៪к䴶ⱘֵᙃ៪ᓎ䆂ϡᕫҹӏԩᮍᓣ
ᵘ៤ᇍϞ䗄ֱ䆕ⱘᓊԌǃׂᬍ៪๲㸹Ǆ
Ϟ䗄ֱ䆕੠ᬥ⌢᥾ᮑЎᥦҪᗻⱘˈᑊϨপҷњ᠔᳝݊Ҫᯢ⼎៪ᱫ⼎ⱘֱ䆕ˈࣙᣀԚϡ䰤Ѣ䩜ᇍ䗖䫔
ᗻ੠ᇍᶤϔ⡍ᅮⳂⱘ䗖⫼ᗻⱘ咬䅸ֱ䆕Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᡓᢙ᳝݇ᴀ䕃ӊ䗖⫼ᗻǃ䋼䞣੠ᗻ㛑ⱘ᠔᳝亢
䰽Ǆ
6.䋷ӏ㣗ೈǄ᳔㒜⫼᠋⬅ѢՓ⫼៪᮴⊩Փ⫼ᴀ䕃ӊ៪䜡༫ⱘк䴶ᴤ᭭ҹӏԩᔶᓣᇐ㟈ⱘӏԩৢ㓁
ⱘǃ‫ⱘ✊ي‬ǃ䯈᥹ⱘǃ⡍⅞ⱘ៪ᚽ㔮ᗻⱘᤳᆇ䌨ٓ˄ࣙᣀᇍ㧹Ϯᬊܹ៪߽⍺ᤳ༅ǃ㒣㧹Ёᮁǃ᭄᥂
៪ଚϮֵᙃ϶༅ㄝⱘᤳᆇ䌨ٓ˅ˈ᮴䆎䋷ӏᔶᓣབԩˈࣙᣀ⭣ᗑ໻ᛣˈ䆌ৃᮍ៪݊㨷џǃ催㑻ㅵ⧚
ҎਬǃਬᎹǃ乒䯂ǃ⣀ゟᡓࣙଚǃҷ⧚Ҏ៪݇㘨ᮍϡᡓᢙӏԩ䋷ӏˈेՓ䆌ৃᮍᏆ㹿ਞⶹ䆹ᤳᆇথ
⫳ⱘৃ㛑ᗻǄ
䆌ৃᮍ৥᳔㒜⫼᠋ᡓᢙⱘҹԩ⾡ᔶᓣѻ⫳ⱘᅲ䰙ⱘⳈ᥹ᤳᆇ䌨ٓ䋷ӏ˄བᵰ᳝˅ˈϡ䆎䋷ӏᔶᓣབ
ԩˈࣙᣀ⭣ᗑ໻ᛣˈҙ䰤ѢϨ೼ӏԩᚙ‫މ‬ϟϡ催Ѣህ䕃ӊ䆌ৃ৥䆌ৃᮍᬃҬⱘॳྟӋℒǄ
7. छ㑻Ǆ䆌ৃᮍৃҹϡᯊ㞾㸠‫އ‬ᅮ䗮ⶹ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᇍᴀ䕃ӊ԰ߎⱘ᳈ᮄǃᦤछǃ๲ᔎ៪ᬍ䖯੠//៪ᴀ
䕃ӊⱘ᳔ᮄথᏗ˄ড়⿄“छ㑻”˅ˈᑊϨৃҹ೼᳔㒜⫼᠋ᬃҬ䆌ৃᮍϡᯊ䆒ᅮⱘӋḐৢ৥᳔㒜⫼᠋ᥜ
ќᇚℸ㉏छ㑻ⱘՓ⫼䆌ৃǄᴀ䆌ৃᴵℒᇍ৥᳔㒜⫼᠋ᦤկⱘ᠔᳝ᇍᴀ䕃ӊⱘछ㑻ৠḋ‫݋‬᳝㑺ᴳ࡯Ǆ
Ў⹂᳔ֱ㒜⫼᠋㛑໳ᬊࠄ݇Ѣࠡ䗄छ㑻ⱘ䗮ⶹᑊ㦋ᕫℸ㉏䕃ӊछ㑻ⱘՓ⫼䆌ৃˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋ᖙ乏೼ҹ
ϟ㔥ഔᇍ݊䕃ӊ䖯㸠⊼‫˖ݠ‬www.listeninc.com/register <http://www.listeninc.com/register>Ǆ
8.ߎষᴵ՟Ǆ䕃ӊˈࣙᣀᡔᴃ᭄᥂ˈᑨヺড়㕢೑ߎষㅵࠊ⊩ⱘ㽕∖ˈࣙᣀ㕢೑ߎষㅵ⧚⊩ḜঞϢП
Ⳍ݇ⱘᴵ՟ˈᑊৃ㛑䳔㽕ヺড়݊Ҫ೑ᆊⱘ䖯ߎষᴵ՟Ǆ᳔㒜⫼᠋ৠᛣϹḐ䙉ᅜ᠔᳝ࠡ䗄ᴵ՟ᑊᡓ䅸
᳝݊䋷ӏህߎষǃ‫ߎݡ‬ষ៪䖯ষ䕃ӊ㦋ᕫ䆌ৃǄ
9.ϔ㠀ᴵℒǄ ᴀ䆌ৃফ㕢೑੠偀㧼䇌าᎲ㘨䙺⊩ᕟⱘㅵ䕪ᑊ᥂ℸ԰ߎ㾷䞞ˈᑊᑨヺড়䆌ৃᮍǃ᳔㒜
⫼᠋ঞ݊৘㞾㒻ফᮍǃফ䅽ᮍ੠⊩ᅮҷ㸼Ҏⱘ߽ⲞǄᴀण䆂ᓩ䍋ⱘ៪Ϣᴀण䆂Ⳍ݇ⱘӏԩ㸠ࡼǃ䆝
䆐៪⊩ᕟ⿟ᑣˈ᮴䆎ᰃ৺ᇏ∖㸵ᑇᬥ⌢៪䞥䪅ᤳᆇ䌨ٓˈᑨܼ䚼Ѹ⬅偀㧼䇌าᎲ㧼⽣‫ܟ‬䚵ⱘᎲ៪㘨
䙺⊩䰶ϧሲㅵ䕪Ǆ㹿䆌ৃᮍϡৃ᩸ಲᑊ᮴ᴵӊഄ᳡Ңࠡ䗄⊩䰶ⱘϧሲㅵ䕪ᴗ੠ഄ⚍ˈᑊৠᛣ䞛পӏ
ԩঞ᠔᳝䖯ϔℹⱘᖙ㽕㸠ࡼҹ᳡Ңࠡ䗄⊩䰶ⱘㅵ䕪ᴗǄᇍ䆹䆝䆐ⱘ㒜ᅵ߸‫އ‬Ў᳔㒜㒧ᵰˈᑊϨৃҹ
ḍ᥂䆹߸‫އ‬ǃ䅸ᅮџᅲⱘ㒧䆎ᗻ䆕᥂ᴤ᭭ⱘ㒣䖛䅸䆕ⱘ៪‫⹂ޚ‬᮴䇃ⱘࡃᴀϔӑҹঞ݊Ё᠔䗄ⱘ䋷ӏ
䞥乱ˈ៪ḍ᥂᳝݇ᴵ㑺៪݊Ҫ㾘ᅮ䗮䖛䗖ᔧ⿟ᑣˈ೼݊Ҫㅵ䕪ऎඳ‫ݙ‬ᔎࠊᠻ㸠Ǆ㢹ᴀ䆌ৃⱘӏԩᴵ
ℒ㹿‫݋‬᳝ㅵ䕪ᴗⱘ⊩䰶ḍ᥂Ⳍ݇⊩ᕟ䅸ᅮЎ᮴ᬜ៪ϡৃᠻ㸠ˈ䆹ᴵℒᇚ೼‫ܕ‬䆌ⱘ᳔໻㣗ೈ‫ݙ‬ќҹᠻ
㸠ˈϨᴀ䆌ৃⱘ݊Ҫᴵℒ㒻㓁ᅠܼ᳝ᬜǄ৥䆌ৃᮍ԰ߎⱘӏԩ䗮ⶹ៪݊ᅗ≳䗮ᖙ乏䗮䖛䚂䌘乘Ҭᮍ
ᓣҹ༈ㄝ䚂ᬓ䚂ᆘ㟈ҹϟഄഔ˖
LISTEN, Inc.
LISTEN, Inc.
580 580
Harrison Ave.,
Harrison Ave.,
Suite
Suite 2A, 3W,
Boston, MA 02118
Boston, MA 02118
ᴀण䆂ᵘ៤ঠᮍህᴀण䆂Џ乬᠔䖒៤ⱘᅠᭈण䆂ˈৠᯊᯢ⹂㾷䰸ᑊপҷ᠔᳝Пࠡⱘϔߛᦤ䆂ǃण
䆂ǃ䰜䗄ǃໄᯢ੠ֱ䆕Ǆ䰸䴲᳝䆌ৃᮍᥜᴗҷ㸼ㅒ㕆ⱘк䴶᭛кˈᴀण䆂ϡᕫব᳈៪ׂᬍǄ
SoundCheck® 20.0 Listen Software License Agreement v

Instruction Manual
10. ᡓ䅸Ǆᠧ
ᠧᓔᴀࣙ㺙੠/៪ᅝ㺙ᴀ䕃ӊৢˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋ेᡓ䅸݊Ꮖ䯙䇏ǃ⧚㾷ᴀ䆌ৃᑊৠᛣফࠄᴀ䆌
ৃⳌ݇ᴵℒ੠ᴵӊⱘ㑺ᴳǄ㢹ᇍᴀ䆌ৃ᳝ӏԩ䯂乬ˈৃ䗮䖛Ϟ䗄ഄഔ㘨㋏䆌ৃᮍǄ
vi Listen Software License Agreement SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
1 Installing SoundCheck®
1.1 System Requirements

SoundCheck 20.0 is a 64-bit application and only 64-bit operating systems are supported.
SoundCheck uses a computer’s CPU to perform all calculations and signal processing. Because of this, the
speed of the computer directly affects the overall performance of the SoundCheck system. In addition, all
stimulus waveforms and measured waveforms are played and/or stored in memory for optimum performance.
This means that long test signals and measurements require more memory and longer processing time than
short test signals and measurements. Therefore, it is recommended that 8 GB of RAM be used for
measurements of 4 to 10 seconds and 16 GB of RAM (or more) for measurements longer than 10 seconds.
More system memory is also required for the following: Low frequency measurements, using more than 2
channels per measurement and high bandwidth measurements (more than 48 kHz sample rate).
1.2 Minimum Computer Requirements

Before buying a series of new computers for use with SoundCheck, we recommend that one is tested
with all the related hardware, including the audio interface. Test the audio interface with the
SoundCheck Self Test sequence to ensure that it is compatible with the computer. Listen recommends
that a high quality computer is purchased according to the guidelines below.
 Supported operating systems:
 Windows® 10 - 64-bit. SoundCheck may work in Windows® 7 - 64-bit but it is no longer validated.
No other versions of Windows are supported.
 macOS® High Sierra 10.13.6 thru Big Sur 11.x

 SoundCheck is not yet compatible with Apple computers with the M1 chip
 macOS Monterey 12.x is not supported (See Readme.txt in the SoundCheck folder for
workaround)
 Both Intel and AMD processor motherboards require changes to BIOS for proper operation with
Windows.
See Hardware Compatibility List on page 595.
 8 GB of RAM minimum (16 GB or more recommended for large WAV files or high resolution
measurements below 50 Hz).
 2 GB of free hard-disk space required for complete software installation
 Do not connect audio interfaces through USB hubs. Connect directly to the USB port on the computer
 Listen only supports Thunderbolt audio interfaces on Windows® 10. Windows® 10 has superior support
for Thunderbolt devices, hot-plugging is possible and no 3rd party software is required.
 Dante support is only available for Windows® 10.
 Refer to Hardware Compatibility List on page 595, for details regarding audio interfaces and
operating systems. The audio interfaces listed in the Hardware Compatibility List have been tested with
SoundCheck on computer systems supplied by Listen. Note that some computers may not be
compatible with all audio interfaces.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Installing SoundCheck 1

Instruction Manual
1.3 SoundCheck Installation on macOS
 The Mac version requires optional module 2100
 SoundCheck 20 validated with macOS Catalina, 10.15. Versions prior to 10.13.6 are not supported
 SoundCheck is not yet compatible with Apple computers with the M1 chip
 macOS Big Sur 11.x is not supported
 SoundCheck 20 default Hardware Editor settings determined with macOS Catalina 10.15
Using a different macOS may require different Hardware Editor Latency Values than those included in
the default hardware files (HAR). Follow the instructions in the audio interface setup documentation
included with the approved drivers on our website to determine the proper latency value for the
Hardware Editor.
See https://support.listeninc.com/hc/en-us/sections/200370694-Drivers.
1.4 Computer Setup
Important! SoundCheck requires that the user has Administrative Rights Enabled in
Windows, for any account that it is installed on.
Important! Refer to Hardware Compatibility List on page 595 for information on approved
audio interfaces.
After installing SoundCheck please follow the instructions in Windows Setup Recommendations on page 13.
1.5 Backup
It is highly recommended that a backup is made of the SoundCheck critical folders on a regular basis.
A backup should always be made prior to installing a new version or update to SoundCheck. Listen
recommends that the following folders be included in any backup:
 Sequence files (.SQC)
 Data (If the default Data folder in SoundCheck is the location for data files)
 Results (If the default Results folder in SoundCheck is the location for result files)
 WAV files
 SoundCheck 20.ini (The preferences that were last used in SoundCheck.) See SoundCheck 20.ini
File on page 57.
1.6 Upgrading From an Earlier Version

If upgrading from an earlier version of SoundCheck 20 (or Beta version) copy the old installation folder and
name it "SoundCheck 20 OLD" before installing the new version. This is a precautionary measure to keep from
overwriting sequence steps that have been customized.
1.6.1 Installing SoundCheck 20 overwrites the contents of the SoundCheck 20 folder.

If upgrading from SoundCheck 19.x (or earlier), the folder name does not need to be changed. This wayboth
versions of SoundCheck can be run without disturbing any tests you have already created. Use the
SoundCheck 20 Setup Wizard to convert SoundCheck 19.x Sequences to the new version. See Convert
Sequences From Previous Version - Right-click Functions on page 40.
2 Installing SoundCheck SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
1.6.2 Rules - Installing SoundCheck
 Do not copy Steps and Sequences folders from previous version and paste them into SoundCheck 20.
See Convert Sequences From Previous Version - Right-click Functions on page 40.
 SoundCheck 20 sequences are not backward compatible. They will not work in previous versions of
SoundCheck. Sequences from SoundCheck 4.x, 5.x and 6.x will run in SoundCheck 20 but will require
updating to conform to the new Multichannel parameters.
 DAT files created with SoundCheck 20 are not viewable in versions of SoundCheck prior to and
including SoundCheck 6.0x. The updated DAT file format in SoundCheck 20 is not compatible with
versions of SoundCheck prior to and including SoundCheck 6.0x. The DAT file format was updated in
SoundCheck 6.1.
 Status.dat files for SoundCheck 8.x and later will not work with previous versions of SoundCheck
1.6.3 Software Requirement

LabVIEW 2021 (LVRT) is required as part of the installation process.
NI Visa 19.5 is required for Listen Hardware such as: AmpConnect ISC, AudioConnect and SoundConnect 2.
It is automatically installed with the SoundCheck installer for Windows and must be manually installed for
macOS.
NI Visa is also required when using a GPIB controller, an external footswitch or external buzzer with
SoundCheck (optional equipment).
DAQmx 20.1 is an optional component that must be downloaded and installed separately. It is required in
order to use NI DAQmx hardware.
1.7 SoundCheck Software Installation

1. Close all running applications before installation.
We recommend that you temporarily disable antivirus software during the SoundCheck installation
process. Once complete, re-enable your antivirus software.
Make sure your IT department has allowed permission for the installation of SoundCheck.
2. SoundCheck 20 is only available as a 64-bit application. It requires a 64-bit version of Windows. It
cannot be installed on a 32 bit version of Windows.
3. The SoundCheck installer is typically supplied as a downloadable file. You can also install from disc by
placing a SoundCheck installation disc in the DVD-ROM drive of your computer.
 If your computer is set to “Auto Run”, you will be prompted to install the software
 You may also be prompted to run “Start.exe”
 Click “Install SoundCheck”
4. For first time installations, LabVIEW Run Time (LabVIEW
2021) is required as part of the installation process. This
will require a computer reboot before SoundCheck is
installed.
The SoundCheck installation will resume after reboot.

Instruction Manual
5. Follow the prompts:
 Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

This may require you to click “Run anyway“ to proceed
with installation.
Welcome Screen - Windows: See Figure 1-1.
Warning!
Administrator Privileges
Warning!
AMD CPU issue
 Welcome Screen - macOS: See Figure 1-2. Figure 1-1: Windows
Attention!
System Preferences > Security& Privacy settings
Attention!
macOS Big Sur 11.x is not supported
Attention!
SoundCheck is not yet compatible with Apple
computers with the M1 chip.
Figure 1-2: macOS

 Installation Location Prompt -
Windows - by default installs to:
C:\SoundCheck 20
macOS - by default installs to:

/Applications/SoundCheck 20
 Select Components - allow you to select if the
Demo-Viewer is installed
 License Agreement (See Listen Software
License Agreement on page i)

Instruction Manual
 Verify Hardware Key (Does not appear if the
Hardware Key is already inserted)
Confirm that the hardware key has been inserted, then
click Install to continue the installation.
or
Select “Skip Hardware Key...” if you are installing the
Demo Viewer without a Hardware Key.
See SoundCheck Demo Viewer - Windows only on
page 11.
 Installation Complete
1.7.1 SoundCheck 20 Setup Wizard

6. Open SoundCheck. The Setup
Wizard runs automatically at startup.
The wizard can also be run by clicking
File on the SoundCheck Main Screen
and selecting Setup Wizard (Ctrl+Z).
7. Proceed to
Figure 1-3: Setup Wizard
Setup Wizard on page 39.

Instruction Manual
1.7.2 macOS - User-Approved Kernel Extension Loading
1.7.3 Introduction
Starting in macOS 10.13 'High Sierra', Apple introduced a system that will automatically prevent users from
installing software that wasn't downloaded from the App Store unless the user manually allows this from
System Preferences. Once the user has allowed the installation manually, all other software by that developer
will be allowed to pass automatically without having to repeat the steps.
Approval is automatically granted to third-party KEXTs that were already present when upgrading to
Mac OS High Sierra.
1.7.4 In-Depth Explanation

This feature enforces that only kernel extensions approved by the user
will be loaded on a system. When a request is made to load a KEXT
that the user has not yet approved, the load request is denied and
Mac OS presents the alert shown in Figure 1-4.
Figure 1-4: Blocked Kernel

Extension
This prompts the user to approve the KEXT in System Preferences > Security & Privacy as shown in Figure
1-5.
This approval UI is only present in the Security

& Privacy preferences pane for 30 minutes after
the alert. Until the user approves the KEXT,
future load attempts will cause the approval UI
to reappear but will not trigger another user
alert.
The alert shows the name of the developer who

signed the KEXT so the user has some
information to decide whether to approve the
KEXT. This name comes from the Subject
Common Name field of the Developer ID
Application certificate used to sign the KEXT.
Because of this, developers are encouraged to
provide an appropriate company name when
requesting KEXT signing identities.
Figure 1-5: User Approval To Load A KEXT

Instruction Manual
When the user approves a KEXT, they are at the same time approving these other KEXTs signed by the same
Team ID:
If the approved KEXT is located in an application's bundle, all other KEXTs signed by the same Team ID in the
same application's bundle are also approved.
If the approved KEXT is located in the app's sub-directory inside /Library/Application Support, all other KEXTs
signed by the same Team ID found in that same sub-directory are also approved.
All KEXTs in /Library/Extensions signed by the same Team ID are also approved.
Once approved, the KEXT will immediately be loaded or added to the prelinked kernel cache, depending on
what action was blocked. Subsequent requests to load the KEXT will proceed silently as on previous Mac OS
versions.
Approved KEXTs are tracked in a system-wide policy database through the team identifier in the KEXT's code
signature and the bundle identifier from the KEXT's Info.plist, so updating a KEXT that has already been
approved will not trigger a new approval request.
1.7.5 macOS Mojave Security Features

There are new security features in macOS Mojave that require you to
allow access to the "microphone" the first time SoundCheck (or any
audio and recording software) is launched.
The prompt is confusing as the prompt, "microphone", refers to any input
device, including audio interfaces. In order for SoundCheck to be able to
record audio, you must enable access to the "microphone". If you do not
see the prompt and are unable to record audio in SoundCheck, you will need to enable recording by opening
the "Security & Privacy" panel in "System Preferences".

Instruction Manual
1.8 Silent Installation
Silent or unattended installation is available as of SoundCheck 16. You can call the installer from an Elevated
Command Prompt. This is useful when installing SoundCheck on several computers at once.
Example:
1. Copy the SoundCheck executable to a local drive or note the path to the file if it is on a server.
2. Click the Windows icon and type CMD in the search field.
3. Right-click cmd.exe and select Run as administrator as shown

in Figure 1-6. This is an Elevated Command Prompt.
4. In the cmd.exe window enter the full path & file name of the
installer plus /S and click Enter:
C:\sc20.00.###_setup.exe /S (/S is case sensitive)

5. The LabVIEW Runtime Engine window will open and close if this
is the first time the current version of SoundCheck has been
installed. Figure 1-6: Elevated CMD
Prompt
6. The Hardware Driver will open and close followed by a
SoundCheck splash screen.
7. The SoundCheck shortcut is added to the desktop when the install is finished.
8. Open SoundCheck and the Setup Wizard opens so you can select the status.dat location and
hardware setup. See Setup Wizard on page 39.

Instruction Manual
1.9 Listen Hardware Drivers for Windows
1.9.1 Device Driver Installation Wizard

The Driver Installation runs automatically when the SoundCheck installation runs. Drivers are included for
Listen Hardware such as: AmpConnect 621, AudioConnect, SoundConnect 2, AmpConnect ISC and DC
Connect. All Portland Tool and Die device drivers such as the BTC-4148/4149 are included as well.
1.9.2 AmpConnect ISC and DC Connect

As of SoundCheck 13, new drivers for AmpConnect ISC & DC Connect have been included in the SoundCheck
installation process. The new driver will not work in versions prior to SoundCheck 13. To use AmpConnect or
DC Connect with SoundCheck 12 (and previously supported versions), you will need to manually Rollback the
device driver in Windows Device Manager. Please refer to the latest AmpConnect ISC or DC Connect manual
for driver rollback procedures.
AmpConnect ISC only uses WDM drivers. It is not compatible with WASAPI.
1.9.3 AmpConnect ISC in SoundCheck 13

The AmpConnect ISC driver used in SoundCheck 20 creates the following limitations for installations of
SoundCheck 13 on the same system:
 In SC13 you cannot control the AmpConnect headphone output
 In SC13 the serial number is removed from AmpConnect audio device name, requiring a relink of audio
channels in the hardware editor
If you need to use AmpConnect ISC in SoundCheck 13:
 Go to Add/remove programs in Windows
 Select “AmpConnect USB SC driver” and click Uninstall
1.9.4 AudioConnect and SoundConnect 2

These drivers are included in the SoundCheck 20 software installation. AudioConnect only uses WDM drivers.
It is not compatible with WASAPI.
1.9.5 AudioConnect 4x4
Important: The AudioConnect 4x4 Windows drivers are not included in the SoundCheck 20
software installation. The interface must be connected to the computer when the
drivers are installed. Drivers are provided with the device and are available on the
Listen website; https://support.listeninc.com/hc/en-us/sections/200370694-Drivers.
1.10 Drivers for macOS

 Only hardware with Core Audio drivers or Mac specific drivers can be used
 Listen hardware such as AmpConnect ISC, AudioConnect and AudioConnect 4x4 use Core Audio
drivers
 DC Connect is not available on macOS
Please refer to Hardware Compatibility List on page 595 for information on Audio Interfaces approved for
use with SoundCheck Mac.

Instruction Manual
1.11 Hardware Key
 SoundCheck 20 requires a hardware key
as shown in Figure 1-7. This is 64-bit OS
compatible.
 The SoundCheck hardware key must be
connected to the computer in order to
open SoundCheck
 The SoundCheck Demo Viewer is
installed along with the full version. You
Figure 1-7: Hardware Key
can preview the software and view data
without the hardware key.
 Versions of SoundCheck prior to SoundCheck 13 will not work with this key
1.11.1 Warning! Do not lose the hardware key!

 Do not lose the hardware key for the SoundCheck system
 It unlocks the functionality of your SoundCheck software
 For insurance purposes, this key represents the full value of your system and should be noted in your
company's list of assets
 We recommend that it be securely attached to the computer to avoid loss or theft
1.11.2 Hardware Key Installation

 Insert the included hardware key into the USB port of the computer when prompted during the
SoundCheck installation process. The computer will recognize the new hardware key as the driver is
included in the software installation.
Important! Do not to remove the hardware key while SoundCheck is running. The
hardware key can be damaged. If damaged, it will need to be returned to
Listen, Inc. for replacement.
Important: If the USB key is moved from one USB port to another, the driver will
automatically re-install for the new USB port.
1.11.3 Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Precautions

Use the following precautions to help neutralize the difference in electrical charge between your hardware key
and the computer, before contact is made. This should help to protect your hardware key from ESD or Static
Shock.
 Use a rubber mat that has been specifically designed as an electrical insulator. Do not use a mat
designed to decrease electrostatic discharge as protection from electrical shock.
 Use a grounded wrist strap designed to prevent static discharge
 Use antistatic or electrostatic discharge (ESD) preventive clothing or gloves
 Avoid touching the USB contact pins
 For grounding purposes, verify that your computer provides excellent conductivity between the power
supply, the case, the mounting fasteners, and the mainboard.

Instruction Manual
1.11.4 Normal Mode with Hardware Key
With a valid Hardware Key and no Acquisition Channels enabled (0 Channels):
 You can not open, edit, apply or insert an Acquisition Step into a sequence.
 Acquisition Steps in the Sequence are skipped.
With a valid Hardware Key and Acquisition Channels enabled (2, 4, 8, 16, or 32):
 When inserting or editing an Acquisition Step you are limited to the number of hardware channels
enabled on the Hardware Key. A warning is issued if you try to exceed this number.
 If you open a sequence that uses a number of hardware channels that is greater than the number of
channels enabled on the Hardware Key, a detailed warning is issued when the sequence is pre-loaded,
indicating that the sequence was created using more channels than is available. Acquisition steps such
as this will be skipped when the sequence is run.
1.11.5 Hardware Key Laser ID

The Laser ID of the Hardware Key currently connected to the
system is shown on the SoundCheck Main Screen.
Figure 1-8: Hardware Key Laser ID
1.12 SoundCheck Demo Viewer - Windows only

The Demo Viewer is installed along with the full version of SoundCheck. Shortcuts
are created on the desktop as shown in Figure 1-9.
 The Demo Viewer is not available for macOS
Figure 1-9: Shortcuts
Important: All data generated in the demo viewer is randomly adjusted in level,
Randomized, and is therefore not valid.
The SoundCheck wall paper will change to indicate this as shown in Figure 1-10.
 Recall, save and print data is randomized
 Create and modify test sequence but Save
sequence is disabled
 2 channels of input/output hardware channels
 A valid Hardware Key is required to register
ActiveX components during SoundCheck
installation. The Hardware Key is not required to Figure 1-10: Demo Wallpaper
use ActiveX in Demo Mode.
 All other functionality of SoundCheck is available
SoundCheck executes the test sequence and adds random values to the data displayed or saved. All data
generated in the demo viewer is randomly adjusted in level and is therefore not valid.

Instruction Manual
1.13 Optional Modules and Protected Sequences
Once SoundCheck is installed, with the proper status.dat file and hardware key, a list of Optional Modules and
Protected Sequences is available. Click on the Help menu of the SoundCheck Main Screen and then select
Optional Modules. The current list of modules and sequences available is found in Figure 1-11: Optional
Modules List. This indicates which modules and sequences are currently enabled on the system as well as
items that can be added.
Important: Acquisition is now an option that allows only a specific number of hardware
channels.
2000 Limits Editor 2022 2 Channel Acquisition 3000 Hearing Aid Application for ANSI
3.22-1996
2001 Harmonic Distortion 2023 4 Channel Acquisition
3102 EN50332-1 Max SPL for Head-
2002 Sequence Editor 2024 8 Channel Acquisition
phones
2003 Spect Analyzer (Scope FFT) 2025 16 Channel Acquisition
3103 IEEE 1329, Clause 10 Seq
2004 Post-Processing 2026 32 Channel Acquisition (JB03xx)
2005 RTA Spect Analyzer 2027 64 Channel Acquisition 3104 TIA-470 Seq (JB04xx)
2006 Time Selective Response 2029 SC ONE - Acoustics 3105 IEEE 269, Clause 9 Seq (JB05xx)
2007 Loudness Rating 2030 Perceptual Rub & Buzz 3106 Hearing Aid Magnetic Comp Seq
(JB06xx)
2008 Attack and Release 2031 Zwicker Loudness Rating
3107 TIA USB Headsets Seq (JB07xx)
2009 Statistics 2032 Waveform Filter
3108 TIA-810 Legacy Narrowband Seq
2010 Save to Database 2033 Active Speech Level
(JB08xx)
2011 Polar Plot 2034 Calibration Editor
3109 TIA-920 Legacy Wideband Seq
2012 Equation Editor 2035 Reserved (JB09xx)
2013 EQ a Wav File 2036 Distortion Analyzer 3110 ETSI TBR 38 Seq (JB10xx)
2014 Signal Generator 2037 Frequency Counter 3111 TIA-920+ Narrow/Wideband Seq
2015 Multimeter (JB0905)
2038 Reserved
2016 Loose Particle 3112 TIA-5050 Seq (JB12xx)
2040 Strip Chart Recorder
2017 Stimulus 3113 Stereo Soundfield Parameters
2041 POLQA
(JB13xx)
2018 Stepped Sine 2050 RT60 Room Acoustics
3114 (JB14xx) Reserved
2019 IM Distortion 2099 SC Win
3119 Microsoft Lync
2020 Multitone 2100 SC Mac
3121 Background Noise Sequences
2021 Transfer Functions 1301 SoundMap CSD ETSI ES202396-1
1300 SoundMap Full
Figure 1-11: Optional Modules List

Instruction Manual
1.14 Windows Setup Recommendations
1.14.1 High Performance Computer Settings

The SoundCheck computer is a core part of a test and measurement system. In general, test instruments do
not automatically shut down to save power. Computer operating systems and the computer BIOS have power
save settings that should be changed.
We recommend that Windows be set to the High Performance plan and USB ports are set to “Never Sleep”.
Depending on the computer mother board, changes to automatic power saving may need to be made in the
system BIOS as well.
1.14.2 Sleep Settings

Windows 10:
 Click Start > Settings > System > Power & Sleep
 Related Settings: Select Additional power
settings
 Select High Performance
 Select Change Plan Settings
 Put the computer to sleep: Select Never
Figure 1-1: Select High Performance
1.14.3 USB Selective Suspend

 Next click on Change advanced power settings
 Scroll down to USB settings
 USB selective suspend setting: Select Disabled
 Click OK to save settings
 Close all remaining options windows
Figure 1-2: USB Selective

Suspend Disabled

Instruction Manual
1.14.4 Audio Device System Settings
The following settings are recommended to prevent Windows systems sounds from inadvertently playing
through a device under test or artificial mouth. Some system sounds are capable of damaging some
transducers.
1. Click Windows Start, Type 2. Click the Sounds tab and set the 4. Select the Playback tab and set
”Manage Audio Devices” and default scheme to No Sounds the default device to the
hit Enter. This opens the Sound motherboard audio interface (no
3. Uncheck “Play Windows Startup SoundCheck devices)
Control Panel. sound”
5. Select the Recording tab and 7. Select the Recording tab and set 9. On the Recording and Playback
set the default device to the the default device to the tabs set the levels for all WDM /
motherboard audio interface (or motherboard audio interface (or WASAPI devices used with
any other device that is not used any other device that is not used SoundCheck to 100%. (e.g.,
for test and measurement) for test and measurement) AmpConnect, AudioConnect)
6. Click OK and close the 8. Click OK and close the remaining

remaining Control Panel Control Panel windows
windows

Instruction Manual
1.14.5 WDM / WASAPI Device Sample Rate
Important: When using WDM / WASAPI audio interfaces with SoundCheck, you will need to
set the sample rate in the SoundCheck Hardware Editor and in the Windows Play
and Record panels for the audio interface.
1. Double click on a device in Playback or Recording
2. Select the Advanced Tab
3. Set the Sample Rate and Bit Depth to match the SoundCheck
Hardware Editor
1.14.6 Audio Device Enhancements

Some audio devices feature Enhancement settings. When testing such a
device, these enhancements should be shut off.
1.15 European Decimal Notation

The “Decimal Display Format” can be changed to European Style in
Windows. (comma in place of period)
SoundCheck must be closed before changing the decimal format.
Changes will be seen the next time it is started.
1.15.1 Windows Instructions

1. Click Start
2. Select Control Panel
3. Select Clocks, Language and Region Options
4. Click Change the date, time or number format
5. Click Additional Settings
6. Change the Decimal Symbol to "," (comma) and Digit Grouping

Symbol to "." (period)
7. Click Apply and click OK to close editing windows

Instruction Manual
1.15.2 Change SoundCheck Default
If you want to overrule your regional settings, use the following method.
You can change the default behavior by changing the SoundCheck INI file found in the root of your
SoundCheck folder. This changes the decimal mark based on the language of the OS. This forces
SoundCheck to always use a dot for decimal notation.
1. Exit SoundCheck
2. Add the following line to SoundCheck 20.ini file.
useLocaleDecimalPt=False
3. Save the changes to the .INI file and start SoundCheck
1.16 Windows Display - Text Size

The settings of the Windows display resolution effects the display
windows and information tabs in SoundCheck. The following
settings should always be used for a SoundCheck system.
1. SoundCheck must be closed
2. In Windows 10, Right-click the desktop and select

Display Settings
3. Open the Display menu
4. Under Scale and layout select 100% (Recommended)
Figure 1-3: Use 100%
This is the typical default setting for Windows but

it is sometimes changed when individual users
are trying to make icons larger on the Windows
desktop or making program menu fields larger.
Setting this higher than 100% causes fields in
SoundCheck to overlap and in some cases
become “not visible”.
Medium (125%) and Large (150%) should not
be used. Menus will not be readable.
Figure 1-4: Windows 10 Use 100%

Instruction Manual
1.17 macOS Settings
In order to prevent errors when recalling and saving
data during sequence runs, the “Put hard disks to
sleep when possible” option must be unchecked in
Preferences > Energy Saver.
Figure 1-12: Energy Saving Settings

1.18 macOS Functions
Figure 1-13: Main Screen Tool Bar
Due to differences in the macOS menus, you will notice that SoundCheck menus behave differently.
 The Main Screen is simply the SoundCheck Tool Bar aligned at the top of the Mac screen as shown in
Figure 1-13. The SoundCheck background is hidden intentionally.
 The top menu changes depending on which SoundCheck window is open. For an example, refer to
Memory List on page 19.
1.18.1 macOS Differences

 The Mac version requires optional module 2100
 Demo Viewer is not available
 External software control using TCP/IP is available. ActiveX is not available.
 Microsoft Office is not supported (currently not supported by LabVIEW)
This affects:
 No Autosave to Excel
 No Autosave to database
 No Report functions from Memory List: Word, Excel or HTML
 No printing to Word or Excel
 National Instruments DAQmx hardware is not compatible with Mac OS. This includes NI 4461 and
cDAQ devices.
 Some Keyboard Shortcuts are not available. Refer to on page 613.
 Serial Port Footswitch control and Serial Port External Buzzer are not supported

Instruction Manual
1.19 Operation
Sequence files are cross platform
compatible.
This includes:
 Calibration - .CAL
 Data - .DAT
 Sequence - .SQC
 All step templates
Figure 1-14: Sequence Save
1.19.1 Acquisition Step

When using Audio Interfaces with unstable Latency, Acquisition steps
should use a minimum Record Padding setting of 200 mSec as shown in
Figure 1-15.
Auto Delay MUST be used in Analysis Steps.
Please refer to Hardware Compatibility List on page 595 for information
on Audio Interfaces approved for use with SoundCheck Mac.
Figure 1-15: Acquisition

Record Padding
1.19.2 Select Current Folder

When selecting a folder location in Autosave,
Recall and other operations, click Open. This is the
same function as clicking “Current Folder” in
Windows.
Figure 1-16: Click Open to Select Folder

Instruction Manual
1.19.3 Memory List
The functions for the Memory List are at the top of the Main
Screen as shown in Figure 1-17.
Figure 1-17: Memory List Functions

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Instruction Manual
2 New Features SoundCheck ® 20.020.0
SoundCheck 20 launches our most sophisticated perceptual distortion algorithm to date, enhanced perceptual
Rub & Buzz for end-of-line testing. It also includes a host of new features for multichannel and communications
testing, increasing its capabilities for audio measurement of voice-activated, smart devices and other
multichannel devices.
2.1 Enhanced Perceptual Rub & Buzz - ePRB

Listen’s new Perceptual Rub & Buzz algorithm is a reliable and repeatable method
of detecting audible Rub & Buzz faults on the production line. This offers
manufactures the option to increase yield by rejecting only those devices with
audible distortion defects. Based on the sound psychoacoustic principles used in
Listen’s industry-standard 2011 Perceptual Rub & Buzz algorithm, the new
refinements improve listener correlation and demonstrate significantly better noise
rejection to offer unrivaled repeatability. This makes limit setting easier and
increases reliability, especially in production environments. The algorithm
measures perceptual Rub & Buzz at the same time as all other end-of-line
measurements with a single stepped sine wave stimulus, enabling this valuable
analysis to be added to production line tests with no extension in test time.
ePRB has been harmonically weighted and the unit is expressed as “phons(H)”.
The legacy PRB algorithm unit is “phons”. ePRB curves will look different as there
is no direct mapping from PRB to ePRB. The ePRB and PRB algorithms can be
used simultaneously. This is useful when reanalyzing stored waveforms to build
new ePRB limit curves.
See Perceptual Rub & Buzz - CLEAR Distortion Measurement on page 202.
Figure 2-1: ePRB
2.2 POLQA® - Post Processing

The optional POLQA (Perceptual Objective Listening Quality Analysis) module brings the
POLQA algorithm right into SoundCheck, where it can be used for perceptual
measurements of speech degradation in communications applications ranging from
telephones to smart devices. It may be used to assess the impact of noise reduction
algorithms, evaluate Bluetooth degradation due to packet loss, or to analyze distortions
introduced into the audio path. Naturally, it can be used within sequences to accelerate
and simplify test procedures.
See POLQA® - Perceptual Objective Listening Quality Analysis on page 283.
Figure 2-2:
POLQA
SoundCheck® 20.0 New Features 21

Instruction Manual
2.3 New Multichannel RTA functionality
The multichannel Real Time Analyzer now includes expanded functionality for real time observation of audio
signals. It displays multiple channels simultaneously, and offers real time calculation and display of channel
addition, subtraction, maximum, minimum and power average. Applications for this new feature include a
headphone seal check on a test head by comparing left and right earphone response to validate the seal before
performing a measurement, real-time observation of active noise cancellation, automotive industry standard 6-
microphone array infotainment measurements and more. Paired with the AmpConnect 621 multichannel audio
interface, it offers unmatched functionality for multichannel measurements on a wide array of devices,
especially those featuring dynamic signal processing. RTA curves are now seamlessly integrated with
SoundCheck’s standard graphs. Live curves from the RTA are displayed in the Memory List and can be
dragged and dropped into any graph for easy comparison to limits and reference curves. This is useful for quick
comparisons to reference standards or golden units, tuning automotive infotainment systems, and more.
2.3.1 Subtraction (dB)

 Calculates the RTA
frequency response
magnitude between two
RTA curves
 Figure 2-3 shows the
result of subtracting the
Ref Mic from the DUT Mic
2.3.2 Maximum/Minimum
 Calculates the Maximum/
Minimum curve of all
selected RTA curves in
real time
Figure 2-3: Subtraction (dB)
2.4 RTA Live Curves

This can be used to overlay
Memory List curves such as
Limits and Reference curves on a
Live RTA Graph. Figure 2-4
shows “Target curve” is added to
the Multi RTA. See LIVE
CURVES on page 513.
Figure 2-4: Memory List Static Curve In Multi RTA
22 New Features SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
2.4.1 Graph Preferences
As of SoundCheck 20, the RTA uses Display Step graph preferences. Right-click on an RTA curve symbol and
uncheck Plot Visible to hide a curve as shown in Figure 2-5. Refer to Right-click - Graph on page 363 for
more information.
Figure 2-5: Graph Preferences
2.5 Batch Processing of External Files

While SoundCheck has offered batch processing of collected data since
2012, version 20 extends this with the ability to automatically load and
process external data. This is useful in any application where it is
desirable to automate the testing of a large number of external data files
via a sequence, for example, WAV files of speech recordings. This has
many uses in communications testing, for example in testing the Mean
Opinion Score (MOS) of degraded speech files. See Copy via Config
File on page 455.
Figure 2-6: Copy via Config File

Instruction Manual
2.6 Save to Multichannel WAV
SoundCheck simplifies multichannel data management by saving
measurement data to a single multichannel WAV file. This is useful for any
multichannel analysis for example, measurements from a 6 microphone
array or left and right earphones.
See Save to Multichannel WAV on page 349.
Figure 2-7: Save

Multichannel WAV
2.7 Signal Generator Updates
A complete overhaul of the signal generator brings additional functionality and
simplified operation, particularly when using WAV files. In addition to standard
audio stimuli (sine, white noise, pink noise, multitone) with user-selected sampling
rates and resolution, it can play any WAV file, any Memory List file, and any
complex waveform created by the stimulus editor.
The level can be referenced to Peak, dB or RMS. The signal can be equalized in
real time, and custom EQ curves applied, which is useful when using a non-flat
source such as a mouth simulator. A specific portion of a waveform can be
selected to play, either by selecting a start and stop time in seconds, or by
examining the waveform. Outputs from 2 or more signal generators can be mixed
on the same channel.
Waveforms from multiple signal generators can be synchronized, or, a delay
added for non-coherent playback, for example when generating background
noise. Signals may be played for a fixed duration, a fixed number of times, or in a
continuous loop. Improved controls, such as sliders in addition to numerical entry Figure 2-8: Signal
simplify use. Generator
See Signal Generator on page 489.
Figure 2-9: Slider

Control
24 New Features SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
2.8 New Features for Communications Testing
New stimulus steps and post-processing capabilities support communications testing needs.
2.8.1 Histogram - Post Processing

The Histogram Post Processing step calculates the histogram of a waveform and
outputs two curves, the histogram, and the complementary cumulative distribution.
This is used for any non-stationary signal analysis such as echo detection in
telecoms or background noise evaluation.
See Histogram on page 287.
Figure 2-10: Histogram
2.8.2 Level vs Time - Post Processing

This step computes the RMS level over time of the selected waveform or group of
waveforms within a sequence.
 The output is a waveform showing RMS level vs time, conforming to IEC
61672
See Level vs Time on page 289.
Figure 2-11: Level vs

Time

Instruction Manual
2.8.3 Silence - Stimulus Step
This stimulus type inserts a user-defined zero-
amplitude signal before or between active
signal levels of a compound stimulus step. This
is used to synchronize two or more signals in a
stimulus step based on measured delays in the
device under test.
See Silence on page 146.
Figure 2-12: Silence
2.8.4 Memory List Waveform - Stimulus

Step
The Stimulus Editor can now create a stimulus
from any waveform in the Memory List and
equalize and adjust its level, for example using
active speech level. This enables such
adjustments to be made to externally acquired
test signals, such as those imported into
SoundCheck via TCP/IP or recall steps. This is
particularly useful for smart device certification
testing.
Waveforms from the Memory List can be
selected to create a new Stimulus based on a
previous measurement or a recalled waveform.
See Memory List Waveform on page 146.
Figure 2-13: Memory List Waveform

Instruction Manual
2.9 Median - Custom Step
This can be used to calculate the arithmetic Median on a set of similar items with
differing values, e.g., a series of Gain values from a production run of microphones
or a series of distortion values from a number of loudspeaker drivers.
 Operates on Values from the Memory List
See Median on page 460.
Figure 2-14: Median
2.10 Reset Hardware

A new hardware reset option in the
Setup Wizard allows quick hardware
channel resets when swapping audio
interfaces and offers a fast way of
resetting hardware to a known
configuration.
See Reset Hardware on page 41.
Figure 2-15: Reset Hardware

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
3 Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of SoundCheck®, created by Listen, Inc. SoundCheck is the first dedicated
electroacoustic test and measurement system for production line quality control testing as well as research and
development applications. SoundCheck was developed by some of the most knowledgeable and skilled
engineers and software programmers in the world. Our goal is to provide fast and accurate testing with an
intuitive user interface. Listen will constantly be looking for new ways to improve SoundCheck. Customer
feedback helps us develop better sound measurement solutions and is greatly appreciated. Please call or
email us at [email protected].
3.1 Listen Hardware Support

As of SoundCheck 14, support for the control of AudioConnect,
SoundConnect 2, as well as the Portland Tool & Die BTC-4148/
4149 Bluetooth interface are available.
SoundCheck 20 supports AmpConnect ISC™, Listen's integrated
hardware interface which replaces a power amplifier, microphone
power supply, impedance box and digital I/O card in your testing
setup. AmpConnect ISC can be fully controlled either via the
sequence editor, or directly via a control panel that replicates the
appearance of the front of the hardware.
See AmpConnect ISC Control In SoundCheck on page 296.
Please refer to the AmpConnect ISC manual for more
information.
Note: SoundCheck 10.11 and above is required to use

AmpConnect ISC™. For driver change note See
AudioConnect and SoundConnect 2 on page 9.
Figure 3-1: Listen Hardware Control
SoundCheck® 20.0 Introduction 29

Instruction Manual
3.2 Full Multichannel Acquisition
An unlimited number of hardware channels enables you to use as many channels simultaneously as your
hardware and computer memory can support.
This offers advantages for many types of testing including:
 Production testing of surround sound electronics
 all channels can be measured simultaneously, enabling an entire surround sound test to be carried
out much faster.
 Stereo headset testing
 Two channels of acoustic signal and two channels of impedance can be measured simultaneously,
increasing the speed of test.
 Multichannel devices
 Pro audio mixers and other multichannel devices can be tested faster using SoundCheck.
 Batch mode testing
 Multiple channels can be utilized for batch-mode testing of multiple devices at once, such as
microphones.
The multichannel capability of SoundCheck also means that you can play and record simultaneously on
different devices (audio interfaces, or data acquisition devices). This allows an NI data acquisition card (such
as the PXI/PCI 4461 and 4462) to be used in conjunction with an audio interface, combining the flexibility of a
Windows Multimedia environment with the high accuracy of the NI hardware.
SoundCheck communicates with Windows Multimedia devices in real time by sending WAV files. It is the only
audio test system that offers complete control of Windows multimedia devices, making it the ideal solution for
testing audio electronics and multimedia devices such as IP phones, MP3 players and Bluetooth headphones.
30 Introduction SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
3.3 SoundCheck ONE™
SoundCheck ONE is an entry-level SoundCheck system which is essentially a lower cost, simplified, version of
SoundCheck coupled with the AmpConnect ISC or AudioConnect hardware. SoundCheck ONE offers the
capability to test loudspeakers, microphones and headphones within predetermined sequence templates.
Although the user interface is the same as in the full version of SoundCheck, rather than using the Sequence
Editor, SoundCheck ONE users are supplied with sequence templates. These templates serve as the starting
point for all SoundCheck ONE tests and can be used to generate as many product specific sequences as
desired by selecting parameters such as the stimulus signal, characteristics to be measured, frequency range,
level and limits.
SoundCheck 20 hardware keys can be programmed to also work in SoundCheck ONE mode. This enables you
to easily switch between SoundCheck 20 and SoundCheck ONE.
Refer to SoundCheck ONE™ on page 519 for more information.
3.3.1 Global System Hardware and Calibration

 System Hardware - One Hardware Configuration to define and configure data acquisition equipment
for all sequences
 System Calibration - One System Configuration to define the sensitivity of the input or output
transducers along with any needed EQ and Correction curves
3.3.2 Test Sequence

SoundCheck allows you to develop tests or modify existing tests from our extensive library.
Each test, referred to as a "Sequence" is essentially a script. A Sequence is a series of "Steps", with each
step performing a specific task. An extremely simple Sequence might have the following structure:
 Stimulus Step - Define and generate the signal to be sent to the DUT
 Acquisition Step - To play the Stimulus and record the DUTs response
 Analysis Step - For example, to calculate frequency response of the DUT
 Limits Step - To apply Pass/Fail criteria on acquired data
 Display Step - To Display data and results
Many other Step types are available, including Post-Processing, Printing, Statistics, etc. Each step type is
clearly defined and explained later in the manual.
See Sequence Editor on page 465.
3.3.3 Virtual Instruments

In addition to running pre-defined Sequences, you can also generate stimuli and analyze data using stand-
alone "Virtual Instruments" (optional). These can be launched from the "Instruments" menu, and replicate
familiar laboratory equipment. These include the following: Signal Generator, Multimeter, Oscilloscope, FFT-
Spectrum, Real-Time Analyzer, Distortion Analyzer, Frequency Counter and Strip Chart.
See Virtual Instruments on page 485.

Instruction Manual
3.4 Operating Principles Speaker
SoundCheck operates on the same principles as a
Microphone
traditional, stand-alone measurement system
consisting of a Signal Generator, RMS Multimeter,
tracking filter, and level recorder. With SoundCheck, all Tracking
of these functions are implemented in software as VI’s, Filter
or Virtual Instruments. Device Under Test
1000 Hz
Voltmeter
Sine Generator Level Recorder

Figure 3-2: Traditional Hardware-
based Test System
The advantages of software-based instruments are numerous. SoundCheck takes advantage of today’s high-
speed personal computers, professional audio interfaces, data acquisition cards and Windows software
platforms. This saves thousands of dollars in hardware cost compared with traditional audio test and
measurement systems. The system is modular, which means you can easily upgrade as your needs change.
Speaker
Microphone
Input
Device Under Test Amplifer
PASSED
Computer
SoundCheck Software
Signal Generator Display
Analysis Module
Module Module
D/A Audio Interface A/D
Figure 3-3: SoundCheck Software-

based Test System

Instruction Manual
3.5 Sequences
Running a Sequence performs most measurements in
SoundCheck. A Sequence is made up of individual steps, or
operations that are strung together to create an overall test.
Custom test procedures can be written or modified using the
Sequence Editor. Typically, sequence names are product model
numbers or device names. SoundCheck includes example sequences to aid in developing new sequences.
See Sequence Editor on page 465.
3.6 Steps
A step is a unique operation that is executed in the order it occurs in a sequence. To edit a step in the active
sequence:
 Choose Setup from the main screen drop-down list
 Select the category for the Step in the sequence to be edited (e.g., Stimulus, Acquisition, etc)
 You can also open the Sequence Editor and select a step from the right side of the editor.
 A step can also be saved as a template in the library on the left side of the Sequence Editor. The step
templates are then available for use in other sequences. Every Step has a Step Category and a Step
Editor.
As of SoundCheck 12, all attributes and fields of a step in the active sequence are linked to that sequence.
Changes to the steps in the active sequence appear only in that sequence.
3.7 Sequence Run Status

 After pushing Start, the Stop button
turns red to indicate that the sequence
is running Stop Button Test Time
 The Test Time field shows the elapsed
Figure 3-4: Stop Button
time of the sequence run
 Click the Stop button at any time
during the sequence run to halt operation
 You can also hit the Escape key on the keyboard to Stop
See SoundCheck Main Screen on page 45.

Instruction Manual
3.8 Test Equipment Setup for Typical Applications
Note: Chose the proper input and output Hardware Channels that correspond to the Signal Paths
used in the selected test sequence.
3.8.1 Loudspeaker Setup

1. Connect an output of the audio interface to the input of the power amplifier.
2. Connect the output of the power amplifier to the loudspeaker under test.
3. Connect the microphone preamp cable to the microphone input on the microphone power supply (e.g.,
SoundConnect).
4. Connect the output of the microphone power supply to an input on the audio interface.
5. Select the appropriate sequence in SoundCheck and click Start.
SoundCheck™ for
Loudspeaker Testing
PASSED
Microphone
Power Supply
Audio Interface Mic Supply

Output to Audio
Input
Audio Output
to Amp Input
Microphone
Power Amplifier
Loudspeaker
Figure 3-5: Loudspeaker Equipment Setup

Instruction Manual
3.8.2 Earphone/Headphone Setup
2. Connect the output of the power amplifier to the earphone/headphone under test.
3. Connect the ear simulator preamp cable to the microphone input on the microphone power supply
(e.g., SoundConnect).
4. Connect the output of the microphone power supply to an Input on the audio interface.
SoundCheck™ for Earphone/

Headphone Testing
PASSED
Microphone Earphone/
Power Supply Headphone
under test
Audio Interface
Mic Supply
Output to Audio
Audio Output
Input
to Amp Input
Ear Simulator
Power Amplifier
Figure 3-6: Earphone Equipment Setup

Instruction Manual
3.9 Microphone Setup
1. Connect an output of the audio interface to the Input of the Power Amplifier.
2. Connect the output of the power amplifier to the mouth simulator.
3. Connect the microphone under test either to the direct input of the microphone power supply (e.g.,
SoundConnect BNC Input), or if no additional gain is needed, connect directly to the input of the audio
interface.
4. If using a microphone power supply, connect the output to an Input on the audio interface.
SoundCheck™ for
Microphone Testing
PASSED
Microphone
Power Supply
Audio Interface Mic Supply

Output to Audio
Microphone
Input
Audio Output under test
to Amp Input
Power Amplifier
Mouth Simulator
Figure 3-7: Microphone Equipment Setup

Instruction Manual
3.9.1 Hearing Aid Setup
1. Connect an output of the audio interface to the Input of the power amplifier.
2. Connect the output of the power amplifier to the anechoic chamber.
3. Connect the hearing aid under test to a coupler, sealing the transmitter of the hearing aid towards a
calibrated microphone.
4. Connect this mic to the microphone input on the microphone power supply (e.g., SoundConnect).
5. Connect the output of the power supply to an input on the audio interface.
SoundCheck™ for Hearing Aid Testing

DC Connect
DC Voltage
to Battery
USB to PC Adapter
PASSED Input Anechoic Test Chamber
Audio Interface
SoundConnect
Mic Supply
to Audio Input
Audio Outputs
to Amp Inputs
Right Amp Output to Telecoil Loop Input Hearing Aid

in coupler
Power Amplifier Left Amp Output to Speaker Input
Figure 3-8: Hearing Aid Equipment Setup
Note: DC Connect is an optional hardware item available from Listen, Inc.

Instruction Manual
3.9.2 Telephone/Cell Phone Setup
2. Connect the output of the power amplifier to the mouth simulator cable for the head and torso
simulator.
3. Connect the microphone (Ear Simulator) to the microphone input of the microphone power supply
(e.g., SoundConnect).
4. Connect the output of the microphone power supply to an input on the audio interface.
5. Connect an output of the audio interface to the input of the Telephone interface to send signal to the
device in the positioner.
SoundCheck™ for
Telephone Testing
To
Positioner
Telephone Interface
PASSED
Microphone
Power Supply
Audio Interface
From Ear Head &
Mic Supply Torso
Output to Audio Simulator
Audio Output Simulator
Input
to Amp Input
To Mouth Simulator
Power Amplifier
Figure 3-9: Telephone Equipment Setup

Instruction Manual
4 Setup Wizard
SoundCheck®, when installed at Listen onto a purchased computer, is configured with the appropriate audio
interface driver. If a different audio interface is installed, you will have to configure it manually.
Note: Please refer to Minimum Computer Requirements on page 1.
If only the software is purchased, you should use this section to setup your audio interface for use with
SoundCheck.
Note: For complete computer setup recommendations, please refer to Installing SoundCheck on page
1.
4.1 First Run

The Setup Wizard runs the first time SoundCheck runs. The wizard can also be run by clicking File on the
SoundCheck Main Screen and selecting Setup Wizard (Ctrl+Z).
 Click on the items in the Menu to
select a function
 Check box for “Do not show on start
up”
 Assists in setting up new hardware,
including auto-detection of audio
interface
 Allows you to transfer over sequences
as well as hardware and calibration
settings from previous versions of
SoundCheck
Figure 4-1: Setup Wizard Greeting
4.1.1 Locate Status.dat File
This allows you to navigate to the appropriate status.dat file for your hardware key.
 The status.dat file is normally sent by
email from Listen, Inc.
 Click on the folder to your Status.dat
file location
4.1.2 Automatically Select Status.dat

If the status.dat path is pointed to a
folder containing multiple status.dat
files, SoundCheck will automatically
load the file that corresponds to the
hardware key that is currently plugged
Figure 4-2: Locate Status.dat File
in.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Setup Wizard 39

Instruction Manual
4.1.3 Import Settings
You can import Preferences, Hardware and
Calibration setups and/or Step Templates
from previous installations of SoundCheck.
 You will be prompted to choose if
Signal Paths should be overwritten
and then if Calibrated Device Files
should be imported
Figure 4-3: Import Settings
Note: Calibration .DAT files from devices not in use in System Calibration will not be
copied into the new version of SoundCheck. If required, these files will need to be
manually imported later.
4.1.4 Convert Sequences From Previous Version - Right-click Functions

Right-click to:
 Add a sequence or a directory of
sequences to the list
 Remove a sequence from the list
 Clear the list
 Select the Destination Folder for the
converted sequences
 Click Convert
Figure 4-4: Convert Sequences

4.1.5 Setup New Hardware
You are prompted when new Listen hardware
is detected.
 Select to search for and setup new
audio interfaces
 "Automatically Create Signal Paths
for Listen Devices" is enabled by
default in Preferences > Launch. The
Vp value fields in the Hardware Editor
will automatically update for Figure 4-5: Setup New Hardware
supported Listen Hardware.
 See Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices on page 50
 Hardware from other manufacturer’s is not detected automatically
 HAR files are available for Listen approved hardware and can be imported in the Hardware Editor after
the device drivers have been installed. See Audio Interface on page 43.
40 Setup Wizard SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
 This process will also automatically create Signal Paths for Listen Hardware in the Calibration Editor.
Select Open Table from the Calibration Editor to view the new Signal Paths.
4.1.6 Reset Hardware

This Setup Wizard feature allows quick hardware
channel resets when swapping audio interfaces
and offers a fast way of resetting hardware to a
known configuration. This can be from a previously
saved configuration file or a default hardware
configuration.
1. Connect the new audio interface.
2. Open the Setup Wizard from the

SoundCheck Main screen > File menu.
3. Select Reset Hardware and choose one of Figure 4-6: Reset Hardware
the options:
 Restore from .har: This opens the SoundCheck > Steps > Hardware folder. Select a previously saved
hardware file or open the Approved Hardware folder to select from a list of default hardware files. Click
OK to switch to the new hardware file.
 Restore to Default: This resets the hardware configuration to the SoundCheck installation default
except when Listen hardware is detected, in which case it updates the configuration to that of the
connected Listen hardware.
4. After selecting an option, a prompt indicates that the Calibration
Editor table is not affected by the changes to hardware. If
channels are removed from the Hardware Editor, Signal Paths in
the Calibration Editor will need to be edited before Signal Path
calibrations can be saved. Select OK to continue.
5. Please allow several seconds for the configuration process to

finish. Select OK when prompted and close the Setup Wizard.
Figure 4-7: Prompts

Note: If a sequence is open, the Menu screen will prompt the user
to close the sequence before being allowed to continue with
Reset Hardware.
RULES
 Sequences must be closed before using this feature
 HAR files can be loaded from any prior version of SoundCheck
 The Restore to Default option uses the AmpConnect ISC.HAR file included with SoundCheck. This
file must be in the default hardware folder and must not be modified for the function to work correctly.
 The Reset process will recycle existing Signal Paths in the Calibration Editor. See Signal Path
Changes on page 42.
 The previous hardware configuration is backed up in the SoundCheck > Steps > Hardware folder and
timestamped, e.g.: System 20211130145043.Har.

Instruction Manual
4.1.7 Signal Path Changes
Existing Signal Paths will be recycled if Hardware Channels match the
previous Hardware Step channel assignments.
Note: Reset Hardware does not remove Signal Paths from the
Calibration Editor. These Signal Paths are left intact to
easily return to the previous hardware configuration. If
permanently changing the configuration of the SoundCheck
system, the Signal Paths will need to be manually deleted
from the Calibration Editor table.
Important! Signal Paths will be orphaned when changing

hardware from a multichannel interface to a 2
channel interface. These will be highlighted
in yellow in the Calibration Editor. See Figure
4-8. The Calibration Editor cannot be saved
and updated with a disconnected (Yellow) HW
Channel.
Figure 4-8: Resolve

Disconnected HW Channels

Instruction Manual
4.2 Creating Sequences
A sequence tutorial is available in the main SoundCheck manual in the Sequence Editor Chapter.
See Creating a New Sequence on page 479.
4.3 Audio Interface
Important! Before setting up an audio interface for use with SoundCheck, please refer to
Hardware Compatibility List on page 595. This contains important information
regarding approved audio interfaces.
For manual setup of the audio interface in SoundCheck:

1. Open SoundCheck and select Hardware from the Setup menu.
2. Click Import and browse the list of Hardware Steps in the C:\SoundCheck 20\Steps\Hardware folder
 Steps are configured for individual audio interfaces and are named by brand and/or model of that
audio interface
 If the audio interface is not listed, the setup for the audio interface will have to be created manually
Figure 4-9: Hardware Editor
Note: Please contact Listen for the most recent list of Hardware Configurations, or for help creating a
new step.
When using a audio interface with Balanced Inputs and Outputs please follow the calibration and wiring
guidelines found in Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connections on page 618.
Note: When using the Digital Audio Labs “CardDeluxe“ in conjunction with Listen’s “SoundConnect“
microphone power supply, the Max In value of the Input Hardware Channel must be multiplied by
1.125. This is to account for the impedance difference between the SoundConnect and the
CardDeluxe.

Instruction Manual
4.4 A Note About Calibration
The Calibration Configuration includes all devices in the signal path including the Audio Interface, Amplifier,
and/or Microphone.
The Calibration Editor allows you to create a Signal Path for each device that might be used on the system.
The Table View of the editor acts as a database of all calibrated devices.
Figure 4-10: Calibration Table
The accuracy of your SoundCheck system depends upon accurate calibration of your input and output devices.
Nominal calibration values for many devices typically used are included with SoundCheck. For more accurate
measurements, calibration of individual Signal Paths should be performed for each device. Frequency of
calibration of these devices depends upon the stability of the device.
For more information refer to Calibration Configuration on page 85.

Instruction Manual
5 SoundCheck Main Screen
Start, Continuous, and Test time of running Track lot and # of units
Redo measurement test in Stopwatch serial numbers tested
controls fashion
Drop-down list for selecting test During sequence run this field
sequences in the current folder shows the current running step
Figure 5-1: SoundCheck Main Screen
5.1 Quick Launch Menu

The optional Quick Launch Menu provides a simple interface for choosing a sequence
to open or starting a new sequence. It also allows easy access to recently used
sequences as well as examples.
 Recent Sequences: Select a recently used sequence to open
 Open: Opens a Windows browser so you select a sequence to open (Same as
the File > Open function)
 New: This opens the Sequence Editor with a blank sequence.
See Creating a New Sequence on page 479 for more information. Figure 5-2: Quick
Launch Menu
 Examples:
Opens the Example Sequence
Browser as shown in Figure 5-3. You
can select from any of the default
sequences included with SoundCheck.
The Sequence Information field provides
an explanation of the selected sequence.
You can also select View Sequence
Document to open the PDF file included
with that sequence.
See Default Sequence List on page
655.
Figure 5-3: Example Sequence Browser
SoundCheck® 20.0 SoundCheck Main Screen 45

Instruction Manual
5.2 Control Buttons
Start - To start a measurement, Left-click the Green Start button. You can
also click the F2 key on your keyboard, or use an optional foot switch or bar
code reader.
Select Mode (down arrow) - allows you to select the following options:
Start - Runs the sequence one time
Start
Select Mode
Stop
Step
Continue
Cont. (Continuous) - Repeats the sequence until Stop is selected

Redo - Runs the same measurement again and overwrites the results of
the previous measurement
Stop - Ends the run of the sequence at the current running step
 Click the Stop button at any time during the sequence run to halt operation
 You can also hit the Escape key on the keyboard to Stop
Step - Runs one step of the sequence at a time. Available when Breakpoints are set in a sequence.
See Debugging Tools on page 474.
Continue - Runs the remaining steps in a sequence when:
A previous step is set to Wait for Confirmation. Click the Enter key to continue.
See Configure Step on page 476.
Breakpoints are set in a sequence. Click the Enter key to continue. The sequence will continue to the next
Breakpoint or to the end of the sequence. You can also click the Step button to run one step at a time.
See Debugging Tools on page 474.
The keyboard shortcuts will also change “Select Mode” and the Start Icon will change accordingly:
Start = F2, Continuous = F3, Redo = F4, Continue = Enter and Stop = Esc
See on page 611.
Note: Clicking Stop ends the sequence run at the current running step. The sequence does not run to
the end.
5.2.1 Running Step Display

When a sequence is running, the Current Running Step is
displayed in the sequence name field.
5.3 Offline Tab Display

The Offline Tab is available with or without a sequence loaded. This allows you to
open, process, and view data without loading a test sequence. In the Offline Tab,
data can be examined or analyzed without affecting the layout of the display
steps of the sequence. It minimizes the risk of accidentally editing sequences.
This is also useful to customers who view data on a regular basis, but may not be
opening a sequence.
See Offline Tab on page 361.
46 SoundCheck Main Screen SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
5.4 Drop-down Lists
All SoundCheck functions are divided into individual modules, accessible from drop-down lists.
Left-click on a menu heading and then click on the desired selection.
5.4.1 File
 Create a New sequence or Open an existing sequence
 Save changes to a sequence or Save As to save with a new name
 Revert - Discard recent changes and restore the sequence to the last saved
version
 Rename - Change the current name of the sequence
 Delete - Erase the current sequence from hard disk
 Document... - Allows you to export a list of the steps of the active sequence along
with information regarding the configuration of the steps.
 Export Sequence - See Exporting Sequences on page 481.
 Mass Export - Multiple sequences can be exported in a single operation. See Mass Export on
page 56.
 Setup Wizard - Opens Setup Wizard
 Quick Launch - Opens Quick Launch
 Diagnostic Window - Click to open a window that shows SoundCheck operation status. See
Diagnostic Window on page 58.
 Examples - Opens Example Sequence Browser. See Example Sequence Browser on page 45.
 Recently Opened - Shows a list of the last 10 sequence opened
5.4.2 Edit
 Open the Login window to change the Access Level or User Name
 Preferences allows you to customize and maintain various SoundCheck operations and
functions including status.dat file location.
See Preferences on page 49.
See Folder Paths on page 53.
5.4.3 Instruments
 Select Instruments (formerly Operate) from the main screen
 Select single or multiple Virtual Instruments
See Virtual Instruments on page 485
 Open or Save Virtual Instrument Configuration files (.VIC) Setup
 Startup - Select a Startup Configuration to launch when SoundCheck opens

Instruction Manual
5.4.4 Setup
 Open System Hardware and System Calibration
See Page 63 for Hardware and Page 85 for Calibration
 Open steps that are used in the Active Sequence
(Grayed out steps are not in use)
 Open the Memory List or Sequence Editor
5.4.5 Offline
The Offline Menu on the SoundCheck Main Screen features steps that can be used to process data without
affecting the active sequence.
 The processed data can be saved
 Changes to steps can only be saved by selecting Save As, giving the step a new name and saving it to
the appropriate SoundCheck step folder.
 None of the changes to a step will be saved with the active sequence when it is closed and saved
This allows you to try different functions and ideas, modify the display to show data in a different ways and then
save the results.
1. In Figure 5-4, Post-Processing has
been selected from the Offline menu.
2. The Curve Division step is selected.
3. Curves for Operand A and B are

selected from the existing Memory List
of the Active Sequence.
4. After pressing the Apply button, the

result shows up in the Memory List as
Protected Data.
Figure 5-4: Offline Menu Example

5.4.6 Rules - Offline Menu
Steps called from the Offline menu must be opened from their default location:
C:\SoundCheck 20\Steps folders. You should not use steps from a different SoundCheck folder or
from a stand-alone folder on your local drive or network. Any steps that you wish to use that are not
part of the default SoundCheck installation should be copied to the appropriate folders in the
SoundCheck 20 directory you are operating from.

Instruction Manual
5.4.7 Window
 Promote SoundCheck Main Screen to fill the desktop
(the Main Screen can be resized manually)
 Shows the Open windows for the current sequence. You
can select specific windows that may have become
hidden.
5.4.8 Help
 Turn on Pop Up Context Sensitive Help - Ctrl+H
 Open PDF files for: Quick Start Guide, SoundCheck Instruction Manual,
New Features and Readme.txt file
 Open Listen Website
 Check for Updates
 Technical Resources - Opens the Support website with links to: Sequences &
Resources, User Documentation, Drivers, Knowledgebase and Register / Update
Product
 Request support, request new features or report a bug
 Show the Optional Modules installed on the system
 About SoundCheck - Shows the full version number of SoundCheck which should be included when
submitting a support request
To display context sensitive help, choose Help from the drop-down list or click on the question mark (?) in the
upper right corner of an editor. Move your cursor over the control or field of interest and the help text window
will show information for that control.
5.5 Preferences
The Preferences Menu consolidates program-wide preferences such as folder paths and
background wallpaper into a single menu. This menu also includes new options such as toggling
sequence documentation and whether or not to automatically load a sequence on startup.
Click Edit on the Main Screen and select Preferences.
5.5.1 Launch
Select:
 Load last used sequence
 Run Setup Wizard when SoundCheck Starts
 Show Quick Launch Menu when SoundCheck Starts
 Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices
 Automatically load virtual instrument config

Instruction Manual
5.5.2 Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices
As of SoundCheck 18, this replaces Automatic Startup
Configuration. This allows SoundCheck to detect and
maintain Listen hardware as well as Portland Tool & Die
Hardware so that most users will never have to open the
Hardware Editor or modify hardware settings.
SoundCheck will scan for available devices on startup and will
only automatically configure Listen Hardware devices if
"Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices" is
selected.
When selected, "Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices" will affect the following:
 It is selected by default
 It affects the Audio tab of the Hardware Editor
 It can be turned off in order to prevent automatic changes
 Calibration Editor Signal Paths are automatically created for
new Listen Hardware devices as shown in Figure 5-5
 After automatic configuration you can further edit the hardware
configuration. For example, this allows you to use automatic
configuration to detect and configure the AudioConnect 4x4,
but then easily change its configuration to 192 kHz sample
rate.
 Input and Output Vp values are stored in the firmware of Listen
Hardware such as AmpConnect ISC and AudioConnect.
These values are automatically loaded in the Hardware Editor
when SoundCheck discovers new hardware on startup or
when you click Refresh. Theses values are fixed and should
not be edited.
 It will not overwrite the settings of an existing audio channel
where those settings are allowed values. Only Vp and
Sampling Rate are checked for validity. The same is true for Figure 5-5: Auto Signal Paths
Refresh in the Hardware Editor.
 If you are using audio interfaces other than those made by Listen, "Automatically Create Signal
Paths for Listen Devices" will not affect your “already configured channels” as long as the device
is connected.
 For Listen Hardware, new channels will be added in the Hardware Editor “After” the channel numbers
of existing hardware
Note: When Refresh is clicked in the Hardware Editor, SoundCheck scans for hardware updating the
Audio and Listen Hardware Tabs but will not create signal paths.

Instruction Manual
Automatically load virtual instrument config
Select a saved virtual instrument configuration to load at startup.
See Virtual Instrument Configuration on page 487.
5.5.3 Login
 Show or Hide Login Window on Startup
 Select Access Level: Engineer, Technician or
Operator
 Set the Password for each Access Level
See Login on page 61.

Instruction Manual
5.5.4 Display
 Display Image - Select to use an image file as a
Main Screen background
 Background Color - Sets the color of the
Main Screen background
 Use the Folder Icon to browse for a Wallpaper
Image file (.BMP, .JPG or .JPEG)
Use the drop-down list to position the image.
 Center - The graphic is not resized and is placed in
the center of the Main Screen background
 Tile - The graphic is not resized and is duplicated,
filling the Main Screen background
 Stretch - The graphic is stretched to fill the Main
Screen background
Default graph palette

 Settings apply to any new display created
 White background is the default for new displays as
of SoundCheck 17
Background - Sets the background color for all new
instances of the following:
 Displays
 Virtual Instruments
 SoundMap (except default Intensity Plot)
 Settings do not change pre-existing displays
X-axis grid/Y-axis grid - The left box sets the major grid
line color and the right box sets the minor grid line color. By
default the minor grid lines are set to transparent (T).
Colors 1 - 8
Color 1 - Used for first curve in Display Graph windows as
well as Limits Editor windows. After the first color is used,
colors are sequentially selected from the list as new curves
are added to a display graph.
Save as Preset - Allows you to save the current settings in

a preset file (*.palette). This allows you to have different
color sets for different applications.
Load Preset - Open a previously created preset file
Figure 5-6: Default Graph Palette
Use Default - Select to revert to the SoundCheck 20
default color set

Instruction Manual
Anti-Aliasing
This is a visual smoothing option for graphed data. Older or lower performance computers may experience a
slow down when updating displays with a large amount of data. Anti-Aliasing can be shut off to speed up
display rendering. Anti-Aliasing Waveforms is off by default.
5.5.5 Folder Paths

The Folder Paths dialog window allows you to customize where files are located as well as file selection.
 Default Step Templates Folder - Location of
Step Templates
 Import Export folder - Default directory for
exporting sequences
 Logo path - Logo file used for printing
 Default Data Path - Default path used in
Autosave and Recall Steps
 Status File Path or Containing Folder -
Allows you to select a specific status.dat file or
set the location for several status.dat files.
If the status.dat path is directed to a folder
containing multiple status.dat files, with the Figure 5-7: Folder Paths
Key ID in the file name, the software will
automatically load the file that corresponds to
the hardware key that is currently plugged in.
This makes it easier when setting up multiple SoundCheck systems which have a common path for
status.dat files or using status.dat files with different functionality for a single hardware key.
1. Click Browse and select a
status.dat file
or click on Current Folder

to allow SoundCheck to
automatically select.
2. Click OK to continue.
3. OK to close the Folders

path dialog
 SoundCheck will
automatically switch to using
the new status.dat file
 SoundCheck does not have
to restart once the new
Status file has been selected
Figure 5-8: Status File Path
The status.dat file must have the Key ID in the file name; e.g., "status SC 1111.dat". This allows for use of
multiple hardware keys on one system.
You can also switch between SoundCheck full version and SoundCheck ONE, if you have a SoundCheck ONE
status.dat file. In this case you will need to select the specific status.dat file instead of selecting the folder.

Instruction Manual
5.5.6 Wrong Status.dat Warning
If an invalid status.dat file is selected, the SoundCheck wall paper will change to indicate that “Data is
Randomized”. There is also a message in the upper right corner of the SoundCheck Main Screen indicating the
condition of the status.dat file. See Figure 5-9.
Figure 5-9: Data Randomized Warning
5.5.7 Miscellaneous
 Show Sequence Documentation
This allows you to globally turn off Show
Sequence Documentation in all sequences.
 Show ‘Protect Data’ option when switching
sequences
Turns off the warning: “This action will remove
any unused pre-run curves and unprotected
measured data from the Memory List.”
Figure 5-10: Miscellaneous Tab

Instruction Manual
5.5.8 Advanced
 Log sequence duration and memory usage:
Produces a log file in the SoundCheck folder
containing the length of time the sequence ran and
the memory consumption of each sequence run
C:\SoundCheck 20.0\Time Mem Log.txt
 Log assertions:
Creates log of failed programmer sanity checks
(programmer errors)
 Show assertions:
Show failed programmer sanity checks (programmer
errors) on screen
 Suppress dialogs:
When controlling SoundCheck from another
Figure 5-11: Advanced Tab
application, select Suppress dialogs to allow fully
unattended operation. This will prevent SoundCheck
generated pop-up dialogs from halting or pausing sequence operation. This should only be used when
controlling SoundCheck from another source since it will hide critical notices and error messages
normally used by SoundCheck to inform the user that some action is required.
Process Priority
Raising the Process Priority level helps to minimize fluctuation in sequence execution time. The default value is
set to Normal. When the priority is set to “Realtime”, SoundCheck takes priority over all other applications. We
do not recommend using “Realtime” as it can dramatically change the performance of the system. The
appropriate values are listed below.
SCProcessPriority=
 Low
 BelowNormal
 Normal
 AboveNormal
 High
 Realtime
Important! The options above are for troubleshooting and should only be used if directed
to by Listen Support.
5.5.9 Enable TCP/IP Server

Check to allow TCP/IP Server (Automatically updates SoundCheck 20.ini file with True/False status
and port number)
TCP IP Server Port: The Port number of this SoundCheck system
See Controlling SoundCheck with TCP/IP on page 497 for more information.

Instruction Manual
5.6 Mass Export
Multiple sequences can be exported in a single operation. This saves time when upgrading from one version of
SoundCheck to another and when transferring your sequences from one system to another.
See Exporting Sequences on page 481.
 Click File on the SoundCheck Main Screen
 Open the appropriate sequence folder
 Select the sequences you want to export as shown
in Figure 5-12
Figure 5-12: Select Sequences
 Navigate to and open the export destination

folder (or create a new one)
 Click Current Folder. We do not
recommend exporting directly to your
desktop, but a folder on your desktop is OK.
 You will be prompted to confirm the export

destination
 Click OK to export

Instruction Manual
5.7 SoundCheck 20.ini File
The SoundCheck 20.ini file is used to store various settings for SoundCheck
including the settings made in the preferences menu.
For example, when changing sequences, you are prompted to preserve
unprotected data in the Memory List as shown in Figure 5-13. When “Don't
ask me again“ is selected, SoundCheck will use the selection, Discard or
Protect, as the default action each time the sequence is changed. The “Keep
Unprotected Data” prompt will no longer appear. You can review this setting in
the SoundCheck 20.ini file, found in the root of the SoundCheck folder. Figure 5-13: Prompt to
Keep Unprotected Data
20 //Signal Generator: Specifies the minimum size of the user interface buffer
when playing a WAV file to the driver. Playing a WAV file is not as CPU
intensive as a sine wave because it is a finite sample length being read
[SoundCheck 20.0] from disk. Lowering this value will improve response time from the signal
;appFont = "Tahoma" 20 generator user interface when playing a WAV file. Raising this number
should reduce dropouts. Min = 1, Max=40, Default=2
;dialogFont = "Tahoma" 20
OutputBufSizeGuiWAV = 2
;systemFont = "Tahoma" 20
[MicCal]
[Files]
CALIBRATOR TYPE = "3"
RecentFiles.list = ""
MICROPHONE TYPE = "0"
RecentDATFiles.list = ""
PRE-GAIN = "0.000000"
RecentRESFiles.list = ""
[Dialogs]
RecentWFMFiles.list = ""
PROMPT TO REMOVE WHEN EDIT DISPLAY = "True"
RecentDISFiles.list = ""
PROMPT TO REMOVE PRE-RUNS = "True"
RecentVIConfigFiles.list = ""
PROTECT MEASURED = "False"
[Execution]
PROMPT TO OVERWRITE FILE = "True"
SCProcessPriority = "Normal"
SHOW SPLASHSCREEN = "False"
[Debug]
[MiscSettings]
LogTimeAndMemoryPerRun = FALSE
RUN SETUP WIZARD = "TRUE"
LogAssertions = FALS
LOAD LAST USED SEQUENCE = "FALSE"
ShowAssertions = FALSE[Virtual Instruments]
FIRST RUN = "FALSE"
StartupConfig = ""
SHOW NEW FEATURES DOC = "True"
//Input Virtual Instruments: If buffer size of samples fetched from input
device drops below this value, new samples are fetched. Increasing ANTI ALIASING CURVES = "TRUE"
this number should reduce dropouts on the input side (very rare). Min ANTI ALIASING WAVEFORMS = "FALSE"
= 1, Max=500,Default=100
DEMO MODE = "False"
InputBufSizeDll = 100
DEMO VERSION = "SoundCheck"
//Signal Generator: Specifies the minimum % of the ASIO output buf-
fer below which new samples will be written to the driver. Lowering PROTECT MEASURED DATA WHEN EDIT DISPLAY = "True"
this number will reduce response time to changes in the signal gener- PRINT IMAGE FORMAT = "bmp"
ator user interface. Raising this number should reduce dropouts. Min
= 10, Max=95, Default=70 SHOW DATA IN OUT = "True"
OutputBufPercentDllASIO = 70 STEP DEFAULT OVERWRITE CURVES = "True"
//Signal Generator: Specifies the minimum % of the MME/WDM out SERIAL NO = ""
Figure 5-14: Example of SoundCheck 20.ini
In Figure 5-14, you can see two entries in the SoundCheck 20.ini file labeled Prompt to remove pre-runs
and Protect Measured. When Prompt to remove pre-runs is set to False, the dialog is disabled.
SoundCheck is then using the Protect Measured field to determine whether measured curves are protected
when sequences are changed. When Protect Measured is set to True, the Memory List will preserve all
measured curves from one sequence to the next. When it is set to False, all unprotected data is discarded
when the sequence is changed. See Sequence Editor on page 465 for more information on changing
sequences.

Instruction Manual
5.8 Diagnostic Window
A Diagnostic Window displays the errors, warnings, and information that is typically presented in a dialog.
Optionally these dialogs can be turned off so the user only sees the messages in the Diagnostic Window.
 Info: Requires no action from the user
 Warning: This might require action from the user
 Error: This will require action or a response from
the user. e.g., No Hardware Key Found, Invalid
Signal Path, Notice to overwrite data
Right-click on the Diagnostic Window to select the message Figure 5-15: Diagnostic Window
type to keep in the list. Info, Warning and Error are selected
by default.
5.8.1 Diagnostic Window Settings

See SoundCheck Preferences > Miscellaneous tab.
 Show on Launch - The Diagnostic Window can be opened
manually from the SoundCheck Main Screen > File menu.
 Sort Oldest to Newest
 Show All Entries - Value field allows you to limit number Entries
Shown in Diagnostic Window. Manually enter the value.
Diagnostic Log Settings

 Enable Logging - Off by default. Select this to automatically
create a log file of errors and warnings. This file can be sent to Figure 5-16: Diagnostic Log
[email protected] in order to help with troubleshooting. Settings
 Log Hidden Messages - Using the right-click menu in the
diagnostic window you can select which types of messages are shown/hidden. This option will log the
messages that are set as Hidden in the Diagnostic Window Right-click menu.
5.8.2 Log File Location

Each time a diagnostic message is generated a log file is stored in the SoundCheck folder. Typically located in:
C:\SoundCheck 20\Logs
5.8.3 SoundCheck Preferences > Advanced

 Suppress all dialogs - Will shut off all dialog prompts that could
interrupt the run of a sequence. This should be selected when
SoundCheck is being controlled by Python or running in some
other “Unattended” mode.
 Suppress Info, Warnings and Error dialogs - Will prevent the
display of only these types of dialog windows. This allows you to
still use dialog windows such as user interaction prompts and
instruction messages in a sequence.
Figure 5-17: Suppress Dialogs

Instruction Manual
6 Controls and Details
SI Units
Symbol Name Factor Symbol Name Factor
SoundCheck uses SI Units throughout
m milli 10-3 k kilo 103
the system. It is important to note that
values entered, such as 0.1 Volts, will u micro 10-6 M mega 106
change to 100 m when SI Units are
selected in the Preferences for a Virtual n nano 10-9 G giga 109
Instrument. Values can also be entered p pico 10-12 T tera 1012
directly with SI Units by typing 150 m. It
is then important to note the following f femto 10-15 P peta 1015
table of abbreviations for SI Units that
should be used in SoundCheck.
a atto 10-18 E exa 1018
z zepto 10-21 Z zeta 1021
y yocto 10-24 Y yotta 1024
Numeric Fields Figure 6-1: SI Units
Select the value in the Level field by

mouse click or by repeatedly pressing the Tab button on With the cursor placed
after the 3, click the Up
the keyboard until you find the correct entry field.
Arrow key to raise the
You can enter a number by highlighting the value in the value to 401 mV
numeric field and entering the correct number using the
keyboard. You can also click on the up/down arrow keys
next to the numeric field to increase/decrease the value.
Another method is to place the cursor line to the right of the

value you want to increase or decrease. In this example,
the cursor is placed in the Voltage field. Using the up/down arrows on the keyboard allows you to change the
value in 1, 0.1 or 0.01 increments, depending on which digit the cursor is placed next to. By using the Page Up/
Down keys you can change the output level in 1 dB increments. Using the Left/Right arrows keys controls the
cursor placement. In this example, the up arrow will increment the level by 1.00 V. Pressing the up arrow once
increases the level to 401mV.
By putting the cursor in the Frequency field you can use the Page Up/Down keys to change the frequency in
R80 or 24th octave steps.
Right-click Functions
Many of SoundCheck’s settings can be found under Right-click functions. Refer to the following list for some
of the main Right-click functions.
Convert Sequences From Previous Version - Right-click Functions on page 40
Right-click Functions on page 69
Right-click Function on page 95
Right-click Functions on page 121
Virtual Instruments on page 155
Right-click - Memory List on page 345
Right-click - Graph on page 363
SoundCheck® 20.0 Controls and Details 59

Instruction Manual
Resolution
In the Signal Generator click Preferences and then Resolution to change
the settings as shown in Figure 6-2.
Knobs
Instead of entering the desired value with the
keyboard, you can also dial in the value with the
virtual knob located below the numeric field. Simply
place the cursor over the knob, hold down the left
mouse button and rotate the knob to change the
level.
Figure 6-2: Preferences -

Signal Generator
6.1 Graphs and Cursors
The cursor can be moved by Left-click-Hold on the cursor marker (+) and dragging it to the desired point on
the measurement curve. The cursor will snap to the closest curve you drag to.
The XY coordinates of a cursor are displayed next to the cursor on the display. The XY coordinate box can be
moved so that it does not cover the graph line. See Cursors on page 363.
Right-click
Display for Delta X axis
options Delta Y axis
Figure 6-3: Frequency Response Graph
6.1.1 Modifying Graph Display

Right-click a Display and select Preferences to show the Graph
Preferences editor.
As of SoundCheck 17, new display window backgrounds are white.
Displays in existing sequences are not affected.
6.1.2 Cursor Color and Grid Color

Cursor color is controlled by through the Graph Preferences window.
See Display Editing on page 362.
Figure 6-4: Graph Preferences
60 Controls and Details SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
7 Login
To view and change the system's login settings, select Login from the Edit drop-down list on the
SoundCheck® Main Screen. The Login screen also appears when first starting the SoundCheck program.
Login allows the SoundCheck administrator to prevent use of certain test system functions by other users. For
instance, unauthorized users can be blocked from editing Calibration or Sequences with password protection.
7.1 Access Level

There are three access levels: Engineer, Technician, and
Operator.
 Engineer - The Engineer level is the highest access
level, and therefore all functionality is accessible
 Technician - The Technician level allows access to
Calibration procedures, and may measure, print and save
data
 Operator - The Operator level can only measure and
print
Figure 7-1: Login

7.2 User Name
The User Name entered in Login can be stored with data, results, and included with printouts. It is useful for
keeping track of who performed the measurement. The user name is typed in at the login prompt or can be
scanned in with a barcode reader. Once the user name has been entered SoundCheck will remember the
name and use it for all future sessions. The name is remembered when SoundCheck is closed and re-opened.
If a new user name needs to be entered, simply open the Login screen from the Edit menu in SoundCheck and
enter a new operator name, or enter a new name in the Login screen upon opening SoundCheck.
7.3 Password
The default passwords are not specified (blank) when SoundCheck is shipped. You must click Setup to create
passwords. See Login Setup on page 62.
Passwords are case sensitive, so be careful with capital letters. Click Setup to open the Login Setup dialog in
order to create new passwords. (Always keep a written copy of your passwords and keep them in a secure
place.)
SoundCheck® 20.0 Login 61

Instruction Manual
7.4 Login Setup
The Login Setup dialog allows you to
Bypasses Login
change the login password or bypass Screen
the user login.
This can be changed at any time by
selecting Edit on the SoundCheck
Main Screen and then selecting
Login.
Figure 7-2: Login Setup
 Select Edit from the SoundCheck Main Screen

and then select Login to access the Login
Screen
7.4.1 Change a Password

 Select Edit from the Main Screen
 Select Login
 Select Access Level “Engineer” and enter the
password Figure 7-3: Login Screen
 Setup
 In the Login Edit window select the desired Access Level and enter the new password
 Click OK to close the windows
62 Login SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
8 Hardware Configuration
8.1 Hardware - System.Har

This serves as a database for all of the hardware that the specific SoundCheck system uses.
To edit the Hardware Configuration, click Setup on the SoundCheck
Main Screen and then select Hardware as shown in Figure 8-1
(shortcut Ctrl+Shift+H).
Note: As of SoundCheck 11, Hardware is a “System Level”

configuration. It is unique to a specific SoundCheck
system and is used by all sequences. Settings from
earlier step versions can be imported in the Hardware
Configuration Editor.
Note: Hardware (.HAR) Steps created with SoundCheck 16

and later are not backward compatible with previous Figure 8-1: Setup - Hardware
versions of SoundCheck.
8.1.1 Features
Listen hardware is configured automatically but can be adjusted, making setup faster and more flexible. This
allows you to more easily add 3rd party hardware to use along with Listen Hardware.
 Easier integration of Listen and 3rd party hardware
 3rd party hardware settings are preserved (not overwritten) when adding Listen Hardware
 Easier integration of Listen and 3rd party hardware
See Listen Hardware Page on page 75.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Hardware Configuration 63

Instruction Manual
8.2 Hardware Compatibility
SoundCheck will work with a variety of audio interfaces, including other multimedia sound devices such as the
Bluetooth headsets and USB microphones shown under Windows Sound and Audio Devices Properties. There
are a wide variety of audio interfaces available with varying degrees of performance but we recommend that
you use one of the audio interfaces certified by Listen.
See Appendix 1: Hardware Compatibility List on page 595.
SoundCheck has been validated to work with the National Instruments 4461 data acquisition cards using the
DAQmx driver. Other National Instruments IEEE/GPIB DAQmx devices may be compatible. Please contact
[email protected] for a current list of DAQmx compatible hardware.
See Appendix 2: PXI/PCI 4461 Installation on page 607 for information on setting up the NI 4461.
Other manufacturers’ cards can be used, but require some knowledge of LabVIEW programming to create a
Custom VI Step inside SoundCheck.
See Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step on page 461.
 I/O devices that are not manufactured by NI must conform to DAQmx and must be recognized by
NI MAX, in order to be used with SoundCheck
 As of SC 9.1, Digital I/O functions are compatible with DAQmx devices
 DAQmx devices cannot be used simultaneously with ASIO audio interfaces
8.2.1 Rules - Hardware Editor and Production Lines

When setting up multiple SoundCheck systems that will use the same sequence, it is important to follow some
basic rules:
 The minimum number of Audio Interface channels should be the same on all systems
 Calibration Editor channels must use the same naming convention across all systems.
See Rules - Naming Best Practices on page 95.
 When controlling Listen Hardware with Message Steps, e.g., AmpConnect ISC, AudioConnect and
SoundConnect 2, the same hardware must be used across all systems so that the Message Steps
perform the specified commands. See Listen Hardware Control Message on page 295.
 AudioConnect 4x4 does not appear in the Listen Hardware Tab since there are no functions to control
 The Listen Hardware Startup Default settings should be the same across all systems.
See Listen Hardware Page on page 75.
 External Interfaces must use the same Interface Numbering scheme across all SoundCheck systems
so that Message Steps communicate correctly. See External Interface on page 315.
 NI Daq device ports must have the same minimum number of ports. Each port number must be
configured with the same Input or Output status across all SoundCheck systems.
See NI DAQ Digital I/O on page 81.
 Select Save As in the Hardware Editor to save the System.HAR file so it can be imported to other
SoundCheck Systems. We recommend that you save it with a name identifying the specific hardware
in use. Note that the Hardware Interface Vp and Latency values for a specific interface should be
entered on each SoundCheck system after importing the settings for Listen Hardware and External
Interfaces.
 Hardware (.HAR) Steps created with SoundCheck 16 and later are not backward compatible with
previous versions of SoundCheck
64 Hardware Configuration SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
8.3 Audio Page
The following settings will affect how
WAV files are created and played by
SoundCheck, such as in the Stimulus
and Acquisition Editors.
Figure 8-2 shows the default System
Hardware Configuration for
AudioConnect. This shows the
hardware channels available when
using this audio interface and default
Vp values. Channels and other values
are Grayed out until the actual device
is selected in the Device column.
Hardware settings for other audio
interfaces or from previous sequences
Figure 8-2: System Hardware Table
can be imported into the Hardware
Editor as well.
If device channels in the list become obsolete they can be deleted. This will of course affect signal paths in
the Calibration Editor that link to that hardware device and any sequence that might use one of the
deleted signal paths. See Warning Deleting Hardware Channel on page 67.
Each Channel Name should be unique to avoid confusion when editing a sequence or adding hardware at a
later date.
8.3.1 Automatic Startup Configuration
Note: As of SoundCheck 18, “Automatic Startup Configuration” has been replaced with
“Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices” found in Preferences > Launch. See
Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices on page 50.
8.3.2 Selection Buttons

Five buttons at the bottom of the editor allow you to:
 Refresh - Click to scan for Listen hardware and automatically configure discovered hardware
channels. Input and Output Vp values are stored in the firmware of Listen Hardware such as
AmpConnect ISC and AudioConnect. These values are automatically loaded in the Hardware Editor
when SoundCheck discovers new hardware on startup or when you click Refresh. Theses values are
fixed and should not be edited.
 Import - Allows you to import hardware settings from the Hardware Configuration examples provided
with SoundCheck or from other SoundCheck sequences. This will overwrite the settings of current
channels in the table if they have the same channel name.
 Save - Save changes to hard disk and closes the Hardware Editor
 Save As - Allows you to save the configuration for a specific hardware setup. You can create different
hardware configurations so you can easily switch between them using the Import function.
 Cancel - Discard any changes made while the editor window was open
 X Close - Clicking on the Windows X Close button discards changes and closes the editor

Instruction Manual
8.3.3 Importing Hardware Settings
This can be useful when sequences are created on a different
SoundCheck system, with different hardware.
When Import is selected, the Hardware Configuration Editor will check
for Input and Output channel name duplication. You are prompted to
select Yes or No to overwrite existing channels.
 Yes/Yes to All: The current channel settings will be replaced Figure 8-3: Import Overwrite
with the settings from the imported channel(s) Message
 No/No to All: You can choose to not update individual
channels or all channels
 New Channels: If the imported Hardware Configuration has channels with different names from the
current configuration, the channels will be added to the Hardware Configuration.
Note: When channels are added to the Hardware Configuration, each channel must have a unique
name. The Hardware Configuration cannot be saved if there are duplicate channel names.
The example in Figure 8-4 shows new

Input and Output channel names after
importing channels from a hardware file
for another device.
 The new channels can be
renamed. In this case they might
be named Input 3, Input 4,
Output 3 and Output 4. This
flexibility allows the Hardware
Configuration to be used as a
database for any device that you
might have available, even if it is
not always connected to the
system.
 Right-click a channel and select
Rename
Figure 8-4: Import Channels
 The settings for the Lynx audio
interface are grayed out and
cannot be edited since the device is not present in the system

Instruction Manual
8.3.4 Warning Deleting Hardware Channel
Hardware paths connected to Signal Paths cannot be deleted. If you try to delete a connected channel you will
see a warning screen showing the associated Signal Path.
Figure 8-5: Warning Deleting Hardware Channel
The essential hardware settings for all channels of a multichannel Hardware Configuration can be viewed and
edited in the table as shown in Figure: 8-6.
Latency is defined on
the Input channels in
“Edit Latencies”
Figure: 8-6 Hardware Editor
8.3.5 Waveforms
The Hardware & Calibration info of a channel are attached to any waveform that was played or recorded
through that channel. This allows it to be analyzed on another computer. Please refer to Calibration
Configuration on page 85 for more information.
8.3.6 Sort
In the table view of the Hardware Editor you can sort the table by Left-clicking on a column header. This
simplifies viewing and editing when you have a lot of channels. For example, sort by Channel Name or sort by
Input Channel.

Instruction Manual
8.3.7 Hardware Table Fields
The Hardware Configuration Table view allows you to add, delete, duplicate and edit hardware settings for all
devices available on the SoundCheck system. Each device is defined in a row with column headings of:
 Channel Name - Defined by user. Default = Input 1..n, Output 1..n
 Driver - Audio Interface or NI DAQmx
 ASIO - ASIO is the preferred driver type for supported audio interfaces. ASIO allows for consistent
latency which is essential for sample accurate measurements such as Absolute Phase.
Note that only one ASIO device can be defined in the Hardware Editor at a time.
 WASAPI - Very useful for multichannel audio interfaces that do not allow for multichannel use with
WDM drivers. This also allows you to use devices that support WASAPI simultaneously with a
separate ASIO device. See WASAPI Exclusive-Mode on page 69.
 WDM / MME - Select when using an audio interface that only has WDM or MME drivers
 DAQmx - Select to setup an NI DAQmx compatible Digital I/O device. See NI DAQmx on page 82
for more information.
 Core Audio - Available only on macOS
Important! Do not use different input and output driver types for an audio interface, e.g.:
ASIO for Inputs and WASAPI for outputs. Doing so will result in an Acquisition
Step error.
 Device Name - The name of the audio interface as it appears in the Windows Multimedia Stack
 Select Ch (Channel 1..n or L/R of Audio Interface Channel Pair) Click on the drop-down list to select a
channel.
 Vp (max voltage) - Determined in Hardware Channel Calibration process or entered by user
(See Input / Output Vp Values on page 72 and Audio Interface Calibration on page 74)
 Analog/Digital - Set by user
 Sampling Rate - Click on the Sample Rate field and select from the available rates for the device
(For details see Sampling Rate on page 70)
 For devices using WDM or WASAPI drivers, some listed sampling rates may not be compatible
with SoundCheck
 For Devices that support 384 kHz sample rate see User Defined Sample Rate on page 71
 Alias Freq - Anti-aliasing filter frequency, automatically determined but can be edited by user
(See Alias Freq (Alias free freq limit (Hz)) on page 71)
 Bit Depth - Select from list
 Latency - This value is tied to the selected Sample Rate. Latencies for Listen Hardware devices are
entered in the default HAR files provided with SoundCheck. Third party interface HAR files have the
latency for 44.1 kHz entered in the table. Other latencies must be determined in the hardware channel
calibration process according to the buffer settings used for your device, on your system.
For details see Latency on page 72 and Latency Adjustment on page 73.
For more information on Hardware Channel Calibration see Audio Interface Calibration on page 74.

Instruction Manual
8.3.8 WASAPI Exclusive-Mode
This advanced interface offers superior communication with audio devices in recent versions of Windows,
giving SoundCheck greater control over the audio stream. This allows SoundCheck to have more control over
the audio stream than with WDM. It is an alternative to ASIO, not a replacement.
WASAPI-exclusive mode bypasses the Windows audio engine, sending audio
streams directly to the device.
This delivers lower latency and ensures that sample rate conversion from the
built-in Windows audio engine will not occur. This does not include Windows
volume controls. Note that the Custom Step - Mixer Volume will allow you to set
the device levels to 100% in a sequence. See Mixer Volume on page 452.
It also enables SoundCheck to put an exclusive lock on the audio interface so
that a measurement cannot be disrupted by system sounds.
It offers significant advantages for multichannel applications, particularly where
the channel count requires multiple audio interfaces. Multiple WASAPI devices
may be used simultaneously, whereas ASIO driver restrictions prevent this. It is
also possible to combine WASAPI and ASIO devices to increase channel
availability.
When to use? Figure 8-7: ASIO and

WASAPI
 ASIO is the preferred driver for supported interfaces
 As noted above, two ASIO devices cannot be used at the same time. By setting one of the devices to
WASAPI you can increase the channel count on a SoundCheck system. The example shows an
AmpConnect 621 using ASIO drivers and an AudioConnect 4x4 using WASAPI. This increases the
channel count to 12 inputs and 6 line outputs as shown in Figure 8-7.
 AudioConnect and AmpConnect ISC only use WDM drivers. They are not compatible with WASAPI.
Important! Input and Output channels of a device must use the same driver type.
8.3.9 Right-click Functions

Right-click a line of the table to Add, Delete, Duplicate or Rename hardware channels.
Multiple channels can be selected. Click and hold on the shift key to select a range of
channels or the control key to select specific channels. Figure: 8-8 Right-
 Add Channel - Create a new channel in the drop-down list click
 Delete Channel(s) - Remove the selected channel(s) from the list. This will
affect any Acquisition Step in the sequence that uses this channel. See Warning Deleting Hardware
Channel on page 67.
 Duplicate Channel(s) - Creates a duplicate of the selected channel(s) and appends “- Copy” to the
name
 Rename - Change the name of the selected channel
 Calibrate Using - Select the proper input or output channel to calibrate with. This automatically starts
the Audio Interface Calibration sequence.
 ASIO Control Panel - Right-click the Channel Name Field and select ASIO Control Panel. (grayed
out when no ASIO device is present)

Instruction Manual
8.3.10 ASIO
 Audio interfaces with ASIO drivers are supported as of
SoundCheck 10. (Previous versions only support WDM / MME drivers.)
 ASIO is a driver standard geared towards Pro Audio equipment, which
allows for more stable latencies
 ASIO drivers offer excellent audio interface control and allow for use of Figure 8-9: Hardware
a wide range of professional audio multichannel audio interfaces Using ASIO
When using ASIO devices, the Hardware Editor in SoundCheck looks similar to WDM / WASAPI audio
interfaces. The channel number is selected after selecting the device name. Right-click a Channel Name and
select ASIO Control Panel to adjust ASIO settings for that device.
8.3.11 ASIO Control Panel

ASIO devices have their own control panel and the placement of
controls will vary. The buffer size of the device, and in some cases USB
Streaming Mode, is set here. This is directly related to the
Latency Value in the Hardware Editor in SoundCheck. The example
shown is the control panel for an AudioConnect 4x4 audio interface.
 USB Streaming Mode is set to Safe
 The Buffer Size is set to 2048 Samples. Other interfaces may
require larger or smaller buffer sizes. The buffer size is also Figure 8-10: ASIO Control
dependent on the Sample Rate and the number of channels Panel
used simultaneously. Please refer to the instructions for your
audio interface.
Some ASIO control panels also allow you to set the gain settings for the device. These values must be set
before calibrating the ASIO audio interface in SoundCheck.
8.3.12 Sampling Rate

Sampling Rate refers to the audio interface’s sampling rate in samples per second (e.g.,
8000, 11025, 22050, 32000, 44100, 48000, 96000, 192000, etc.). Refer to the
documentation provided with the audio interface for appropriate sampling rates.
SoundCheck will check the available sample rates and bit depths for the device and only
show those that work.
See Figure: 8-6 Hardware Editor on page 67.
Note: Audio Interfaces with WDM driver (Windows Driver Model) support all sample rates through
“sample rate conversion”. For SoundCheck, we recommend that you only use the sample rates
supported by the audio interface. If the sample rate between the audio interface and device under
test are different, use Frequency Shift and Resample Post Processing steps as indicated in
Resampling on page 278. WASAPI does not support “sample rate conversion on the fly”.
Note: Using a higher sample rate proportionally increases the amount of memory required.

Instruction Manual
8.3.13 User Defined Sample Rate
For audio interfaces that support sampling rates
above 192 kHz you will need to select User... in
the Default Sampling Rate drop-down list and
then enter the rate supported by the interface.
Once the rate is set for the input channels, the
output channels will automatically update to the
new sample rate.
Sample rates up to 384 kHz are supported.
Figure 8-11: User Defined Sample Rate
8.3.14 Alias Freq (Alias free freq limit (Hz))

This shows the limit of the upper frequency range to which the audio interface can measure. It is dependent on
the Sample Rate setting and the filter applied by the selected audio interface. This allows you to account for the
differences between anti-alias filters in different devices. The default is typically 47.5% of sampling rate. This
should prevent anti-alias components of most audio interfaces from creeping into measurements.
8.3.15 Bit Depth

Select the bit depth used by the A/D and D/A converters of the audio interface. Typical values are 16
and 24 bits (sometimes 32 bit words are used to convey 24 bits of information as in the Lynx Studio
and RME audio interfaces).
24-bit audio will provide the greatest dynamic range (approximately 120 dB). However, when using 24-bit
audio, more computer memory is required. If there is insufficient RAM, SoundCheck may slow down
significantly, because the computer is using the hard drive as virtual memory. If this occurs, you may need to
upgrade the computer’s RAM.
8.3.16 Device Selection - Input or Output

Select the device to be used for Input or Output from the drop-down list.
These are stored by device name with the Hardware Configuration.
If the device is not available (Hardware removed from PC or sequence
imported on another PC without the proper hardware), a warning Figure 8-12: Hardware Not
message will appear. Open the editor to update the Hardware Table or Found
select Ignore.

Instruction Manual
8.3.17 Input / Output Vp Values
This defines the maximum peak voltage that corresponds to 0 dBFS (Full Scale Deflection). This value is
different for all interfaces. The Input Vp can also vary depending on the input type, e.g., Line In vs. Mic In.
All audio interfaces provided by Listen, Inc. have predefined Hardware Configurations in SoundCheck.
When using Listen Hardware, such as AudioConnect or AmpConnect ISC, the Vp values for the input and
output channels are stored on the device and automatically updated in the Hardware Editor when
“Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices” is selected. These Vp values are fixed and should
not be edited. See Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices on page 50.
If you have a different audio interface, the Vp values for each “Output / Input channel set” can be measured and
entered into the Hardware Table. See Audio Interface Calibration on page 74 for instructions. You will also
need to update the Sample Rate/Latency Table as shown below in Sampling Rate/Latency Table.
8.3.18 Latency
This is the round trip time delay between input and output channels on a single audio interface when operating
in full-duplex mode (record and play simultaneously) This value is expressed in seconds and in samples. The
latency expressed in seconds is calculated from the integer number of samples. SoundCheck uses samples in
measurements, since there are no rounding errors. (For audio interfaces that Listen provides, this value will be
known.)
Most audio interfaces cannot record and play simultaneously. There is almost always a delay between the two
and the delay should not vary from measurement to measurement. The audio interfaces that Listen provides
are certified to have high performance in making audio-related measurements. If you are using an audio
interface that Listen, Inc has not certified, the measurement performance of SoundCheck may be severely
compromised!
The Latency is determined in Hardware Channel Calibration process and entered in the Edit Latencies
window. Latencies for Listen Hardware devices are included in the default HAR files provided with
SoundCheck. Third party interface HAR files have the latency for 44.1 kHz entered in the table. Other latencies
must be determined in the hardware channel calibration process according to the buffer settings used for your
device, on your system. See Audio Interface Calibration on page 74 for instructions.
Important! If the latency is not consistent, Auto Delay must be enabled in the Analysis
Steps of all sequences or measurements will NOT be reliable. See Transition
Discard Time - Time Tab on page 172. This applies to WDM audio interface
drivers and in some cases audio interfaces using WASAPI.
8.3.19 Sampling Rate/Latency Table

Latency varies with sample rate. The table allows you to set the Latency for all of the
available sample rates for the audio interface in use. For Listen Hardware these values
are already filled in for the typically used sample rates. Values in the table can be
manually updated for 3rd party hardware. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the
value in the Latency field of the Hardware Editor. Select Edit and the Latency Table will
open. Click in a Latency field to enter the latency value for that sample rate.
Figure 8-13: Edit

Latencies Table

Instruction Manual
8.3.20 Latency Adjustment
Absolute Phase measurements require sample accurate latency. In these measurements Auto Delay is
not used in the Analysis step.
When measuring Absolute Phase we recommend that you follow the Instructions noted below to
determine the most accurate latency value for the selected Sample Rate on your SoundCheck system.
This applies when using an audio interface with ASIO drivers and in some cases WASAPI.
Note: Audio Interface WDM drivers (and in some cases WASAPI) do not allow for consistent Latency and
therefore should not be used for Absolute Phase measurements. These devices require that you
use Auto Delay or Auto Delay+ in any Analysis Step.
To determine the Latency value for a Sample Rate you must also consider the ASIO Buffer Size (and
USB Streaming Mode if applicable). These values vary from one model of audio interface to another.
These values should be set in the ASIO Control Panel for the audio interface. Instructions for Listen
approved audio interfaces are included with the approved drivers which are available on the Listen
Support website: https://support.listeninc.com/hc/en-us/sections/200370694-Drivers
Instructions
1. Open the Hardware Editor. Change the Sample Rate to the value you need to
measure Latency for. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the value in the
Latency field. Select Edit and the Edit Latencies table will open.
2. Set the Latency for the desired sample rate to 0 (zero), click OK
and then click Save.
3. Make sure the sample rate of the audio interface has updated. Change the
ASIO Buffer/USB Streaming mode for the audio interface in the ASIO
Control Panel (if applicable).
4. Run the Self Test sequence from the Calibration folder in SoundCheck. The
Results display shows the Audio Interface Latency for the new Sample Rate/
Figure 8-14: Edit
Buffer Size. (Some audio interfaces may require “fine tuning” of the Latency
Latencies Table
value by following Step 5 and then repeating Step 4.)
5. Enter this value in the Latency field of the Hardware Editor - Sample Rate - Edit Latencies table by
repeating steps 1 and 2. The same process is used for other required Sample Rates.
6. You can run the Self Test sequence again to verify the new Latency value.
7. All channels, analog or digital, must have the same Latency value across all channels of the audio
interface. This ensures the system will work correctly if they are used simultaneously in a sequence.
8.3.21 Hardware Configurations

You can click Save As in the Hardware Editor to save different hardware configurations so that they can easily
be recalled.
8.3.22 A/D - Analog/Digital Selection

When set to Analog, the Max Input and Output Vp values of the audio interface can be set. (Values determined
by the Audio Interface Calibration Sequence.)
When set to Digital the Input/Output values change to 100% FSD (Full Scale Deflection) of the audio device
selected. The Vp value should be set to 1.

Instruction Manual
8.4 Audio Interface Calibration
Right-click a channel and select Calibrate Using then select the proper input
or output channel. The Audio Interface Calibration Sequence will run
automatically on the selected Input/Output channel signal chain.
See Figure: 8-15.
The Audio Interface Calibration process will instruct you on the required
connections and procedure.
Figure: 8-15 Calibrate
See Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connections on page 618 when Using...
using a balanced audio interface.
When finished, the specific maximum Vp values for the Input and Output channel set tested are entered into
the appropriate fields of the Hardware Table.
8.4.1 Rules - Audio Interface Calibration

 Close your sequence before calibrating audio interface channels in the Hardware Editor.
 Only one channel set, Output to Input, is calibrated at a time. A four channel audio interface will require
four different calibration tests, one for each channel.
 The calibration sequence should not be modified

Instruction Manual
8.5 Listen Hardware Page
Listen Hardware is automatically added to this
page when it is detected by SoundCheck. Once
added, items will remain on the page until
manually removed. Disconnected items are noted
as “Disconnected” in the Status column.
The fields below apply to all Listen Hardware
devices.
Figure 8-16: Listen Hardware

8.5.1 Device ID
Shows the device identification for all devices that have been connected to the SoundCheck system. Device
IDs can be changed to make it easier to keep track of multiple devices of the same Device Name.
 Rename - The device name default can be changed by Right-clicking on the device line and selecting
Rename Device
 Delete Device - Right-click the device line to remove a device from the table
8.5.2 Device Name

Shows the product name of the device
8.5.3 Serial Number

Shows the Serial number of the connected device
8.5.4 Startup Default

Right-click the device line to set the initial settings that the Listen hardware device will
adopt when SoundCheck opens
Setting the Startup Default gain to the maximum available for the selected Listen
Hardware device is not recommended if you plan to override the gain setting in an
Acquisition Step noting the following:
Important! Switching Listen Hardware from Maximum Gain to Minimum Gain in the
Acquisition Step is not recommended. This does not allow the input gain
circuit sufficient time to stabilize. If you need to switch from Max Gain to 0 or
Minimum Gain we recommend that you use a Listen Hardware Message step
with a 500 mSec wait time to allow for settling.
8.5.5 Status
Indicates if the device is connected and recognized by SoundCheck or disconnected
8.5.6 Firmware Version

Shows the firmware of the connected device

Instruction Manual
8.5.7 AmpConnect ISCTM
The AmpConnect ISC Startup Default controls in Figure 8-17 are
the same as the AmpConnect ISC Message Step.
Refer to the AmpConnect ISC Manual for more detailed
information.
Important! After installing SC 14, prior versions of

SoundCheck will not have control over
the device. Additionally, the serial
number of the AmpConnect ISC audio
interface will not be read properly which
changes the name of the device in the
Hardware Editor.
For details on step settings see AmpConnect ISC Message on

page 299.
Figure 8-17: AmpConnect ISC

Startup Default
8.5.8 AmpConnect 621TM

The AmpConnect 621 Startup Default controls in Figure 8-18 are the
same as the AmpConnect 621 Message Step.
Refer to the AmpConnect 621 Manual for more detailed information.
For details on step settings see AmpConnect 621 Message on page
297.
Figure 8-18: AmpConnect 621

Startup Default

Instruction Manual
8.5.9 AudioConnectTM
The Startup Default controls in Figure 8-19 are the same as the
AudioConnect Message Step.
The AudioConnect audio interface can be controlled through a SoundCheck
Message Step. This allows you to change the input and output configuration
of the device during the operation of a SoundCheck sequence.
For details on step settings see AudioConnect Message on page 296.
Figure 8-19: AudioConnect

Startup Default
8.5.10 Listen Hardware Digital I/O Message

Digital I/O for Listen hardware devices such as AmpConnect 621™ and
AmpConnect ISC™ is now a separate Message Step.
This allows Digital I/O changes to be separate from audio channel settings.
This improves use of Digital I/O steps in a sequence as these steps no
longer interfere with electro-acoustic settings.
The new settings in the Digital I/O Message Step allow Listen hardware to
have the same switching scheme and appearance as other Digital I/O
devices. This makes translation of steps from NI Digital I/O device to Listen
hardware easier.
See Digital I/O Message Step on page 295.
Figure 8-20: Digital I/O
Message
8.5.11 SoundConnect 2TM

SoundConnect 2 is a compact and rugged USB controlled
microphone power supply and conditioning amplifier.
It can be controlled through a SoundCheck Message Step. This
allows you to change the input signal routing, Gain and High/Low
Pass filters during the operation of a SoundCheck sequence.
Right-click the SoundConnect 2 line and select Assign Startup
Default. The controls in Figure 8-21 are the same as the
SoundConnect 2 Message Step.
For details on step settings see SoundConnect 2 Message on
page 296.
Figure 8-21: SoundConnect 2
Startup Default

Instruction Manual
8.5.12 DC ConnectTM
The Listen DC Connect is a USB-controlled DC power supply and measuring
amplifier used for measuring the DC voltage and current consumption on
DC-powered audio devices. The Listen Hardware table shows any DC
Connect device that has been setup in the Hardware Editor. SoundCheck
supports the use of only one DC Connect at a time.
DC Connect can be controlled in SoundCheck by using Message Steps as
well as the Stimulus Editor and Acquisition Editor.
Figure 8-22: DC Connect

Startup Default
Important! As of SoundCheck 13, after installing SoundCheck, you cannot use DC

Connect with versions prior to SoundCheck 13, unless you manually switch
the drivers in Windows Device Manger. Download the latest DC Connect
manual from the Listen website for a step by step procedure.
The DC Connect startup default editor is shown in Figure 8-22. This allows you to set DC Connect to 0 VDC
output when SoundCheck is launched, along with other device settings.
For details on step settings see DC Connect Message on page 302.
Multiple DC Connects
As of SoundCheck 16.2, you can control and measure
with more than one DC Connect. DC Connects are
automatically given Device IDs in the Hardware Editor as
they are added to the system. Once the relationship
between the Serial number is established the
DC Connects can be connected in any order and the
Hardware Editor retains the relationship between Device
ID and Serial Number. The example in Figure 8-23
shows Serial # 20237 is Device ID “D1”.
Figure 8-23: Hardware Editor
Adding a new DC Connect to the example in Figure 8-23 would create a new entry with a Device ID of “D4”.
If the new device is intended to replace a Device ID in the list, you must remove the old Device and then
manually change the new device by Right-clicking on the Device ID and editing it.
Proper Device ID maintenance is critical to retain the proper relationship between each device and how it is
used in Message and Acquisition Steps. Changing Device IDs in Listen Hardware will break device
assignments and data names in pre-existing sequences. When changing DC Connects on a system it is best to
keep the Device IDs consistent so they match Device IDs in sequences.

Instruction Manual
8.5.13 Portland Tool & Die BTC-4148/4149 & PQC-3048 Message Step Controls
The BTC-4148/4149 is a complete interface for measuring and characterizing Bluetooth audio devices
including handsets, headsets, speakers, car kits and other devices with Bluetooth audio input or output. The
PQC-3048 is a similar interface designed for production line use.
As of SoundCheck 17, the new APTX HD codec for high resolution Bluetooth testing is supported and requires
the latest version of the BTC-4149 Bluetooth Interface, which is fully integrated with, and controlled by,
SoundCheck.
The BTC interface can be controlled through a SoundCheck Message
Step. This allows you to change the pairing of devices and the profiles used
when testing, during the operation of a SoundCheck sequence.
8.5.14 Startup Defaults

When SoundCheck starts, Startup Default settings are written to the DCC/
PQC device. This ensures that the device is ready to take measurements
from a specified setting.
8.5.15 Message Step

DCC/PQC Message Steps can be used to change the setup of the test
interface during the run of a sequence or as a standalone off line step.
8.5.16 Quick Setup

The DCC/PQC control allows for faster setup of the measurement
interfaces with SoundCheck as well as greater consistency in
measurements as the device settings can be built into the test sequence. Figure 8-24: PT&D Message
This allows for a seamless transition between R&D and production testing. Step
Sequences from product development using the DCC can easily be used
for the production line with the PQC.
In the Listen Hardware Table, Right-click the BTC-4148/4149 line and select Assign Startup Default.
The controls in Figure 8-25 are the same as the BTC-4148/4149 Message Step.
 A2DP Profile - Select SBC, aptX or
aptX-HD (only available when using the BTC-4149)
 HFP Profile - Select CVSD or mSBC
 Audio Source - Only available in Startup Default
 Select USB or SPDIF
 Role - Only available in Startup Default
 Source - Use when connecting to transducer
 Sink - Use when connecting to a phone or laptop
For details on step settings see Portland Tool & Die BTC/BQC-4148/4149
Message on page 303.
Figure 8-25: BTC-4148

Startup Default

Instruction Manual
8.6 External Hardware Page
8.7 Interface Table

Select which Computer Interface type is being used to
control external devices, such as a multiplexer or
turntable. To send or receive IEEE-488 (GPIB) and
RS232 commands, use the Message Editor.
8.7.1 Interface #
Each external interface is assigned an Interface
Number which is used to identify the device in
Messages Steps used in SoundCheck sequences.
Right-click the Interface Number line and select Add
Interface. Figure 8-26: External Interface Setup
This can be a mixture of IEEE-488, RS-232, Serial Footswitches or Serial Buzzers.

See Serial Port Control on page 621 for footswitch and buzzer wiring.
Note: The IEEE interface card must have a LabVIEW driver.
Important! The Interface Number for external devices must be the same across multiple
SoundCheck systems that share a common Message Step in a sequence.
Message Steps use these device numbers to identify the device used in the
step. See External Interface on page 315. Any change in the order of devices
in the Hardware Editor will cause communication errors with the external
devices. See Rules - Hardware Editor and Production Lines on page 64.
8.7.2 Type
Type of communication interface, such as IEEE-488, RS232, Footswitch, or Buzzer. If the Footswitch is
installed and configured in the Hardware Configuration, it can control the Start button of SoundCheck and the
Continue button on the Main Screen. A second Footswitch can control the Redo and Stop button.
8.7.3 COM Port

Communication port number as defined by the Windows System Properties Device Manager.
8.7.4 Baud rate

Transfer rate speed of the communication port (in bits per second).
8.7.5 Data bits

Specify the data bits for this port. Consult your hardware manufacturer for more information.
8.7.6 Parity
Specify the parity for this port if your serial device requires this setting.

Instruction Manual
8.7.7 Stop bits
Specify the stop bits for this port if your serial device requires this setting.
8.7.8 Flow control

Specify the flow control for this port if your serial device requires this setting.
 None - Default setting
 Xon/Xoff - This allows the RS232 device to tell the computer port when it is ready to send or receive
 Hardware - Typically not used. It may require pull up resistors on specific control lines. Please consult
the documentation for your RS232 device if this is required.
Important! SoundCheck cannot access a COM Port that is also be being referenced by
Windows or another app. Make sure that no other software applications are
using the COM Port that is used in the Hardware Configuration.
8.8 NI DAQ Digital I/O

SoundCheck can interact with PLC controls on a production
line by using Digital I/O Message steps in a sequence. These
steps control a Digital I/O device such as the NI-65xx DAQmx
series from National Instruments.
The NI DAQ Digital I/O fields on the External tab allow you to
select the Device ID and number of Ports for the device in
use. These settings must be made before setting up a
Message Step to control the Digital I/O device.
Figure 8-27: External

8.8.1 Dev ID
Device identification number for the digital I/O board. To determine the ID number in Windows, look at the
System Device Manager to locate your board.
For DAQmx devices, look in the NI MAX software application to determine the device ID.
8.8.2 No. of Ports

Set the number of Input/Output Ports available on the digital I/O board.
Remember that the port count starts at 0, e.g., A three port device has ports 0, 1, and 2. In this case you would
select 3 in the Ports field.
Note: DAQmx devices require that all ports are setup and defined in each Message Step that controls the
device. Even though you may only be using two ports of a four port device, you must define all
ports.
8.8.3 Port Configuration

As of SoundCheck 18, port configuration is controlled in the Messages Steps that control the Digital I/O device.
See Digital I/O Message on page 313.

Instruction Manual
8.9 NI DAQmx
This sets the properties of the NI 4461 Analog Data Acquisition Card. (optional hardware for testing electronics
devices such as audio interfaces, amplifiers, preamps, etc.)
Notes:
 The NI 4461 card requires the installation of NI-DAQmx. Use the latest approved DAQmx version from
the SoundCheck installation DVD. See “Hardware Compatibility List” on page 595.
 DAQmx devices cannot be used simultaneously with ASIO audio interfaces.
 As of SoundCheck 11.0, the RTA virtual instrument is compatible with NI DAQmx devices. Also note
that the Multimeter and Scope/FFT cannot be used simultaneously with NI DAQmx devices.
Important: Output and input sample rates must match in the hardware editor. The NI 4461
clock defaults to the output sample rate.
When the NI-Daq Acquisition device is selected the Hardware Editor has the following constraints:
 Digital In and Out are not available. Only Analog is available.
 Input and Output Vp values are in Volts and relate to the Sensitivity of the channel. See “Input and
Output Vp” on page 83.
 Bit Depth is fixed at 24 Bit
Driver: Select NI DAQmx

Device: Select proper device ID
Select Ch: Select Channels Figure 8-28: NI 4461
according to Device ID, Select ai0
(Input 1) or ai1 (Input 2)
Vp: Set the Vp value for desired sensitivity (See “Input and Output Vp” on page 83.)
Sample Rate: The NI 4461 operates at a sample rate of 51.2 kHz. Select User... from the Sampling Rate
drop down list. Enter a sample rate of 51200 and click OK to save the new sampling rate.
Latency: Set according to chart (See “Sample Rate / Latency” on page 83.)
Term Config: Select Default, RSE, NRSE, Differential or Pseudo-Differential
Coupling: Select AC, DC or GND
IEPE: Enable to turn on ICP power for the NI 4461 Inputs. See Figure 8-28.
The IEPE check box on the Audio Input tab is used to turn on ICP power for the inputs of the NI 4461. This will
power the SCM microphone as well as any ICP powered transducer (4 mA current standard).

Instruction Manual
8.9.1 Input and Output Vp settings
Input Range
Gain (dB) Vp (Hardware Config Setting)1
30 0.316
20 1.00
10 3.16
0 10.0
-10 31.6
-20 42.4
1 Each input channel gain is independently set in the Hardware Config.
Output Range
Attenuation (dB) Vp (Hardware Config Setting)2
0 10.00
-20 1.0
-40 0.1
2 Each
output channel attenuation is independently set in the Hardware
Config.
Figure 8-29: Input and Output Vp
8.9.2 Latency and Sample Rate

The NI 4461 operates at a default sample rate of 51.2 kHz. Loading the default HAR file for the NI 4461 will
enter the Sample Rate and Latency for you.
You can also manually edit the settings in the Hardware Editor. The Latency of the 4461 will change as the
Sample Rate of the Hardware Configuration changes. The following chart shows the sample rates supported in
SoundCheck and the Latency values.
See Latency Adjustment on page 73 for instructions on determining the best Latency Value for your system
and changes to the Edit Latencies table.
Sample Rate (Hz) Latency (Samples)

200k 100
192,000 100
176,400 100
96,000 114
88,200 114
51,200 108
48,000 109
44,100 109
32,000 109
16,000 90
8,000 80
Figure 8-30: Sample Rate / Latency

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
9 Calibration Configuration
The accuracy of your SoundCheck system depends upon accurate calibration of your input and output devices.
Nominal calibration values for many devices typically used are included with SoundCheck. For more accurate
measurements, calibration of individual signal paths should be performed for each device. Frequency of
calibration of these devices depends upon the stability of the device.
Important! As of SoundCheck 11, Calibration is a “System Level” configuration. It is

unique to a specific SoundCheck system and is used by all sequences.
Individual Calibration Steps are no longer used. Settings from these steps can
be imported in the Calibration Configuration Editor. See Input Tab on page 89.
The Calibration Editor (Ctrl+Shift+C) is used to calibrate the complete SoundCheck® test setup including
signal conditioning (e.g., amps and preamps) and transducers (e.g., microphones and sound sources). This
allows absolute measurements of acoustic, electroacoustic, electrical, and electronic devices. This step
calibrates the entire system. See Figure 9-15 for a system diagram.
The System Calibration Configuration input/output sensitivities and units are also used for calibrating the virtual
instruments accessed in SoundCheck’s Instruments drop-down list.
9.1 System.Cal
This is the database for all signal path setups and calibration data for the system.
Figure 9-1 shows the table view of the Calibration Configuration supplied with SoundCheck.
 Channel setups can be imported from

previous SoundCheck sequences
 Obsolete channels can be deleted.
(Note that this can effect the curves
used by this and other sequences.)
 Best Naming practices should be
followed when creating new
calibration items. See Rules -
Naming Best Practices on page 95.
 Each line defines the following for use
in a sequence or virtual instrument:
 Input or Output path
 Calibration data file
 Physical connection to hardware
 Tab View shows information for
Figure 9-1: System Calibration Table
selected Input/Output channels.
 Table View shows all input and output
channels.
For more information on calibration procedures and specifics, please refer to Calibrating SoundCheck on
page 98.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Calibration Configuration 85

Instruction Manual
9.2 Features
Calibration Editor Signal Paths are automatically created for new Listen Hardware devices by default.
See Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen Devices on page 50.
9.2.1 Auto Dev and Auto Ch Fields

As of SoundCheck 18, fields have been added to support Listen Hardware devices such as AmpConnect and
SoundConnect 2.
 Auto Dev - Select the Listen hardware device from the drop-down list to associate with the Signal Path
 Auto Ch - Select the device channel from the drop-down list to associate with the Signal Path
 See Listen Hardware - Auto Device / Auto Channel on page 90
 As of SoundCheck 18, Auto Read has been removed from the Calibration Editor Input Tab
 Accounts for all of the equipment in the measured chain:

 Amplifiers
 Measurement Microphones
 Sound Sources
 Preamplifiers
 Calibration information for each channel includes:
 Magnitude and phase response
 Sensitivity
 dB reference units
 The Calibration Table serves as a database of stored devices
 Each Signal Path assigns a set of calibration data to a physical Hardware Input/Output channel
 Calibration information can be shown in Table View making it easier to review multiple devices
 Custom curves are easily imported
 A single calibrated device can be associated with any number of hardware channels
 Calibration History allows you to view past calibration data for a device
9.2.2 Sort
In the table view of the Calibration Editor you can sort the table by Left-clicking on a column header. This
simplifies viewing and editing when you have a lot of channels. For example, sort by Signal Path or sort by HW
Channel.
9.2.3 TEDS support

TEDS Support (with compatible Listen hardware) enables automatic identification, configuration and calibration
of TEDS microphones and accelerometers, saving time on initial hardware setup and whenever hardware is
changed.
86 Calibration Configuration SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
9.3 Calibration Basics
9.3.1 System Calibration Structure

Input and Output Signal Paths are defined in the Calibration Editor.
A Signal Path links a Calibrated Device (mic, amp, etc.) to a physical Hardware Channel (audio interface
in/out).
The following diagram shows the basic structure of a channel in System Calibration.
System Calibration Layout

Input Channels
1. Input Signal Path 2. Calibrated Device 3. Hardware Channel 4. Listen Hardware Only
Unique DAT file with correction data Input channel of audio interface Auto Dev and Auto Ch selections
Name of Device
for a specific input device (Named in Hardware Step) allows Gain to automatically update
Output Channels
1. Output Signal Path 2. Calibrated Device 3. Hardware Channel 4. Input Signal Path
Unique DAT file with correction data Output channel of audio interface Input Signal Path used for calibration
Name of Device
for a specific output device (Named in Hardware Step) (Named in Calibration Step)
The next diagram shows how this structure would be used for specific devices.
System Calibration Example

Input Channels
Listen Hardware
Signal Path Calibrated Device Hardware Channel Auto Dev Auto Ch
Reference Mic SCM 2 Mic.dat Input 1 AudConn1 Channel 1
Direct In 2 Unity Cal (Read Only).dat Input 2 AudConn1 Channel 2
Output Channels
Signal Path Calibrated Device Hardware Channel Input Signal Path
Amp Ch 1 SC Amp- L.dat Output 1 Direct In 1
Amp Ch 2 SC Amp- R.dat Output 2 Direct In 2
This structure allows you to have one calibrated device associated with many hardware channels, or have
many calibrated devices associated with one hardware channel. Of course, only one signal path can be used
with a hardware channel when sending/receiving signal.
The Input and Output Tabs divide the calibration settings for the Signal Paths into two groups. Both groups can
have multiple Input or Output Signal Paths.
 Direct In 1 and 2, and Direct Out 1 and 2 are Protected Paths that cannot be removed or edited
Each Signal Path is linked to a set of calibration data (calibrated device) as well as a physical hardware
channel. This information is also available in the Table View.

Instruction Manual
9.4 SoundCheck Signal Flow
The diagram in Figure 9-2 shows the successive transfer functions that occur in the signal chain, from the
output of SoundCheck back to the input.
S EQ V0 H0 X G Y H1 V1 C0 C1 R
Output DUT Input

Transducer Transducer
Figure 9-2: Signal Flow
1. S: Stimulus created in Stimulus Step
2. EQ: Equalization is applied to the stimulus to correct for the response of the output transducer (e.g.,
Mouth) [NAME eq-out.dat, NAME eq-out.dat]
3. V0: Electrical stimulus played out the audio interface
4. X: Physical input to the DUT (G)
5. Y: Physical output from the DUT (G)
6. V1: Electrical response acquired by the audio interface
7. C0: Correction out for the output transducer [NAME corr-out.dat, NAME corr-out.dat] (applied after
analysis)
8. C1: Correction in for the input transducer (e.g., Microphone) [NAME corr-in.dat, NAME corr-in.dat]
(applied after analysis)
9. R: Response calculated with output and input transducers compensated
 The EQ correction curve is used to compensate for the response of the output transducer. This is
applied to the stimulus before it is played out of the audio interface.
 C0 is used to fine-tune the compensation for the output transducer, after the measurement has been
made. The net result of this two part compensation is: EQ.H0.C0 = 1
 C1 is used to compensate for the input transducer: H1.C1 = 1
 This way, R is the response of the DUT to the stimulus S
 R= S. EQ. H0.G.H1.C0.C1 = G. S
All of the Correction Curves can be viewed in the Memory List by selecting an XY Display from the Display
drop-down list. The following curves will be present for both Input and Output Signal Paths:
Inputs
 corr-in.dat
 sens-in.dat
 gain-in.dat
Outputs
 corr-out.dat
 eq-out.dat
 sens-out.dat

Instruction Manual
9.4.1 Input Tab
Input Signal Paths

Shown in Figure 9-3. These are made up of the following:
 The Calibrated Input Device
 The sensitivity of that specific device and its units
 The Gain of the specified Listen Hardware device
See Input Hardware Channel on Page 91 for
more information.
 The type of calibration that is used for the device
 The hardware channel that it is connected to
The Signal Path names are used in any editor where “Use
Signal Path Name“ can be selected, e.g., in the Acquisition
step, when “Use Signal Path Name“ is selected, the Input
name will be: “Recorded Time Waveform [Input Signal
Path Name]“. Figure 9-3: Input Channel Definition
Input Calibrated Device

The transducer or input device used for acquiring signal. This may be a Microphone, Direct audio interface
input, USB or Bluetooth device, etc. The DAT file associated with this device is where the correction curves for
that device are stored. The DAT file is created when a new Calibrated Device is added to the list.
Sensitivity and Gain

Calibration input sensitivity is divided into two parts:
 Sensitivity of the transducer
 Preamplifier gain
These values show up in the Memory List following the naming of the Calibrated
Input Device, e.g.,
 SCM 3 Mic sens-in (Sensitivity)
 SCM 3 Mic gain-in (Preamp Gain)
Layout
 Serial Number: Allows you to enter the Serial Number of the specific devices connected
 Sensitivity: Shows the measured sensitivity that is acquired through the Calibrate Device process.
This value can also be manually entered.
 TEDS - TEDS (with compatible Listen hardware) allows automatic update of calibration data for TEDS
microphones and accelerometers
 Units - Input physical units and the dB reference are entered by clicking on Units. Refer to Common
Units for Inputs and Outputs on Page 96.
 Input Hardware Channel: Only the connected device name and channel are shown
 Listen Hardware: When creating a new signal path, the channel selected in the Input Hardware
Channel drop-down automatically updates the device selected in Listen Hardware.

Instruction Manual
 Gain: The total gain in dB of the preamplifier the transducer is connected to. This value can be entered
manually or automatically read from Listen hardware devices by selecting Auto Dev and Auto Ch.
Listen Hardware - Auto Device / Auto Channel

As of SoundCheck 18, fields have been added to support
Listen Hardware devices such as AmpConnect,
Audio Connect and SoundConnect 2.
This option requires that Listen Hardware is connected via
USB and is selected in the Device drop-down list.
SoundCheck automatically reads the gain from a single
channel of USB-connected Listen Hardware and updates
the Calibration Editor. This allows the preamp gain to be
changed manually or through Listen Hardware Message
Steps in a sequence. This can be used to optimize
dynamic range without needing to re-calibrate the input
path.
 Auto Dev - Select the Listen hardware device from
the drop-down list to associate with the Signal
Path
 Auto Ch - Select the device channel from the
drop-down list to associate with the Signal Path Figure 9-4: Listen Hardware - Auto Dev
 As of SoundCheck 18, Auto Read has been and Auto Ch
removed from the Calibration Editor Input Tab
Sensitivity and Gain

Calibration input sensitivity is divided into two parts:
 Sensitivity of the transducer
 Preamplifier gain
These values show up in the Memory List following the naming of the Calibrated
Input Device, e.g.,
 SCM 3 Mic sens-in (Sensitivity)
 SCM 3 Mic gain-in (Preamp Gain)

Instruction Manual
Signal Path Name Change
Changing an Input Signal Path name in the Calibration
Editor affects all sequences that use that Signal Path Name.
This can occur when sending sequences to a SoundCheck
system that uses different Signal Path Names or when
modifying the Signal Paths on your SoundCheck system.
When opening a sequence that uses a changed signal path
name, SoundCheck will prompt you as shown in Figure 9-5.
This allows you to add the missing signal paths or replace them
with ones already present on the system.
Remember: If any Analysis Step is set to “Use Signal Path Figure 9-5: Relink Prompt
Name”, subsequent steps in the sequence will need to be
redirected to the new data names in the Memory List. This may
also require that you rebuild Groups of data in the Memory List.
For recommendations on Signal Path naming see Rules - Naming Best Practices on page 95.
Input Hardware Channel

Allows you to select which channel of the audio interface the Calibrated Device is connected to. In Figure 9-6
the SCM 3 Mic is connected to Input 1 of the AudioConnect audio interface.
Copy from Memory List

Allows you to select a curve from the Memory List to be
used as a Correction or Equalization curve
 The default Reference Frequency is 1 kHz as
shown in Figure 9-6.
Importing Correction Curves

If an imported curve does not have a 0dB value at 1 kHz
you must change the calibration Reference Frequency in
the editor to a point on the correction curve that is at 0dB.
This may also have to be done when importing Diffuse Field
or other such correction curves without data at 1 kHz.
Calibration Sequence
Select the sequence that runs when the Calibrate button is
selected
Figure 9-6: Copy From Memory List

Calibrate Device
Run the selected calibration sequence
Note: Calibration Sequences are never run on their own. They are always run from the Calibration
Configuration Editor.

Instruction Manual
Open Table
Opens the Calibration Editor Table View. See 9.5 Table View on Page 94 for more information
Import
Allows you to import settings from SoundCheck sequences from previous versions or other systems. This
imports settings for both Input and Output tabs.
Save
Stores calibration changes to hard disk
Cancel
Discard all changes made to the Calibration Configuration
9.4.2 Copy From Memory List - Input

This allows you to overwrite the Calibrated Input Device correction file with a
new curve from the Memory List. Select Invert Curve if it is the fundamental
response curve as opposed to a Reciprocal Curve.
See Figure 9-8: SCM 3 Correction Curve.
Note: The EQ & correction curves will be normalized to 0dB at the

frequency specified in the Sensitivity field [Sens(Hz)]. Units are
automatically set to + dB re 1 so that pure gain is applied. Figure 9-7: Copy From
Memory List - Input
The curve in the example is from the DAT file that comes
with an SCM 3 microphone. This is a response curve of
the SCM 3 and is normalized to 0dB at 1 kHz. In this
case, to create a reciprocal curve, Invert Curve must be
checked.
Click Apply to overwrite the Destination Curve with the
Source Curve selected. Click OK to leave the selection
window and click OK to close the editor.
Subsequent measurements will apply this new correction Figure 9-8: SCM 3 Correction Curve
curve to the input response, provided that “Apply
Correction In“ has been checked in the Analysis Step.
See Apply Correction on Page 162 for more information.

Instruction Manual
9.4.3 Copy From Memory List - Output
Similarly, curves can be copied in the Output Tab as well. These can be used as
correction curves or as equalization curves. For more information
see Equalization and Correction Curve on Page 99.
Figure 9-9: Copy From

Memory List - Output
9.4.4 Output Tab

Output Signal Paths are made up of the following:
 The Calibrated Output Device
 The sensitivity of that specific device and its units
 The hardware channel that it is connected to
 The type of calibration that is used for the device
The Calibration Sequence selected is the sequence that
runs when the Calibrate button is selected.
The functions in the Output Tab are identical to those in the
Input Tab with one addition:
 Input Signal Path - Must be selected so that the
system knows where the Output Device is
connected to
 The functions of Open Table, Import, Save and
Cancel are the same as the Input Tab.
See Input Tab on Page 89 for more information.
Figure 9-10: Output Channel Definition

Instruction Manual
9.5 Table View
Figure 9-11: Table View
Table View at the bottom of the editor to open the complete list of Signal Paths. The “Last Cal Date“ field
cannot be edited. This updates when a new calibration is run on a Signal Path. Similarly the “Sens Unit” field
can only be changed by selecting a new setting under “Physical Unit”.
The following fields can be edited directly:

 Signal Path
 Sens
 Sens (dB)
 Sens (Hz)
 dB Ref
The following fields have drop-down selection menus:
 Calibrated Device
 Phys Unit - Button opens Units Setup menu
 HW Channel
Figure 9-12: Table Drop-down Example
 Calibration Sequence
 Input Channel (Output Channels Only)
 Calibrate (Button)
Click Calibrate to run the selected calibration sequence. See Figure 9-12. Remember that the Input Signal
Path must be selected prior to running the output calibration.
Note: All calibration procedures are specialized sequences located in the folder C:\SoundCheck
20.0\Sequences\Calibration. You can create your own calibration sequences as well. If you save
the new calibration sequence in the calibration input or output sub-folders, it will appear in the
respective drop-down list in the Calibration Editor. See 9.13 Reference Codec & dBm0 on Page
112 for more information.

Instruction Manual
9.5.1 Rules - Naming Best Practices
Signal Path - This name is used in the sequence (e.g.,
Analysis Step - The Channel name can be appended to the
output curve name). A generic name should be used that
indicates the type of device being used. Since the name is
used in the sequence, it is hard to change once the
sequence is created. Changing this name could effect how
subsequent steps in the sequence operate.
Calibrated Device - Specific name of the device being used
(e.g., type of microphone). It is also the name of the .DAT file
for the specific calibration data. This can be changed easily
since the name is not used in sequence steps. This allows
you to have several different possible devices to use under
the generic Signal Path name.
Hardware Channel - This is the name of the physical
channel of the audio interface. In this example, the Ref Mic
is an SCM 3 which is connected to Input 1 of the audio
interface. (This is named in the System Hardware
Configuration, e.g., Input 1).
Figure 9-13: Naming Convention

9.5.2 Right-click Function
Right-click the table to open the Channel Modification window. With this, you can Add, Delete Signal Paths to
the table as well as Copy a channel to a new row of the table.
9.5.3 Rules - Calibrated Device

 Calibrated Device.DAT files marked as “Read Only” are displayed grayed out and cannot be modified.
Figure 9-14 shows items with “Gray” fields indicating the properties of the .DAT files are set to “Read
Only”. The files shown are set to “Read Only” by default.
 DAT files for devices that are calibrated should never be set to “Read Only”, e.g., Reference Mic,
Mouth Sim, Amp Ch 1, etc.
Figure 9-14: Read Only Files

Instruction Manual
9.6 Defining the Units
Input Physical
Output Physical unit is defined
unit is defined at at this point
this point. This is the sig-
This is the signal nal from the
to the DUT. DUT.
Figure 9-15: Input and Output Calibration of a Measurement System
The Figure 9-15 shows the Input and Output Calibration of a Measurement System and Definition of the Input
and the Output Terminals of the DUT.
 The Physical Units are specifically related to each Calibrated Device in the Calibration Editor.
 They are dependent on the type of device that is used in the input or output of the calibration.
Input: Signal from DUT Output: Signal to DUT Response Unit

DUT Type
Examples
Unit Input Signal Conditioning Unit Output Signal Conditioning
Loudspeaker Pa Microphone V Amplifier Pa/V
Microphone V Microphone (Itself) Pa Mouth or Anechoic Chamber V/Pa
Amplifier, analog V Direct V Amplifier (no longer Direct V/V

electronics In)
Motor, Fan, Bear- G Accelerometer V DUT Itself or Shaker G/V

ings, etc.
Haptic Sensor N Force Transducer V DUT Itself V/N
Hearing Aid Pa Microphone (in coupler) Pa Anechoic Chamber Pa/Pa
Telephone Pa Microphone (in coupler) Pa Mouth Pa/Pa

Figure 9-16: Common Units for Inputs and Outputs
The Calibration Sequence selected determines what type of calibration sequence is performed after selecting
Calibrate.
The ratio of the audio interface signal to the Device Under Test Unit is automatically determined by
SoundCheck. You are required to determine the units of the DUT in the Calibration. SoundCheck uses the
physical units when displaying measurement data.

Instruction Manual
9.6.1 Define Linear and Logarithmic Units
Linear units are absolute (e.g., Voltage, Watt, Pascal, G). Logarithmic units are
? Pa
relative to a reference level (e.g., dB re 20µPa). For example: dBSPL = 20 log
20 µPa
?V
dBV = 20 log
1V
9.6.2 Convert Linear to Logarithmic Units

To convert linear units to logarithmic units, the following examples are useful
1V
references: 0 dBV = 20 log
1V
1 Pa
94 dBSPL = 20 log
20 µPa

Instruction Manual
9.7 Calibrating SoundCheck
9.7.1 Rules - Calibration

 Do not open the Calibration Sequences found in the Calibration folder. These sequences are accessed
from the Calibration Editor when performing a calibration.
 Close your sequence before running a calibration process, including calibrating audio interface
channels in the Hardware Editor.
The calibration of SoundCheck enables response measurements to be performed directly in terms of the input
and output terminals of the Device Under Test (DUT). The Calibrate Device function in the System
Calibration Configuration measures the sensitivity or gain of any external device such as a microphone or
amplifier in the measurement chain. Once this is done, the values and units in the Calibration Setup menu
correspond to the signal level at the DUT and not at the connectors of the audio interface in the computer.
Default calibration sequences are included with SoundCheck. You can also create custom calibration
sequences. Please refer to 9.13 Reference Codec & dBm0 on Page 112 for more information.
 Sensitivity is a relative measurement of output to input. By definition, an electroacoustic transducer
converts either voltage into acoustical output (e.g., loudspeaker); acoustical input into an electrical
voltage (e.g., microphone); or both, an acoustical input into electrical voltage and back again to an
acoustical output (e.g., hearing aid). As another example, analog electronics, which usually amplify,
attenuate, or shape the electrical signal (e.g., Preamplifiers, Amplifiers or Signal Processors).
 Calibrating the Input establishes the correlation between the input voltage to the audio interface and
the measured units. Input sensitivity is represented as Volts per measured unit (e.g., V/Pa).
 Calibrating the Output establishes the correlation between the output voltage of the audio interface and
the measured units. Output sensitivity is represented as measured units per Volt (e.g., Pa/V).
Note: The units selected for calibration can be redefined when displaying data and results. Select units
for displaying data in the Analysis Editor (See Units on Page 164). In addition, the Device
(e.g., microphone or amp) Sensitivity is measured when Calibrate Device is clicked.
Note: We recommend that you Not use periods or commas in step names. This is known to cause a
problem with System Calibration Configuration not saving the calibration information when the
configuration is saved.
Note: Upon completing a calibration sequence, the newly acquired date is stored to the calibrated device
file. Any Signal Paths that are set to this calibrated device will use the updated data.
9.7.2 Calibration History

This feature allows you to view past calibration data for a device. This data can be used to identify trends such
as “changing sensitivity”. The history is stored in the .DAT file for the calibrated device. Each time you
recalibrate and save the System Calibration Configuration, a new entry is created in the calibration history.
Theses entries are tracked by calibration date (e.g., SCM 2 Mic corr-in 9/17/2008 10:16 AM). The history can
be viewed by opening the Memory List, selecting File and then Open Data. Browse to the calibrated device
.DAT file (e.g., SCM 2 Mic.dat), select and click OK. The calibration history is then loaded into the Memory List.

Instruction Manual
9.8 Digital Signals
When an audio interface channel is set to digital in the Hardware Editor, the Units for that channel in the
Calibration Editor will change such that V (Volts) is replaced by FS (Full Scale). This is because the input/
output values of the audio interface are expressed relative to 100% Full Scale Deflection instead of Volts. The
choice of physical unit remains the same. Sensitivities are expressed in Unit/FS for output or FS/Unit for inputs.
The input and output of the audio interface are normalized to 100% FS. Any digital signal cannot exceed +1/-1
FS, where 1 represents the maximum number of bits selected in the System Hardware Configuration.
Please refer to 9.13 Reference Codec & dBm0 on Page 112 for more information.
9.9 Equalization and Correction Curve

Correction vs. Equalization can be a little tricky to understand at first. Let's start with the input side.
The input correction will typically be a correction curve for a reference microphone. This would be utilized when
performing loudspeaker measurements or when that reference mic is being used to calibrate a speaker for
microphone measurements.
All output calibrated devices have two curves, the correction and the EQ. The EQ is only used in cases where
you want to change the stimulus before it gets played, e.g., equalizing a loudspeaker. EQ (if selected in
stimulus) will modify the voltage that gets sent out of the audio interface on a per frequency basis in
accordance with the curve. If calibrated correctly, this results in a flat acoustical output from the speaker.
The output correction curve is optionally applied in the analysis step as a sort of post processing operation.
This is a mathematical correction that is performed after the signal has already been played and acquired. If
you have equalized a speaker you will find that the correction is very small. It is just the residual part of the
speaker response that the calibration sequence could not perfectly flatten. To view this look in your Memory
List and graph the eq-out and corr-out curves for a given calibrated device.
The time when the output correction is more important is in loudspeaker testing. In this case we are calibrating
an amplifier. Because the amplifier has a flat magnitude response there is no need to use equalization.
However, we do want to account for the amp's phase response, which we do by generating the correction.
9.9.1 Input Signal Path

The System Calibration Configuration loads a complete set of EQ and correction curves into memory from
the calibration folders. When a Calibration Sequence is run, from the System Calibration Configuration,
these curves are updated. These curves are used to correct for the response of devices in the input or output
signal chain. The correction curves can be displayed since they are selectable items in the Memory List.
An example of this is to correct the measured signal for the measurement microphone’s frequency and phase
response (typically on its calibration chart) or for telephone measurements, where the DRP to ERP correction
curve is needed to compensate for the microphone’s position in the artificial ear. The correction file is named
according to the Calibrated Device:
<Calibrated Device Name> corr-in.dat for Input Signal Path correction
See Copy From Memory List - Input on Page 92 for more information.

Instruction Manual
9.9.2 Output Signal Path
An equalization curve will equalize the stimulus when the EQ check box is selected in the Stimulus Editor or
Signal Generator.
See Stimulus Editor on Page 119.
The output correction curve is applied when it is selected in the Analysis Editor.
The Output Signal Path correction and equalization files are named according to the Calibrated Device:
<Calibrated Device Name> corr-out.dat for Output Signal Path correction
<Calibrated Device Name> eq-out.dat for Output Signal Path equalization
See Copy From Memory List - Output on Page 93 for more information.
The files are updated when an Output calibration is run and the step is saved.
If you Import a frequency response curve to use for Correction or
Equalization you have to “Invert“ it by selecting Invert Curve as shown in
Figure 9-17. If the curve is the result of a process that creates a
reciprocal of the response, it will not need to be inverted.
Note: EQ out correction curves are populated with data when the
Speaker Equalization or Simulated Free Field calibration
sequences are selected in the output calibration process.
Important! Correction Curve Units should be set to + dB Figure 9-17: Copy From
re 1 so that pure gain is applied. Memory List - Correction Curve
SI units are used throughout SoundCheck 20.0. For example, to display decibel values referenced to 20
microPascals, the dB ref value would be twenty (20) with a “u“ added at the end and the unit would be Pa
resulting in 20 µPa. See SI Units on Page 59 for more information.
For output calibration, the measured response will automatically be stored and used to correct any future
measurements. (e.g., if the amplifier’s magnitude and phase responses are not perfectly flat, the system will
correct the measured response as if it were perfectly flat.)

Instruction Manual
9.10 Input Calibration
9.10.1 Direct Calibration Sequence

Direct refers to the input of the audio interface. Direct
Calibration should be used when there is no signal
conditioning between the device under test (DUT) and the
audio interface. For example, when measuring electronics
such as amplifiers, the direct input sensitivity should be set
to 1 V/V or 0 dBV.
Note: Direct Calibration cannot be done on the

default input channels Direct In 1 and 2, which
are protected. Create a new Direct In channel
that uses a new Unity Gain Calibrated Input
Device as shown in Figure 9-18.
Clicking Calibrate Device will bring up a Multimeter virtual

instrument. Check the input calibration of the test system
by applying a known signal source, e.g., 1 VRMS at 1 kHz
from an external signal generator, into the audio interface. Figure 9-18: Direct In Calibration
You should read the same level, e.g., 1 volt, on the
SoundCheck Multimeter virtual instrument.
Note: Please be aware that the input impedance of the audio interface and the output impedance of the
signal generator can affect the reading.
9.10.2 Attenuator Calibration Sequence

The Attenuator setting should be used when there is an attenuator or pre-amplifier between the DUT and the
input of an audio interface. For example, this would be used to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio of a
measurement when using a measuring amplifier with gain and/or attenuation, such as the Listen
SoundConnect™ microphone power supply. This allows for a wider dynamic range of test levels and a better
match to the input range of the audio interface.
Clicking Calibrate will open the manually-controlled Signal Generator and Multimeter instruments. Use these
virtual instruments to measure the input gain or attenuation of your measuring amplifier.
9.10.3 Microphone Calibration Sequence

Use the Microphone setting when measuring the sound pressure level from the DUT (e.g., earphone or mouth
simulator) with a measurement microphone, e.g., SCM 3 microphone.
Enter the correct sensitivity from the calibration chart or click Calibrate to measure its sensitivity with an
acoustic calibrator. This is the preferred method since it takes into account the entire Input Signal Path
including signal conditioning from the microphone power supply.
Accelerometer Calibration Sequence
Used when making measurements with an accelerometer or other vibration transducer, e.g., B&K 4533-B,
where force units are used. dB re 1 m/s2, dB re 1 N and dB re 1 g are currently supported.
As with Microphone Calibration above, the sensitivity can be entered manually or click Calibrate to measure its
sensitivity with an accelerometer calibrator such as the B&K 4294.

Instruction Manual
9.10.4 Microphone Calibration Procedure
This procedure will allow you to check your measured microphone’s sensitivity against the microphone
manufacturer’s specifications.
1. Enter the gain or attenuation in dB that
corresponds to the settings on your
microphone power supply or measuring
amplifier in the Gain field. This gain will be
used in the Gain field of the Transducer
Calibration window.
If you are using Listen Hardware you can

select Auto Dev and Auto Ch to automatically
get the gain for the selected channel from the
device. Using Auto Dev and Auto Ch in
Calibration allows you to change the gain of
the input without having to re-calibrate the mic.
Current supported hardware includes
AudioConnect and SoundConnect 2.
Figure 9-19 shows AudioConnect is set to 20
dB of gain on Channel 1. This gain is
automatically updated in the Transducer
Calibration window.
If you are using a Brüel & Kjær Nexus, see
Calibrating using a Brüel & Kjær Nexus on
page 103.
2. Open the Calibration Editor and select the Figure 9-19: Microphone Calibration
Input tab. The Calibration Sequence should
be set to Microphone.
3. Click Calibrate
4. Select your calibrator model # from the drop-down list or select Other Calibrator and enter the
acoustic calibrator’s reference level and frequency.
 The microphone calibrator's reference level should be indicated in its specifications as a given dB SPL
value (relative to 20µPa) at a reference frequency.
 e.g., for the Brüel & Kjær Type 4231 Acoustic Calibrator:
 Sound Pressure Level: 94.00 dB ± 0.20 dB
 Frequency: 1000 Hz ± 0.1%
 (When calibrating an artificial ear mic, you may need to select “B&K 4231 and UA1546”.)
5. Select your measurement microphone model number from the drop-down list. If your microphone is not
listed in the drop-down list, choose Add New Mic.
6. Place your acoustic calibrator on your reference microphone and click Calibrate to measure its
sensitivity.
 The measured sensitivity of your reference microphone is displayed under Measured Sensitivity
in mV/Pa. If the measured sensitivity is outside the manufacturer’s specifications, a flashing
FAILED message will appear. Check first to see if your connections are correct or if the calibrator is
turned on before assuming something is wrong with the microphone.

Instruction Manual
 The FAILED message can also appear if the Calibrator’s frequency is not correct. If a Reference
Frequency of 1000 Hz is entered, but the Calibrator’s actual frequency is 1008 Hz, the Calibration
may Fail. To verify the Calibrator’s frequency, use the Spectrum Analyzer under the Instruments
menu on the SoundCheck Main Screen.
 The meter on the right side indicates the corresponding dB level relative to 1 Volt per Pascal. If it
varies by a few tenths of a dB from your last calibration measurement, do not be alarmed, this is
normal. If it varies by more than 1 dB or failed the sensitivity test, you may want to have your
microphone checked by a qualified calibration lab.
Add New Mic

This allows you to enter a different microphone into the list. The sensitivity limits can be
entered for each new mic so that calibrations are made according to the microphone’s
specifications.
 The check box for 1/2” Free Field Microphone should be checked only when
using this type of microphone
The calibration level is set to 93.85 dB SPL @ 1 kHz when measured in a
pressure field, (such as a B&K 4231 Acoustical Calibrator).
Figure 9-20: Add
New Mic
9.10.5 Calibrating using a Brüel & Kjær Nexus

Method 1: Nexus Unity Gain
 Set the Microphone Input Sensitivity of the Nexus to 100 mV/Pa (or other appropriate input value)
 Set the Nexus Output to the same level: 100 mV/Pa
 As long as the input and output levels of Nexus are the same, the Gain value for the SoundCheck
Microphone Calibration Editor is 0 dB
 Changes in the Nexus output setting can be easily converted to Gain in dB. A change of a factor 10 in
the Nexus output is equivalent to an increase of 20 dB, e.g., 100 mV/Pa to 1 V/Pa = 20 dB of gain.
Method 2
The Brüel & Kjær Nexus Type 2690 is designed to provide an output voltage regulated in 10 dB steps (e.g., 100
mV/unit, 316 mV/unit, etc.). To ensure proper calibration using SoundCheck, you must do the following to enter
the proper Gain field value:
1. Enter the transducer sensitivity in Nexus per the Brüel & Kjær instructions.
2. Choose the Nexus output level you want (e.g., 1.00 volt
per Pascal).  NexusOutputVoltage 
− Gain = 20 Log  
3. Enter the Gain value in SoundCheck using the following  TransducerSensitivity 
equation:
Example:
 1.00V 
A B&K microphone is used with a sensitivity of 50 mV/Pa and the Nexus − Gain = 20 Log  
is set to an output of 1.00 V/Pa.  0.050V 

Instruction Manual
9.10.6 Accelerometer Calibration
Procedure
This procedure will allow you to check your
measured accelerometer’s sensitivity against the
accelerometer manufacturer’s specifications.
1. Enter the gain or attenuation in dB that
corresponds to the settings on your
microphone power supply or measuring
amplifier in the Gain field. This gain will be
used in the Gain field of the Transducer
Calibration window.
If you are using Listen Hardware you can

select Auto Dev and Auto Ch to
automatically get the gain for the selected
channel from the device. Using Auto Dev
and Auto Ch in Calibration allows you to
change the gain of the input without having
to re-calibrate the mic. Current supported
hardware includes AudioConnect and
SoundConnect 2.
2. Open the Calibration Editor and select the Figure 9-21: Accelerometer Calibration
Input tab. The Calibration Sequence
should be set to Accelerometer.
3. Select your calibrator model # from the drop-down list or select Other Calibrator and enter the
calibrator’s reference level and frequency.
 The accelerometer calibrator's reference level should be indicated in its specifications as a given V/m/
s2, at a reference frequency, e.g., for the Brüel & Kjær Type 4294 Calibrator:
 Cal Input: 10 m/s2
 Frequency: 159.2 Hz
4. Select your measurement accelerometer model number from the drop-down list. If your accelerometer
is not listed in the drop-down list, choose Add New Accelerometer. The add process is the same as
shown in Add New Mic on Page 103.
5. Mount the accelerometer on the accelerometer calibrator according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Click Calibrate to measure the sensitivity.
 The measured sensitivity of your reference accelerometer is displayed under Measured

Sensitivity in V/m/s2. If the measured sensitivity is outside the manufacturer’s specifications, a
flashing FAILED message will appear. Check first to see if your connections are correct or if the
calibrator is turned on before assuming something is wrong with the accelerometer.
 The FAILED message can also appear if the Calibrator’s frequency is not correct. If a Reference
Frequency of 159.2 Hz is entered, but the Calibrator’s actual frequency is 162 Hz, the calibration
may Fail. To verify the Calibrator’s frequency, use the Spectrum Analyzer under the Instruments
menu on the SoundCheck Main Screen.
 The meter on the right side indicates the corresponding dB level relative to 1 V/m/s2. If it varies by
a few tenths of a dB from your last calibration measurement, do not be alarmed, this is normal. If it
varies by more than 1 dB or failed the sensitivity test, you may want to have your accelerometer
checked by a qualified calibration lab.

Instruction Manual
9.11 Output Calibration
9.11.1 Amplifier
The Amplifier setting should be used when there is an amplifier between the
output of the audio interface and the device under test. This might be required
for loudspeaker measurements, to drive difficult loads (e.g., low impedance
devices) or to test at levels above 2 VRMS.
Enter the gain of your amplifier or run the Calibration test to measure it. If you
are going to measure it, make sure your input is calibrated first, and then Figure 9-22: Output
follow the Amplifier Calibration Procedure (below). Calibration Sequence List
Important! For Amplifier Calibration, select an Input Signal Path in the Calibration Editor
that is set to 1 V/V, to get an accurate calibration.
Important! Note that the AmpConnect Amplifier Calibration sequence must be used to
correctly calibrate AmpConnect ISC.
9.11.2 Headphone Amplifier Calibration Procedure

The procedure is the same as noted below, except that the sequence used is called Headphone Amplifier
Calibration and the wiring requirements are different. Please refer to the AudioConnect and AmpConnect ISC
manuals for wiring examples.

Instruction Manual
9.11.3 Amplifier Calibration Procedure
A general wiring diagram and outline of the steps for amp calibration can be found in Connection Procedures
on page 611.
1. In SoundCheck, open the System Calibration Editor
from the Setup drop-down list on the SoundCheck
Main Screen.
Important! Do not open the Amplifier

Calibration sequence. Run the
calibration from the System
Calibration Editor.
2. Select the Output Tab and select the Output Signal

Path to calibrate. In the example in Figure 9-23
“Amp ch 1” is selected.
3. Select the proper Calibrated Device: “Crown Amp-

L.dat“
If a new device is used with the system, click Add

and enter a name. Calibration values will be stored
for this new device when the calibration process is
complete.
4. Select the Output Hardware Channel that provides Figure 9-23: Amp Calibration
signal to the Amplifier Input: “Output 1“
5. Calibration Sequence should be set to “Amplifier Calibration“
6. The Input Signal Path should be set to a Direct Input that is set for Unity Gain. The sensitivity of this
channel must be unity gain in order to get an accurate calibration.
7. Turn the power amplifier off.
8. Connect SoundCheck Output 1 to the input of the Amplifier.
9. Connect the corresponding output of the amplifier to SoundCheck Direct In 1. The amplifier output
should not have an added Load.
10. Turn the power amplifier on. If it has a gain control, set it to maximum. This is the most stable position
for a gain control.
Note: Some applications may require a lower gain amp. In that case, setting the volume control to a
lower level is acceptable, but less stable. If anyone bumps the control, the calibration will be off.
11. Click Calibrate to measure the amplifier’s sensitivity (gain) and frequency response.
The measured sensitivity of your amplifier is automatically entered in the output sensitivity field. If the
measured sensitivity fails, check your wiring and connections and try calibrating again.
If the measured response margin fails, check to see that the amplifier is not connected to anything
other than the audio interface and that it is properly grounded. If there is a bump around 120 Hz (or
100 Hz if line frequency is 50 Hz), you might be picking up hum due to poor grounding or bad cabling.
For more troubleshooting information, go to www.listeninc.com and click Support.

Instruction Manual
9.11.4 Direct
This is for calibrating low gain electronics with a sensitivity range between 700 mV/V and 1.4 V/V.
This creates a Correction Out curve for the device which can be used in Analysis Steps to correct for the output
response of the device, e.g., correcting for the frequency response of an audio interface or transducer preamp.
9.11.5 Headphone Amp

The Headphone Amp calibration process is the same as Amplifier calibration. The Headphone Amp
sequence is setup to account for the lower sensitivity typical of headphone amplifiers. These amps may have
no gain or negative gain.
9.11.6 Simulated Free Field Calibration

This is required when using Frequency Log Sweep Stimulus and Time Selective Response Analysis.

Instruction Manual
9.11.7 Speaker Equalization
This calibration sequence prompts you to input a Stimulus Level, in dB, for the calibration signal. Usually this is
the level that will be used in the actual test sequence.
The sequence will Loop to “Fine Tune“ the equalization curve and output correction.
Use when calibrating one of the following devices:
 Mouth Simulator
 Anechoic Chamber/speaker
 Anechoic Test Box
Note: Speaker Equalization must be done at the same resolution or higher than the
stimulus resolution of test sequence. This can be done by making a copy of the
Speaker EQ sequence and changing the resolution of the 2 Stimulus Steps. If using
a Compound Resolution Stimulus Step in the test sequence, the resolution in the
Speaker Equalization sequence should be no less than the highest resolution of the
Compound Stimulus.
9.11.8 Mouth Simulator Calibration and Correction

Example
When calibrating a Mouth Simulator the recommended
calibration sequence is Speaker Equalization. This is
normally for use with an acoustic mouth simulator or sound
source for testing microphones close to the source (e.g., vocal
mics) with a swept sine at a constant sound pressure level.
 Output Signal Path set to Source Speaker
 Mouth Simulator.dat selected under Calibrated
Device
 Output Hardware Channel set to Output 1
 Speaker Equalization selected under Calibration
Sequence
 Input Signal Path set to Reference Mic
Figure 9-24: Mouth Simulator

Calibration
Figure 9-25: Calibration Sequence Menu
1. Using a calibrated reference microphone (e.g., SCM 3), place the microphone in the same position that
you intend to measure the Device Under Test.
2. Click the Calibrate Device button at the bottom of the Output Tab to begin the calibration procedure.

Instruction Manual
3. The first step in the calibration procedure is a message stating
that the reference microphone needs to be calibrated first. Click
Enter.
4. Enter the level in dB SPL for the calibration signal. This should
be the level that will be used in the test sequence. This
example uses a level of 80 dB SPL. Click OK or Enter to
continue.
The system will play back a short sine tone to get the sensitivity
of the speaker. This allows the sequence to automatically
adjust the stimulus level to 80 dB SPL.
Figure 9-26: Set Signal Level
5. Set the lowest frequency to equalize down to. In this example,

100 Hz. Click OK or Enter to continue.
6. Set the highest frequency to equalize up to. In this example,

10 kHz. Click OK or Enter to continue.
Important! Do not try to EQ beyond the designed range of

the loudspeaker or mouth simulator. Damage
can occur due to excessive low or high
frequency output, as the correction process
attempts to create a Flat Output Response
from the speaker.
Figure 9-27: Set EQ Stop

Points
7. SoundCheck will measure the speaker’s
response and sensitivity. These are compared to
preset upper and lower limits. Figure 9-28 shows
the response before it is corrected.
8. If the Mouth frequency response is within

acceptable limits, the sequence will continue. If
the response is not within limits you will be
prompted to stop the equalization process and
change the equalization range.
Figure 9-28: Response Before Correction

Instruction Manual
9. SoundCheck will generate an equalized stimulus
and play it through the speaker.
The typical equalized response for a Mouth

Simulator is ±0.5 dB from 100 Hz to 10 kHz.
Figure 9-29: Equalized Response
10. If the equalized response or sensitivity are outside of the limits set in the calibration sequence, the
sequence will prompt you to stop or attempt equalization anyway.
If both pass, a sequence prompt asks if the EQ’s Response is flat

enough.
Selecting “No” will run another pass of equalization to “fine tune“
the correction curve. This can be run as many times as desired,
but at some point the correction will show no further improvement.
Figure 9-30: Prompt To
Select “Yes” to complete the calibration and correction process. Measure Again
11. Once the calibration procedure is complete,

SoundCheck will update the Mouth sensitivity. You
can then choose Save to overwrite the original
Mouth Simulator.dat calibration. Select Rename
under Calibrated Device to give the calibration a
different name.
12. Select Save to store the changes to the System

Calibration Configuration.
Figure 9-31: Updated Mouth

Sensitivity

Instruction Manual
9.12 Digital Channel Calibration
9.12.1 FS and dB re 1 FS Definition

Digital Full Scale (FS) and dB relative to 1 FS (dBFS) though widely used are not normatively defined. In
SoundCheck, FS as a unit is used to express peak and RMS amplitude. When used to define peak amplitude
the maximum values are +1 and -1 FS which correspond to the maximum positive and negative digital codes in
a digital audio sample stream. 1 FS RMS or 0 dB re 1 FS correspond to the RMS amplitude of a square wave
that reaches the maximum positive and negative digital codes. The maximum amplitude of a sine wave in this
scheme is therefore .707 FS or -3.01 dB re 1 FS. This represents the maximum amplitude of a sine wave
where the peak positive and negative deflections reach the maximum positive and negative digital code.
The other commonly used definition of FS comes from the +1 +1
Audio Engineering Society standard 17 (AES17) which
defines FS as the RMS amplitude of a sine whose peak
SoundCheck AES17
positive and negative values reach the maximum digital code Digital Definition Digital Definition
of the system. 1 FS Peak
.707 FS RMS
Peak = Undefined
1 FS RMS
-3 dB FS 0 dB FS
-1 -1
In AES17,the maximum amplitude of a sine wave is 1 FS or 0 dBFS and the maximum amplitude of a
square wave is 1.414 FS or +3 dBFS.
The AES17 definition of FS cannot be used to express peak signal amplitudes. For a signal of given amplitude
the AES17 and SoundCheck definition of FS differ by 3.01 dB.
This difference in scaling between SoundCheck and AES17 can be compensated for by using FS (AES17)
when importing a .WAV file or Unity Digital (AES) calibration with digital inputs and outputs.
See Rules - WAV File on page 359.
As of SoundCheck 14, Unity Digital In (AES17).dat and Unity Digital Out (AES17).dat are included as
calibrated devices. When these devices are used in the Calibration Editor, they adjust the sensitivity to match
the AES17 definition and include the proper units. See Figure 9-32.
Figure 9-32: Calibration Editor Digital Channels

Instruction Manual
WAV Analysis
When analyzing a WAV file no signal path is used and results will be scaled according to the SoundCheck
definition of FS. In order to scale the results according to the AES17 definition of FS you must add 3 dB to your
results using a Post Processing step.
9.13 Reference Codec & dBm0
Bluetooth HeadSet (Receive)
SoundCheck SoundCheck
Digital Output
FS Ref Codec V Receiver Pa Analog Input
Figure 9-33: Bluetooth Test - Signal Chain
When performing a Receive test on a Bluetooth Headset, SoundCheck sends a digital audio signal to the DUT.
SoundCheck then records and analyzes the acoustic output of the DUT.
Therefore, assuming that the DUT operates in a linear manner, a digital sine wave in yields an acoustic sine
wave out. Moreover, you will be able to measure the overall Receive Gain of the DUT in Pa/FS.
Definition: 1 Full Scale = maximum absolute value of the digital wave. e.g., 32767 ≡ 1 FS for a 16 bit encoded
wave. (FSD: Full Scale Deflection)
Normally, in telephone testing, the output units are expressed in Pa/Volt. Since the input signal is digital audio
we need to translate the FSD units to Volts using a virtual reference CODEC.
The ref CODEC of the Bluetooth device handles the conversion of the digital signal into volts (Virtual Volts).
The ref CODEC states that a digital sine at zero dBm0 applied at the input yields 0.775 Vrms at the output of
the CODEC.
The ref level of zero dBm0 is defined differently, depending on which coding law is used: A-law or μ -law (mu-
law).

Instruction Manual
9.13.1 A-law
0 dBm0 is the level of a sine signal which is 3.14 dB below
saturation. That means that the absolute peak amplitude of
the sine is 10^(-3.14/20) = 0.6966 FS and the rms value is
0dBm0 ≡ – 6.15dBFS = 0.4927FS
0.4927 FS, equivalent to –3.14 -3.01 = -6.15 dB FS.1
9.13.2 μ -law
0 dBm0 the level of the sine signal is 3.17 dB below
saturation. That yields: 0.6942 FS pk ≡ 0.4910 FS rms,
equivalent to –6.18 dB FS.
0dBm0 ≡ – 6.18dBFS = 0.4910FS
Note: dBm0: A reference voltage of 775 mV applied to a load of 600 Ohm yields 1 mW.
Distortion
1 1.5787
-3.17 dB
Peak Level -6.18 dB
0.6942
-3.01 dB
RMS Level 0 dBm0
0.4909 0.775
Virtual Volts
FS
Time__
μ-law coding
Figure 9-34: μ -law Coding - Sine @ 0 dBm0
1. 3.01 dB ≡ √2, crest-factor of sine.

Instruction Manual
9.14 Bluetooth Sequence Setup Example
The following example is from the Bluetooth Receive sequence which is part of the default sequences included
with SoundCheck. It is located in the Headphones & Headsets folder.
9.14.1 Hardware Settings

 In System Hardware create an
input channel and an output
channel for the Bluetooth
interface
 Select Digital for both
 Set the Sampling Rate and Bit
Depth appropriately for the device
under test (typically 8 kHz and
16 bit)
 The Max Out value is
automatically set to100% since Figure 9-35: Bluetooth Headset
Digital Output has been selected
9.14.2 System Calibration Configuration

 In the Output Signal Path of the Calibration Editor,
select the ‘BT Headset’ Signal Path from the list
 Set the Output Hardware Channel used for this
Bluetooth interface
 In Output Calibrated Device, select Unity Digital
Out (AES17).dat if testing purely digital data
 For µ -law: Select “Virtual Code-Out (u Law).dat”
which has a sensitivity of 1.578 V/FS (0.775/0.491 =
1.578)
 For A-law: Set the Output Calibration Sensitivity to
1.573 V/FS (0.775/0.4927 = 1.573)
 If using either codec, set the Output Calibration
Units dB ref to: 0.775 V (0 dBm0)
 In the end, 0 dB = 0.775 “Volts“. The saturation
point for µ-law is +3.17 dB above this level. For A-
law it is +3.14 dB.
 Anything above saturation (1 FS) is distortion Figure 9-36: Calibration Bluetooth
 You can also use vV (virtual Volt) as an output Headset
calibration unit

Instruction Manual
10 Units
10.1 Units Overview

SoundCheck® 20.0 is set up to provide you with a great deal of flexibility regarding measurement units. Units
can be defined in five different places. The Calibration Editor, Analysis Editor, Post-processing Editor, Display
Editor, and Message Editor allow you to make changes to the units of the curves, single values and results
generated by the sequence.
SI Units are used throughout SoundCheck 20.0. For more explanation on SI Units please refer toSI Units on
page 59.
10.1.1 Calibration Editor

The Units button in the Calibration Editor will set the units
for only the Signal Generator, Multimeter, FFT, and Real
Time Analyzer (RTA) virtual instruments. In the example
below, the microphone that is connected to the Left Signal
Path has a sensitivity of 14 mV (0.014 Volts) per Pascal. By
clicking Units, you can choose the units for the decibel
reference. In Figure 10-1 the reference has been chosen to
be 20 µPa. This enables the Multimeter to display the
measurement in both dB re 20 µPa and absolute units
(Pascals).
Figure 10-1: Input Signal Path Units Affect

Units of Virtual Instruments
In Figure 10-2, we switch the
Signal Path to Accelerometer
which has a decibel reference of
dB re 1 m/s^2.
The Multimeter will now read out in
dB re 1 m/s^2.
The virtual instruments adopt the
unit of the selected channel.
Any changes made to the units in
the Calibration Editor will change
the units that are displayed in the
virtual instruments.
Figure 10-2: Virtual Instrument Units
SoundCheck® 20.0 Units 115

Instruction Manual
Several common dB references are already pre-programmed in SoundCheck.
dB SPL Re 20 μPa
dB Pa Re 1 Pa
dB V Re 1 Volt
dB m Re 1 mWatt
dB u Re 0.775 V (600 Ohm load)
dB FS Re 1 FS
dB m/s^2 Re 1 m/s2
dB N Re 1 N
Figure 10-3: Common Decibel
References dB g Re 1 g
Note: The Use Custom Units check box is available in the following editors: Analysis, Post-Processing,
User Equation and Memory List. If the box is left unchecked, the units from the Input and Output
Calibration editors will be used. If the Analysis-Response Measurement is set to Absolute, the
units will be that of the Input in the Calibration Configuration. If it is set to Relative then the units
will be the Input Units over the Output Units. Please refer toDefining the Units on page 96 for
more information on Physical Units.
Note: When Use Custom Units is checked, the units can be modified to be any type desired.
10.2 Analysis Editor

The Analysis Editor enables you to
process measured time signals using
a variety of analysis algorithms. The
curves and single values created by
this step will use the units indicated in
the Units tab. The units selected
here apply to the DUT response and
typically agree with the units selected
for your input and output devices in
the System Calibration Configuration.
For more details on how to use this
editor, please refer to Analysis Editor
on page 157.
The Units button in the Analysis
Editor will set the units for the data
generated by that particular Analysis
Step (e.g., frequency response).
In the example in Figure 10-4 the Figure 10-4: Analysis Editor Units
units were changed from electrical
voltage decibels (dB V) to electrical power decibels (dBm) by choosing “dBm” from the drop-down list.
The corresponding data display will show the measured curves in dBm (dB re 1 mW).
116 Units SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
10.3 Display Editor – Memory List
Use the Display Editor to format the presentation of data on the screen using six types of display windows.
Refer toDisplay Editing on page 362.
Typically the units for the curves and single values are
set up in the Analysis Editor. However, the units can be
temporarily modified if a curve needs to be rescaled, for
example by changing the decibel reference. These
changes will disappear when the sequence is run
again, unless the curve or value with the new units is
protected in the Memory List. Refer to Display Editing
on page 362 for more information on Protected Items.
Figure 10-5: Memory List Units
In Figure 10-5, the units of the y-axis for the curve Harmonic 10 are modified in the Display Editor. To do this,
open the Memory List and choose a curve or single value with values in the y-axis. Note that only one curve
can be selected in the current tab of the Memory List. The Units Setup window will then appear and user-
defined units can be entered once the Use Custom Units box has been checked. These new units are only
valid while the display is open. Once the test sequence is run again, the units for the measured data will revert
back to the units defined in the Analysis Editor.
10.4 Post-Processing Editor

By clicking Units in the Post-Processing Editor, the Units Setup screen
appears. The default units in this editor are that of Operand A, as
modified by the post-processing operation. In this example, the units of
Operand A are dBm re 1.00 mW. Since the operation being performed
is Reciprocal Value, the new units will be dB re 1.00 x 103 Watts since
this is the reciprocal of 1 mW. This unit can be changed by clicking Use
custom units in the Units Setup window. The post-processed result
will then be displayed in these user-defined units.
Each mode of the Post-Processing Editor has a Units button located
as in Figure 10-6, except the User Equation. In the User Equation
mode, you must designate the units of the equation results on the right
of the editor, and set the units for any User Defined Constants created
on the left side of the Editor. Units cannot be changed on curves or Figure 10-6: Post-Processing
single values created by other steps in the sequence. Units
SoundCheck® 20.0 Units 117

Instruction Manual
The units can also be changed in the User Equation Post
Processing step. After selecting an Input Curve or Value, and then
filling in the other associated fields, click on the “Select Unit” field
to open the Units Setup window.
Figure 10-7: Equation Editor Units
10.5 Message Step Editor

The Units button becomes available when
the Message Step is set to ask the Operator
for a numerical value during the sequence.
The Units Setup screen appears when this
button is clicked. There are no units for this
value by default.
Figure 10-8: Message Editor Units
118 Units SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
11 Stimulus Editor
The Stimulus Step generates a waveform which

is added to the Waveforms tab of the Memory
List. Only one waveform can be created by a
Stimulus Step. You have to select a Signal Path
for a calibrated output device. Doing this applies
units to the Stimulus Step so the output level can
be set in the proper units and level.
The Stimulus Step does not actually play the
stimulus. It simply creates the waveform which
can be used by an Acquisition Step. You do have
the option to Play the stimulus signal from the
editor in order to preview and test the signal.
11.1 Sweep Equalization for

Minimized Transients
In stepped sine, amplitude and frequency
sweeps, selecting equalization also enables a Figure 11-1: Stimulus Editor
smooth transition between steps. These smooth
transitions minimize the transient response in the device under test. This results in shorter test times, and is
particularly useful for microphone testing where a source speaker needs to be equalized. Select “Apply EQ” in
a Stimulus Step.
See Sweep Equalization for Minimized Transients on page 126.
11.2 Frequency Stepped Sweep (Stweep™) Excitation Signal Parameters

The Stweep stimulus offers faster and more accurate measurements.
Typically a digitally generated stepped-sine excitation will contain discontinuities because the frequencies do
not change at a zero phase and amplitude crossing. By using an integer number of cycles at each frequency
step, the STWEEP ensures that transition from frequency to frequency is always smooth. This ensures
significantly less transducer settling time and results in faster and more accurate measurements.
11.2.1 Sweeping Hi Frequency to Low Frequency

The default sweep direction of Stimulus Steps using Frequency Stepped Sweep is from Hi to Low.
A device's fundamental frequency response should not change with frequency sweep direction or test signal
since it is a linear approximation. Since loudspeakers are inherently non-linear, extra care should be taken in
getting a reliable and repeatable linear response, e.g., the fundamental.
The non-linear response, e.g., distortion, is a different matter and is even more affected by how the test signal
is applied. The goal is to get the loudspeaker in a stable state before measuring it in order to get repeatable
results.
When sweeping from low to high frequencies, the loudspeaker sees a burst of energy at the first low frequency
and can continue ringing throughout the measurement before reaching a stable state. When sweeping from
high to low frequencies, the first high frequency has very little energy compared to a low frequency. It reaches
stability faster and consequently there is less chance for the loudspeaker to ring throughout the measurement.
The other advantage to sweeping from high to low frequencies has to do with system delays but that should not
matter when testing a simple loudspeaker driver without any electronics.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Stimulus Editor 119

Instruction Manual
11.3 Stimulus Settings
The following uses a stepped sine sweep
(Stweep™) as an example. Some Stimulus
Types will require different settings.
To view and change the Stimulus step settings,
select Stimulus from the Setup drop-down list
on the SoundCheck Main Screen or double click
the Stimulus Step in the Sequence Editor.
The Stimulus Editor will appear indicating the
current test signal settings for the selected step.
11.3.1 Sampling Rate

Sampling rates are no longer limited to using the
sample rate specified in the Hardware Editor.
Select a supported sampling rate in the Figure 11-2: Stimulus Settings
Sampling Rate field.
This is especially helpful when playing WAV files as the Stimulus Editor no longer requires that you specify the
sample rate.
Available sample rates for the selected Signal Path are listed in the Sampling Rate drop-down list as shown in
Figure 11-2.
11.3.2 WAV Sample Rate
11.3.3 When a WAV file is selected, the sample

rate of the WAV file automatically sets the
sample rate of the Hardware Channel
associated with the selected Signal Path. As
long as the audio interface supports the sample
rate of the selected WAV file, the WAV file will
play without having to open the Hardware
Editor.
The Sampling Rate field is grayed out when
WAV is selected as the Stimulus Type.
All available sample rates for the audio
interface, up to 192 kHz, are displayed in the
drop-down list.
The Hardware Editor channels for the selected
Signal Path will change to the selected sample
rate automatically.
Figure 11-3: WAV File Stimulus
Example: In Figure 11-3, a WAV file with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz is selected in the Stimulus Editor but the
associated hardware channel has a sample rate of 96 kHz. The sample rate of the hardware channel will
automatically change to allow playback of the WAV file.
120 Stimulus Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
11.4 Right-click Functions
Right-click the fields for Level, Start Frequency and Stop Frequency to select Memory List Selection or User
Input.
The Memory List item must be created or added to the Memory List before the Stimulus Step occurs in the
order of steps in the sequence.
When setting the units for the stimulus, remember to set the units in the Message Step that
is used to generate the Memory List item. See “Numeric Message” on page 312.
Important! When selecting “Memory List Selection“ in the Stimulus

Editor, the sequence must be configured to NOT Preload the
Stimulus. In the Sequence Editor select Sequence from the
drop-down list and select Configure Sequence. Uncheck
“Preload Stimulus“.
11.4.1 Level
This allows you to set the stimulus level dynamically during the sequence
execution. Examples: The default sequence, “Headphones”, shows an example
of how the Level is entered through a Message Step at the start of the
sequence. The Speaker Equalization sequence also shows how the level is Figure 11-4: Right-click
determined through Post Processing. Level
11.4.2 Start and Stop Frequencies from Memory List Values

Right-click the Start or Stop Frequency fields and select Memory
List Selection as shown in Figure 11-5.
Stimulus frequencies can be entered from a prompt in the
sequence, automatically generated, or even automatically
incremented. This is particularly useful when you need to use a
different test frequency range for each test run. You can also
automatically increment the stimulus frequency and perform
sequential measurements at different frequencies, e.g., testing
Max SPL.
Figure 11-5: Memory List Selection
Important! Select the Y axis in the Stimulus Editor for Start/Stop Frequency values. The
Index generated by Step Configuration is always a Y axis value. See Index (Loop
Index) on page 477 for more on setting this in Step Configuration.

Instruction Manual
11.5 Stimulus Step Controls
11.5.1 Stimulus Type

Select the type of stimulus the step will use from the drop-down list. Note that DC Connect stimulus
can only be created using Listen's DC Connect™ interface.
 Stepped-sine Frequency sweep (Stweep™) – A stepped-sine sweep using an

integer number of cycles at each frequency step, ensuring a smooth transition from
frequency to frequency. This ensures significantly less transducer settling time and
results in faster and more accurate measurements.
 Frequency Log Sweep - An optional continuous log sine sweep used for simulated free-field
measurements
 Log Amplitude Sweep - At a single frequency. As of SoundCheck 8, the Log Sweep can use a faster
sweep rate, e.g., 100 ms/decade, which dramatically decreases the measurement time.
 WAV file - Allows playback of a Windows audio Stimulus Editor

file, user selectable
Note: The WAV file must have the same

sample rate as the System Hardware
configuration. See Figure 11-6. See
WAV File Types on page 359 for
supported WAV file types.
Hardware Editor
Figure 11-6: WAV file sample rate
 When opening a multichannel WAV file, each
WAV file channel is numbered and selected
from the WAV Channel drop-down list
Figure 11-7: Multichannel WAV Files

Instruction Manual
 DC Connect – Allows SoundCheck® to control DC Connect™ for making DC voltage/current
measurements (requires DC Connect™ optional hardware). Multiple DC Connects are not supported in
the Stimulus Editor. See Using Multiple DC Connects in the latest DC Connect manual.
 Two Tone – Two simultaneous stimuli to use for IM and Difference distortion measurements
 Noise – Featuring Pink and White Noise, with scalable Duration (s) and Band limits: Fmin and Fmax.
MLS (Maximum Length Sequence) noise - equalized and band limited in the same way as white noise.
SoundCheck includes MLS stimulus to enable direct comparison with other measurement systems.
 Multitone – An ensemble of tones regularly spaced in frequency. The amplitudes are equal. The
phases follow a deterministic mathematical law and are optimized to lower the crest-factor. An example
of the step setup is shown in Figure 11-39: Multitone Stimulus - Frequency Rounding.
 Memory List Selection - (Right-click Function) Allows the Level and Start/Stop Frequencies to be
read from Memory List values. See Right-click Functions on page 121.
11.5.2 Step Progression
Resolution
Determines the number of measurable frequencies, including the start and stop frequency.
 Sweep Low to Hi, Hi to Low or Single
Frequency
 You can choose standard ISO frequency
steps such as R10, which corresponds to
preferred 1/3 octave center frequency
steps, or choose User Defined linear or
log step sizes.
 Steps (#) - Shows the number of
steps according to the selected
resolution. If User Defined is
selected, the number of steps is
manually set in this field. The
number of steps will determine how
many unique frequencies are
generated.
See Step Size below.
Figure 11-8: Step Progression

Start Frequency
First excitation frequency in the Stweep.
Generally it is best to set this to the highest frequency you want to measure, so that the measurement sweeps
from high to low frequency in order to minimize transducer settling time (low frequencies have more energy
than high frequencies).
Stop Frequency
Last excitation frequency in the Stweep. Generally it is best to set this to the lowest frequency you want to
measure, so that the measurement sweeps from high to low frequency in order to minimize transducer settling
time.

Instruction Manual
11.5.3 Step Size
Min Cycles (#) & Min Duration (s)

To ensure proper measurement accuracy, each sine step must have a minimum number of cycles AND a
minimum duration. To properly measure the level of a sine, you need at least three (3) cycles. In the presence
of background noise, it is likely more cycles will be required. Because of noise, settling time and input-output
delay, you also need a minimum duration to achieve a precise measurement.
In regard to noise only, the S/N ratio measurement increases by three (3) dB each time the duration is doubled.
The Stweep algorithm ensures that each step has a duration that is greater than the Min Duration AND
contains an integer number of sine cycles that is at least equal to Min Cycles.
As the Stweep covers the specified range of frequencies, each step has a number of cycles equal to Min
Cycles in frequencies below the transition frequency, and a duration equal to Min Duration in frequencies above
the transition frequency. By adjusting these two parameters, it is possible to optimize the total duration of your
Stweep as well as the measurement accuracy.
 Min Cycles – Minimum number of cycles of sine at each step (See Figure 11-8)
 Min Duration – Minimum Dwell time or the minimum time in seconds at each step
Note: Stimulus steps using the Stweep excitation from SC4.x and SC5.x will have a Min Duration
value of zero (0) s.
 Transition - The frequency at which the Minimum Duration exactly matches the Minimum Cycles as
selected in the editor. Below that frequency the Min Cycles condition is applied. Above that frequency
the Min Duration condition is applied.
 Example: If a Stweep of 20k to 20 Hz is set to have eight (8) Cycles minimum per step and 10 mSec
minimum duration, then the transition frequency will be 800 Hz. Below 800 Hz, all steps will be eight (8)
cycles long and above 800 Hz all steps will be 10 ms long. If you do the math, at 20 Hz, eight cycles will
require 400 ms and at 20 kHz, 10 ms contains 200 cycles.
User Defined Stimulus Frequency Points

The following formula are used to determine the number of
frequency points in a User Defined Stimulus.
For example, a step size of one (1) allows only one frequency
(the stop frequency) to be entered. In Figure 11-9, a 100-cycle,
1 kHz tone has been generated.
Figure 11-9: User Defined Step size
Log Formula Linear Formula

n
-----------------
n
 f stop  – 1 N f n = f start + ( f stop – f start ) -------------
f n = f start  ------------- N–1
 f start
Where:
 N is the number of steps and n is the frequency index from 0 to N-1

Instruction Manual
11.5.4 Level
Enter the correct test level in either dB or linear units. The output level and units
are influenced by the output calibration sensitivity and units. The level set in the
Stimulus Editor is the RMS (root mean square) value at the terminals of the device
under test (e.g., if an amplifier is powering a loudspeaker and its gain has been
entered in the output calibration sensitivity field, the output level in the Stimulus
Editor will be the output level coming out of the amplifier).
 Define the output level in linear or dB units based on the selected Output
Signal Path Figure 11-10: Level
 Select User Input, Memory List Selection or Copy/Paste Data
 Copy/Paste Data is used to copy the value for use in another step
Duration (s)
Shows the total duration in seconds required to
complete the playback of the stimulus. This field is
updated after clicking on the Update or Play Figure 11-11: Buttons and Lower Fields
buttons.
This calculated time is dependent on the test parameters selected in the Stimulus Editor (for example, step size
and cycles (#); this does not include system overhead time for data and display processing). See Figure 11-11.
Custom Stimulus Name

Names the stimulus waveform created in the Memory List. This item is selected in the Acquisition and Analysis
Steps.
Apply EQ
As of SoundCheck 16, Apply EQ also features “Sweep Equalization for Minimized Transients”.
See Sweep Equalization for Minimized Transients on page 126.
When checked, this applies the EQ curve to the Stimulus Signal for the Output Signal Path that the Stimulus is
played out of. See Figure 11-11.
 If you click Play, it will use the EQ curve for the Output Signal Path selected in the Output Path section.
 When the sequence is run, it will use the EQ curve for the Output Signal Path selected in the
Acquisition Step.
The EQ curve is a correction for the response of the Output Signal Path device selected in the System
Calibration Configuration. This curve is created in the Calibration process for each Output Signal Path. The
curve is always present, even though it may be a Flat Curve.
(The curve can also be imported. See Copy From Memory List - Output on page 93.)
Important! A complete calibration of the Output Signal Path must be run in order to store an EQ
curve.
Important! Equalization curves are applied, no matter what is selected in the Output Calibration
Sequence field of the System Calibration Configuration, e.g., Amplifier Calibration,
Speaker Equalization, etc. The “Apply EQ” selection must be checked in the Stimulus
Step, Signal Generator VI or “Acquisition Step using Generator” in order to utilize this
function. See “Calibration Configuration” on page 85.

Instruction Manual
11.5.5 Sweep Equalization for Minimized
Transients
In stepped sine, amplitude and frequency sweeps, selecting
equalization will also enable a smooth transition between
steps. These “smooth transitions” minimize the transient
response in the device under test. This results in shorter test
times, and is particularly useful for microphone testing where
a source speaker needs to be equalized.
Select “Apply EQ” in a Stimulus Step.
The example SoundMap 3D plots show the difference
between a sine sweep without Sweep Equalization compared
to the same stimulus with “Apply EQ” on. Figure 11-12: Without Sweep Equalization
The ringing circled in Figure 11-12 is not present in Figure

11-13.
Advanced View
Used to show or hide advanced settings
Figure 11-13: With Sweep Equalization
Output Path
This allows you to select the Output Signal Path for this Stimulus Step.
This determines the Units of the Level field, the max/min frequencies for Frequency Range and the amplitude
range of the stimulus.
Any Output Signal Path defined in the System Calibration Configuration can be selected as the Output Signal
Path for the stimulus.
Note: As of SoundCheck 8, a separate Stimulus Step is required for each Output Signal Path “with a
unique Calibrated Device” used in the sequence. Using this method, each Stimulus Step will
conform to the settings of that Channel in the System Calibration Configuration. To create signals
on multiple channels, multiple Stimulus Steps are used, each one referencing a different Output
Signal Path. A single Acquisition Step is used to start the multiple stimulus signals.
Important! When multiple output devices use Unity Gain, a single Stimulus Step can be
used.

Instruction Manual
The Acquisition Step will determine
which channel the Stimulus is
played out of when the sequence
runs.
Multiple channels can be selected
and the same stimulus can be used
for those channels.
The Play button in the Stimulus
Editor uses the Output Path speci-
fied in the Stimulus Editor.
Figure 11-14: Output Path
View Table
Used to create and modify Compound Stimulus, e.g., 1/12th oct High with 1/3rd oct Low in a single sweep
See Signal Parameters for Amplitude Sweep Excitation on page 134 and Compound Stimulus - WAV File
With Trigger Tone on page 131.
Play
Plays the stimulus that is present in the Stimulus Editor to the
Output Signal Path selected in the Output Path section. This allows
you to hear the signal from the editor, without having to run the entire
sequence.
Update
Click to update the stimulus display after making changes
Load
Loads the settings from a previously saved Stimulus Step
Figure 11-15: Channel Selection
Revert
Discards any changes made to the Stimulus Editor since the last time it was saved
Save As
Allows you to save the Stimulus Step to the Steps library
OK
Accept changes and closes the Stimulus Editor. Save the sequence to save the changes to disk.
Cancel
Closes the editor and discards all changes made since the last save

Instruction Manual
11.6 Analyze Yes/No Option
The 'Analyze' option in the Stimulus Editor allows you to choose whether or not segments of a compound
stimulus will be analyzed or ignored by an Analysis Step. This feature is particularly useful for testing that
requires a Conditioning Tone, Voice Activation or Trigger Tone.
11.6.1 Rules - Compound Stimulus

When creating a compound stimulus it is important to note the following rules.
1. The Stimulus Type used must be suitable for the type of Analysis applied. Please see Algorithm
Application Overview on page 159 for information on what type of stimulus to use with each analysis
type.
2. Like stimulus types can be chained together and these segments set to “Analyze - Yes”. In this case,
each segment will be analyzed.
3. Any number of unlike segments set to “Analyze - No” that occur before the first “Analyze - Yes”
segment is allowed.
4. When using different stimulus types, only the first stimulus segment set to “Analyze - Yes” will be
analyzed. If the second stimulus segment is of a different type than the first segment, it will not be
analyzed. The “Analyze - Yes” setting is ignored.
Example: A sine sweep segment combined with a pink noise segment cannot be analyzed using
HarmonicTrak or Heterodyne algorithms.
5. Gaps of silence set to “Analyze - No” that occur after the first segment set to “Analyze - Yes” will end
the analysis chain. No segments after this will be analyzed.
11.6.2 Chirp Trigger Example

The Triggered Record – Chirp Trigger function
in SoundCheck allows you to test the output of
devices without analog inputs such as smart
speakers, wearables, smart home devices,
tablets and cellphones.
The Compound Stimulus Step shown in Figure
11-16 is used in the example sequence.
1. The first segment of the stimulus is the
Trigger Tone or “Chirp” set to “Analyze
- No”
2. The second segment is the test signal 1

set to “Analyze - Yes” 2
The Stimulus Step Analyze Yes/No setting will

tell the subsequent Analysis Step to process
only the test signal and ignore the trigger tone.
A stimulus WAV file is created in SoundCheck
and transferred to the device under test, where Figure 11-16: Chirp Trigger Compound Stimulus
it is played back and the response recorded in
SoundCheck as if the stimulus were played
directly from SoundCheck. The Acquisition step is triggered by the chirp in the stimulus file.
For more information, download the sequence from our website:
http://content.listeninc.com/triggered_record_chirp

Instruction Manual
11.7 Compound Stimulus - Stweep Optimized
Combinations of different Stweep resolutions can be created using the View Table function of the Stimulus
Editor. Each line in the stimulus can have its own Cycles (#), Level, Start/Stop Frequency, etc. This allows you
to create a variety of stimuli that can accentuate the DUT’s linear and non-linear characteristics.
In this case, we will use the default Stimulus Step
“Stweep - 12th&3rd Oct” as shown in Figure 11-17.
If the stimulus was in a single resolution of R40 the
duration would be 2.58 seconds. Instead, this optimized
stimulus has a duration of approx. 1.46 seconds.
Table Buttons
 Edit: Each line can be edited separately
 Insert: Add new lines to the table
 Move Up/Move Down: Any line can be moved
independently
Double click on a line to edit or
 Highlight a line and click Edit or double click on highlight the line and click edit
a line to open the Line Editor window. Figure
11-18 shows how the Line Editor in Table Mode
allows editing of each line.
 Click Update to show the changes in the Figure 11-17: Stweep - 12th&3rd Oct
graphic display and to see the new duration.
Stimulus Line 1:
 Resolution: R40
 Start: 20k Hz
 Stop: 300 Hz
 Min Cycles: 6
 Min Duration: 10m
Stimulus Line 2:
 Resolution: R10
 Start: 250 Hz
 Stop: 50 Hz
 Min Cycles: 8
 Min Duration: 10m
Both lines are set to Analyze and the Level is Figure 11-18: Table Editing
100mV.
Note: Use “Memory List Selection” for the Level values in a Compound Stimulus so that editing the
level is easier. You only need to set the level once, at the start of the sequence. A Message Step
creates the value “Level” in the Memory List, which is then used in the Stimulus Step. This
Message Step must occur before any Stimulus Step that uses the Memory List value it creates.
The Message Step does not need to be set to “Display Step when run” in Step Configuration.

Instruction Manual
11.7.1 ISO Frequency Points
Each Start Frequency must be at the next ISO frequency point, for
that resolution, following the stop frequency of the previous step.
Example:
The Line 1 Stweep ends at 300 Hz. Line 2, with a resolution
of R10, must start at 250 Hz.
Stimulus Line 1
Stimulus Line 2
Figure 11-19: ISO Frequency

Points
You can easily find the appropriate start frequency:
Click the
 Enter the stop frequency from the previous step, 300 Hz, and down
click Enter. The frequency automatically jumps up to the nearest arrow
frequency point, 315 Hz.
 Click on the down arrow next to the field and value will switch to
the next available ISO point that is below 300 Hz (250 Hz).
 This prevents an overlap of frequencies between the two lines of
stimulus.
A complete ISO frequency chart for all available resolutions can be found in Windows Keyboard Shortcuts on
page 611.

Instruction Manual
11.8 Compound Stimulus - WAV File With Trigger Tone
In this example a 1 kHz Trigger Tone is added to
a WAV file.
11.8.1 Step 1
Start with a Stimulus Step set to play a WAV file.
Figure 11-20 shows the initial step. The table is
not visible since there is only one stimulus.
 Click View Table
Figure 11-20: WAV Stimulus
 Click Insert and the Add Stimulus

window will open
 Enter the stimulus parameters for
the new line as shown in Figure
11-21
Level: 84 dB
Analyze: Unchecked
Resolution: R10
Start Frequency: 1 kHz
(Automatically “grayed out” when
Stop Frequency is the same)
Stop Frequency: 1 kHz
Min Cycles: 1
Min Duration: 500 mSec
Analyze: Unchecked
Analyze must not be selected so that only
the recorded response of the WAV file is
analyzed. Figure 11-21: Insert Frequency Sweep
See Analyze Yes/No Option on page 128.
 Click OK to close the line editor

Instruction Manual
11.8.2 Step 3
 Click Update to show the actual
Duration of the stimulus and to update
the waveform view
Figure 11-22: Compound Stimulus
Note: Use “Memory List Selection” for the Level values in a Compound Stimulus so that editing the
level is easier. You only need to set the level once, at the start of the sequence. A Message Step
creates the value “Level” in the Memory List, which is then used in the Stimulus Step. This
Message Step must occur before any Stimulus Step that uses the Memory List value it creates.
The Message Step does not need to be set to “Display Step when run” in Step Configuration.

Instruction Manual
11.9 Silence
The Silence Step inserts a user-defined zero-amplitude
signal before or between active signal levels of a
compound Stimulus Step. This is used to synchronize
two or more signals in a Stimulus Step based on
measured delays in the device under test.
The duration can be set from a Memory List value. A
previous sequence measurement can be used to
determine the duration of silent padding. Figure 11-23
shows that the step creates a waveform named Silence.
 Inserts silence (digital 0s) for a specified duration
 Use a Memory List Value or user-defined value
Silence Stimulus is not the same as a delay because
Play & Record is engaged.
Figure 11-23: Silence
11.10 Memory List Waveform

As of SoundCheck 20 the Stimulus Editor can create a
stimulus from any waveform in the Memory List and
equalize and adjust its level, for example using active
speech level. This enables such adjustments to be made
to externally acquired test signals, such as those
imported into SoundCheck via TCP/IP or Recall Steps.
This is particularly useful for smart device certification
testing.
This can be used with the Silence Stimulus option to
construct a stimulus waveform with variable silence
padding prior to the start of the desired stimulus signal.
Figure 11-24 shows how the Silence from Figure 11-23
is combined with a second waveform to create the
Compound Stimulus.
Figure 11-24: Memory List Waveform

Instruction Manual
11.11 Signal Parameters for Amplitude Sweep Excitation
11.11.1 Frequency
Enter the frequency you want to sweep in
amplitude. You can only choose a single
frequency here. You can also select a value
from the Memory List, as long as it contains an
X value.
11.11.2 Start Level & Stop Level

Choose the amplitude level, either in linear or
dB units. (Memory List selection is not
available.)
11.11.3 Cycles (#)

Choose the number of cycles of the selected
frequency for each step.
11.11.4 Steps # Figure 11-25: Amplitude Sweep

The number of steps is the total number of
equal level increments needed to go from Start Level to Stop Level. The progression is done in dB.
The Start Level counts for one step. Then, the step size (in dB) is given by:
(Stop Level dB – Start Level dB)/(# of Steps -1).
TIP: To increase the level in integer increments, (e.g., 1 dB steps), enter the Start and Stop levels and
select the proper unit (dB). Increment the value in the Steps field until the value in the Step Size
field is 1. By putting the cursor to the right of the Steps Value, you can use the Up/Down arrow
keys of the keyboard to quickly scroll to the desired value.

Instruction Manual
11.12 WAV File Excitation
SoundCheck can load any stereo or mono WAV file to be used as an excitation signal. See System
Requirements on page 1 for information regarding large WAV files and computer memory. See WAV File
Types on page 359 for more information on supported WAV file types.
Important! The sampling rate of the WAV file must match the sampling rate of the System
Hardware configuration.
The Stimulus Step creates a signal for only one channel at a time. To output a stereo WAV file with a different
signal on each channel, you need to use two Stimulus Steps with the proper channel assignment; one Stimulus
Step plays the left channel of the WAV file, the other plays the right. You also need to assign them to two
appropriate channels in the Acquisition Editor.
You need to play a WAV using the Stimulus Step if you want to capture the Time Record of the WAV as a test
signal in the Acquisition Editor later in the sequence. In Figure 11-26, WAV File is selected as the Stimulus
Type. The Duration refers to the actual length of the WAV file. In this case, an 11 second sample of artificial
speech is displayed.
Note: Using the WAV File option in the Stimulus Editor limits you to the Broadband or Spectrum
Algorithms in the Analysis Editor.
11.12.1 Level
The Output Level field allows you to set the playback level of the WAV file. The level is set in physical units. The
output units will vary depending on the output units of the System Calibration Configuration. For example, if
using an artificial mouth or anechoic test box the output level will be Pa rms. For an amplifier or direct output
the level will be V rms.
The output level will be the actual level out of the
calibrated output transducer or device. This
requires an accurate calibration of the output
signal chain. (See Calibration Configuration on
page 85 for instructions on output calibration.)
The drop-down list next to the Level field has the
following selections:
 RMS level (Pa rms, V rms)
 dB level
 Peak level
Memory List Selection

This option gets the WAV playback level
from a Memory List value.
Figure 11-26: P50 Artificial Speech

Instruction Manual
11.12.2 WAV Info
This section shows the properties of the selected WAV file. These values are for reference only, they cannot be
changed.
 Peak: The maximum absolute value of the file (in dB FS, or %FS).
 RMS: The RMS value of the entire wave file (in dB FS, or %FS).
 WAV format: Stereo/mono, sampling rate, bit depth.
 Time: Total duration of the wave file in mm:ss.ms.
 WAV file Channel: Allows you to choose the left or right side of a Stereo WAV file.
11.12.3 Apply EQ
This allows you to create an Equalized version of the WAV file. Refer to Equalize a WAV file (Requires
optional module 2013 - EQ a Wav File) on page 494 for more information.
When checked, this applies the EQ curve to the WAV file for the Output Signal Path that the Stimulus is played
out of.
 If you click Play, it will use the EQ curve for the Output Signal Path selected in the Output Path section.
 When the sequence is run, it will use the EQ curve for the Output Signal Path selected in the
Acquisition Step.
The EQ curve is a correction for the response of the Output Signal Path device selected in the System
Calibration Configuration. This curve is created in the Calibration process for each Output Signal Path. The
curve is always present, even though it may be a Flat Curve. (The curve can also be imported. See Copy From
Memory List - Output on page 93.)
Important! A complete calibration of the Output Signal Path must be run in order to store
an EQ curve.
Important! Equalization curves are applied, no matter what is selected in the Output
Calibration Sequence field of the System Calibration Configuration, e.g.,
Amplifier Calibration, Speaker Equalization, etc. The “Apply EQ” selection
must be checked in the Stimulus Step, Signal Generator VI or “Acquisition
Step using Generator” in order to utilize this function. See “Calibration
Configuration” on page 85.
More information on the use of WAV files in SoundCheck can be found in: WAV File playback on page 493
and WAV File Types on page 359.

Instruction Manual
11.13 DC Connect
Multiple DC Connects are not supported in the Stimulus Editor. See Using Multiple DC Connects in the latest
DC Connect manual.
11.13.1 Control Method: USB

This method is used to produce a steady voltage
or current output from DC Connect.
The Stimulus Step in Figure 11-27 will send the
following settings to the DC Connect™ device
assigned to this channel:
 Control Method = USB
 Source Type = Voltage
 Polarity = Positive
 Max Current = 30mA range
 Level = 100mV
Figure 11-27: DC Connect USB Control
11.13.2 Preload Stimulus

 If your Sequence Configuration is set to Preload Stimulus (which is a default setting), the first
Stimulus Step of this type will run when the sequence is loaded, and the DC Connect LEDs will show
all the settings designated in the fields noted above before the sequence runs.
 If Preload Stimulus is not selected, you will see the LEDs on the front panel of the DC Connect light
up to match the fields noted above when the Stimulus Step runs.
Important! Preload Stimulus in Sequence Configuration will make DC Connect

operational even if the sequence Start button has not been clicked. For
example, if DC Connect is set to provide 9 VDC to power the DUT, the 9 V will
be applied to the DUT once the sequence is loaded into memory. This will take
place BEFORE you click Start.
Use the Level field to set the output voltage source or current source level. That level will be output when the
Stimulus Step runs, which again, may be when the sequence is loaded. If Source Type is set to voltage, the
Level unit is V (volts). If the Source Type is set to current, the Level unit is mA (milliamps).
Important! DC Connect levels and settings cannot be changed with subsequent Stimulus
Steps when Preload Stimulus is selected. DC Connect will use the settings of
the first Stimulus Step until a new sequence is loaded. Subsequent Stimulus
Steps will be ignored.

Instruction Manual
11.13.3 DC Output - rate of change
When controlling DC Connect via USB with SoundCheck, the maximum source level stepping rate is about 5
steps per second. When controlling the source level with an audio interface (Analog Control), the maximum
stepping rate is 500 steps per second. This means that the Time/Step, as set in the Stimulus Editor, can be as
small as 2 mSec.
Dynamic Control In Sequence

If “Preload Stimulus” is not selected in the Configure Sequence menu, DC Connect will switch to the settings of
each DC Connect Stimulus Step as they occur in the sequence. This can be useful if the output of DC Connect
needs to change during the operation of the sequence.
The example sequence in Figure 11-28, shows a DC Connect stimulus set to output 1.5 VDC when the
sequence is started. After the Broadband RMS Analysis is complete a second DC Connect Stimulus switches
to 0 VDC, shutting the device under test off, until another test is made. The Configure Sequence window for the
overall sequence shows that Preload Stimulus is not checked.
Figure 11-28: DC Connect Voltage Switching in Sequence

Instruction Manual
11.14 Control Method: Analog
Multiple DC Connects are not supported when using DC Connect in Analog Mode. See Using Multiple DC
Connects in the latest DC Connect manual.
This method allows you to have Dynamic control

over the output level of DC Connect. Analog
Control provides a much faster rate of change
than what is available with USB control. See DC
Output - rate of change on page 138.
When the Control Method is set to analog, the

Level field is replaced with the Settings/Sweep
selector. The remaining settings allow for selection
of Source Type, Output Polarity and Maximum
Current. Confirmation of these settings is indicated
by LEDs on the DC Connect front panel.
When Analog Sweep is selected, the controls

allow you to construct a voltage source (or current
source) stepped waveform. Do not use a
compound stimulus as it is not compatible.
Figure 11-29: Analog Sweep Settings
These are the same controls used in the audio log

amplitude sweep stimulus type, and they operate in the same way regarding number of steps, Start and Stop
levels, and the View Table function. Here the units are V or mA. See Signal Parameters for Amplitude Sweep
Excitation on page 134.
Note: Please refer to the DC Connect Instruction Manual for more information on this product. This can
be found on the Listen website; https://support.listeninc.com/hc/en-us/sections/200836954-
Hardware-User-Manuals.

Instruction Manual
11.15 Two Tone Stimulus
When you play two tones in a non-linear system, they interact in such a way that frequencies are present at the
output that were not part of the stimulus. These by-product frequencies are different linear combinations of the
two original frequencies and are called Intermodulation Products. Intermodulation Products are highly
undesirable since they have no harmonic relationship to the original signal.
Types of two-tone stimulus available:
 Intermodulation stimulus: This superimposes a sweeping frequency tone against a fixed frequency
tone. The fixed slave tone is usually a low frequency tone.
For IM distortion, the Stweep Master and
fixed Slave frequencies should be set
according to the equation:
fmin
f min ≥ f slave + 14 ⁄ T
where T= the minimum step duration and
T
fmin is the minimum frequency of the Master
Tone.
Figure 11-30: Two Tone IM Stimulus
This method ensures that there are at least 14 beat cycles in each step and the closest IM products
can be resolved with good accuracy.
For example: If fslave is set to 43.1 Hz and T= 100 ms, then fmin should be set to at least 183 Hz in
order to yield good results. In the Stimulus Editor, pick the closest value available depending on the
resolution of the stimulus. For the example in Figure 11-30, the minimum frequency for a resolution of
R40 is 190 Hz. (Refer to Stweep Table - ISO Stepped-sine Frequencies on page 612.)
As a sanity check, in the Analysis Step, select the stimulus waveform as the “Response Waveform In”.
This allows you to compare it to itself. Apply the analysis and there should be no IM distortion in the
result.
 Difference Frequency stimulus: This consists of two sweeping tones which are separated by a
specified frequency interval. This frequency interval can be a fixed difference or a fixed ratio. Similar to
Intermodulation stimulus, the difference between the two frequencies should be greater than or equal
to 14/T.
11.15.1 Application to Loudspeaker measurements

Intermodulation distortion is useful to detect amplitude and Doppler modulations on high frequencies when a
low frequency signal produces a large excursion of the diaphragm.
Difference Frequency distortion is useful to detect distortion at high frequencies, where single tone harmonic
distortion would fall far out of the frequency range of the loudspeaker or the ear.
For more details on these techniques see: Steve Temme, “Audio Distortion Measurements”, Bruel & Kjaer,
Application Note BO 0385-11.
Note: An example sequence is included in the Default Sequences: C:\SoundCheck

20.0\Sequences\How To examples\IM Distortion.sqc and Diff Distortion.sqc.

Instruction Manual
11.15.2 IM Distortion Master and Slave Tone Settings
Two Tone Stimulus

Type
Master Tone settings
Sweep Type set to IM
Figure 11-31: Stimulus for IM Distortion – Master Tone Settings
Slave Tone
Fixed tone frequency
Level
Set Value or
Use value from
Memory List Option
Figure 11-32: Stimulus for IM Distortion – Slave Tone Settings

Instruction Manual
11.16 Sweep Type - Difference
Set Master Tone

properties
Sweep Type set to

Difference
Figure 11-33: Stimulus for Difference Distortion – Master Tone Settings
Slave Tone
Select Fixed and

set difference
frequency.
Figure 11-34: Stimulus for Difference Distortion – Slave Tone Settings

Instruction Manual
As an alternative
the Slave Tone can
be set to Ratio.
Figure 11-35: Slave Tone Set to Ratios
11.17 Active Speech Level Stimulus Control

(requires Active Speech module p/n 2033)
In telephony standards (IEEE, TIA), speech
stimuli levels are often specified in terms of
Active Speech Level (ASL). In ASL, the pauses
are ignored. This scales the waveform using only
the active speech regions.
 Select WAV and under WAV File Path
select a WAV file or select Memory List
Waveform and select from the Memory
List. See Memory List Waveform on
page 133.
 From the Level drop-down list select
dB RMS as shown in Figure 11-36. This
enables the ASL check box.
 Set the Level of the stimulus
 The Active Speech Module calculates the
ASL of the WAV file rather than its
average level. ASL is calculated Figure 11-36: Active Speech Level
according to P56 Method B.
 The RMS level of the WAV file itself can be shown in dB ASL
 Remember that ASL is a weighting and not a unit

Instruction Manual
11.18 Noise
Pink and White noise stimulus is available with
variable Duration, Band limits (Freq-min and
Freq-max) and control of RMS Level in physical
unit (linear or dB).
 Pink Noise: Noise with a continuous
frequency spectrum and with equal
power per constant percentage
bandwidth. For example, equal power is
any one-third octave band.
 White Noise: Noise with a continuous
frequency spectrum and with equal
power per unit bandwidth. For example,
equal power in any band of 100 Hz width.
 MLS (Maximum Length Sequence): A
special kind of white noise with low crest
factor. Technically it is a square wave
with randomly varied duty cycle.
Therefore, the crest-factor is 1, which is Figure 11-37: Band Limited Pink Noise
only true for full-band MLS (DC to
Nyquist). If the signal is filtered or band-limited, the crest factor may rise up to 4, as with standard white
noise. In SoundCheck the MLS signal is intended to be used as a stimulus for transfer function
measurements (Analysis algorithm = transfer functions). It will yield about the same results as the
standard (Gaussian) White Noise also available in Stimulus. Notably, it is a legacy stimulus made
available in SoundCheck for comparison purposes with other acoustic measurement systems.
The white noise and pink noise used in SoundCheck have a Gaussian amplitude distribution. Theoretically, the
crest-factor is infinite. Of course that doesn't happen in a WAV file. Practically, the expected crest-factor can be
anywhere between 3 and 5. The longer the wave file, the greater the chance of being close to 5.
Figure 11-38: RTA display of Band Limited Pink Noise

Instruction Manual
11.18.1 Multitone
A Multitone is an ensemble of tones that are regularly spaced in frequency. The amplitudes are equal and the
phases follow a deterministic mathematical law so that they are optimized to lower the crest-factor.
 Choice of Fmin, Fmax
 Choice of resolution (frequency spacing): R10 to R80, User Defined Log and User Defined Linear
 Control of Duration (s)
 Control of global RMS or Peak level
Frequency Rounding
An option has been created to align the frequencies of tones in order to round integer values (e.g.multiple of 5).
The Rounding Value chosen in the Stimulus Step must be the same as the Curve Resolution specified in the
Analysis Step Frequency tab. This helps to avoid leakage and makes the multitone analysis more accurate.
The example in Figure 11-39 shows the Stimulus Rounding Value set to 5 Hz with the corresponding Analysis
Step set to 5 Hz Curve Resolution. By doing this, the spacing of the stimulus tones match the FFT spacing in
Analysis.
Figure 11-39: Multitone Stimulus - Frequency

Rounding
The Stimulus Editor has two unique fields for Multitone Stimulus:
 Check-box for Frequency Rounding
 Rounding value control in Hz. Min rounding value= 0.1 Hz. Default= 5 Hz. All frequencies are rounded
to the nearest Rounding Value. Frequencies that are duplicated, as a result of the rounding process,
are deleted.
Multitone is repeatable (Not Random) which is useful for MP3 testing. You can now recreate in memory, a
perfect copy of the multitone stimulus that has been transferred to an MP3 player. By playing the stimulus on
the MP3 player and comparing it to the stimulus in memory, the response of the MP3 player can be analyzed.

Instruction Manual
11.19 Silence
This stimulus type inserts a user-defined zero-
amplitude signal before or between active
signal levels of a compound stimulus step. This
is used to synchronize two or more signals in a
stimulus step based on measured delays in the
device under test.
This stimulus type produces a waveform with
no amplitude. The duration can be set from a
Memory List value. A previous sequence
measurement can be used to determine the
duration of silent padding used before or
between the active signal levels of a Compound
Stimulus Step. This can be used to synchronize
two or more signals in a Stimulus Step based
on measured delays in the device under test.
Figure 11-40 shows that the step creates a
waveform named Silence.
 Inserts silence (digital 0s) for a Figure 11-40: Silence
specified duration
 Use a Memory List Value or user-defined value
Silence Stimulus is not the same as a delay because Play & Record is engaged.
11.20 Memory List Waveform

The Stimulus Editor can now create a stimulus
from any waveform in the Memory List and
equalize and adjust its level, for example using
active speech level. This enables such
adjustments to be made to externally acquired
test signals, such as those imported into
SoundCheck via TCP/IP or recall steps. This is
particularly useful for smart device certification
testing.
Waveforms from the Memory List can be
selected to create a new Stimulus based on a
previous measurement or a recalled waveform.
This can be used with the Silence Stimulus
option to construct a stimulus waveform with
variable silence padding prior to the start of the
desired stimulus signal.
Figure 11-41 shows how the Silence from
Figure 11-40 is combined with a second Figure 11-41: Memory List Waveform
waveform to create the Compound Stimulus.

Instruction Manual
12 Acquisition Editor
12.1 Overview
Acquisition determines how test signals (Stimuli) are played and how measured signals are recorded or
analyzed in a sequence. The flexibility of the Acquisition Step allows measurements to be made in a variety of
ways.
The Acquisition Step establishes:
 The relationship between the Input/Output Signal Paths defined in the System Calibration
Configuration
 The Stimulus that is to be applied on each Output Signal Path
 The resulting Waveform at each Input Signal Path
A simple table interface is used to show the Signal Path names and the Input/Output waveforms.
Select Acquisition (Ctrl + Shift + A) from the Setup drop-down list on the main SoundCheck® menu bar to view
and change the Acquisition Steps in a sequence.
 Table interface for selecting Play and Record Signal Paths
 Multiple Signal Paths are selected by holding down the Control key while clicking on Signal Paths in
the table
 Capability to mix different sampling rates within a measurement, using different output and input
interfaces for each of the different sample rates
 Max FSD - Record level monitoring allows you to optimize the dynamic range of the measurement,
resulting in a better SNR ratio and therefore more accurate measurements
 Multiple Virtual Instruments can be opened simultaneously in the acquisition step for automation.
 Level & Cross-Correlation Trigger - Offers improved performance over “Level & Frequency Trigger”.
Requires optional module 2006 - Time Selective Response.
See Level & Cross-Correlation Trigger (optional module required) on page 153.
 Frequency Trigger - Allows frequency-based triggering of acquisition from an external source using a
trigger tone at the beginning of a test sweep. See Level & Frequency on page 152.
 Listen Hardware Gain - When using Listen hardware, you can automatically adjust the microphone
preamplifier gain in order to optimize the dynamic range of the test
12.1.1 Record Level Monitoring - Max FSD

The Input and Output Max FSD values are added to the Memory List for recorded waveforms. These values
can be used to optimize the signal to noise and to show that the signal is in a “comfortable” operating range;
e.g., not clipping.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Acquisition Editor 147

Instruction Manual
12.1.2 Gain Field
This feature allows those using Listen hardware to automatically adjust the
microphone preamplifier gain in order to optimize the dynamic range of the
test.
 Available for input signal paths only
 Overrides the Startup Default Gain setting
 This can only be selected if Auto Dev / Auto Ch is set for the
selected input signal path in the Calibration Editor
See Listen Hardware - Auto Device / Auto Channel on page
90.
 Click on the Gain field drop-down to select available options
 Auto Read
Reads the gain value from the selected Listen Hardware device
Figure 12-1: Listen Hardware
channel
Gain
 Auto Range
When selected, SoundCheck will monitor the digital headroom of the audio interface (Max FSD) and if
necessary increase or decrease the preamp gain, selecting the optimal setting for maximum signal to
noise ratio. If a change to the gain is made, the acquisition step runs again with the new settings.
 Select Value
You can also select a gain from values available for that Listen Hardware device
148 Acquisition Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
12.2 Play & Record
This used to simultaneously play a stimulus and
record the time response. This mode is typically
used when measuring the frequency response
of a device such as a speaker or microphone.
The Recorded Time Waveform (RTW) is then
used in an Analysis Step, along with the
Stimulus Waveform, to derive the response of
the device under test, e.g., magnitude, phase,
distortion, etc.
Figure 12-2: Play and Record Acquisition Step
12.2.1 Curve Name - Waveform Name

This field allows you to use a custom name for the acquired recorded time waveform. (Not available in all
modes.)
When acquiring a time signal using Record, Play & Record or Oscilloscope virtual instrument mode, the
recorded time waveform will appear in the WFM tab of the Memory List.
Stimulus waveforms and Recorded Time Waveforms can be save to disk in Autosave Steps or manually from
the Memory List WFM tab. Saving as a Waveform allows you to keep the physical units associated with the file.
12.2.2 Signal Path

The Signal Path Name, as seen in the input or output section of the Acquisition Step, is assigned in the System
Calibration Configuration.
The default name, “Recorded Time Waveform”, is used unless a custom name is entered.
When an Play and Record Acquisition Step is added to a sequence, you are prompted to select the Input
Signal Path(s) and Output Signal Path(s). This can also be edited by clicking on the Input/Output Signal Path
buttons. (To select multiple Signal Paths, hold down the Control key while clicking on Signal Paths in the drop-
down list.)
Tip: When appending Long Channels names to Waveform Names it may be a good idea to shorten the
name. RTW is used in place of Recorded Time Waveform in Figure 12-2:.

Instruction Manual
12.2.3 Use Signal Path Name
This allows you to change the name of the recorded
time waveform by appending the Signal Path Name to “Use Signal Path Name”
the Waveform Name. The example in Figure 12-3: Unchecked
shows the original name “Recorded Time Waveform”.
By selecting “Use Signal Path Name“, [Reference Mic] is “Use Signal Path Name“
appended to the waveform name. Checked -
[Reference Mic]
The resulting waveform appears in the Memory List
is appended to the name
WFM Tab.
For more information on the Memory List refer to Figure 12-3: Waveform Name in Memory List
Display Editor and Memory List on page 343.
12.2.4 Stimulus Selection

You can choose the specific stimulus to play for each Output Signal Path.
Any stimulus in memory can be selected. (Only available in Play &
Record mode.)
The stimulus is selected from the drop-down list as shown in Figure 12-
4:.
Note: The sampling rate and the bit depth must be the same for all
inputs and outputs of a specific audio interface.
12.2.5 Time (sec) - Record Mode

Time (sec) specifies the total record time. This is typically used for Open
Loop measurements or when measuring background noise or noise from
the DUT. The minimum Record time is 50 mSeconds.
Figure 12-4: Select Stimulus
See Record Only on page 151.
12.2.6 Record Padding (sec) - Play and Record Mode

This allows you to add extra time to the Record process to capture information beyond the length of the
stimulus. This can be used to compensate for "Time of Flight" when there is a great distance between the mic
and the source. (Especially useful for Telephony measurements where there can be a long delay due to the
signal chain.)
12.2.7 Rules - Bluetooth Latency

 Bluetooth devices typically have a latency of 100 to 300mSec. This needs to be accounted for in the
Acquisition Step Record Padding field.
12.2.8 Record Delay (sec) - Virtual Instrument Mode only

The Record Delay (sec) is the time in seconds before the acquisition of signal starts.
Note: SI units are used throughout SoundCheck. A time of 0.5 seconds will be represented as 500 mSec.

Instruction Manual
12.2.9 Input Signal Path/Output Signal
Path
Input and Output Signal Paths are selected
here. Any signal path that has been set up in the
System Calibration Configuration can be
selected. Refer to Calibration Configuration
on page 85 for more information.
12.2.10 Configure Record / Configure

Generator
Configure Record / Configure Generator is used
to set the properties of the Virtual Instruments
that are selected in the Mode field. (Not
available in all modes.) Refer to Virtual
Instruments on page 485 for more information.
Figure 12-5: Signal Paths
12.3 Mode
Measurements can be made in the following ways:
 Record a time signal from a device under test (DUT).
 Play a stimulus into a DUT and Record a DUT’s time response.
 Use Virtual Instruments such as the Multimeter, Oscilloscope,
Spectrum Analyzer, or Real Time Analyzer (RTA) in a sequence.
(Refer to Virtual Instruments on page 485 for more details.)
 Use the Signal Generator in combination with the Multimeter,
Oscilloscope, Spectrum Analyzer, or RTA.
 Read from DC Connect (Optional hardware required)
The Acquisition Step allows you to combine SoundCheck’s Virtual
Instruments to play test signals and acquire signals for analysis. The
following are the different Acquisition modes available: Figure 12-6: Play and Record
Acquisition Step
12.3.1 Play & Record
Simultaneously play a stimulus and record the time response. This common mode is used when measuring a
device’s response to a test signal and then analyzing its response (e.g., magnitude, phase, distortion) in an
Analysis Step. See Figure 12-6.
12.3.2 Record Only

When the Acquisition Mode is set to Record, Triggering can be used to automatically capture a spectrum when
the signal level crosses the threshold set by the Trigger Level field.
See Triggered Record Parameters on page 152.

Instruction Manual
12.3.3 Triggered Record Parameters
The trigger options are similar to what is available in the Scope FFT Virtual Instrument along with the addition
of selecting Trigger Types.
Mode
Must be set to Record and Triggered must be selected
Time (sec)
This is the total time acquired by the acquisition step AFTER a successful trigger. This time must include the
“Total Length of the stimulus” along with some overhead to ensure that the whole signal is captured.
Input Signal Path

Any active signal path from the Calibration Table can be used
Curve Name
The name for the recorded time waveform that appears in the Memory List waveform tab. Check “Use Signal
Path” to append the path name to the Curve Name, e.g., RTW [Reference Mic].
Trigger Type
Level
 Start acquisition when the signal level at the input goes above the value set in Trigger Level
Level & Frequency

This is very useful for “Open Loop” testing where the device under
test does not have a direct connection to the SoundCheck audio
interface, e.g. testing Smart Speakers and other voice-controlled
devices.
 Frequency Trigger allows frequency-based triggering of
acquisition from an external source using a trigger tone at
the beginning of a test sweep. This allows for improved
accuracy over previous level-based triggering when
capturing responses from a device where you don’t have
direct access to the microphone or speaker.
 First, the step waits for the signal to exceed the Trigger
Level value. The step then looks at 100 mSec of the input
signal to see if a pure sine tone, greater than 200 Hz, is
present. Once these two parameters are satisfied,
acquisition begins.
 The input signal must contain a single sine tone,
above 200 Hz, that is at least 6 dB above the noise Figure 12-7: Triggered Record
floor of the spectrum
 When Auto is selected the step triggers on the first pure tone detected and reports the frequency in the
field, Trigger Freq (Hz). See Figure 12-7. This is also added to the Memory List Values tab and called
“Trig Freq”. This allows you to display the detected frequency. (Only available when Auto is selected.)
 If no sine tone is detected the Trigger Freq field will show “-1”. The Trig Freq value in the Memory
List will be unpopulated (empty circle).
 Uncheck Auto to manually enter the frequency of the expected trigger tone in the field,
Trigger Freq (Hz). This should be +/- 10 Hz of the expected trigger frequency.

Instruction Manual
Level & Cross-Correlation Trigger (optional module required)
The Cross-Correlation Trigger requires a Log Frequency Sweep: optional
module 2006 - Time Selective Response.
 AKA “Chirp Trigger”
 Offers improved performance over Level & Frequency Trigger
 More robust
 Less susceptible to false triggers since it is looking for the
exact ‘chirp’ in the input signal
 Requires Log Frequency Sweep set as "Analyze - No" in the
compound stimulus. This must be elected in the Stimuli field.
Figure 12-8: Level & Cross-

Correlation Trigger
 A log frequency sweep from 1 kHz to
5 kHz with a duration of 50 mSec to
200 mSec is recommended.
 The frequency range of the log frequency
sweep must be in the pass band of the
device under test:
e.g., Testing a subwoofer would require a
lower start and stop frequencies. A longer
Chirp may be required to have enough
cycles for accurate triggering.
Figure 12-9: Compound Stimulus

with ‘Chirp’

Instruction Manual
Signal Path
This is the signal path used for triggering. The Recorded Time Waveform
from this path will not be output to the Memory List unless it is also added
to the Input Signal Path table.
 The example in Figure 12-10 shows Reference Mic selected as
the Input Signal Path
 The Reference Mic path is used for the measurement. In this
case, the result waveform “RTW [Reference Mic]” is used in
subsequent analysis steps.
 Direct In 1 is used for the Record Trigger > Signal Path
Level
This is the threshold level required for a successful trigger. The step
triggers at the instant the signal crosses the threshold.
Unit
 This can be set to either Physical Units or dB Figure 12-10: Trigger Signal
Path
 The Physical Units will update according to the selected Trigger
Signal Path, e.g., Pa for Microphone or V for Direct In
 Linear values can be positive or negative
 If dB is selected, the trigger threshold is always a positive linear value
 The trigger value has the same dB reference as the Trigger Signal Path
Slope
Selects whether the acquisition is triggered on a positive going signal or a negative going signal
Offset
Sets the amount of time that the Acquired Signal is shifted, relative to the point at which it was triggered.
A negative offset indicates that the signal will be shifted to the right of “Zero Time Start” by the time that
is in the field, e.g., -100 mSec
Time Out
This is the amount of time the Acquisition Step waits for a successful trigger
to occur before continuing to the next sequence step.
If the “Time Out” is exceeded, the state of the step will be “Fail”. This can
then be used in step configuration to Halt on Fail or Jump to a different
step in the sequence.
The example in Figure 12-10 shows the Time Out set to 3 Seconds. If the
trigger does not occur within 3 seconds, the step state will “Fail” and the
configuration of the step shown in Figure 12-11 will stop the sequence
operation (Halt on Fail).
Figure 12-11: Halt on Fail

Instruction Manual
12.4 Virtual Instruments
Multiple Virtual Instruments can be opened simultaneously in the
Acquisition Step for automation in a sequence.
 Select Virtual Instruments from the Mode drop-down list
 This displays a table showing all the virtual instruments in that
step
 Right-click a row to add or configure an instrument or select
Configure All
 Virtual instrument configuration files can be loaded into the
acquisition step for quick setup in any sequence
 Under Panel, select Show to have the Virtual Instrument visible Figure 12-12: Multiple Virtual
during sequence run or Hide to have it run in the background Instruments
12.4.1 Record Delay (sec) - Virtual Instrument Mode only

The Record Delay (sec) is the time in seconds before the acquisition of signal starts.
Note: SI units are used throughout SoundCheck. A time of 0.5 seconds will be represented as 500 mSec.
12.4.2 Show/Hide
 You can’t Hide a Virtual Instrument that is configured to run Continuously or Exponential. The editor
must be set to Duration or Linear as shown in Figure 12-13 in order to see the Show/Hide option.
Figure 12-13: Show/Hide Panel

Instruction Manual
12.4.3 Rules - Virtual Instrument Acquisition Step Configuration
 When the virtual instruments in a step are set to Run Continuously, they
are expecting you to hit the Enter key in order to stop the operation and
close the step.
 If the virtual instruments in a step are set to Run for Duration, Linear,
etc, the step will automatically close when the virtual instruments finish.
 In either case, the step should not be configured to Wait for
Confirmation. Right-click the step in the Sequence Editor and Select
Configure Step as shown in Figure 12-14 to change the setting.
Figure 12-14: Step

Configuration
12.4.4 Signal Generator

The Signal Generator can be used for manual control of a test signal during a
sequence, (e.g., audible tuning of a transducer), or playing a WAV file (Refer
to the Virtual Instruments on page 485). Specify a Frequency and Output
Level for a Sine Wave, or the file path and percentage of the originally
recorded level of a WAV file.
 Select Stimulus type from the drop-down list
 Select Signal Path
 Set Stimulus Frequency, and Level in physical units
 Play a sine wave or a WAV file continuously or for a specified duration
of time
 WAV files can also be configured to play a user defined (N) number of
times
 The WAV file can also be equalized to a target spectrum stored in the Figure 12-15: Signal
System Calibration Configuration (Refer to Signal Generator on Generator Options
page 489 for more information).
 Sync allows you to Start, Stop and Mute multiple signal generators by clicking on only 1 button. It also
synchronizes the phase of sine signals and the start of WAV files.
The EQ output function can be applied to all types of output signals available in the Signal Generator (Sine
Wave as well as WAV and noise). When the EQ box is checked the EQ Out Correction curve that is created in
the output calibration process is applied to the output signal. This allows you to equalize the response of an
artificial mouth or anechoic chamber. EQ out correction curves are populated with data when the Speaker
Equalization or Simulated Free Field calibration sequences are selected in the output calibration process.
See Equalization and Correction Curve on page 99 in the Calibration chapter.

Instruction Manual
12.4.5 Multimeter
The Multimeter can be used for measuring overall signal level. Choose between linear and exponential
averaging and the number of averages you wish to make.
 Linear - The Multimeter will run for the duration set in the Time field
 Gain - See Gain - Auto Read on page 486
 Exponential - The Multimeter will run continuously until you click OK or
Cancel in the Multimeter window
 Averaging Time: Fast (250 mSec), Slow (2 Sec) or User Defined
 Limits On - The Multimeter Limits function can be used to set a visual
Pass/Fail indicator on the multimeter. A Limit Step should be added after
the Multimeter Acquisition Step to read the value and put the Result in the
Memory List.
 Hide Panel (Acquisition Step window) - The Multimeter is not shown
during the sequence run. If Exponential Averaging is selected, the Hide
Panel option is not available since the Virtual Instrument requires user
intervention to be stopped.
 Data Name (Acquisition Step window) - Enter a custom name for the Figure 12-16: Multimeter
Multimeter Value in the Memory List Options
For more information on the individual controls of the Multimeter refer to
Multimeter on page 498.
 The Multimeter step can generate is the Linear or Log values.
 These values are dependent on the calibrated values of the signal path selected in the Multimeter.
 The Pass/Fail state of the Multimeter Acquisition can be used for conditional branching.
 In some cases you may need to put the Meter in a “loop” while the DUT is being adjusted to produce a
passing level. Have the second Limit Step “Jump on fail” back to the first Limit Step. When the level
passes, the sequence will continue past the loop.
Note: The Multimeter frequency range is the full range of the audio interface based on its sampling rate.
The broadband dynamic range of most audio interfaces is limited by their DC offset. Their AC
dynamic range is typically much greater and sometimes it makes more sense to use the Spectrum
Analyzer and power sum the “frequency range of interest” in a Post-Processing Step.

Instruction Manual
12.4.6 Oscilloscope (Scope-FFT/Time)
The Oscilloscope can be used to make sure the recorded waveform does not look clipped or distorted. Note
that delta µs cannot be changed, since this is based on the sampling rate of the audio interface.
If you want the Oscilloscope to run for a preset time, choose Lin and the number of averages multiplied by the
record time will determine the total measurement time.
If you choose Exp, the Oscilloscope will run continuously until you click OK or Cancel in the Oscilloscope
window. If running as a step in a sequence you can click Enter or Stop.
If you do not want the Oscilloscope to appear during the sequence, check Hide Panel. As with the Multimeter,
if exponential averaging is selected, the Hide Panel option is not available since the Virtual Instrument requires
user intervention to be stopped. Refer to Virtual Instruments on page 485 regarding functions available for
the Oscilloscope via the Acquisition Step. The minimum Time value is 50 mSec.
Calculate Spectrum
 Off - FFTs are not being done in the background which makes it faster
 On - Collect data while the Scope is running and then switch to FFT scope to view or save the
spectrum
 All spectrum are summable. As of SoundCheck 18, you can also calculate the Power Sum of a
Waveform.
Gain
The Gain control for the Input Signal Path and Trigger Signal Path allows you to automatically read the gain
from Listen hardware as well as Portland Tool & Die hardware. You can also select a gain value available for
that device. It will automatically switch to the new gain when the step is run. See Gain - Auto Read on page
486.
Figure 12-17: Oscilloscope

Options
with a 500 mSec wait time to allow for settling. See Listen Hardware Control

Instruction Manual
12.4.7 Spectrum Analyzer (Scope-FFT/Spectrum)
Note: All spectrum are summable. As of SoundCheck 18, you can also calculate the Power Sum of a
Waveform.
The Spectrum Analyzer can be used for analyzing pure tones or noise coming from the DUT, since these
signals are typically flat when plotted on a linear frequency scale. Lin will average for only the number of
averages entered (e.g., 3). Exp applies an exponential time weighting where Time Sec is the exponential time
constant tau (τ). Power averages the RMS amplitude of each FFT bin and excludes phase information.
Complex averages the RMS amplitude of each FFT bin but includes phase information. Note that the delta µs
is based on the audio interface’s sampling frequency. Because of this, it can only be changed via the audio
interface driver and/or switching jumper cables on the audio interface itself.
If you do not want the Spectrum Analyzer to
appear during the sequence, check Hide
Panel. As with the Multimeter, if exponential
averaging is selected, the Hide Panel option is
not available since the Virtual Instrument
requires user intervention to be stopped. Refer
to Virtual Instruments on page 485 regarding
functions available for the Spectrum Analyzer
via the Acquisition Step.
The “Snap to Max” button on the Scope-FFT
control panel moves Cursor 1 to the peak of the
acquired spectrum. The Estimated Frequency
and Estimated Level are shown in the fields at
the top of the Spectrum Display. This function is
available when the mode is set to Time or
Spectrum but the cursor location is only shown
when the mode is set to Spectrum as shown in
Figure 12-18:.
The FFT record length is set in seconds and/or
number of Spectral lines. (Minimum value of
50 mSec.)
The Estimated Frequency and Level are shown
in either mode. Clicking on the Harmonic Figure 12-18: Spectrum Analyzer Options
Cursor will then plot and show the Harmonics
on the FFT display as well as calculate the THD.

Instruction Manual
Save to Memory
When “Save to Memory” is selected, the FFT Spectrum will be added to the Curves tab in the Memory List. If
Snap to Max is selected before hand, the FFT Cursor values will be added to the Memory List: Est. Freq, Est.
Level and THD. This value can then be shown in a Display Table as shown in Figure 12-19:.
Figure 12-19: Memory List - Snap to Max Values
12.4.8 Real Time Analyzer

The Real Time Analyzer (RTA) analyzes a signal, using constant-percentage bandwidth (1-Nth octave) filters.
This can be used to analyze background noise, since it is usually flat when plotted on a log frequency scale.
The RTA has 1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, and 1/24 octave digital recursive filters. The upper frequency range is based
on the audio interface’s sampling frequency. The highest frequency that can be measured will be no more than
one-half the audio interface sampling rate (Fsample). For example, if you are using an audio interface with a
44.1 kHz maximum sampling rate, the maximum measurement you can acquire will be at approximately
22 kHz. The Detector Time determines the time duration of the window to be sampled. Fast sampling averages
every 0.25 Sec of data, and Slow averages every 2 Sec of data. You can input your own averaging time by
using Other and entering a value in the field to the right.
As with the above Virtual Instruments, you can choose Linear or Exponential averaging. Additionally, you can
choose A, B, or C Weighting to display, but not save, the overall weighted level of your measurement (this
setting will not affect the display or saving of the acquired data).
If you do not want the RTA to appear during the sequence, check Hide Panel. As with the Multimeter, if
exponential averaging is selected, the Hide Panel option is not available since the Virtual Instrument requires
user intervention to be stopped. Refer to Virtual Instruments on page 485 regarding functions available for
the Real Time Analyzer via the Acquisition Step.
Figure 12-20: RTA Options

Instruction Manual
12.4.9 Signal Generator & Multimeter
The Signal Generator and Multimeter are typically used
for trimming output or input levels on electronic devices, Record Delay
sets the amount
e.g., active loudspeakers or crossovers. Refer to Virtual
of time before the
Instruments on page 485 regarding functions available
Multimeter is
for the Signal Generator and Multimeter via the started
Acquisition Step.
The Record Delay (sec) allows for a wait time before the
Multimeter is started.
Create custom
curve names
Figure 12-21: Generator and Multimeter
Figure 12-22: Signal Generator & Multimeter

Instruction Manual
12.4.10 Generator & Oscilloscope or Generator & Spectrum Analyzer
The Signal Generator and Oscilloscope or Signal Generator and Spectrum Analyzer are used to play and
analyze a test signal in a sequence. The Signal Generator produces a constant frequency sine wave, or plays
a WAV file. The Oscilloscope displays the time signal on the screen. The Oscilloscope will add the Oscilloscope
time record to the WFM tab of the Memory List. The Spectrum Analyzer will add the FFT Spectrum to the
Curves tab of the Memory List. Typically, white noise is used as a test signal when analyzing a DUT with a
spectrum analyzer, since it is flat when analyzed with constant bandwidth (FFT) filters. Refer to Virtual
Instruments on page 485 regarding functions available for the Oscilloscope via the Acquisition Step.
Figure 12-23: Signal Generator and Scope/Spectrum Analyzer
12.4.11 Generator & Real Time Analyzer

The Signal Generator and Real Time Analyzer will play and analyze the test signal. Typically, pink noise is used
as a test signal when analyzing a DUT with an RTA, since it is flat when analyzed with constant percentage
bandwidth (Nth octave) filters. Check Hide Panel if you do not want the Signal Generator or RTA to open when
the sequence is run. As with the Multimeter, if exponential averaging is selected, the Hide Panel option is not
available, since the Virtual Instrument requires user intervention to be stopped. The RTA will add the 1/Nth
Octave RTA to the Curves tab of the Memory List. Refer to Virtual Instruments on page 485 regarding
functions available for the Signal Generator or RTA via the Acquisition Step.
Figure 12-24: Generator & RTA

Instruction Manual
12.4.12 Read from DC Connect™
When you select Read from DC Connect from the Mode drop-down list, the Acquisition Step will read a single
measured value from the selected DC Connect device over the USB interface.
As of SoundCheck 16.2, the Read from DC Connect Acquisition
Step allows you to select which DC Connect to read from. Multiple
DC Connects can be selected.
Note: If a DC Connect is disconnected from the system, the

Acquisition Editor field for that device will be grayed out.
This type of Acquisition Step would likely follow a Stimulus Step or

Message Step that sets the DC Connect output voltage or current source
level.
12.4.13 Record
If multiple DC Connects are selected, all DC Connect Message Steps
with settings for the measurement must occur before the Acquisition
Step so each unit is set to the proper Output Mode, Control Mode, etc.
Select which mode DC Connect should operate in:
 A (in Voltage Source mode) to measure current
 V (in Current Source mode) to measure voltage
If DC Connect is set up as a voltage source, choose units of Amps DC, since the current draw of the load is
being measured.
If DC Connect is set up as a current source, choose units of Volts, since the voltage across the load that
results from the applied source current is being measured.
12.4.14 Curve Name

Enter the name for the data that will appear in the Memory List.
Do not check Use Signal Path Name. If multiple DC Connects are
selected, the Device ID will be appended to the Curve Name.
12.4.15 Selected Devices

Select the appropriate devices in the list. The example in Figure 12-
25 shows devices D1 and D2 selected. The resulting Memory List
values will be named:
 DC Current (D1)
 DC Current (D2)
At least one device must be selected in the list. If an expected device
is not connected, it will be grayed out in the Selected Devices field. If
you try to run the sequence with a disconnected device, a warning
prompt will show the disconnected device. See Figure 12-26.

Disconnected

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
13 Analysis Editor
The Analysis Editor (Ctrl+Shift+N) enables you to process measured time signals using a variety of analysis
algorithms. Choose an algorithm based on the type of measurement needed.
 See Algorithm Application Overview on page 167 for more information on what measurements are
possible with each algorithm
 Please note that the HarmonicTrak and Time Selective Response algorithms are optional and only
available in advanced versions of SoundCheck®
 HarmonicTrak - Requires optional module 2001
 Time Selective Response - Requires optional module 2006
The Analysis setup allows for a variety of measurement types which generate
many different types of curves that can be viewed from the Memory List and
further processed in SoundCheck.
Note: Clicking Apply in the Analysis Editor allows you to change the
settings in the editor and apply a new analysis without making a
new measurement. The result of the new calculations will appear
immediately in the Memory List.
Figure 13-1: Analysis

Editor
13.1 Latest Features

 Enhanced Perceptual Rub & Buzz - ePRB refinements improve listener correlation and demonstrate
significantly better noise rejection to offer unrivaled repeatability. See Perceptual Rub & Buzz -
CLEAR Distortion Measurement on page 202.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Analysis Editor 165

Instruction Manual
13.2 Navigating the Analysis Editor
13.2.1 View Modes

The Analysis editor has two modes to view step
information: Simple and Advanced.
Figure 13-2 shows the Distortion Tab low level
information that is provided in Simple View
compared to the information shown in Advanced.
Simple view is the default step setting.
All tabs will show additional settings that can be
accessed by switching to Advanced View as
shown in Figure 13-3. All field settings on these
tabs are active whether the view is Advanced or
Simple.
Figure 13-2: Simple vs. Advanced View
Figure: 13-3 Analysis Editor - Advanced View
166 Analysis Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
13.2.2 Algorithm Application Overview
You can select an algorithm from the drop-down list at the top of the Analysis Editor.
The following table shows the algorithms available in SoundCheck along with suggestions for use of each.
Typical Desired
Algorithm Feature Application
Stimulus Measurement
No filtering other than Stweep or Unfiltered Frequency Some Hearing Aid

Broadband RMS bandwidth of sound card None Response, DC values standards,
page 177 DC Connect mea-
surements
Single Channel Noise or Response spectrum Most often used for

None noise measurements
FFT Spectrum
- background noise of
page 177 microphones or elec-
tronics
Tracks level and phase of Stweep Frequency Response, Near field acoustic or
HarmonicTrak™
any user-selected har- Phase, Harmonic Distor- electronics measure-
page 180 monics tion, Impedance ments
Measure frequency and Stweep Frequency Response, High precision fre-

Heterodyne page
phase response with opti- Phase, Impedance quency response
182 mal accuracy measurements
Simulated Free Field - Log Sweep Frequency Response, Measurement of

Time Selective
Suppress the effects of Phase, Harmonic Distor- acoustic devices in a
Response (TSR)
reflections in an ordinary tion, Impedance, Impulse real room
page 183 room, Fast Response
Plays a group of tones Multitone Frequency Response, Fast frequency

Multitone page
simultaneously Phase, Non-Coherent response measure-
190 Distortion, Impedance ments
Transfer Can be used with pro- Noise, Frequency Response, General purpose:
Functions - Dual gram material speech or Phase, Non-Coherent near field acoustic or
Channel Analysis music Distortion, Impedance, electronics measure-
page 188 Impulse Response ments
Nth octave spectrum Noise, Input, Output Nth Octave Very useful for tele-
speech or Spectrum and Nth phony and devices
RTA Spectrum
music Octave Frequency with DSP, Some
page 192 Response Hearing Aid stan-
dards
Figure 13-4: Algorithms and Suggested Use
Note: Time Envelope and Loose Particles are available in all algorithms. See Appropriate Algorithm
vs. Desired Measurement on page 168.

Instruction Manual
13.2.3 Appropriate Algorithm vs. Desired Measurement
You can select options from the Analysis Editor to add curves and single values in the sequence.
Heterodyne
Broadband
Response
Functions
Spectrum
Harmonic
Spectrum
Multitone
Selective
Transfer
Desired
Time
RMS
Trak
RTA
FFT
Measurement
Frequency Response X X X X X X
Noise X X X
Harmonic Distortion X X
Non-Coherent Distortion X X
Impedance X X X X X
Loose Particles X X X X X X X X
Impulse Response X X
Time Envelope X X X X X X X X
DC X
Figure 13-5: Appropriate Algorithm vs. Desired Measurement
For example, checking the Loose Particles box will add a Loose Particle
Count single value to the Memory List. In the Analysis Editor, many of the
options become available only when an appropriate algorithm is selected.
Figure 13-6 shows a chart displaying available measurements when each
algorithm is active.
Figure 13-6: Loose

Particle Waveform

Instruction Manual
13.2.4 Analysis Editor Tabs
This section covers four of the Analysis Tabs that are setup in the same way for all algorithms: Waveforms,
Curves, Delay and Time. Distortion and Frequency are covered under each algorithm. Electrical and Loose
Particles are covered at the end of the chapter.
13.2.5 Time Tab

All algorithms allow for a Result Curve of Time Envelope.
Enter the Fmin and Fmax frequencies in Hz.
Details of the Time Tab for each algorithm are covered in the description of each algorithm.
13.2.6 Waveforms Tab

 Eight Algorithms for analyzing time domain signals
 Response Measurement
 Relative response is the response level divided by the stimulus
level
 Absolute Response is the response level only
 Stimulus and Response waveform selection
 All waveforms in the Memory List appear in the Waveform drop-
down lists
 Select the desired Stimulus from the Waveform Out drop-down list
 Select the Response waveform that is related to the selected
Stimulus from the Waveform In menu
 Analysis can be applied to any waveform in the Memory List by
selecting it in the Response - Waveform In section
 Select Apply Correction In or Out as required for the type of
measurement. See Apply Correction on page 170.
Clicking Apply allows you to change the settings and apply a new analysis
without making a new measurement. The result of the calculation is
immediately updated in the Memory List. Figure 13-7: Analysis
Setup
Relative or Absolute
Relative Response is the response level divided by the stimulus level. The response is stimulus level
independent or “normalized” to the input level. When increasing the input level, the relative response amplitude
level will not change if the system is linear because the output level will increase by the same amount as the
stimulus level.
 Sensitivity measurements use Relative.
 This is also useful when looking at compression.
Absolute Response is the response level only and is stimulus level dependent. e.g., If the stimulus increases
from 1 Volts to 2 Volts, there will be a 6 dB output level increase.
 Max SPL measurements use Absolute.

Instruction Manual
13.2.7 Apply Correction
Checking the Apply Correction boxes will apply the input or output correction curves to the input or output
signal, as part of the analysis process. This is particularly useful for removing the response curve of an
amplifier from a loudspeaker test as well as removing the response of the measurement microphone. This is
not the same thing as an Equalization Curve. (See Equalization and Correction Curve on page 99.) It occurs
in Analysis, after the signal has been acquired.
Apply Correction Out

Generally, this is always checked unless you have a very specific exception. Here are the two most common
scenarios:
Microphone Test - When testing microphones you have likely equalized a loudspeaker. In this case the output
correction is the remaining few tenths of a dB that the equalization was unable to flatten. In this case the EQ will
be accounting for 99% of the loudspeaker response, and the correction out accounts for that last 1%.
Loudspeaker Test - When testing a loudspeaker using an external amplifier, the amplifier needs to be
calibrated. During Amplifier Calibration SoundCheck creates an output correction curve that compensates for
the magnitude and phase response of the amplifier. The magnitude is typically very flat, except at the extremes.
The phase curve is not flat. Selecting Apply Correction Out compensates for the phase response as well as
the frequency response.
This correction is applied in Analysis after the acquisition has occurred.
Please refer to SoundCheck Signal Flow on page 88 which covers the order of operations in the
SoundCheck signal chain.
Apply Correction In
This is usually checked if you are using a reference microphone in your test and you have imported the
correction curve for that specific microphone (usually supplied by the manufacturer).
Another less common usage is to import a correction curve for an ear simulator, like a free-field or diffuse-field
correction curve for a head and torso manikin.

Instruction Manual
13.2.8 Waveform Batch Processing
Waveform batch processing is a powerful analysis tool that enables a group of waveforms to be analyzed with
just one step in a sequence, rather than having to program multiple analysis steps. This significantly simplifies
sequences with multichannel acquisition. The feature is also available in offline mode where multiple
waveforms can be grouped together in a custom group and the batch processing operand applied to all
simultaneously. Such offline analysis may be useful for detailed analysis of production line data. To help
distinguish the output curves and values, the name of the response waveform can be appended to the resulting
data by selecting “Add Input Data Name” on the Curves Tab.
The following procedure should be used for Waveform Batch Processing:
(See Figure 13-8)
1
1. In the Memory List of the sequence create a Custom Group and add
the Recorded Time Waveforms
This example shows a group named “Multichannel“. The number of

waveforms in the group is indicated by the value in parenthesis (4),
which is added automatically.
2. In the Analysis Step > Waveform Tab > under Waveform In > select -
custom group: Multichannel (4), from the drop-down list 2
3. Switch to the Curves Tab, select “Add Input Data Name“ to append
this to the Output Curve Name
This creates unique names for each of the output curves. As an

3
alternative, “Use Signal Path Name” can be used for curve naming.
4. After the Analysis step runs the output curves are populated in the
Memory List
4
Figure 13-8: Batch Process

Procedure

Instruction Manual
13.2.9 Curves Tab
Curve Names
Memory List curve names created in the Analysis Step can be modified in the
Curve Names tab. This may be especially helpful when using multiple Analysis
Steps to measure multiple Stimuli, in a single sequence or in subsequences. If
two Analysis Steps in the same sequence have the same curve name, the 2nd
Analysis Step will append a 2 in front of the curve name, e.g., 2-Fundamental,
3-Fundamental, and so on.
Highlight a default name and enter a custom name for curves and single
values.
 Add Input Data Name - Select to append the Input Waveform name to
the curve name, e.g., Fundamental + (Recorded Time Waveform)
 Use Signal Path Name - Select to append the Signal Path name to the
curve name, e.g., Fundamental + (Dut Mic)
 Use Default - The Custom Curve Names field will be grayed out and
all changes to curve names will revert back to their original state. Curve
names cannot be edited while this is selected.
Note: Changing curve names in an existing sequence may affect your displays.
For example:
 Fundamental (DUT Mic) was originally selected to display on the XY Figure 13-9: Use
Graph Default Curve Names
 The curve name is then changed to Model ABC Frequency
Response (DUT Mic) and the display will cease to display Fundamental (DUT Mic)
 You then need to open your Display Step and Memory list. Then drag Model ABC Frequency
Response (DUT Mic) to the appropriate XY Graph.
Units
Abs/relative - the measurement can be relative or absolute
(Waveform Tab). See “Relative or Absolute” on page 169.
Default Unit
 Absolute: The frequency curves are in the physical
unit of the response waveform (e.g Pa). The dB ref
comes from the input signal path used in Acquisition.
 Relative: The frequency curves are in relative unit
(e.g., Pa/V). The unit is the ratio of the response unit
over stimulus unit, with a dB ref of 1. All algorithms are
subjected to Rel/Abs except Spectrum, Time
Envelope & Loose Particles, which are always in abs
unit.
Figure 13-10: Set Units
Custom Unit
 Select “Use custom units” to enter the Scale details: Log or Linear, dB drop-down, dB Ref and Unit.
Be aware, the math applied for absolute/relative stays the same. See Units chapter: Analysis Editor
on page 116 for more details.

Instruction Manual
Curve Naming Best Practices
Selecting Add Input Data Name and Use Signal Path Name can create long file names that are difficult to
read in the Memory List. We recommend that shorter names should be used in the Calibration Editor and the
Acquisition Steps if you plan to append the Input Data Name or Signal Path Name.
For example:
Calibration Signal Path = Reference Mic SCM 3 SN 1234.
Selecting Use Signal Path Name as in Figure 13-9 results
in a Memory List name of:
Fundamental [Reference Mic SCM 3 SN 1234].
An alternative would be to name the Signal Path
“RefMic-SN1234 ” as shown in Figure 13-11, which yields
a Memory List name of:
Fundamental [RefMic-SN1234]
Long names in Acquisition Steps can cause similar

problems when Use Signal Path Name is selected in the Figure 13-11: Input Signal Path Name
step. This can result in a Memory List data name of:
Fundamental (Recorded Time Wave Form [Reference Mic SCM 3 SN 1234])
1. Further post processing of the data can result in even longer names, so shortening names in Analysis
can be beneficial.
2. It can be helpful to abbreviate the Waveform Name in Acquisition to RTW, especially when Use Signal
Path Name is selected in Acquisition.
3. Additionally, shortening the Curve Names in the Analysis Curves Tab can help make data names
shorter and easier to manage.
Waveform Batch Processing

You must use Add Input Data Name or Use Signal Path Name when using Waveform Batch Processing in
order to get a unique name for each file analyzed. See Waveform Batch Processing on page 171.
Custom Curve Name

This is helpful when using multiple Analysis Steps in a single sequence or in subsequences.
If two Analysis Steps have the same curve names, the result curves from the 2nd Analysis Step will have “2-”
prepended to the curve name, e.g., 2-Fundamental, 2-THD, etc. Giving them different names in the two
Analysis Steps avoids this problem.

Instruction Manual
13.2.10 Delay Tab
To perform Analysis algorithms accurately, it is important that Stimulus waveforms and Response waveforms
are in time alignment with each other. Soundcheck can automatically calculate the delay using either Auto
Delay or Auto Delay+ modes. The user can also specify the delay by selecting Set Values or Use Memory List
from the Delay Method drop-down menu.
For signals paths with inconsistent delays, such as Bluetooth interfaces, Auto Delay or Auto Delay+ must be
used.
Auto Delay can be used to measure time of flight or distance between the microphone and the device under
test, however this requires that signal path latencies are stable and are accounted for in the Hardware Table.
Auto Delay
In Auto Delay mode, SoundCheck automatically calculates and compensates
for the delay between the stimulus and response waveform. This delay value is
output to the Memory List as 'Record Delay'. This is the delay between the
output and input terminals of the SoundCheck system in seconds. The value is
also converted to samples and distance in meters and inches. The delay is
based on the speed of sound in air at sea level. The Auto Delay algorithm in
Analysis calculates this value. See also Auto Delay+ on page 175.
In this method the peak of an averaged impulse response, calculated using the
entire stimulus and response waveforms, is used to determine the delay
amount.
For some extreme scenarios, Auto Delay may give inaccurate results, these
scenarios include:
 High background noise: noisy production environment
 Strong reflection: side wall reflections are stronger than the direct
sound wave
Figure 13-12: Auto Delay
 Sampling rate errors: sample rate variation in Bluetooth devices
This method can only compensate for delays between -1s and +1s. For larger delays, we recommend using
Auto Delay+ or windowing the response waveform.
Polarity
This will calculate the simple Polarity value and add it to the Memory List. See Simplified Polarity
Test on page 176.
 Positive polarity is indicated by 1 and Negative (inverted) polarity is indicated by -1
Set Values
This allows you to specify a fixed delay offset for the response waveforms. The delay offset can be specified
either as time (in seconds), samples, or distance (in feet or meters).
Note: Calculating 'Polarity' is not available in this mode.

Instruction Manual
This allows you to choose a Memory List Value to use as the source for your delay offset. In addition to the
Memory List Value, you will need to specify the axis to use, and the units applied to the value.
Note: Calculating 'Polarity' is not available in this mode.
Auto Delay+
Auto Delay+ is a new delay algorithm that is able to detect delays of -0.5 seconds to any positive delay. Listen
recommends using Auto Delay+ for Open Loop testing where delays can be greater than 1 second.
In this algorithm, a reference frame is selected from the Analysis section of the Stimulus waveform and is
compared against the Response waveform using a sliding window. For stimuli with non-stationary tones (e.g.,
STweep, Two Tone, Noise, and WAV-file), a Generalized Cross-Correlation with Phase Transform (GCCPHAT)
is used for comparison. For stimuli with stationary tones (e.g., Logarithmic Amplitude Sweep and Multitone), an
impulse response is used.
In 'Advanced View' mode, you can view/set some of the underlying
parameters used by the algorithm. By default, Parameter Selection option is
set to Automatic; here SoundCheck attempts to identify the best 1s Stimulus
Waveform Reference Window, which is chosen from sections of the
Stimulus set to Analyze (see Analyze Yes/No Option on page 128).
SoundCheck also attempts to select the best Response Waveform Search
Range to perform the algorithm on.
Note: The algorithm assumes that the response waveform contains the
full length of the stimulus waveform within it.
Setting Parameter Selection to User Defined allows you to change the

algorithm parameters, this can be helpful in scenarios where Auto Delay+
may have failed to give accurate results. Some recommendations for settings
are:
 Select a Stimulus Waveform Reference Window that has large
frequency variations over time and is in the passband of the device
under test.
 For single tones, multitone, or log sweep it is recommended to
include either the starting or ending edge of the stimulus.
 Longer durations may improve the accuracy of the algorithm, Figure 13-13: Auto Delay+
however, this comes at the cost of increased processing time.
 For the Response Waveform Search Range, select a reasonable section of the response waveform
where you would expect to find the Reference Stimulus Window selected.
 Low frequency Log Stweeps, such as those used for testing Subwoofers may not give accurate results
with Auto Delay+ in Automatic mode. In this case, select User Defined mode and set the Stimulus
Reference Window to the entire length of the Stimulus.
The calculated delay value is output to the Memory List as 'Record Delay'.
Calculating 'Polarity' is available in this mode. See Polarity on page 174 for more information.

Instruction Manual
Simplified Polarity Test
A polarity test is often used to verify that a device is wired correctly. The quick polarity test is performed in an
analysis step, and uses the impulse response from the Auto Delay function (See Figure 13-14). It analyzes
the peak of this impulse response and measures if it is negative or positive to determine overall polarity. It is a
simple and easy alternative to phase domain testing for simple devices or single drivers where the phase does
not change more than 180 degrees. Polarity measurement using phase response is still available as an
alternative method for more complex devices.
Speaker wired + Positive Impulse

correctly yields y-axis
value of +1
Speaker wiring Negative Impulse

+
reversed yields y-axis
value of -1
Figure 13-14: Speaker Polarity Impulse
 Auto Delay must be selected on the Delay tab in order to use this feature
 The polarity function is available in any of the analysis algorithms
 Polarity will appear as a value in the Memory List
 A value of +1 shows that the device under
test has a positive polarity
 A value of -1 shows the device under test
has a negative polarity
 This value can then be used in a limit step
with a lower limit set to zero to show when a
device has been wired correctly or has
correct polarity
Note: The limit step allows you to determine if

a value of +1 is a pass or fail,
depending on the overall phase of the
measurement chain. (e.g., the
microphone output is inverted)
Note: Polarity measurement using phase

response is still available as an
alternative method for more complex
devices.
Figure 13-15: Limit Step and Results

Instruction Manual
13.3 Broadband RMS
This algorithm does not utilize any filtering. This measures the total RMS energy at each excitation frequency.
The upper frequency limit used to determine the total RMS energy is based on the audio interface's sampling
rate.
For example, at a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz, the upper frequency limit is approximately 22 kHz. Please note
that this value is also influenced by the audio interface's anti-aliasing filter. Typically the highest usable
frequency is 45% of the maximum sampling rate.
Uses include measuring buzzers and other harmonically-rich devices. You must use this algorithm to measure
OSPL on hearing aids according to ANSI S3.22 and other similar standards.
Note: When Broadband RMS is selected, Apply Correction In (on the Waveform tab) are disabled. No
correction is applied if either is selected.
13.4 FFT Spectrum

The spectrum algorithm calculates an averaged FFT of the response
waveform. This is performed according to the Frequency Resolution Weighting
and Overlap settings in the editor. This algorithm can be used to measure the
background noise prior to applying a stimulus to the Device Under Test (DUT).
13.4.1 Resolution
The default resolution of 20 Hz requires a measurement length of at least 0.1
Second. A resolution of 1 Hz requires a measurement length of at least 1
Second. The resolution is inversely proportional to the time required.
Figure 13-16: Default
Resolution
 When acquiring the signal with a Play/Record Acquisition step the
following should be selected in the Waveform Tab of the Analysis Step:
 Waveform In = Recorded Time Waveform of the Acquisition
 Waveform Out = Stimulus Waveform of the Acquisition
 The resolution is determined by the length of the stimulus waveform
(See Figure 13-17)
Figure 13-17: Waveform

Selection Play/Record

Instruction Manual
13.4.2 FFT Spectrum - Signal Acquisition
 When acquiring the signal with a Record Only Acquisition step
(See Figure 13-18)
 The Waveform In and Out should be the Recorded Time Waveform of
the Acquisition
Note: Warning! A resolution smaller than 1 Hz can require a great amount

of system memory. Out of memory errors may result.
13.4.3 FFT Spectrum Settings Figure 13-18: Waveform

Selection Record Only
13.4.4 Weighting - Time Tab

The Weighting function selected will also set default values for the Overlap Percentage.
Figure 13-19 shows the selections for
Spectrum Analysis. It also includes a table of
Weighting and the Default Overlap Select proper weighting window
Percentage. type
Refer to Table of Weighting
Window Applications on page
180 for more information
Weighting Type Default

Overlap %
None 0
Hanning 75
4 Term Blackman- 85
Harris
7 Term Blackman- 90
Harris
Flat Top 90
Figure: 13-19 Weighting and Default Overlap %
Note: When importing data from an external system or exporting SoundCheck data to an external
system, ENBW should be considered in calculations. See ENBW - Equivalent Noise Bandwidth
on page 258.

Instruction Manual
13.4.5 Spectral Scaling - Frequency Tab
 RMS - The result is the RMS level according to the FFT resolution.
This is best used for Pure Tone/Sine measurements.
 Spectral Density - The result is independent of the frequency
resolution of the FFT. This is used for noise based measurements,
e.g., Self Noise, noise stimulus, speech or music.
The unit of the result will be:
InputUnits
----------------------------
Hz
Note: Custom Units can be used to simplify the Spectral Density unit,
e.g., “dB V“ instead of “dB V/sqrt(Hz)”.
Figure 13-20: Spectral

Scaling

Instruction Manual
13.5 HarmonicTrak™
This module allows multiple harmonics to be measured in one stepped-sine
sweep (Stweep™). You would also choose this algorithm in order to
measure the DUT's THD and/or Rub & Buzz distortion characteristics. To
choose a specific range of Harmonics, click Edit List in the Editor.
See THD w H2, H3 on page 194.
This measures the levels of any harmonic or sub-harmonic when using
sinusoidal excitation. This algorithm also includes Two Tone distortion and
normalized distortion.

HarmonicTrak uses a step FFT analysis: at each sine step of the response,
a weighting window is applied and an FFT is performed.
The available Weighting Window types are: None, Hanning, 4 Term
Blackman-Harris, 7 Term Blackman-Harris and Flat Top.
The performances of the windows are shown in Figure 13-22: Table of
Weighting Window Applications. Figure 13-21: HarmonicTrak
Note that the Weighting selection affects the Power Sum of the curve. See
ENBW - Equivalent Noise Bandwidth on page 258.
Min Lowest
Weighting
Cycles Min H2 Measurable Comment
Window Type
per Step Distortion
Hanning 5 -40 dB 1.0% General purpose, high-speed but sidelobe

attenuation is low compared to other win-
dows
Blackman-Harris 4 10 -90 dB 0.003% More precise but require more time. Good
Term for most electroacoustic measurements.
Blackman-Harris 7 15 -120 dB 0.0001% Most precise due to greatest attenuation of

Term side lobes. Best window to use when mea-
suring very low distortion devices, such as
electronic circuits and products.
Figure 13-22: Table of Weighting Window Applications

Instruction Manual
13.5.2 Transition Discard Time - Time Tab
This applies to Broadband RMS, HarmonicTrak and Heterodyne algorithms.
Most devices exhibit some transient phenomena between each step of a
stepped sweep. Transition Discard Time allows you to exclude these transients
for the measurement and return the true steady state response of the device
under test. The analysis algorithm will ignore the beginning of the step defined
as a number of cycles of the fundamental stimulus or a fixed amount of time,
which ever is longer in time.
Minimum Cycles
This is the number of cycles that are discarded at the beginning of each
frequency step, up to the Transition Frequency.
Transition (Hz)
Figure 13-23: Transition
Below this frequency the analysis algorithm will discard the Minimum Cycles. Discard Time
Above this frequency the Minimum Duration will be discarded.
Minimum Duration
This is the minimum amount of time that will be discarded from the beginning of each step.
Note: The Stimulus Step settings for “Min Cycles” and “Min Duration” (per step) must be greater than
the Transition Discard Time settings in Analysis. If either of the discard settings are equal to or
greater than the corresponding values in the Stimulus Step, there will be nothing left over for
SoundCheck to analyze. No data will be passed to the Memory List.
13.5.3 THD+N Minimum Duration Settings

For accurate THD+N you need to have sufficient
dwell time in both Stimulus and Analysis Steps.
It is recommended to use the following as a
minimum:
 THD+N Analysis Step > Time Tab >
Min Duration of at least 250 mSec
 Stimulus Step > Step Size >
Min Duration of at least 1 Sec
 See the Amplifier THD+N example
sequence in SoundCheck
Figure 13-24: Min Duration

Instruction Manual
13.5.4 Warning Message
If the settings noted above are out of balance the following warning will appear. Adjust one or both of the Min
Duration fields noted above.
Figure 13-25: Min Duration

Warning
13.6 Heterodyne
This is the same algorithm used in the Brüel & Kjær Type 2010 and 2012
analyzers. This algorithm is very accurate but, unlike HarmonicTrak, it cannot
measure the harmonics and fundamental simultaneously. It serves as an
alternative to HarmonicTrak, when distortion measurements are not required
or when the distortion module is not available.
Heterodyne measures just the fundamental response using sinusoidal
excitation with excellent background noise rejection and fast calculation speed.
 Detection in synchronous
 A Quadrature Detector is employed, i.e., mixing or multiplication is by
both sine and cosine, in order to obtain the phase for the complete
complex steady state response.

The available Weighting Window types are: Hanning, 4 Term Blackman-Harris
and 7 Term Blackman-Harris.
Figure 13-26: Heterodyne
The performances of the windows are shown in Table of Weighting Window
Applications on page 180.

Instruction Manual
13.7 Time Selective Response (TSR)
Requires optional module 2006 - Time Selective Response
This module enables time selective measurements with a logarithmically swept
sine wave, which can be used for simulated free-field measurements in non-
anechoic environments. By removing the stimulus from the response waveform
(deconvolution operation) the global impulse response is calculated directly,
and from that, the frequency response is determined. The Impulse response of
the fundamental can be displayed using linear or log amplitude.
In just one sweep, the free-field response of the fundamental and harmonics
can be measured and analyzed.
See Time Selective Measurements With Log Sweep on page 639 for
technical details.
The result of the deconvolution process can be added to the Memory List by
selecting ”Deconvolved Response” in the Time Tab.
See Deconvolved Response on page 186 for more information.
Note: The time window used by the Time Selective Response algorithm
has a 10% taper at each end. The Fundamental Impulse Response
must be inside these tapers. See Figure 13-31: TSR Window -
Cosine Taper on Pg 186 for more information. Figure 13-27: Curve
Resolution
13.7.1 TSR requires a LogTSR Stimulus

This algorithm is only available when using a Frequency Log Sweep in the Stimulus Step of the sequence.
 Please note that the Frequency Log Sweep must sweep from low to high frequency.
13.7.2 Curve Resolution

This is the Base Resolution for the analysis. e.g., 10 Hz
The Resolution can be set to a number of predetermined ranges or User Defined Log or User Defined Lin. This
allows you to manually set the resolution of the result curve as shown in Figure 13-27.

Instruction Manual
13.7.3 Time Selective Response - Time Tab
Start and Stop Time Selection

You can enter values in the Start and Stop Time fields from the Time
Tab. This determines the Windowed Resolution.
 See Example: below
 See TSR Window on page 186 for instructions

This allows the window to be set dynamically during the sequence
using recalled or calculated values rather than fixed.
You can use two message steps prior to the TSR Analysis Step to set
the desired Start and Stop times. The operator can be prompted to
enter the Start and Stop times during the run of the sequence.
Right-click on the Start and Stop Time fields and click on Memory List
Selection as shown in Figure 13-28.
TSR Window Type

Adrienne is the default. Other available types are: None, Cosine
Tapered, Half-Cosine Tapered, Exponential, Half-Hanning and Half-
BH4.
Figure 13-28: Memory List
Start/Stop Time
Windowed Resolution (Hz)

This can be considered "Smoothing" rather than interpolation. e.g., 66.7 Hz
Example:
Figure 13-27 and Figure 13-28 show the Curve Resolution set to 10 Hz and the Windowed Resolution at
66.7 Hz. The Windowed Resolution always takes priority over Curve Resolution.
BT=1 (Bandwidth x Time equals unity)
This means that the “truly realizable frequency resolution” is determined by the reciprocal of the measured
signal duration (F=1/T). So even if you measure for many seconds, what matters is the time from the beginning
of your impulse response to the end of the time window. Think of the actual frequency response Curve
Resolution as oversampling and the time Windowed Resolution as smoothing.
Good old fashion chart recorders had something similar relating to the pen and paper speed. If the paper speed
was too fast, the effect was like curve smoothing. If the pen moved too fast, the effect was like oversampling.

Instruction Manual
Max Valid Harmonic
The maximum valid harmonic is the maximum harmonic order that can be time
separated from its immediate harmonic neighbors. This is a function of the Start
Time, Stop Time and Sweep Rate.
(This is the Maximum Harmonic that can be selected while still having a valid
result.)
While Log TSR sweeps are a popular test method, users unfamiliar with this
method may inadvertently miss important measurement details by sweeping too
fast.
For example, a given combination of window size and speed may be adequate
for measuring Rub & Buzz, but insufficient to enable analysis of individual
harmonics. The new indicator shows the maximum harmonic that can be
selected independently of its neighbors. The indicator, while it does not place
any restrictions on your ability to define the speed and window size, will offer an
advisory when the settings are such that individual harmonics will not be Figure 13-29: Max Valid
accurately calculated. Harmonic
Time Envelope
For Time Selective Response the Time Envelope is used to view the
magnitude of the response time signal. This is useful in analyzing the
effects of compression in an electrical circuit and/or an electroacoustic
transducer. The Scaling can be set to dB or Linear.
The magnitude is calculated only between Fmin and Fmax. This helps to
create a cleaner, smoother or “less noisy” envelope.
Note: To avoid ripple effects in the time domain, Fmin and Fmax
must be outside the stimulus bandwidth.
Figure 13-30: Define Envelope

& Impulse Response Units
Impulse Response
The Impulse Response is the time domain response of a system to an idealized infinitely short impulse. An
impulse response is the time domain equivalent of a frequency response function, and can be computed using
the Inverse Fourier Transform on a frequency response function. This can only be accessed when Time
Selective Response or Dual Channel is the chosen algorithm.
The units for the impulse response can either be dB, where the resulting display is an Energy Time Curve, or
linear values. With linear units, the impulse response will look like a ring-down curve that you would see on an
oscilloscope. To change the impulse response units, select the Units tab.

Instruction Manual
Deconvolved Response
The Deconvolved Response is the response waveform divided by the stimulus waveform, in the spectral
domain. It shows the Linear or Fundamental Impulse Response of the DUT, the Harmonic Impulse Response
that occurs before it and the reflections (if any) that occur after it. The deconvolved Response is a result of the
Time Selective Response algorithm. This helps you to properly position the time window so that the
Fundamental Impulse Response is between the start and stop time, while leaving the Harmonic Impulse
Response and Reflections outside the window. This can be tested by clicking the Apply button before using the
algorithm in a sequence.
TSR Window 10mS Total

1mS 1mS
The Cosine Taper window used by the Time
H1
Selective Response algorithm, has a 10%
taper at each end. The Fundamental 10 %
10 %
Impulse Response must be inside these
tapers. The example in Figure 13-31 H2
shows a 10 mSec window set on an H3
impulse response. The taper of the TSR
window disregards the first and last
1 mSec (10%) of the impulse.
Harmonic IR Fundamental IR Reflections
Figure 13-31: TSR Window - Cosine Taper
Definitions of each of the window types can

be found in Weighting and Window Types on page 637.
Note: As of SoundCheck 8, you can choose other window

types, as shown in Figure 13-32.
Figure 13-32: TSR Window Type

Instruction Manual
The TSR Window is output in the Memory
List as a waveform. This can be displayed
on top of the Impulse Response or the
Deconvolved Response waveforms to
check the time alignment as shown in
Figure 13-33.
The fundamental impulse response must
fall inside the window. If it does not, simply
edit the Start and Stop times in the Analysis
Editor as shown in Figure 13-32. The start
time should be slightly before the start of
the impulse (0.20 mSec for Adrienne) and Figure 13-33: Impulse Response and TSR Window
the stop time should be before the first
reflection.

Instruction Manual
13.8 Transfer Functions - Dual Channel Analysis
Dual Channel spectrum analysis yields the true transfer function between the input and output.
This technique should be used mainly with broadband stimulus such as noise. However, it could also be used
with arbitrary waveforms such as voice or music.
Stimulus Response
13.8.1 Spectral Scaling

 Spectral Density should be used and is necessary for determining NonCoherent Distortion. Refer to
Spectral Scaling - Frequency Tab on page 179 for more information.
A scan FFT is performed in parallel on x(t) and y(t), which yields to two series of spectrum: {X0, X1,… , XN-1}
and {Y0, Y1,… , YN-1}.
By averaging these spectrum together we get:
Auto-spectrum:
G XX = E XX
E[.] is the mean and X denotes the complex conjugate of X.
Stimulus Average Power Spectrum
Auto-spectrum:
G YY = E YY
Response Average Power Spectrum
Cross-spectrum:
G XY = E XY
The average cross-spectrum between stimulus & response.
Stimulus/Response Average Cross Spectrum
Frequency Response:
G XY An unbiased estimator when noise is present at the output.
H 1 = ----------
-
G XX
Impulse Response:
–1
h1( t ) = ℑ [ H1( f ) ] –1
Response of the DUT to an ideally short impulse. ℑ is the inverse Fourier Transform.
Coherence & Non-coherence:

2
2 G XY
γ = ----------------------
-
G XX G YY
1-γ2, these functions give you the degree of linear relationship between the stimulus and
response for each frequency.

Instruction Manual
Coherent Power (CP)
2
CP = γ ⋅ G YY CP is the part of GYY which is linearly related to the stimulus.
Non-Coherent Power (NCP)

2
NCP = ( 1 – γ ) ⋅ G YY
NCP is the part of GYY which is not linearly related to the stimulus, such as noise
and distortion.
Signal to Noise Ratio:

2
γ CP -
SNR = -------------2 = -----------
1–γ NCP
The Signal to Noise Ratio is the ratio at each frequency, between the power linearly
related to the stimulus and the part non-linearly related, such as noise and distortion.
Non-Coherent Distortion in %
NCP -
NCD ( f ) = 100 -----------------
 GYY The NCD gives the proportion of noise and distortion which is present in the
f
Response Spectrum GYY. It is a function of frequency. Making a power sum of it with Post-processing will give
you a single Noise & Distortion number. The NCD function used along with multitone or noise stimulus will give
you a global assessment of the non-linearities of your DUT.
Auto Correlation of Stimulus:

–1
C xx ( t ) = ℑ [ G XX ( f ) ]
The peak value is equal to the total power of the stimulus.
Stimulus Auto Correlation
Auto Correlation of Response:

–1
C yy ( t ) = ℑ [ G YY ( f ) ]
The peak value is equal to the total power of the response.
Response Auto Correlation
Cross-Correlation of Stimulus and Response:

–1
C xy ( t ) = ℑ [ G XY ( f ) ]
The position of the peak yields the delay of the input to the output.
Stimulus & Response Cross-Correlation

Instruction Manual
13.9 Multitone
The results are similar to Dual Channel Analysis but the Frequency Response is the amplitude and phase of
only the tones that are present.
Because all the tones are analyzed in parallel, Multitone is the fastest way to get the Frequency Response.
Regarding distortion; because a Multitone stimulus has a rich frequency content (like "real-life" signals, e.g.,
music), it produces more realistic distortion components.
Using Multitone, the Non-Coherent Distortion curve yields a quick and global distortion assessment of the DUT.
In addition, one can make the Power Sum (using Post-Processing) of the Non-Coherent Distortion curve to get
a single percentage. That number quantifies the global Distortion & Noise present at the DUT and can be used
as a quality figure.
13.9.1 Spectral Scaling

 In most cases, RMS should be used since Multitone is a collection of fixed sine tones. Spectral
Density should be used and is necessary for determining Non-Coherent Distortion. Refer to Spectral
Scaling - Frequency Tab on page 179 for more information.
13.9.2 Applying EQ
In Dual Channel and Multitone Analysis, the frequency response of the DUT is normally obtained by dividing
the Response Spectrum (Y) by the Spectrum at the input of the DUT (X).
Frequency Response = Y
----
X
When EQ is applied in the Stimulus Step, the Spectrum at the input of DUT (X) is assumed to be the Stimulus
Spectrum (S) divided by the EQ Curve (EQ).
Y -
Frequency Response = --------------
S ⁄ EQ

Instruction Manual
13.9.3 Complex vs. Power Averaging - Frequency Tab
For Dual Channel and Multitone Analysis, the
cross-spectrum yields the average phase
relationship between input and output. The cross-
spectrum is calculated when the Complex
Averaging option is selected from the Frequency
tab of the Analysis Editor. See Figure 13-34.
 Complex is selected by default
Cross-spectrum cannot be used when making
measurements on devices with non-stable phase
due to frequency shift or jitter (e.g., Bluetooth
headsets or MP3 players).
As an alternative, select Power, which gives an
estimate of the frequency response based on the
Auto-Spectra only. In this case, the cross-
spectrum is not calculated so phase information is
no longer available and the list of analysis
functions is reduced.
When Power is selected, the following functions
are available in the Analysis Editor:
 Auto Spectrum - Stimulus and Response
Figure 13-34: Complex vs. Power Averaging
 Frequency Response (Magnitude Only)
 Time Envelope (Time Tab)
 Auto Correlation - Stimulus and Response (Time Tab - Dual Channel only)
The Complex and Power options apply only to Dual Channel and Multitone Analysis.
Note: A faster frequency shift algorithm with output of the jitter curve in the Memory List offers increased
testing speeds for digital devices which have their own digital clock.

Instruction Manual
13.10 RTA Spectrum
In addition to calculating the RTA spectrum of the response waveform, the RTA
analysis algorithm now allows the option to calculate the spectrum of the
stimulus as well as the overall frequency response (comparing the response to
the stimulus). This is useful when analyzing non-stationary signals, for
example speech signals in telephony where compensation needs to be made
for a non-flat stimulus.
The RTA Algorithm applies the RTA filter bank on the selected response
waveform and yields the average 1/n octave spectrum in the Memory List. The
advantage of this method over the RTA virtual instrument is that the analysis is
perfectly synchronized with the stimulus, and the averaging time fits exactly to
the length of the waveform. This eliminates the need for several stimulus
repetitions and reduces the total test time.
Figure 13-35: RTA
This algorithm yields the exact same response spectrum measured with the Spectrum
RTA virtual instrument, and it conforms to the ANSI S1.11 - 2004 class 0
standard.
This can also be used to perform a multichannel acquisition
and analysis of the stimulus, which yields a synchronized
RTA spectrum for all channels, with only one run of the
stimulus. It is sometimes difficult to start the RTA virtual
instrument at exactly the right time to capture the desired
spectrum. This process eliminates such a synchronization
problem. For example:
 Play P50 speech only one time
 Record two channels (send and receive or left and
right) Figure 13-36: RTA Spectrum Graph
 Both spectrums are synchronous since they were
recorded at the same time
 The RTA spectrum for both channels requires only two analysis steps
 The algorithm processing time has been optimized to reduce sequence runtime

Instruction Manual
In addition to calculating the RTA spectrum of the response waveform, the RTA
analysis algorithm also allows the option to calculate the spectrum of the
stimulus as well as the overall frequency response (comparing the response to
the stimulus).
 Spectra - Select to output either of the RTA curves to the Memory List
 Functions - Select Frequency Response to output the curve to the
Memory List
13.10.1 Applying EQ
In RTA Spectrum Analysis, the frequency response of the DUT is normally
obtained by dividing the Response Spectrum (Y) by the Spectrum at the input of
the DUT (X).
 When EQ is applied in the Stimulus Step, the Spectrum at the input of
DUT (X) is assumed to be the Stimulus Spectrum (S) divided by the EQ
Curve (EQ).
Frequency Response = Y Y -
---- = -------------- Figure 13-37: RTA
X S ⁄ EQ Spectrum Settings

Instruction Manual
13.11 Analysis Settings
13.11.1 Frequency Tab - Curve Resolution

Curve Resolution is available for all FFT based frequency curves: LogTSR,
Spectrum, Transfer Functions (Dual Channel) and Multitone.
Selecting 1/Nth Octave resolution automatically sets the resolution of the
curves that are output by the sequence, and performs smoothing on those
curves. This resolution change reduces the number of points in the resulting
curve, making the sequence operate faster.
 Preset selections:
1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/24 octave (ISO frequencies)
Figure 13-38: Curve
 User Defined lin (Hz) Resolution
For backward compatibility, Analysis Steps from previous versions of
SoundCheck will copy the frequency resolution value from the old version into the User defined lin
resolution field.
 User Defined log (1/n oct)
Allows you to define the 1/Nth octave resolution.
13.11.2 Distortion Tab

Distortion is only available when using the HarmonicTrak and Time Selective
Response algorithms.
Harmonic Distortion
Harmonics
The Harmonics field value indicates the harmonic number; 1 is the
fundamental, 2 is the 2nd harmonic, etc. Select which harmonics to measure,
either individually or as a group. You can also measure sub-harmonics, e.g.,
0.5 harmonic. Use the Edit List button to modify list preferences.
Note: Checking 1 in the Harmonics list of the Analysis Editor does not
change the analysis process. The Fundamental is always
available, even if 1 is not checked.
Data added to Memory List is shown in the Curves Tab.

Default names are:
Figure 13-39: THD w H2,
Fundamental, Harmonic 2, Harmonic 3, etc. H3
These can be shortened if you are checking “Add Input Data Name” or “Use
Signal Path Name”.

Instruction Manual
Edit List
This button enables modification of the list of harmonics. To add a
single harmonic, enter the single harmonic value (e.g., 5) and click
Add. To enter a range (e.g., 10 through 15) enter the starting
harmonic in the box to the left of the To button. Then click To and
enter the ending harmonic. Clicking Add will add the harmonic
family to the list.
Figure 13-40: Edit List
Harmonics Plotted at Actual Measured Frequency

Traditionally, the harmonics of the signal are displayed at the excitation frequency. When Harmonics at
measured frequency is selected, harmonics will be displayed on the XY Graph at the actual measured
frequency. By displaying the shifted harmonics and the Fundamental, one can determine whether harmonic
amplitude levels increase or decrease due to amplitude changes in the frequency response or are actual
increases or decreases in distortion energy. THD and Rub & Buzz distortion calculated using the amplitude
normalized distortion method removes the effects of DUT's frequency response modifying distortion levels.
For more information, see: How to Graph
Distortion Measurements by Steve F.Temme,
found at the Listen website, https://
www.listeninc.com/how-to-graph-distortion-
measurements/
In Harmonics at Actual Measured Frequency
on page 195 you can see the harmonics plotted
at actual measured frequencies.
Figure 13-41: Harmonics at Actual Measured

Frequency

Instruction Manual
Total Distortion
Total Distortion (TD) is the power sum of all the harmonics selected in the
Analysis Step. It is presented in the units of the Harmonics themselves. It
represents the level of distortion at each excitation frequency. The calculation
is based on the Harmonics selected in the Analysis Editor.
2 2 2
TD = ( H2 + H3 + … + Hn )
Total Distortion
Figure 13-42: Total

Distortion
References:
 Values in the equations are RMS engineering units,
unless labeled in %. However, the final distortion
curves are frequently shown in dB (SoundCheck
default).
 All above equations are a function of frequency (f)
 n indicates the distortion order
 F is the Fundamental (aka H1)
 Hn is the harmonic of nth order

Instruction Manual
Total Harmonic Distortion
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is the percentage of the total signal that is
affected by distortion due to the harmonics. Total Distortion (TD) is referenced
in the equations. See Total Distortion on page 196.
Selecting IEC method means that the distortion ratio is the power sum of the
distortion components divided by the total input power (fundamental +
distortion components). The square root of this ratio is presented in percent.
The distortion is always <100%.
TD -
% THD = 100 × --------------------------
2 2
F + TD
Total Harmonic Distortion in % (IEC)
Selecting IEEE method means that the distortion ratio is the power sum of the
distortion components divided by the power of the fundamental. The square
root of this ratio is presented in percent. The distortion may be >100%.
(The IEEE standard allows for this method and what is described as the IEC
method mentioned above.)
Figure 13-43: THD
TD-
% THD = 100 × -------
F
Total Harmonic Distortion in % (IEEE)
(See Intermodulation and Difference Distortion on page 206 for more options).
The THD measurement only takes into account the harmonics selected in the Analysis Step Distortion tab.
Note: Checking 1 in the Harmonics list of the Analysis Editor does not change the analysis process. The
Fundamental is always available, even if 1 is not checked.
References:
default).

 N is Noise

Instruction Manual
THD + Noise
Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N) is a measurement that expresses the ratio of all the harmonic
and noise energy to the total signal. DC is excluded.
As of SoundCheck 16, the THD+N algorithm has been improved as follows:
 Accurate THD+N measurements can now be made with far shorter
stimulus times
 The notch filter used complies with AES17 and will produce identical
results to alternative measurement systems
 Optionally, a Synthetic Notch Filter will produce more accurate and
much faster results
 User defined High Pass and Low Pass filters are available to define the
bandwidth of the measurement
Controls:
Checking THD+Noise (%) produces a curve in the Memory List.
 If High Pass Filter is unchecked, no High Pass filter is applied
 If the Low Pass Filter is not checked a default low pass filter defined by
the Anti-alias Frequency set in Hardware Editor is used
 If High Pass Filter is checked, you are able to set the low frequency limit
of the measurement
 High-pass filter is Elliptic, Brick Wall, 5th order. The Corner Frequency is
set in the Corner (Hz) field. Default value is 10 Hz.
 Low-pass filter is Elliptic, Brick Wall, 8th order. The Corner Frequency is Figure 13-44: THD+N
set in the Corner (Hz) field. Default value is 20 kHz.
Note: The THD+N algorithm requires a Stimulus Step Minimum Duration of 20 mSec. Any time discarded
in Analysis requires a corresponding increase in Stimulus Step Duration.
13.11.3 Measurement Accuracy and Repeatability

The key to measuring THD+N accurately is to understand that the Noise component is a broadband
measurement. The Step Size defined for the stimulus must be sufficiently long in time to accurately measure a
signal at the High Pass Frequency. In addition, if the device is noise dominated, to produce repeatable
measurements will require a long Step Size in order to average the random noise.
Example:
 The high pass frequency is set to 20 Hz.
 The Step Size cannot be less than 1 cycle or 50 mSec.
 The practical minimum Step Size would be 3 cycles or 150 mSec.
 To account for typical transients between sweep steps, would normally require 5 cycles or 250 mSec.
 For a typical noise dominated electronic device, dwell times of 1 second or more may be required for
repeatable measurements.
 These time constants will scale with the High Pass frequency.
See Transition Discard Time - Time Tab on page 181.

Instruction Manual
THD+N Equations
THD+N IEC
2 2 2 2
H2 + H 3 + … + H n + N
% THD+N = 100 × --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
2 2 2 2 2
F + H2 + H 3 + … + H n + N
Total Harmonic Distortion in % (IEC)
THD+N IEEE
2 2 2 2
H2 + H 3 + … + H n + N
% THD+N = 100 × ---------------------------------------------------------------
F
Total Harmonic Distortion in % (IEEE)
Figure 13-45: THD+N
Virtual Instrument THD+N Options

THD+N Residual - The level of all the noise and distortion products in the measurement bandwidth
SINAD - Is the reciprocal of THD+N, if and only if THD+N is calculated without High and Low Pass filters in the
Analysis Editor
P signal + P noise + P distortion

SINAD = ----------------------------------------------------------------
-
P noise + P distortion
SINAD (Signal to noise and distortion ratio)
References:
default).

 N is Noise
 Pn is the Average Power of the n component

Instruction Manual
Rub & Buzz
Rub & Buzz is the power sum of all harmonics selected above the 9th
harmonic divided by the fundamental. Harmonics 10 and higher are the main
contributors to the audible rub and buzz even though lower order harmonics
may be higher in level. For more information refer to: Are you Shipping
Defective Speakers to your Customers by Steve F. Temme, found on the
Listen website.
 Hn ( f ) 2
n ≥ 10
Rub & Buzz ( f ) = 100 ----------------------------------
-
H1 ( f ) 2
Rub and Buzz in %
Normalized THD or Normalized Rub and Buzz

An alternate algorithm for the THD and Rub & Buzz measurements is
calculated using the harmonics after re-plotting them at the actual measured
frequency of their signals.
Figure 13-46: Rub and
See Harmonics Plotted at Actual Measured Frequency on page 195. Buzz
The % THD and % Rub & Buzz is then calculated using the following
methods:
THD Normalized Equation
Hn ( f ) 2
Normalized THD ( f ) = 100  -------------------
H1 ( n f )
-
Normalized THD in %
n≠1
Rub & Buzz Normalized Equation
Hn ( f ) 2
Normalized Rub & Buzz ( f ) = 100  --------------------
H1 ( n f )
Normalized Rub and Buzz in % n ≥ 10
The values of THD Normalized and Rub & Buzz

Normalized can be compared to the Harmonic “n”
shifted curves (where “n” is from 2 to your highest References:
harmonic requested).  Values in the equations are RMS engineering units,
The formulas above use the IEEE method. The IEC curves are frequently shown in dB (SoundCheck
method can also be used. Please Refer to default).
Intermodulation and Difference Distortion on page  All above equations are a function of frequency (f)
206 for information on IEC vs. IEEE.  n indicates the distortion order
 H1 (or F) is the Fundamental

Instruction Manual
13.11.4 Rules - Normalized THD/Normalized Rub and Buzz
 If the stimulus waveform is from an Amplitude Sweep Stimulus Step, the following Harmonics options
are grayed out and not available:
 Harmonics @ measured freq.
 THD Normalized (%)
 Rub & Buzz Normalized (%)
 Even though the response measurement may go to 20 kHz, Normalized THD measurements stop at
10 kHz. For a normalized distortion measurement, the maximum measured frequency is the stimulus
frequency divided by the highest order harmonic being measured.
For example: If you are sweeping up to 20 kHz and measuring the 2nd through 5th harmonic (as is
common for THD measurements):
 The 2nd harmonic distortion product will be measured up to 10 kHz,
the 3rd up to 6.67 kHz, the 4th up to 5 kHz and the 5th up to 4 kHz.
 The measurement will stop at 10 kHz as there are no normalized harmonic distortion components
calculated above this frequency. It should also be noted that above 4 kHz, the harmonics are not
included.
 In other words, it is impossible to normalize (ratio) the “harmonics at their measured
frequencies” to the fundamental, at stimulus frequencies not present in the measurement.
e.g., If the stimulus range does not include the frequency range of high order harmonics.
In regular Rub and Buzz, the ratio of the harmonics to the fundamental are compared at the stimulus
frequency but still have to be within the passband (Alias free Freq) of the sampling rate.
Please refer to the following papers on the Listen website: Harmonic Distortion Measurement: The
effects of sampling rate and stimulus frequency on the measured harmonic frequency
(including THD and Rub & Buzz) by Steve F. Temme.
How to Graph Distortion Measurements by Steve F. Temme.
Measure Relative to Fundamental Only

THD and Rub & Buzz measurements can be calculated using one of two
methods. Choose IEC to include the fundamental and all the harmonics (Total
Distortion) in the denominator (typically used in Europe), or IEEE to use the
fundamental (first harmonic, typically used in the USA). These are selected in
the bottom section of the Analysis Editor - HarmonicTrak Algorithm - Distortion
Tab as shown in Figure 13-47.
Figure 13-47: THD and

Rub & Buzz Selections

Instruction Manual
13.12 Perceptual Rub & Buzz - CLEARTM Distortion Measurement
Requires optional module 2030 - Perceptual Rub & Buzz.
The CLEAR (Cepstral Loudness Enhanced Algorithm for Rub & Buzz)
algorithm from Listen offers true Perceptual Rub & Buzz analysis for
production line applications.
It uses a simplified auditory perceptual model to measure the loudness of Rub
& Buzz distortion in phons rather than the more traditional dB SPL and %
distortion units. These better identify whether distortion due to manufacturing
defects can be heard by the listener than conventional measurements. In
addition to a result which corresponds more accurately to the human ear, this
new test method also offers two significant advantages for use on the
production line:
 It is less sensitive to transient background noises than traditional
methods, therefore is reliable in noisy environments
 It is much simpler to set limits than when using conventional distortion
measurements
13.12.1 ePRB - Enhanced PRB

Introduced in SoundCheck 20, ePRB is an enhanced version of the original
PRB algorithm first released in SoundCheck 19.
 Offers improved repeatability
 ePRB improves noise rejection and isolates the harmonics
Figure 13-48: Perceptual
 ePRB correlates better with subjective assessments Rub & Buzz
ePRB has been harmonically weighted and the unit is expressed as
“phons(H)”. The legacy PRB algorithm unit is “phons”. ePRB curves will look different as there is no direct
mapping from PRB to ePRB. The ePRB and PRB algorithms can be used simultaneously. This is useful when
reanalyzing stored waveforms to build new ePRB limit curves.
This is selected in the bottom section of the Analysis Editor - Distortion Tab as shown in Figure 13-48.
Note: The Distortion Tab is only available for the HarmonicTrak and Time Selective Response
algorithms.
13.12.2 Analysis Step Settings

The ePRB checkbox is the only setting required in the Analysis Step.
The Perceptual Rub & Buzz algorithm can be run simultaneously with ePRB so the two methods can be
compared. This is useful when reanalyzing stored waveforms.
13.12.3 Output Curves

PRB original method curves are named “Perceptual Rub & Buzz”. ePRB curves are named “ePRB”.
Important! As of SoundCheck 11.0, a threshold was added to the Perceptual Rub &
Buzz algorithm that will output zero if that threshold isn’t met. In this case it is normal
to see a flat line at 0 Phons. See Comparison on page 203.

Instruction Manual
13.12.4 Perceptual vs. Conventional Rub & Buzz
Conventional Rub & Buzz detection has been widely used on the production line since Listen introduced it in
SoundCheck Version 1 back in 1996. It offers excellent identification of Rub and Buzz defects caused by
manufacturing problems, and will continue to do so. In recent years, some manufacturers have moved to a
defect detection model where they prefer only speakers with audible faults to fail QC checks. This is because
yields are higher when only speakers with audible faults are rejected rather than any faults at all. Perceptual
Rub & Buzz offers a means of identifying and precisely quantifying this with all the benefits and reliability of an
automated test system.
Perceptual Rub & Buzz using the CLEAR™ algorithm shows audible distortion more clearly. Traditional Rub &
Buzz measurements do not take into account the insensitivity of the human ear to low and high frequencies,
therefore it is more difficult to identify problem areas and set limits on a production line.
13.12.5 Comparison
Figure 13-49: Example A - Good Speaker: Perceptual
Rub & Buzz -
 Rub and Buzz is a low percentage - Red
Dashed Line
line
 Perceptual Rub and Buzz is below the
threshold of perception across the range
of the measurement, so the resulting
curve is a flat line at 0_Phons - Black
dotted line
Figure 13-49: Example A - Good Speaker
Figure 13-50: Example B - Bad Speaker:

 Rub and Buzz is very high at low Perceptual
frequencies with an 8% peak at 160_Hz - Rub & Buzz -
Red line Dashed Line
 The Perceptual Rub and Buzz curve

shows the more audible cone breakup of
8.9 Phons at 530 Hz, along with the
noticeable low frequency distortion at
125_Hz - Black dotted line
Figure 13-50: Example B - Bad Speaker
13.12.6 The CLEAR Rub & Buzz Detection Algorithm

Listen’s CLEAR TM Rub & Buzz detection algorithm uses true perceptual analysis to ‘hear’ any faults in the
speaker. It offers many advantages over other ‘perceptual’ Rub & Buzz analysis systems:
 True Perceptual Rub & Buzz: The CLEAR Algorithm is a true perceptual Rub & Buzz algorithm. Based
on well-proven psychoacoustic principles, it accurately replicates the human ear using mathematical
models found in MP3 encoders that mimic the way that both the ear and the brain interpret sound. This
results in close to 100% correlation to the human ear.
 Less sensitive to transient background noise: A significant advantage of our Perceptual Rub & Buzz
algorithm is that it is very insensitive to transient background noise – tests show that it offers far more

Instruction Manual
consistent results with high background noise levels than other Rub & Buzz measurement methods.
This makes it ideal for noisy factory environments.
 Flexible: The CLEAR Rub & Buzz detection system is extremely flexible. While it can of course be
configured for a simple pass/fail result, it can also offer detailed results including defect analysis and
offers a calibrated loudness value rather than simply a comparison to a reference.
 Better Correlation to Human Ear: Testing carried out by an independent laboratory shows excellent
correlation to the human ear.
More details of the research leading to the development of this algorithm are presented in the paper: 'Practical
Measurement of Loudspeaker Distortion Using a Simplified Auditory Perceptual Model', found on the
Listen website.

Instruction Manual
13.12.7 CLEARTM Algorithm For Perceptual Rub & Buzz Analysis
FFT Spectrum The algorithm uses a sine wave stimulus

Stimulus applied because this is widely accepted as the
to transducer standard test signal for production line
testing in the loudspeaker industry.
Response Spectrum
Hz to Bark
Auditory Filter Bands
Auditory
Filter
Bands
Auditory filter bands are applied to the response signal

to convert the FFT spectrum (constant bandwidth) to a
Bark scale (auditory filter bands). This replicates the The harmonic structure of the response is
way the ear filters sound. Harmonic quantified using the power cepstrum
(a cepstrum is the inverse spectrum of a log
Structure spectrum).
A strong and extended harmonic structure is
a signature of Rub & Buzz.
Internal Noise
Floor Ear
Weighting
Ear Weighting Filter
An ear weighting filter compensates for the transfer Internal

function of the outer to inner ear, and the internal noise of Noise
the ear (noise floor due to blood flow) is added. Together
these model the frequency response of the ear.
Frequency
Spreading
The fundamental and its masking effects are

subtracted out from the result for the response
A frequency spreading function is applied. This is Partial signal to give the distortion of the speaker plus
a simple mathematical representation of auditory Loudness noise. This is summed over the frequency range to
masking curves. give the perceptual partial loudness (in phons) for
Calculation
a single tone of the input signal.
The result of the harmonic analysis (a percentage

PARTIAL LOUDNESS measurement) is combined with the perceptual
combined with distortion for each frequency. This accentuates
HARMONIC STRUCTURE the rub & buzz, making it easier to identify and
set limits.
This is how the algorithm mimics the
psychoacoustic filters of the ear in hearing Rub &
Buzz defects. These complex curves change with
frequency and level.
PERCEPTUAL
RUB & BUZZ

Instruction Manual
13.13 Intermodulation and Difference Distortion
When you play two tones in a non-linear system, they interact in such a way
that you get new frequencies at the output. These frequencies are different
linear combinations of the two original frequencies and are called orders. This
is the case when music is played through a loudspeaker. These orders are
particularly annoying because they have no harmonic relationship with the
original frequencies.
Two types of two-tone distortion are commonly used.
 Intermodulation distortion (IM): this distortion occurs when a high
frequency tone is superimposed on a high-level, low frequency tone.
The high frequency signal is modulated by the low frequency.
 Difference frequency distortion (DF): this distortion arises when 2
tones are separated by a small frequency difference. This distortion is
similar to harmonic distortion but is especially noticeable when the 2
tones are at high frequencies.
Figure 13-51: Total IMD
13.13.1 Application to Loudspeakers Measurements

Intermodulation distortion is used to detect amplitude and Doppler modulations that occur when low frequency
signals produce large excursions of the speaker voice coil.
Difference frequency distortion is used to detect distortion at high frequencies, where single tone harmonic
distortion would fall far out the frequency range of the loudspeaker or of the ear.
For more details on these techniques see: Steve Temme, Audio Distortion Measurements, Bruel & Kjaer,
Application Note BO 0385-11, found on the Listen website.
IM (or difference frequencies) are measured using step FFT analysis in a method similar to HarmonicTrak. For
each step frequency, processing is applied on the entire spectrum of the signal.

Instruction Manual
13.13.2 IM Distortion Formulas
Total IM
2
Total IM =
 ( H n + H –n )
n>1
Total IM Distortion dB (IEC)
2 2
Total IM =
 ( H n + H –n )
n>1
Total IM Distortion dB (IEEE)
Total IMD %
Figure 13-52: Total IMD
Total IM
% IMD = 100 × ---------------------------
( F1 + F2 )
Total IM Distortion % (IEC)
Total IM -
% IMD = 100 × --------------------------
2 2
F1 + F2
Total IM Distortion % (IEEE)
References:
default).
 F1 is the IM Fundamental
 F2 is the IM Fixed Tone
 Hn are the nth distortion orders
 N is Noise

Instruction Manual
Difference Distortion Formulas
 Hn  ( Hn + H–n )
2 2
DFD = +
n < 0, even n > 1, odd
Total Diff Distortion in dB (IEC)
DFD =  Hn2
Total Diff Distortion in dB
(IEEE)
DFD
TotalDFD = 100 × ----------------------
( F1 + F2 )
Figure 13-53: Total DFD
Total DF Distortion in % (IEC)
DFD
TotalDFD = 100 × ----------------------
2 2
F1 + F2
Total DF Distortion in % (IEEE)
References:
default).
 F1 is the Diff Upper Fundamental
 F2 is the Diff Lower Fundamental
 N is Noise

Instruction Manual
Total Distortion + Noise
The power sum of TD and Noise (IM or Diff)
2 2
TD + N
TotalD + N = 100 × -----------------------------
F1 + F2
Total Distortion + Noise in % (IEC)
2 2
TotalD + N = 100 × TD + N-
-----------------------
2 2
F1 + F2
Total Distortion + Noise in % (IEEE)
Figure 13-54: Total DFD +

Noise
References:
default).
 N is Noise
For IM Distortion:
 F1 is the IM Fundamental
 F2 is the IM Fixed Tone
For Diff Distortion:
 F1 is the Diff Upper Fundamental

Instruction Manual
13.13.3 Confidence and Noise
When making any measurement there is always a level of measurement
uncertainty, partly due to noise. That noise adds randomness to the level of the
measurement. Therefore a measurement is only an estimate of the true value.
Since we know the level of noise, it is possible to calculate the Standard Error
(σ) of the estimated level.
Confidence Limits
If we consider one measurement with a value of x and a standard error of σ,
then the confidence that the true value will be within the limits ±nσ is as follows:
 [x-σ , x+σ] with 68% confidence
 [x-2σ , x+2σ] with 97% confidence
 [x-3σ , x+3σ] with 99.7% confidence.
These are the Confidence Limits, as selected in Figure 13-55.
Figure 13-55: Confidence
Standard Error
The Standard Error for the Fundamental as well as every selected harmonic or order can be displayed. The
Standard Error is calculated in the same units as the Fundamental and the resulting curve is based on one
standard deviation (σ).
There is a choice of having the Standard Error as a single curve (σ) or the Confidence Limits as 2 curves
(measured curve ±a σ). The factor a, is chosen by the user.
Total Noise
A Noise curve can also be displayed. This is the RMS level of Total Noise for each stimulus frequency.
Note: Please refer to the How To Example sequence: Confidence and Noise
This can also be used for frequency pairs when measuring Intermodulation and Difference Frequency
distortion.
For more information on the Stimulus required for these measurements please Refer to Two Tone Stimulus
on page 140.
Note: Please refer to the How To Example sequences: IM Distortion.sqc and Diff Distortion.sqc.

Instruction Manual
13.13.4 Rules - Measurement Confidence
Here are some general recommendations to help to increase the measurement confidence and
improve the repeatability of THD and THD+N results.
 Increase the input gain if Max FSD is below -30 dB
 Change the sweep direction to “High to Low”
 Increase the bit depth to 24 Bit
 Increase the min cycles/min duration in the Stimulus Step
13.14 Electrical Tab - Impedance

Impedance measures the voltage level across a known reference resistor and
calculates the impedance.
 SI units are used throughout SoundCheck 20.0.
 0.25 Ohms is represented as 250 milliohms as shown in Figure 13-56
13.14.1 Impedance Measurement Method

Select Impedance Box if using the Impedance
Measurement Interface box from Listen, Inc. as shown
in Figure 13-56. Note that you can select if the box is
placed before or after the speaker in the circuit.
This method allows you to enter the value of the reference resistor used in the
Impedance Box. Other methods have fixed values depending on the Listen
hardware used.
Figure 13-56: Reference
13.14.2 Ref Resistor Resistor Value
Value of the reference resistor, in Ohms, placed in series with the transducer under test. See Impedance
Setup on page 212 for more details.

Instruction Manual
13.14.3 AmpConnect 621™, AmpConnect ISC™ and SC Amp™ Impedance Measurement
Methods
Each of the Listen hardware devices have dedicated measurement
methods. AmpConnect ISC is used in Figure 13-57.
Note: The AmpConnect front panel or AmpConnect Message

Step/Startup Default must be set to the same Reference
Resistor value as set in the Analysis Step of the
sequence.
The default value used in the default sequence Complete test using
AmpConnect ISC is Z-Low. For AmpConnect ISC you can also select Z-
High to use a 1 Ohm reference resistor.
Note: In order to get an accurate result from the Impedance

Analysis Step, the Impedance Input Signal Path must use
an Input Calibrated Device set to Unity Gain.
Figure 13-57: Impedance -

AmpConnect ISC
13.14.4 SC Amp™
As of SoundCheck 18.1, you can select SC Amp from the Impedance Measurement Method drop-down. This
uses a 0.1 Ohm reference resistor as in previous versions. Prior sequences that use the AmpConnect ISC/SC
Amp - Z Low method will still work correctly as the resistor value and position in the circuit are the same.
13.14.5 Impedance Setup

Listen offers an optional Impedance Measurement Interface Box for connecting the power amplifier,
transducer, and SoundCheck system. This features dual banana leads, alligator clips, a removable cable for
the impedance measurement channel input and a removable cover for easy access when changing the
reference resistor. For more information, please contact Listen, Inc.
(Refer to Loudspeaker Test Connections with Impedance Box on page 616 for a detailed drawing of the
impedance box)
To measure the transducer's impedance, a small resistor is connected in series with the transducer between its
negative terminal and ground. A general rule of thumb is that the DUT Impedance should be somewhere
between 20 to 40 times greater than the Reference Resistor. Refer to Impedance Measurement Details on
page 213 for more information.
 For example, use a 0.25 Ohm resistor for an 8 Ohm loudspeaker. This way both the acoustic response
(e.g., left channel) and impedance response (e.g., right channel) of the transducer can be measured at
the same time.
To measure the current flow through the resistor, connect Input 2 of the audio interface across the Reference
Resistor as shown in Figure 13-58.
WARNING! Make sure to connect the ground of the output from the amplifier to the
ground on Input 2 of the audio interface. The positive lead of Input 2 should be
connected to the negative terminal of the transducer, the same as the resistor.

Instruction Manual
Enter the value of current sensing resistor in series with the transducer in the Ref. Resistor field of the Analysis
Editor as shown in Figure 13-56. The formulas below apply only to the Impedance Box Method.
VS
Measurement
Amplifier Mic Input
+
i -
+
Z (DUT)
Audio VR +
- Interface
Output Audio Interface
RREF Line Input
-
Common Ground
Figure 13-58: Impedance Box Circuit
 Z = impedance of device under test (e.g., loudspeaker)

 VS = voltage out of amplifier (measured during calibration)
 VR = voltage across resistor (e.g., 0.1 W reference)
 i = current running through DUT and reference resistor
(VS − VR )
=> Z = (VS × RREF ) − RREF
VR
Z= i=
i RREF VR
13.14.6 Impedance Measurement Details

When measuring impedance with SoundCheck, it helps to know the expected impedance of the Device Under
Test.
This allows you to select a Reference Resistor value that provides a signal level to return to SoundCheck that
is significantly above the noise floor of the system, but not so high that it overloads the inputs. If the Impedance
curve as measured in SoundCheck appears to have jagged edges, this would indicate that the signal across
the Reference Resistor is too low.
You also have to take into consideration the signal drop at the DUT due to the added Reference Resistor. This
signal drop is not included in the Amplifier Calibration process, so it needs to be as small as possible.
The idea is to minimize the Signal Drop at the DUT while maintaining a sufficient signal level across the
Reference Resistor.

Instruction Manual
13.14.7 Rules - Impedance Measurement
 A general rule of thumb is that the DUT Impedance should be somewhere between 20 to 40 times
greater than the Reference Resistor.
To calculate the Signal Drop at the DUT:

DUT Imp
DUT Signal Drop (dB) = 20 × log 10  --------------------------------------------------
DUT Imp + Ref Res
Signal Drop at DUT in dB
To calculate the Signal Level at the Reference Resistor:

Ref Res
Ref Res Level (dBV) = 20 × log 10   -------------------------------------------------- × Stimulus Level
DUT Imp + Ref Res
Level Across Reference Resistor in dBV
The charts in Figure 13-59 and Figure 13-60 show how the Drop at the DUT and Level across Ref Res
change, depending on the equation variables.
For example:
If you are testing an 8 Ω loudspeaker with a Stimulus of 3 Volt and a Ref Res of 0.25 Ohms:
 Signal Drop at DUT (due to added resistance) = -0.267 dB
 Level across Ref Res = -20.83 dBV or 91 mVolts
Spe a ke r Im p Re f Re s Drop a t Re f Re s Re f Re s
(Ohm s) (Ohm s) Stim ulus (V) DUT (dB) Le ve l (dBV) Le ve l (V)
2 0.25 3 -1.023 -9.54 0.333
4 0.25 3 -0.527 -15.07 0.176
8 0.25 3 -0.267 -20.83 0.091
16 0.25 3 -0.135 -26.72 0.046
32 0.25 3 -0.068 -32.67 0.023
64 0.25 3 -0.034 -38.66 0.012
150 0.25 3 -0.014 -46.04 0.005
250 0.25 3 -0.009 -50.47 0.003
Figure 13-59: Reference Resistor 0.25 Ohm
By changing the Ref Res to 1 Ohm the values are:

 Signal Drop at DUT = -1.023 dB
 Level across Ref Res = -9.54 dBV or 333 mVolts

Instruction Manual
2 1 3 -3.522 0.00 1.000
4 1 3 -1.938 -4.44 0.600
8 1 3 -1.023 -9.54 0.333
16 1 3 -0.527 -15.07 0.176
32 1 3 -0.267 -20.83 0.091
64 1 3 -0.135 -26.72 0.046
150 1 3 -0.058 -34.04 0.020
250 1 3 -0.035 -38.45 0.012
Figure 13-60: Reference Resistor 1 Ohm
The 1 Ohm Ref Res provides a sufficient level to SoundCheck, but there is a large signal drop of -1.023 dB at
the DUT.
The 0.25 Ohm Ref Res only presents a drop of -0.267 dB, but still has a signal level well above the noise floor
of the audio interface: 91 mVolts. The 0.25 Ohm Ref Res would be a better choice in this case.
Note: As the DUT impedance goes up or down significantly, you will want to scale the Ref Res value
accordingly.
13.14.8 Reference Information

For more information on Impedance please refer to:
Practical Impedance measurements using SoundCheck found on the Listen website.

Instruction Manual
13.14.9 Headphone Impedance Testing
The larger impedance of headphones will of course require the use of a larger reference resistor.
Important! The amplifier used to drive the headphones should have an output impedance
of near zero Ohms. Headphone amplifiers, which tend to have higher output
impedances (5 to 30 Ohms), should not be used.
If the DUT impedance is 150 Ohms with a stimulus of 0.5 V, the calculator chart shows that a Ref Res of 15
yields sufficient signal while presenting a reasonable drop at the DUT.
2 15 0.5 -18.588 -7.11 0.441
4 15 0.5 -13.534 -8.07 0.395
8 15 0.5 -9.173 -9.73 0.326
16 15 0.5 -5.745 -12.33 0.242
32 15 0.5 -3.339 -15.94 0.160
64 15 0.5 -1.829 -20.45 0.095
150 15 0.5 -0.828 -26.85 0.045
250 15 0.5 -0.506 -30.96 0.028
Figure 13-61: Headphone Impedance vs. Reference Resistor
13.14.10 Measuring Left and Right Headphone Impedance Simultaneously

Due to the common ground between left and right headphones, feedback loops can occur when measuring
headphone impedance. In this case, you can use two Impedance Boxes connected to a stereo amplifier. Both
Impedance Boxes must use the same resistor value. The boxes should be wired as follows:
Simply reverse the Red and Black connectors for both impedance boxes at both ends:
 Red Left and Red Right to Amplifier Common
 Black L and R to Amplifier L and R
then
 Red Left and Red Right to Headphone Common
 Black L and R to Headphone L and R
This puts the load resistor in the positive side of the signal path.
15
The Impedance Analysis Step in the SoundCheck sequence must also be set
as shown in Figure 13-62.
 Click on the Analysis Step Electrical tab and Impedance Box - Before
Speaker. This method expects the load resistor to be in the positive
side of the signal path.
 Under Reference Resistor, enter the value of the resistor in the
impedance boxes.
Figure 13-62: Impedance
Box Before Speaker

Instruction Manual
13.15 Electrical Tab - DC
If your audio interface or data acquisition card is DC coupled, select
DC coupling to measure the DC voltage.
If the audio interface is not DC coupled, the DC current or voltage waveform
can be read from a DC Connect™† instrument using your AC coupled, audio
interface. An audio interface input is connected to the DC Connect Analog
Monitor back-panel output. The Analysis Step is preceded by an Acquisition
Step set to Record or Play & Record. Be sure to assign the Analysis and the
Acquisition Step’s Input Signal Path to the audio interface input channel that
you've connected to the DC Connect™.
† DC Connect, made by Listen, Inc., is a USB-controlled DC voltage /
current source and measuring amplifier. See the Listen website for
more details. https://www.listeninc.com/products/
When you select the DC Connect measurement check box, you can select:
Figure 13-63: DC Coupling
 A (in Voltage Source mode) to measure current
 V (in Current Source mode) to measure voltage
The Analysis Step will create a DC Current Waveform or DC Voltage Waveform.
For example, when this type of Analysis Step follows a Play & Record Acquisition Step, the X-axis of the DC
Current Waveform matches the X-axis of the stimulus signal. The stimulus will likely be an audio amplitude/
frequency sweep, or a sweep of the DC voltage.
If you also check the Time Envelope check box, you create a Time Envelope curve whose units are also in A
or V. The x-axis of this curve is time.
For more information on this use of DC Connect, please refer to the DC Connect manual, Analog Control
Example chapter.

Instruction Manual
13.16 Loose Particle Tab
During the manufacturing process of a loudspeaker, some loose particles of foreign material may stay trapped
in the gap behind the diaphragm or dust cap. During operation at low frequencies, these particles randomly hit
the diaphragm making a click or pop noise. This algorithm detects loose particles as impulses in the sound
emitted by a loudspeaker during a measurement. Loose particle defects are easier to catch at low frequencies
(typically at or below resonance) where maximum driver displacement occurs.
A Sine Sweep stimulus should be used for this type of measurement. For greater accuracy, a Stepped Sine
Sweep (Stweep) should be used. For this reason, it performs best when used with HarmonicTrak, Heterodyne
and Time Selective Response algorithms.
The Loose Particle algorithm in SoundCheck offers better noise immunity in production and other noisy
environments as limits float with the normalized background noise rather than being set absolutely.
In addition to simplifying limit setting, false rejections due to sudden increases in background noise are less
likely. There is also a setting for choosing a maximum stimulus frequency, above which the loose particle
envelope is not calculated. As loose particles tend to present themselves during the low frequency portion of a
stimulus sweep, this feature further prevents false rejects.
Loose Particle features:
 The loose particles algorithm is optimized for speed and offers a cleaner envelope, which makes it
easier to set limits
 In Basic View the only available parameter to edit is Attack Threshold
 The Loose Particle tab is always available in the Analysis Editor, for all of the Analysis Algorithms
Note: While the Loose Particles function is available for all Analysis Algorithms, it is important to use a
stimulus with a repetitive, steady state tone in order to avoid false particle detection.
The Loose Particles example sequence included with SoundCheck (Loudspeakers folder) shows the basic
settings for use in a loudspeaker test. Figure 13-64 shows the difference between the Loose Particle
Envelopes of a good speaker and a bad one.
Good
Bad
Figure 13-64: Good vs. Bad Loose Particle Envelopes

Instruction Manual
In Advanced View the following parameters are available with the noted default
values in Figure 13-65:
 Loose Particle Waveform: Select to output a separate waveform to the
Memory List that is the Recorded Time Waveform minus the Stimulus
Waveform. This allow you to hear the sound of just the Loose Particles
and see when they occur.
 Threshold: Select Absolute or Relative envelope
Relative envelope has a steady state at 0. This makes the Threshold
become relative to the steady state level as well. This allows you to
utilize a standard detection threshold independent of the test level.
Absolute envelope will reflect the Response level as before.
 Attack Threshold: 50 dB (default) See Attack Threshold & Hysteresis
on page 219
 Averaging Time: 5 ms (default)
This is the width of the running rms averaging applied on the time
signal to generate the time envelope used to detect loose particles. Figure 13-65: Loose
Particle Detection Settings
 Minimum Duration: 2.5 ms (default) See Min/Max Duration on page
220
 Max Duration: 25 ms (default)
 Hysteresis: -3 dB (default) See Attack Threshold & Hysteresis on page 219
 Max Stimulus Frequency
Essentially this is a Low Pass Filter. It allows you to choose a maximum stimulus frequency, above
which the loose particle envelope is not calculated. As loose particles tend to present themselves
during the low frequency portion of a stimulus sweep, this feature further prevents false rejects.
A typical default value for max Stimulus frequency would be 1 kHz.
13.16.1 Attack Threshold & Hysteresis

All peaks that exceed the threshold are
counted as loose particles. You must define
this threshold and set it high enough to
exclude random background noise.
Establishing the threshold level will require
some trial and error. Use a known good
speaker (or Golden Speaker) to choose a
level above the background noise. Then,
measure a loudspeaker with known loose
particle defects to verify that the threshold is
exceeded.
To avoid false peak detection, the hysteresis
level should be set to a value greater than
Figure 13-66: Threshold and Hysteresis
the background noise.
The example in Figure 13-66 shows 6 points that cross the threshold. Hysteresis is set to -6 dB so that it
ignores the peak over threshold until the signal is 6 dB below threshold. In this example, only 2 loose particles
are counted.

Instruction Manual
Note: The Loose Particle Detection Algorithm gives you the total number of individual peaks that exceed
the threshold (Particle Count). Sometimes you will get false peaks from transient background noise
events such as a box dropping or an air gun going off. This can be limited by setting the Min/Max
Duration levels. The hysteresis level can be used to ignore steady state background noise.
Min/Max Duration
Allows you to ignore transients which do not fit within the Max and Min limits.
Figure 13-67: Min and Max Duration
The example in Figure 13-67 shows three transients of different durations.

 Transient 1 is rejected since it falls below the 5 mSec minimum
 Transient 2 is accepted since it falls between the limits, 5 to 15 mSec
 Transient 3 is rejected since it is above the 15 mSec maximum
For more information regarding Loose
Particle Analysis please refer to two
AES papers presented by Listen, Inc.:
Enhancements for Loose Particle
Detection in Loudspeakers by
Pascal Brunet & Steve Temme;
Listen, Inc.
Loose Particle Detection in
Loudspeakers, found on the Listen
website.
A Single Value Limit Step is used to

obtain a Pass/Fail verdict for the DUT.
Figure 13-69: Loose Particle Count Limits

Instruction Manual
13.17 Reverberation Fundamentals
13.17.1 Reverberation Time and Clarity - Informal Definition

Reverberation time is how long it takes for a sound to decrease from first onset to inaudibility.
Reverberation time is meaningful if the room has many reflections that are well distributed in time and space.
Reverberation time measurements in very small and/or very "dry" rooms may not be meaningful.
Note that one or more specific echoes are not reverberation.
The simple Sabine equation below shows how reverberation time relates to the volume, total area, and the
sound absorption in a room.
13.17.2 Sabine Equation
V = Room Volume in cubic Meters

ReverberationTime = 0.161V
------------------ a = Average Absorption
a×S
S = Total Surface Area in square Meters
V = Room Volume in cubic Feet

ReverberationTime = 0.049V
------------------
a×S a = Average Absorption
S = Total Surface Area in square Feet
13.17.3 Reverberation Time

 Increases as room volume increases
 Decreases as more sound absorption is applied to the room
 Varies with frequency since absorption is frequency dependent
13.17.4 Clarity
 The absence of excessive smearing of sounds

Instruction Manual
13.18 Room Acoustics RT 60 (option modules required)
13.18.1 Requirements
 SoundCheck 19 or later
 Time Selective Response module - part number: 2006
 Room Acoustics RT60 module - part number: 2050
13.18.2 Rules - RT60 Operation

 RT60 measurements in SoundCheck require that you use a Log Sweep as the stimulus.
 For RT measurements in 1/1 octave bands, the stimulus range must extend 1/1 octave below and
above the nominal center frequency of the bands to be analyzed.
Example: If you want a result range from 500 to 2500 Hz, you must sweep from 250 Hz to 5000 Hz.
For measurements in 1/3 octave bands, the stimulus must extend 1/3 octave below and above the
nominal center frequency of the bands to be analyzed.
Example: If you want a result range from 500 to 2500 Hz, you must sweep from 400 Hz to 3150 Hz.
See RTA Center Frequencies on page 226 as reference when editing the Stimulus Editor range for
RT60 measurements.
 The source speaker should have sufficient usable output over the entire stimulus range. If the
frequency response is relatively flat within this range, further equalization is usually not needed.
Example: Powered speaker with internal EQ.
 Measurements should be made with the microphone in various positions in the room. The average
RT60 values are calculated using the various room measurements.
 The stimulus and response waveforms are used to calculate the Impulse Response. Other signal
sources are not allowed. The Room Acoustics algorithm applies a band pass filter for each frequency
band according to the RT60 functions selected in the Analysis step. The Impulse Response is then
calculated for each band.
 SoundCheck cannot analyze WFMs from other applications. The Log Stimulus must be generated by
SoundCheck in order to analyze the waveform acquired with SoundCheck.
 The 1/1 octave and 1/3 octave bands are the same as used in the SoundCheck RTA module.
 The Analysis step automatically detects the frequency bands that are present in the stimuli and
calculates the RT60 values for those frequency bands.
 NaN values may occur on the TXX curves if there is insufficient level drop in the linear decay section of
the backward integrated waveforms. This may occur if the record duration is too short for the signal to
decay sufficiently, or if the background noise level is too high.
e.g., RT60 shows NaN values since the Backward Integrated Impulse Response waveform (BI) does
not reach 60dB of change in any of the frequency ranges.

Instruction Manual
13.19 Stimulus Step Settings
 Stimulus Step - Frequency Range: Specify the frequency range according to the RT60 bands you wish
to measure. See “RTA Center Frequencies” on page 226.
 For RT measurements in 1/1 octave
bands, the stimulus range must extend
1/1 octave below and above the
nominal center frequency of the bands
to be analyzed.
Example: If you want a result range
from 500 to 2500 Hz, you must sweep
from 250 Hz to 5000 Hz.
See “Rules - RT60 Operation” on
page 222.
 Stimulus Step - Sweep Duration This

mostly affects the signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR) of the measurement. A good
SNR is required to measure 60dB of Figure 13-70: Stimulus Settings
room decay above the noise floor. A
sweep rate of 2s per decade is
recommended as a default. If the SNR is not good enough, it will be clear from viewing the Impulse
Responses. If necessary, the SNR can be improved by about 3dB for every doubling of the sweep
rate.
13.20 Acquisition Step Settings

 Record Padding Time should be adjusted to ensure the
Recorded Time Waveform contains the entire signal decay.
The padding should be a bit longer than the expected
reverberation time. If the measurement shows a reverberation
time longer than the padding, the padding should be increased
to improve the measurement accuracy.
Figure 13-71: Acquisition

Instruction Manual
13.21 Analysis Step Settings
13.21.1 Room Acoustics Functions

The following controls are available in the Analysis Editor as shown in Figure
13-72.
 Measurement Resolution: 1/1 and 1/3 Oct
 Reverberation Time: T20, T30, T60, EDT
The T20, T30, T60 and EDT values can be measured. They indicate
how long it takes for the signal to decay by 60 dB for each frequency
band. T60 is calculated using the section of the Backward Integrated
Response Waveform that is -5 dB to -65 dB from the max.
Similarly T20 is calculated from the -5dB to -25dB section of the
Backward Integrated Response Waveform, T30 is calculated from
the -5dB to -35dB section.
EDT is calculated using the first 10dB drop in level.
e.g., T60 yields the time for the signal to decay by 60 dB. The results
are shown for each RTA frequency band.
EDT can give an audible impression of how "live" a room is.
T20, T30 & T60 gives an impression of liveness and envelopment. The Figure 13-72: RT60
T values may or may not be about the same as EDT. Analysis
 Clarity: C7, C50, C60

The Clarity values are a ratio of the total level of early reverberations to that of late reverberations. The
early reverberation is taken from the first 7, 50 or 80 ms respectively for C7, C50 and C80.
The split time is 7, 50 or 80ms, giving C7, C50, and C80.
A higher clarity value indicates that the direct sound and early reflections are more dominant, resulting
in more intelligible speech and better defined music.
For music, clarity should ideally be balanced with reverberance, depending on the style of music. The
results are shown for each frequency band.
 C7 (Source Localization) is the ratio of the sound level from 0 to 7ms (direct sound, perhaps
including a few early reflections) to the sound level that arrives after 7ms.
 C50 (Speech Clarity) is the ratio of the sound level from 0 to 50 ms (Early) and the sound level that
arrives after 50 ms (Late).
 C80 (Music Clarity) is the ratio of the sound level from 0 to 80 ms and the sound level that arrives
after 80 ms.
Note: The Analysis Step settings in Windowing and Result Waveforms have no effect on the Room
Acoustics measurements. See Figure 13-72.

Instruction Manual
 Show IR and BI WFMs
Select this to add the Impulse Response (IR)
and Backward Integrated Impulse Response
(BI) waveforms to the Memory List.
 The BI curve shows the sound decay
behavior in the room.
 The BI curves are used to calculate the T
and C values. Figure 13-73: Backward Integrated Impulse
 The background noise portion of the Response
waveform is trimmed off and the level is
added up from the back of the stable decay to the front.
By showing the BI curve you can determine if the room decay is behaving in a linear fashion. If so, T20,
T30 and T60 should be similar. However, sometimes a room has different decay slopes at different
times in the decay curve. In this case, the three reverberation time values may differ from each other. It
does not mean the measurement is incorrect, but that the room has different volumes with different
decay rates, e.g., two different rooms joined together.
13.22 Measurement Data Details

The output data generally used in RT60 measurement are curves for both Reverberation and Clarity. The
following examples show a comparison of two different conference rooms.
Clarity is a dB vs. Frequency curve
Reverberation & EDT are Time vs. Frequency curves
The “T” curve values The “C” curve values are

can also be shown in a only X and Y axis.
table.
The Z axis R2 values indicate how good the linear fit

is to the actual room decay curve, a value of 1 being
the best quality. Anything over 0.9 is considered very
good.

Instruction Manual
13.23 RTA Center Frequencies
The following chart shows the 1/1 (single) octave and 1/3 octave actual and nominal center frequencies. These
frequency points can be used as reference when setting the Stimulus Editor range for RT60 measurements.
1/1 Oct Center Freq 1/3 Oct Center Freq
Actual Nominal Actual Nominal
15.8489 Hz 16 Hz 15.8489 Hz 16 Hz
31.6228 Hz 31.5 Hz 19.9526 Hz 20 Hz
63.0957 Hz 63 Hz 25.1189 Hz 25 Hz
125.893 Hz 125 Hz 31.6228 Hz 31.5 Hz
251.189 Hz 250 Hz 39.8107 Hz 40 Hz
501.187 Hz 500 Hz 50.1187 Hz 50 Hz
1000 Hz 1000 Hz 63.0957 Hz 63 Hz
1995.26 Hz 2000 Hz 79.4328 Hz 80 Hz
3981.07 Hz 4000 Hz 100 Hz 100 Hz
7943.28 Hz 8000 Hz 125.893 Hz 125 Hz
15848.9 Hz 16000 Hz 158.489 Hz 160 Hz
19952.6 Hz 20000 Hz 199.526 Hz 200 Hz
251.189 Hz 250 Hz
316.228 Hz 315 Hz
398.107 Hz 400 Hz
501.187 Hz 500 Hz
630.957 Hz 630 Hz
794.328 Hz 800 Hz
1000 Hz 1000 Hz
1258.93 Hz 1250 Hz
1584.89 Hz 1600 Hz
1995.26 Hz 2000 Hz
2511.89 Hz 2500 Hz
3162.28 Hz 3150 Hz
3981.07 Hz 4000 Hz
5011.87 Hz 5000 Hz
6309.57 Hz 6000 Hz
7943.28 Hz 8000 Hz
10000 Hz 10000 Hz
12589.3 Hz 12500 Hz
15848.9 Hz 16000 Hz
19952.6 Hz 20000 Hz
Figure 13-74: RTA Center Frequencies

Instruction Manual
14 Autosave Editor
Information in the Memory List can be automatically saved to disk using an Autosave Step (Ctrl+Shift+U). To
view and change the Autosave settings, select Autosave from the Setup drop-down list on the SoundCheck
Main Screen. You can also create a new Autosave Step, or insert an Autosave Step into an existing sequence
using the Sequence Editor.
The Autosave Editor is divided into four major sections – Save, Format, Test Information, and Filename.
14.1 Save
You can choose to save only Data (curves & values), only
Results, or only Waveforms. Separate Autosave Steps must
be used for each Memory List category. The files can be saved
to the same folder.
Data - (Curves and Values) Cannot be saved to WAV
Results - Cannot be saved to WAV
Waveforms - Cannot be saved to Database or Excel
Figure 14-1 shows three Autosave steps saving files to a folder.
In this case, the files have different extensions (.DAT, .RES and
.WFM), so the file names can be the same without the possibility
of files being overwritten.
When saving to Excel, Data and Results can be appended to a
single Excel file. Each data item will appear in its own worksheet.
See Excel Mode on page 388 for another method of saving to
Excel.
Figure 14-1: Saving Data, Results and

Waveforms
Data and Results must be in separate TXT files

If you intend to import SoundCheck data into other applications that use .TXT files, Data and Results must be in
separate files. You can do this by specifying different file names in the File Name field of each Autosave Step.
This has very little effect on the speed of a measurement.
14.1.1 Autosave Folder Path

 Select Use Default to use the “Default Data Path” that is selected in the Edit > Preferences > Folder
Paths options on the SoundCheck Main Screen. See Folder Paths on page 53.
 You can specify the file path by unchecking Use Default and Browsing to file location
 When converting a sequence to SoundCheck 20.0, Autosave and Recall Steps will need to be updated
if the file location on the new computer is not identical to the original computer.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Autosave Editor 227

Instruction Manual
14.1.2 Rules - Autosave
 The Autosave Step(s) must follow the sequence steps that create information to be saved to disk when
the sequence runs
 When saving waveforms for reprocessing in SoundCheck they should be saved as WFM files, not
WAV. Details of the stimulus (resolution, level, bandwidth, etc.) are included in the metadata of the
WFM file.
 Separate Autosave Steps must be used for each Memory List category: Data (curves & values),
Results and Waveforms
 Excel must be installed on the computer when saving to Excel. Cloud based installations are not
recognized by SoundCheck.
 As of SoundCheck 14.01, Excel Macro-enabled files with the XLSM file extension are allowed. The
XLSM file extension is used in the generated file.
 Separate Autosave Steps must be used to save Data and Results. When converting sequences from
versions prior to SoundCheck 8, Autosave Steps will need to be updated if a single step is used for
both Data and Results.
 When using Autosave and Recall steps with the same data set, the formatting of the steps must match.
As of SoundCheck 8, the functionality of the Autosave and Recall Steps has been matched. This
assures that data saved with an Autosave Step can easily be accessed by a Recall Step. Refer to
Recall Editor on page 241 for more information.
 It is not possible to save both Data and Results to the same text file
if the file location on the new computer is not identical to the original computer
 Waveform and WAV files cannot be saved to Excel
14.1.3 Rules - Relative File Path in Autosave

 This indicates that the location of the saved file is relative to the folder path of the sequence, e.g., an
exported sequence folder. This is useful when sharing sequences with other SoundCheck users as it
keeps the data in the same location as the sequence. The relative path can even include sub-folders.
 Delete any text in the File Path field and leave it blank. This
indicates that the file will be saved in the same folder as the
sequence file location.
 This also applies to the Template File location
 Sub-folders are indicated by just the name of the folder (no back
slash): My DATA.
 If the sub-folder does not exist, SoundCheck will automatically
create it.
 A 2nd level of sub-folder does require a back slash: My
DATA\Product 1
228 Autosave Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
14.2 Format
Select the type of information you want to save from the drop-down list. The file type selected defines the
options that are available in the other sections of the editor. All options are linked to the format selected; many
fields will toggle between active and inactive as the file type is changed.
Select from the drop-down list:
 Database - save to an SQL database
 Excel - Each data item is saved or appended to a
separate worksheet of the Excel file, .XLS or .XLSX
 MATLAB - Data is saved as a standard MAT-file
 SoundCheck - Save as .DAT (curves & values),
.RES (results) or .WFM (waveforms)
(Separate Autosave Steps are required for each) Figure 14-2: Select Format
 Text - .TXT delimited text file
 WAV - Any waveform in the Memory List can be saved as a WAV file. The WAV file will be saved with
the sample rate and bit depth that are set in the System Hardware configuration.
See WAV File Types on page 359 for more information on supported WAV file types.
 You must use a separate Autosave Step in the sequence for each Format required
14.2.1 Database
Save directly to database. You are required to enter a Universal Data Link (UDL) or Data Source Name (DSN)
to gain access to a database either on the local machine or on a connected server.
As of SoundCheck 17, save to database has a redesigned schema featuring more efficient use of data types
and the use of BLOBs (Binary Large OBjects).
 Fewer tables
 3x More space
efficient
 4x Faster
Figure 14-3: Database Schema

Instruction Manual
The example in Figure 14-4 shows a table created by SoundCheck. You can find a more extensive description
of the relational table structure in Database Schema 1 for Access on page 580.
Figure 14-4: Database Table
 UDL or DSN - You must browse for a Universal Data Link (UDL) or Data Source Name (DSN) to
access the target database. See Database Setup on page 567 for more information on using DSNs
and UDLs.
You must select a pre-existing UDL or DSN file. Create a UDL or DSN with the help of your company
database administrator or consult your database application manual to create one, using the correct
provider for your database software. When you browse for this file, SoundCheck will verify the
connection to your database and create the set of tables for your SoundCheck data.
Note: The fastest way to save directly to a database is to save single values or results, such as the
Pass/Fail verdict of a Limit Step. The curves can be saved to a *.DAT file for subsequent
analysis. By adding Serial Number to the curve in the DAT file, it will be easy to correlate the
curve to the items saved in the database.

Instruction Manual
14.2.2 Excel
Saves selected curves, values and/or results to an Excel file. You
can save to a new Excel file or append to a previously created file.
Each selected data item is saved on a separate worksheet in an
Excel workbook. Each worksheet will be named according to the
Memory List name. The example in Figure 14-5 will have
worksheets named:
Response Right
THD Right
Sensitivity - L
Sensitivity - R
See Excel Template on page 232 for a note on Excel templates.
See Excel Template Tutorial on page 641.
Figure 14-5: Autosave - to Excel
Note: SoundCheck saves the x-axis values at least once when saving to Excel. If you want to append y
and or z values to an Excel workbook, DO NOT check the x-axis box. The x-axis will be written in
the first row or column, depending on the layout. Subsequent curves will then only contain y and/or
z data, since the x values would be redundant.
Figure 14-6: Save to Excel in Rows
Important! Excel files that are Targets of an Autosave Step should not be open when the
sequence is run. Open files may prevent data from being saved. Do not
attempt to close Excel manually when it is opened by an Autosave Step. Let
SoundCheck close Excel in the run of the sequence. Office 97 and 2000 are no
longer compatible with SoundCheck.
Note: Waveform and WAV files cannot be saved to Excel.

Instruction Manual
14.2.3 Excel Template
If Excel is selected from the File Type choices, you have the option of browsing to a pre-defined Excel template
to arrange or analyze data. This template can utilize a master worksheet to collect data from other worksheets
in the Excel workbook.
The master worksheet can then be used for presentation and graphing of the data in any format that can be
utilized in Excel. Refer to Excel Template Tutorial on page 641 for step by step instructions.
Note: If an error exists in a cell of an Excel template, SoundCheck cannot create a new Excel file for
saving data. SoundCheck will open and close Excel but is not able to report an error. If this occurs,
check the Excel template, repair the broken cells, save the template and run the SoundCheck test
again.
Important! Excel files that are Targets of an Autosave Step should not be open when the
sequence is run. Open files may prevent data from being saved. Do not
attempt to close Excel manually when it is opened by an Autosave Step. Let
SoundCheck close Excel in the run of the sequence. Office 97 and 2000 are no
longer compatible with SoundCheck.
Note: As of SoundCheck 14.01, Excel Macro-enabled files with the XLSM file extension are allowed. The

Instruction Manual
14.2.4 MATLAB
Curves and Values Data (*.DAT), Results (*.RES) and Waveforms
(*.WFM) are saved to standard .MAT files.
Note that no other options can be selected under Format or
Test Information. This information is not compatible with .MAT
files.
Figure 14-7: MATLAB

14.2.5 SoundCheck
Curves and Values Data (*.DAT), Results (*.RES) and Waveforms (*.WFM) are saved to binary files.
The x, y, and z data are stored automatically in the DAT format. DAT files can be recalled for post processing
and WFM files can be re-analyzed in SoundCheck.
14.2.6 Text Files

Save output to a text file. Output can be imported into other
programs such as a filter design program. When Text is selected,
you can then choose to store either frequency or time headers
(x), amplitude (y), and/or phase data (z). A test saving five 3-D
curves (x, y, and z axes) of 100 points each takes under
200 mSec, and creates a file size of 15KB. Data and Results
must be saved using separate Autosave Steps.
14.2.7 Rules - Text File Autosave

 SoundCheck saves the x-axis values at least once when
saving to a text file
 If you want to append y and or z values to a text file, DO
NOT check the x-axis box. The x-axis will be written in
the first row or column, depending on the layout.
Subsequent curves will then only contain y and/or z data,
since the x values would be redundant.
 If the X axis values change, the x axis will be saved, even
if the x axis box is unchecked. If multiple curves are
saved to one text file, the x axis will always appear, even
if x axis is unchecked.
Figure 14-8: Text File
 See Delimiter on page 235
 Multiple WFMs or WAVs should not be saved to one TXT file. Use separate TXT files for each.

Instruction Manual
14.2.8 WAV
SoundCheck will create a *.WAV file of the selected Waveform. When saving a waveform to WAV file, three
Scaling Options are available:
 Normalize to peak: Saves the waveform so that the peak
value of the WAV file is 100% Full Scale (FS), regardless of
the level of the waveform
 Sound Card Values: The raw digital audio sample values
recorded by the audio interface are saved. Absolute
calibration in physical units, e.g. V or Pa, are lost.
The WAV file is scaled according to the full scale deflection
of the audio interface digital level.
 User defined: Scales the waveform relative to a user
defined Maximum Level in physical units
WAV File = Input Waveform (in physical units) / Maximum
Level
The resulting WAV cannot be scaled so that its peak value
is above 100% FS.
This makes it simple to return the measurement back to the
physical unit. This can be used to export data for
customized mathematical analysis using other tools such
as MATLAB™.
Figure 14-9: WAV File Scaling

Instruction Manual
14.2.9 Axes
The Axes options are not available for some formats and are grayed out.
Choose one or more axes to be saved. To store only the magnitude data (e.g., decibel values), check just the
Y-axis box. Selecting axes only applies to Text and Excel file types. For Dat, Res, and Database; x, y, and z-
axes are automatically stored.
14.2.10 Header
 None – For a *.TXT file, the first row or column will contain the frequencies. The Data is in subsequent
rows or columns based on the Display being used.
 Standard – Header information related
to the data and/or results will be the
first row or column. (Curve name, axis
units, freq. points, etc.)
Figure 14-10: Text File With Standard Header
 Custom – Allows user to define header for compatibility with other programs and personal
preferences. When using this option, you can choose among tab, comma, space, or other as the
delimiter.
For tab, use \t between the custom header fields (e.g., Header1\tHeader2\tHeader3).
14.2.11 Layout
 Rows – Aligns data in rows with headers above each column.
 Columns – Aligns data in columns with headers along each row.
Important! Excel .XLS files are limited to 256 Columns. Rows are unlimited. In Excel 2007
and later the .XLSX file maximum worksheet size is 1048576 rows by 16384
columns.
14.2.12 Delimiter
 When saving a *.TXT file, you can choose to separate
data values using commas, tabs, spaces, or a user
defined character
 Space Delimited can only be used with files that have
NO HEADER INFO. If there are spaces in the header
info, the Autosave Step will reject the file.
14.2.13 Notation Figure 14-11: TXT Delimiter

 Scientific – Scientific notation is used. (1.03E+2)
 Floating Point – Floating Point notation is used. (102.86)
 Decimal places – Enter the desired precision for your data.

Instruction Manual
14.3 Test Information
These settings will need to be configured after you insert an
Autosave Step into a new sequence. When Database is selected
as your file type, Operator, Time Stamp, Lot No, and Serial No will
automatically be saved to the database. See Database Setup on Figure 14-12: Test Information
page 567 for more information on what is stored in your database.
All other file types allow you to save only the selected test
information.
 Operator – Keeps the Operator name (login name) with the curves or results being saved.
 Time – Attaches a time and date stamp to the information being saved (up to one second resolution).
 Lot No. – The lot number entered on the SoundCheck Main Screen is recorded with the data.
 Serial No. – The serial number entered on the SoundCheck Main Screen is recorded with the data. To
have a unique serial number assigned to each row or column of data, choose the SN auto increment
step in the Serial No sequence step category.
 Prompt for comment – After the test has run, the operator can enter a text note. This appears as a
separate field on the same line as the test data.
Note: As of SoundCheck 15, the clipboard is cleared after each Autosave Step. You will not be able to
Copy the text from one Comment field and Paste it into another Autosave prompt.
Figure 14-13 shows an example of a Text file

with the lot number and serial number added.
Other Test information would be added to the left
of the serial number, and would also follow the
row or column format selected by the user.
If a *.DAT, *.RES or *.WFM file is chosen, all Figure 14-13: Text File With Comment
Test Information will be appended to the curve or
result name.

Instruction Manual
14.4 Filename
The Autosave Step saves the selected curves, values or results to a file whose type is pre-selected. The name
of the file being saved can also be determined in the Autosave Editor.
 New – Every time the Autosave Step runs, it will create a new file and overwrite an existing file of the
same name without prompting you. The first time SoundCheck is asked to copy over an existing file, it
will ask if the file should be replaced. Select Always Replace without Prompting to disable this
message in the future.
 You can change this setting back to enable prompting by exiting SoundCheck and opening
SoundCheck 20.ini from the SoundCheck directory. Find the entry PROMPT TO OVERWRITE
FILE=False and set it to PROMPT TO OVERWRITE FILE=True. Save the SoundCheck 20.ini file
and open SoundCheck.)
 Append – If a file of the same name exists in the same folder, the Autosave Step will append the new
data to it. If a file of the same name does not exist in the folder, Autosave will create a new file. It the
name template includes the date, the file will only be appended if the current date is the same as the
date in the file name. If not, a new file will be created.
 Automatic – SoundCheck automatically stores the file to the specified location using the constructed
filename template. This option can also be used to append multiple tests to the same file (e.g., as a
table).
 The example in Figure 14-14, Option is set to Automatic
 From the Construction drop-down list select “Sequence Name” and click Add. Select “Lot
Number” and click Add.
 To erase the Template name, click Clear
 To make a User Defined name (e.g., Prototype or Pilot Run), click User Defined from the
Construction drop-down list. Click Add. Any text in the User Defined field will be added to the
filename.
 Prompt Operator – SoundCheck will prompt the Operator to enter a filename (not including the
filename extension)
14.4.1 Construction & Template

Choose the item(s) to add to the filename template. In the
following example:
 The sequence name is “Autosave”
 The lot number entered on the SoundCheck Main Screen Figure 14-14: Filename Construction
is “Demo 99”
 The template adds these two together to form the filename: “Autosave Demo 99.txt”
Choose from the options listed in the Construction list box to build a filename for your data.
 Sequence name – uses current sequence name for filename. The sequence name is typically the
model number of the product being tested.
 Lot name or number – uses current lot name for filename.

Instruction Manual
 User defined – text entered in the User Defined field is added to the
filename, e.g., DUT model name or model number. Entries in this box
will only be applied to the filename when <user> is added to the
Template field. Invalid characters are shown in Figure 14-15.
 Serial number – uses current serial number for filename.
Note: If the test sequence automatically increments the serial number Figure 14-15: Character
(SN auto increment step), a separate file will be created for Type Error
each measurement. To store all the measurements in one file,
do not use this text string (<sn>) as part of the file name.
 Date – uses current date for filename.

 Time – uses current time for filename. This has one-second resolution and will generate a unique
filename each time the sequence is run. For this reason it is not appropriate to be used with the
“Append” option.
Note: If you want to append a file and include date/time stamp information, check the Time check
box in the Test Information section of the Autosave Editor.
 Data or Results – append “data” or “results” to the filename to distinguish data files from results files.
 Memory List Selection – a value from the Memory List can be used as part of the filename. See
Memory List Value Example on page 240 for an example. This could be the Loop Index of a Step
Configuration, e.g., the Degrees that a turntable turns for each increment of a polar plot measurement.
The Loop Index field is always a Y axis value. See Step Configuration on page 320 and Index (Loop
Index) on page 477 for more information.
 User Name – the User Name from the SoundCheck Login can be added to the file name.
14.4.2 Separator
Both the Autosave and Recall Steps feature a Separator to add to the file name template. This ensures that the
filename saved in the Autosave Step can be accessed in a Recall Step. The selected separator will be used
between every item added to the template.
The following options are available:
 Spaces - a single space will be added between each item in the template.
 Underscores - a single underscore will be added between each item in the template.
 None - no space or underscore is added between items in the template.

Instruction Manual
14.5 Apply Button
The Apply Button allows you to test the action of the Autosave Step without having to run the sequence.
14.6 In a Sequence
Using the Autosave Step with the Sequence Editor, the
Autosave Step can be inserted into any existing test
sequence. It should be inserted after any analysis or post
processing. In this example, it has been placed
immediately before the Display Step.
Figure 14-16: Autosave Step in Sequence
With the variety of file types available to save user data, keep in mind that one Autosave Step is needed for
each type of file you wish to create or append. If you wish to save curves to a *.TXT file and results to a *.RES
file, two steps must be inserted in the sequence to accomplish this. Similarly, you may wish to use three
Autosave Steps to save the Time Response in a *.WAV file, the curves to an *.XLS file and then record all the
results information to database.
The default Autosave sequence that is delivered with SoundCheck uses a Serial Number Step to automatically
increment the serial number before proceeding to the Autosave Step. (The sequence can be found in the “How
To examples“ folder.) The functions of the Sequence Editor (such as Step Configuration of the Limit Steps)
could be adjusted to jump over the Serial Number and Autosave Steps if the device under test failed the Limit
Step conditions. In a sequence without jumps, data for all items tested would be saved, regardless whether the
DUT passes or fails.
Note: Autosave Steps from SoundCheck 4.13 and earlier may need to be revised. Previous versions
allowed you to choose two file types in a single Autosave Step. If you copy a 4.13 or earlier
sequence into the new folders, the data file type (*.DAT) will be used in the sequence and the
results file type (.RES) will be ignored.

Instruction Manual
14.7 Memory List Value Example
The following example uses the “Polar Plot (Turntable)” example sequence
that is included with SoundCheck.
Figure 14-17 shows the configuration of the first Rotate Speaker Message
Step.
 It is set to create a value in the Memory List named “Angle“.
 The starting value of “Angle” is 0 degrees.
 Each time the step runs the value “Angle” is incremented 10 degrees.
 After 18 repetitions, (180 degrees) the step instructs the sequence to
jump to the second Rotate Speaker Message.
Figure 14-17: Loop Index
If you add an Autosave Step to the sequence that saves the

fundamental curve at each angle, the Filename of the step can
be set as shown in Figure 14-18 through Figure 14-20.
 The User Defined name entered is “DUT“.

 The Separator is set to Spaces.
 Memory list value is added to the Template. This opens
the Memory List Value Field. Figure 14-18: Memory List Value
 Angle is chosen in the Memory List Value field.

 The Axis of the value is set to “Y”.
 The Format Value window is shown in Figure 14-18. It is
important to note that Hide Trailing Zeros is checked.
 The .DAT files are saved starting at “DUT 0.dat“ as shown
in Figure 14-20.
Figure 14-19: Number Format
Figure 14-20: Output

Example

Instruction Manual
15 Recall Editor
The Recall Editor (Ctrl+Shift+R) allows you to open previously saved data into your current sequence for post-
processing or display. Any SoundCheck® data or results file (marked by *.DAT and *.RES file extensions) can
be accessed and entered into the current Memory List. Waveform (WFM) files saved with SoundCheck can be
recalled as well.
The Recall Step uses the same controls as the Autosave Step:
 Specify File Path - A specific file can be picked from any available folder location.
 Prompt Operator - You can choose the file when prompted during the sequence run.
 Automatic - Allows the sequence to recall saved data with the same rules or criteria used in the
Autosave Step which saved the data. This can be useful when running Statistics, e.g., Recall all curves
with the model name; “xyz“.
 File selection can be limited to “Last Only” or any specific curve from the list.
 Automatic File Addressing using Index values from the Memory List. The Index number generated by
the Configuration of a Step can be used in the File Name Template for Dynamic file naming.
 The Apply Button is used to test the validity of a file path/address, e.g., Test recalling files from a
network folder.
Note: DAT files created with SoundCheck 20.0 are not viewable in versions of SoundCheck prior to and
including SoundCheck 6.0x. The DAT file format was updated in SoundCheck 6.1.
Note: Recalled data can be added to a Custom Group. See Sorting and Grouping on page 354.
15.1 File Path

 When a sequence is exported, dependent files are exported to the selected folder along with the .SQC
file, e.g., DAT, RES, WFM, CSV and TXT files that are the object of the Recall Step.
if the file location on the new computer is not identical to the original computer.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Recall Editor 241

Instruction Manual
15.1.1 Specify File Path
The default behavior for the Recall Step is Specify File Path. The
step will operate in the same manner as in previous versions of
SoundCheck. (Figure 15-1 shows that individual curves can be
selected in the list.)
Exact File Path

By indicating the exact path in the File Path field, the file will be
recalled from that location, even if the sequence is saved to a new
location. Select the Folder Browse button to the right of the file
path window to select the proper folder.
Figure 15-1: Specify File Path
15.1.2 Rules - Relative File Path in Recall Editor

 This indicates that the location of the file selected is relative to the folder path of the sequence, e.g.,
from an exported sequence folder. This is useful when sharing sequences with other SoundCheck
users as it keeps the data in the same location as the sequence. The relative path can even include
sub-folders.
 This is for Automatic and Prompt Operator selections only.
 Delete any text in the File Path field and leave it blank. This indicates
that the file to be recalled is in the same folder as the sequence file
location.
 Sub-folders are indicated by just the name of the folder (no back
slash): My DATA.
 If the sub-folder does not exist, SoundCheck will automatically
create it.
 A 2nd level of sub-folder does require a back slash: My
DATA\Product 1
242 Recall Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
15.2 Automatic
With Automatic mode, only the Base Path for the file is specified.
The Base Path is the location the step will open files from. The file
name is created using the controls for the Template field.
In the Construction List, the option(s) for the file name are
selected and added to the Template. This forms the full filename,
which is to be recalled by the step.
Figure 15-2: shows a User Defined name in the Template. The
Serial Number entered is “1”. When the step runs, it will look for
any file, in the Base Path, with the name “DUT 1.dat“.
The standard Autosave options for Filename Construction apply to
the Recall Step. Please refer to Filename on page 237 for a
description of each of the Filename Construction options.
If using a Memory List Value to recall an integer as part of the
User Defined name, you must click on Format Value and set the
following: Floating Point, 0 (zero) and Digits of Precision. Figure 15-2: Automatic
15.2.1 Separator
The separator used in the Recall Step must match what is used in the Autosave Step.
The Memory List Value option has the same function as in Autosave, so that users can select a Memory List
value (such as loop index) to be added to the Recall file name. See Memory List Value Example on page 240
for an example of this type of construction.
15.3 Prompt Operator

With a Prompt Operator step, a “Select File” window will
open when the step runs in the sequence. The operator
can then select any file available for recall. Base Path
allows for a default directory to be specified. This directs
the operator to a specific folder for file selection.
Under Recalled Curves, a custom name has been
entered. When “Pro Mic 2.dat” is opened, the curve will
be added to the Memory List as “Fundamental“.
Figure 15-3: Prompt Operator

Instruction Manual
15.4 File Types
The following files types can be recalled:
Curves (.DAT), Results (.RES), Waveforms (.WFM and .WAV), Text (.TXT and .CSV) and Values (.DAT).
As of SoundCheck 17, CSV files can be recalled in addition to TXT files as shown in Figure 15-5:. A separate
IMP file for the CSV format can be created allowing for automatic recall of CSV files.
WAV files must match the sample rate of the System Hardware configuration in order to be used.
See WAV File Types on page 359 for more information on supported WAV types.
15.4.1 WAV Recall

Recalled WAV files can now be scaled so that subsequent
analysis will provide results in FS and dBFS as defined by AES17.
 When recalling a WAV file, select units of FS or
FS(AES17) from the drop-down list as shown in Figure
15-4:
 When opening a stereo WAV file, SoundCheck will
automatically split the file into two waveforms, adding [L]
or [R] to the file names
WAV File Scaling Options:
 ‘FS’ – SoundCheck default value, the max amplitude of a
digital sine wave is -3 dBFS
 ‘FS (AES17)’ – Value corresponding to AES17 standard
definition, the max amplitude of a digital sine wave is Figure 15-4: WAV Recall
0 dBFS
15.4.2 Data Import Wizard

As of SoundCheck 14, the first time you recall text in the step, the
Data Import Wizard runs. Once the text import settings are correct,
you can create an .IMP file which saves the settings used in the
Data Import Wizard. When the Recall Step runs in a sequence the
.IMP file allows the step to run with no operator action required.
The Data Import Wizard also runs when importing text files in the
Memory List. For more information refer to Data Import Wizard
Tutorial on page 651.
15.5 File Path Info

Browse to the .DAT or .RES file you wish to reference. The file
path and file name will appear in the File Path field.
Figure 15-5: Import Wizard

Instruction Manual
15.6 Curve Names to be Recalled
After selecting the file, the Recall Editor will display the names of the curves, results or waveforms saved to that
file in the Curve or Result Names to be Recalled text box. These names will be inserted into the Memory list
as placeholders for data that will be created during the sequence run. These names will include any Test
Information that was saved with the file. See Autosave Editor on page 227 for more information.
The Add… and Clear buttons on the right hand side of the editor allow you to edit your selected list of data.
The Add… button will allow you to add a name (an empty curve, single value or result) to the Curve Names to
be Recalled text box. You may wish to do this when you know the data will be created later in the sequence.
Clear will empty the text box of all information, removing placeholders from the Memory List until the step is
executed in the sequence.
15.7 Order of Data

The recall data list is only generated the first time you point to the file. If the order of the data changes after that
it will be populated into the wrong names in the Memory List.
This can occur when the order of Autosave Steps changes, putting the data into the .DAT file in the wrong
order. It can also happen when you manually save the data from the Memory List.
Pointing directly to the file again refreshes the list to fix the issue.
15.8 Recall in a Sequence

The Recall selection is the only information specific to the step.
You can choose to enter All Curves into the current sequence, or use the Last Curve Only choice to recall
only the most recent curve or result saved to the file.
Note: When a SoundCheck 20.0 sequence that contains a Recall Step(s) is exported, a copy of the
recalled file(s) is also exported to the Exported Sequence Folder. The file path to this data will
change once the sequence is exported (to point to the file when it is in the exported folder that the
"*.SQC" file is in).
An example of the use of the Recall Editor can be found in the

Limits in Reference to Standard sequence located in the How
To examples folder.
In the example sequence, the curve of a reference standard
“golden” loudspeaker is stored and then recalled by the
sequence in order to compare it to the response of the speaker
under test.
 The Recall step must be placed before the Post
Processing step that will be using the recalled data.
 An example of the Post Processing step can be found in
Figure 15-8: Curve used in Post Processing.
Figure 15-6: Recall Step in Sequence

Instruction Manual
The Reference Standard.dat file is located by browsing to the
Data folder. The proper curve is then selected. Note that in this
example Last Curve Only has been selected to use the latest
Reference Standard calibration. This limits the list to only one
item.
Figure 15-7: Last Only Selected
This curve can now be used in the Post Processing Step to perform a curve
division calculation. Figure 15-8: shows the recalled curve selected as Operand
B in the Post Processing step.
Figure 15-8: Curve used

in Post Processing
15.8.1 Rename
By clicking on Rename, the name of any curve or result can
be given a custom name. The example in Figure 15-9
shows that the name has been changed from “Reference
Std” to “Golden Unit“.
By selecting New Curve, the original item will remain in the
list and a copy of the item will be added, using the new
name.
15.8.2 Clear All

Select specific curve
By clicking on Clear All, all the curves in the list are from drop-down list.
unchecked. This can be used to de-select a large number of
curves and then select the desired curve(s).
Figure 15-9: Custom Curve Name

Instruction Manual
15.8.3 Add
This allows you to add curve names to the list, as replacement names for existing items to be recalled. This is
useful for changing a long list of curve names; e.g., Polar Plot Curves.
15.8.4 Clear
This will clear the contents of the Names to be Recalled. You can then add custom names using the Add
button. It is important to know the number of curves in the list and the order of the curves, so that a
corresponding number of new names are added.
Renaming Example
The example in Figure 15-10: shows 20 curves are
present in the Polar.Dat file. After clicking the Clear button,
20 new names can be added to the list. These new names
will replace the old curve names in the Memory List.
1. The Polar.dat file contains named from
“Fundamental” to “19-Fundamental”
2. Click Clear to empty the list
3. Click the Add button to enter new curve names
4. Each curve must be entered one at a time
Note that Polar Plot curves must be entered in the Memory

List in the proper order: 0 Degrees to 180 Degrees or
0 Degrees to 360 Degrees.
This puts “place markers” in the Memory List for each of
the curves, without actually having to recall the Polar.dat
file. When the sequence runs, the new step names will be
used.
This can be used to open polar plot.DAT files and rename
the curves with more descriptive names.
Figure 15-10: Renaming Example

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Page Intentionally Left Blank

Instruction Manual
16 Post-Processing Editor
Note: All spectrum are summable. As of SoundCheck 18, you can also calculate the Power Sum of a
Waveform.
To view and change the system’s post-processing settings;

select Post-Processing from the Setup drop-down list on
the SoundCheck Main Screen, or use the shortcut Select Calculation Type
Ctrl+Shift+O. Post-Processing allows a variety of
operations to be applied to measurement data, including Select Curves from the
additional calculations, smoothing, and statistics. Memory List
The Post Processing Use Chart on page 291 provides an Select Operation type
overview of the Post Processing functions available in
SoundCheck along with examples of use. Post Processing
and the Equation Editor are optional modules and may not
Uncheck "Use Default" to
be available depending on the modules enabled on your create a custom result name
Hardware Key. They can always be purchased from Listen
and added to a Hardware Key license if needed. Check to Show Data for
the selected axes
Create custom Units
"Apply" to update result in

the Memory List
Figure 16-1: Post-processing Editor
16.1 Search Range

Many post processing operations in SoundCheck have a search range,
which allows the user to select discrete points or ranges along the x-axis
over which to perform the desired calculation. Examples include scalar
functions such as average, max and min, as well as windowing
intersection, and more.
As of SoundCheck 14, the search range function uses a very simple table
control and allows Memory List values to be selected. This means that
search range parameters can be variables that are dynamically
calculated by the sequence.
If Search Range is unchecked, this indicates it is set to “All” points in the
selected data.
 Select Search Range
 Right-click value area
 Select Add
 Select Single Point or Range
In the fields of the Select Search Range window enter the desired values
to determine the region to use in the calculation. In some cases, multiple
ranges can be selected. Figure 16-2: Search Range
SoundCheck® 20.0 Post-Processing Editor 249

Instruction Manual
16.1.1 Batch Processing
This allows you to select a group of items from the Memory List to Post Process.
Any Custom Group created in the Memory List can be used for the appropriate Post-
processing type. Please refer to Sorting and Grouping on page 354 for instructions
on creating a Custom Group.
Figure 16-1 shows a group of 4 curves selected in Operand A.
 Add Input Data Name is checked. The curves are labeled, Mic 1 through Mic
4.
 The result of this step will be 4 values added to the Memory List. The values
are labeled: “Sens @ 1 kHz (Mic 1)“ to “Sens @ 1 kHz (Mic 4)“
 When using Batch Processing it is recommended that you use the Add Input
Data Name option so that the results are clearly named.
Figure 16-3: Batch
16.2 Desired Result Processing
This is the name of the newly created curve. If Use default is checked, the Result
name is automatically generated. A new name will be created using the original curve name concatenated with
the mathematical operator, e.g., <Operand A><mathematical operator><Operand B>. This applies to all types
of Post Processing steps except the User Equation. See User Equation (optional module required) on page
271 for more details.
When this box is unchecked, a custom name can be entered manually. In Figure 16-1 the result has been
named Relative to Reference.
16.3 Average Curve/Waveform

The Average Curve/WFM Post
Processing function allows you to get the
average curve (or waveform) of a selected
group of data in the Memory List.
The example in Figure 16-4 shows the
output of the Average Curve/WFM
function when using the
Statistics curves.dat example data
included with SoundCheck.
The blue curve shows the Power Average
of the selected curves. The curve name
shows the result of selecting
“Use default”.
Average Type
Power - excludes the phase - Typically
used for curves that are not from the
same spatial position, e.g., Mic Array.
Figure 16-4: Average Curve/Waveform
Reference: Spectrum on page 515.
Complex - includes phase - Recommended when all data is acquired from the same spatial position.
250 Post-Processing Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
16.4 Arithmetic
Allows block arithmetic operations (e.g., addition, subtraction, Select Type
multiplication, and division) to be performed between two complex data
Select
sets (magnitude and phase vs. frequency) or waveforms. Operand A
and B can be any curve, waveform or value chosen from the Memory
List. Mathematical operations are performed in parallel on Operand A Select
and B: Point by point operation. Interpolation is performed when the
Operand B
frequency axis of the two operands do not match.
 Available Operations: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication
and Division Select Operation
 Work in mode: Mathematical operations can be performed on and
the dB or power values instead of Linear values (for Y axis)
Example of Work in dB: 90 dB + 90 dB = 180 dB (The math is
applied on the dB values.)
Example of Work in Linear: 90 dB + 90 dB = 96 dB (The math Choose axes
is applied on the linear values.) for Result
Example of Work in Power: 90 dB + 90 dB = 93 dB (The math Figure 16-5: Arithmetic Post-
is applied on the power values.) processing
Note: Multiplication or Division of dB to dB values is NOT allowed.
 Units are combined according to the operation chosen. For more information on the combination of
units, refer to Equation Editor Functions on page 635. (The units of the final result can be modified
by clicking Units in the editor.)
 Result x-axis same as: Allows you to set the x-axis scale from the selected operand or combination of
operands.

Instruction Manual
X-axis combination:
X-axis
Operand type
Combin
A B A B A&B Output type Rule applied
Curve Point x Curve YB, ZB is applied as a complex constant on the entire curve
A regardless of XB.
Curve Point x Point Curve value is applied on point value @ XB using interpola-
tion.
Curve Point x Curve Result curve is the same as A except at XB, where points A
and B are combined.
Curve Curve x Curve Points with XA only.
Curve Curve x Curve Points with XB only.
Curve Curve x Curve Points with XA & XB combined.
Point Point x Point One point with XA..
Point Point x Point One point with XB.
Point Point x Curve Two points of same values @ XA & XB.
You can choose A & B combined as your x-axis, instead of

choosing to combine magnitude values regardless of
frequency. This allows you to splice curves with different
ranges together. This works best when the range of one
curve ends when the range of the next curve begins.
See Windowing on page 273.
Figure 16-6 shows a Low Frequency and a High Frequency
curve (in the XY Graph of the Display Editor).
Figure 16-6: Separate Curves
Figure 16-7 shows the resulting curve when the two curves
are added and the x-axis is the same as A & B combined.
Microphone or loudspeaker measurements that require two

different measurements to acquire the proper response data
can be combined into one curve using this technique.
Figure 16-7: Combined Curves

Instruction Manual
16.5 Constant
Allows any curve, value or waveform in the Memory List (Operand A) to be
modified by block arithmetic operations (e.g., addition, subtraction,
Select Type
multiplication, and division). Operand B can either be a single value or a
user defined constant. The operation is made on real data. The constant is Select
applied on only one axis: each value of a single axis of Operand A is Operand A
combined with the constant, Operand B.
Select
Operand B
16.5.1 Rules - Axis choices for Operand A in Post Processing
 X – Modifies (+, -, x, /) Operand A by the factor entered in the Select
Operation
Constant value box, ONLY ON THE X Axis. e.g., Frequency
& Work In
 Y – Modifies (+, -, x, /) Operand A by the amount entered in the Mode
Constant value box, ONLY ON THE Y Axis. e.g., Magnitude Enter
 Z – Modifies (+, -, x, /) Operand A by the amount entered in the Name
Constant value box, ONLY ON THE Z Axis. e.g., Phase curve
Operand B can be a Single Value item from the Memory List. In this Figure 16-8: Curve Shifting
case you can chose the x, y or z value in the Operand B selection Using a Constant
field. This value can then be applied to Operand A as per the rules
stated above.
Work in mode is the same as in Arithmetic except: Multiplication or Division of dB to dB values is
allowed. Units combination is the same as in Arithmetic. Refer to Arithmetic on page 251 for more
information.
16.6 Unary
Select Type
Allows unary operations to be performed on a complex data curve as well as
waveforms.
Select
Single values, curves and waveforms are available as Operand A. Operand A
However, it should be noted that not all operations are valid with all operand Select
types. Please refer to Figure 16-10. Operation
All operations allow you to select the axis and Default or Custom Name for
the Desired Result.
Figure 16-9: Unary Options

Instruction Manual
Operand A
Waveform
Curves
Values
Name Operation Result Type Typically Used For
s
Change Sign Polarity inverter for phase Y Y Y Same as To correct for a microphone
Operand A with inverted polarity
Reciprocal Value Calculates the Inverse (1/X) of Y Y N Same as Inverting curves used as
Operand A Operand A correction curves
Absolute Value Returns the positive valued magnitude Y Y N Same as Math operation
of Operand A Operand A
Square Returns the Square of Operand A Y Y Y Same as Math operation
(Operand A x Operand A) Operand A
Square Root Returns the Square Root of Operand A Y Y Y Same as Math operation
Operand A
Exp Calculates the exponential of Operand Y Y N Same as Math operation
A (expOperand A) Operand A
Ln Returns the natural Logarithm of Oper- Y Y N Same as Math operation
and A Operand A
Unwrap Phase Returns the Unwrapped phase of Y N N Curve Allows Unwrapped Phase to
Operand A be exported as a curve
Group Delay Calculates the Group Delay (negative Y N N Curve Loudspeaker or other
derivative of Phase) of Operand A frequency response function
analysis
FFT Calculates the FFT of a Waveform N N Y Curve Spectrum analysis
Inv FFT Returns a real-valued time signal Y N N Waveform Time Domain Analysis
(waveform) from a complex (Mag &
Phase) spectrum or response
Figure 16-10: Unary Operations Chart
16.6.1 Unary Operations

 Change Sign: Polarity inverter for phase
 Curves: Only affects the phase (Z axis). Magnitude remains unchanged.
 Values: Axis is selectable. Typically used to invert polarity on the Z axis
 Waveforms: Inverts polarity of the waveform on the Y axis
 Reciprocal Value: Calculates the Reciprocal (1/X) or Inverse of Operand A

 Curves: Creates inverse of curve, swapping positive and negative values of the y and z axis
 Values: Allowed to select one axis to process; x, y or z. For log data in dB, calculates the inverted
transfer function (Input/Output). Useful for setting target equalization curves.
 Waveforms: Not allowed

Instruction Manual
 Absolute Value: Returns the non-negative value of Operand A
 Curves: Returns the magnitude (all values positive) of Operand A
 Works on complex frequency domain data and sets all phase values to zero
 Values: Allowed to select one axis to process; x, y or z. Returns the magnitude of the item selected.
 Square: Returns the Square of Operand A: Operand A x Operand A

 Select axis for result
 Curves:
 Values: Allowed to select one axis to process; x, y or z
 Waveforms:
 Square Root: Returns the Square Root of Operand A

 Select axis for result
 Curves:
 Waveforms:
 Exp: Calculates the exponential of Operand A (expOperand A)

 Curves: Convert dB back to real values, calculate the exponential and convert the result back to dB
 Values: Allows you to select one axis to process; x, y or z
 Ln: Returns the Natural Logarithm of Operand A

 Curves: To extract the all-pass portion (pure delay) from the linear phase of a response. Many
steps are required, but this is a key element.
 Unwrap Phase: Allows Unwrapped Phase to be exported as a curve. It also allows Unwrapped Phase
to be shown in a Display without having to select Unwrapped Phase from the Right-click Options of the
display window. See Unwrap Phase on page 364 for details and an example.
 Options: Under “Show Data”, X, Y and Z must be selected
 Returns Unwrapped Phase as a curve. This operation can only be performed on curves.

Instruction Manual
 Group Delay: The time it takes a signal to pass through a device with respect to frequency. It is
commonly used to align multi-way speaker systems, e.g., a woofer and a tweeter that have different
acoustic centers.
 The derivative of the ‘unwrapped phase’ as delay (not absolute time) vs. frequency 1dϕ-
τ = – -----------
 This is relative to the reference frequency which is the first frequency measured 2πdf
 Options: Under “Show Data”, X, Y and Z must be selected to show the desired axis
 Smoothing width in Hz: Increasing width can obscure details
 This operation can only be performed on curves
 FFT: Calculates the FFT of a waveform

 Select the Impulse Response Waveform from the Memory
List. The Waveform must be in linear Y units only (not dB)
 Select the Weighting window: None (Rectangular), Cosine
Tapered, Exponential, etc
 Check Search Range and Right-click in the field
 Select Add, Edit or Remove
 Select Single Point or Range
 In the Select Search Range section, edit the time
range on which to apply the FFT and weighting
 Data outside of the time range is ignored
 The result will be a frequency curve with a linear X axis,
default Y unit in dB and Phase in degrees
 If Search Range is unchecked, this indicates it is set to
“All” points in the selected data
Figure 16-11: FFT and
 This operation can only be performed on waveforms Inverse FFT
 Inv FFT: Returns a real-valued time signal (waveform) from a complex (Mag & Phase) spectrum or
response.
 Select the response curve from the Memory List
 The output is a Linear or dB (envelope) Waveform
 This operation can only be performed on curves

Instruction Manual
16.7 Scalar (Statistics)
This allows calculations of a single value from a specified
curve or waveform. Again, not all operations are valid for all Select Type
operand types.
Select Operand A
 None of these functions can be applied on single
values. Select Operation
 IEEE and ITU loudness operations can only be
performed on frequency curves.
Optional modules for
telephone loudness
measurements
Optional modules
for hearing aid
measurements
Figure 16-12: Scalar Operations
16.7.1 Average
This returns the average of a curve as a single value.
N
y
----i  over the search range, regardless of the Log or
Calculates the mean of the curve Y values y =  N
i=1
Linear units (e.g., averaging a curve with 3 points, 10, 12 and 14 dB, will yield a value of 12 dB.)
16.7.2 Power Sum of Curve

Calculates the square root of the sum of the squares of each Y value in a spectrum.
1-  2
Curve PwrSum = ---   Yi 
B 
i
This depends on the Bandwidth Value "B" which is determined by the windowing/weighting used to create the
spectrum. If the windowing or weighting is unknown, a default value of 1 is used.
The Bandwidth Value varies according to the Weighting applied in the Analysis Step and the analysis method
selected or the Windowing used in the Spectrum Analyzer. See ENBW - Equivalent Noise Bandwidth on
page 258.
e.g., The square root of the sum of the power of each RTA bin, or the sum of the power of a specific frequency
band of an FFT spectrum.
Note: All spectrum are summable.

Instruction Manual
16.7.3 ENBW - Equivalent Noise Bandwidth
Equivalent Noise Bandwidth (ENBW) should be taken into consideration when making calculations on exported
SoundCheck data in another application or when importing data from another system into SoundCheck. The
following chart shows the ENBW value vs the Window Type used.
For more information refer to https://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/372416L-01/svtconcepts/
svperiodleakwin/
Amplitude Frequency
Window Type ENBW Available in Signal Content
Accuracy Resolution
None (Uniform or Broad-band random (white
HarmonicTrak,
Rectangular) 1 Low High noise), Closely spaced sine
Spectrum Analyzer
waves, transients
Hanning HarmonicTrak, Sine wave or combination of
1.50 Fair Good
Spectrum Analyzer sine waves
Hamming 1.36 Spectrum Analyzer Fair Good Closely spaced sine waves
Blackman-Harris Signals with harmonics,
1.71 Spectrum Analyzer
Unknown content
Exact Blackman
Blackman
1.73 Spectrum Analyzer Good Low
Mixed signals
4 Term Blackman- HarmonicTrak,
2.00
Harris Spectrum Analyzer
7 Term Blackman- HarmonicTrak,
2.63
Harris Spectrum Analyzer
Flat Top HarmonicTrak, Sine wave where amplitude
3.77 High Low
Spectrum Analyzer accuracy is important
Figure 16-13: Window Type - ENBW - Signal Type
Note: Weighting curves also affect ENBW. In SoundCheck, the A-weighting curve extends to 1 Hz. If this
is applied to a measurement with a point at 0 Hz, that point is unweighted and negatively affects
the result. When dealing with signals with a 0 Hz data point you should apply a Search Range to
only include points above 0 Hz. This can be applied in the weighting step or the Power Sum Post
Processing step.

Instruction Manual
16.7.4 Power Sum of Waveform
You can also calculate the Power Sum of a Waveform.
 The Z axis of the result shows the power sum
 The Y axis of the result shows the power sum in dB
 The X axis is excluded from the result
 The formula below shows that the result is normalized by the sampling
rate
2
 ( xi )
i
Waveform PwrSum = -------------------------------
-
sampling rate
16.7.5 RMS of Waveform Figure 16-14: Waveform

Power Sum
As of SoundCheck 19 you can calculate the Root Mean Square (RMS) of a
Waveform.
 Only works on waveforms
 Result is a single, Y axis value
 Only the Y axis should be included in the result
2
 ( xi )
Waveform RMS = i
------------------
N
16.7.6 Maximum
Finds the maximum curve Y value in the specified search range and returns X, Y and Z values at that point.
16.7.7 Minimum
Finds the minimum curve Y value in the specified search range and returns X, Y and Z values at that point.
16.7.8 Est. Resonance

Finds the resonance frequency, amplitude, and quality factor (Q) of a peak in a curve. The calculation is based
on an algorithm that fits a quadratic polynomial to sequential groups of data points. The number of data points
used in the fit is specified by the width control in terms of either how many dB down from the peak or % of the
peak. For most woofers, -3 dB will suffice, but for low Q drivers (such as tweeters) -1 dB may be required in
order to resolve the resonance frequency from the fitted curve.
16.7.9 Est. Notch

Finds the antiresonance frequency, amplitude, and quality factor of a dip or notch in a curve.

Instruction Manual
16.7.10 IEEE-661 OLR
This calculates the average of the Frequency Response from Start Freq to Stop Frequency The average is
taken of the amplitude raised to the power of (1/Exponent). The Frequency Response must be given in dB. The
average is calculated using the trapezoid rule. Values for Frequency Response at the exact Start and Stop
Frequencies are found by interpolation.
To calculate OLR according to ANSI/IEEE 661, the Start Freq must be no higher than 300 Hz and the Stop Freq
must be no lower than 3300 Hz. The Frequency Response shall (according to the standard) cover this
frequency range and include at least 12 measurement points within the frequency range.
α
S S
 --------- i
- i–1
-
---------
 10 20α
+ 10
20α 
N  fi    

LoudnessRating = – 20log i = 2  f i – 1

 log ----------- ⋅ ------------------------------------------
2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 f N
log  -----
 f1 
 α = Loudness compression exponent. The default value, based on the standard, is 2.2.
 N = number of measured frequencies
 fi = frequency at index i. The frequency range is usually 300 - 3300 Hz
 Si = electroacoustic sensitivity of the path at frequency fi. This sensitivity is usually expressed in units
of dB mV/Pa or dB Pa/mV
A correction may be applied to the sensitivities in these formula to account for leakage of (legacy) Type
1 ear simulators, or for impedance, depending on the application and/or applicable performance
standards.

Instruction Manual
16.7.11 ITU-T SLR & RLR (optional module required)
Calculates the send and receive loudness ratings according to the ITU-T Rec. P79 Loudness Rating from the
values in the Frequency Response. Requires optional module 2007 - Loudness Rating.
m ( Si – Wi )
 N2 -
--------------------------
10
Formula: LoudnessRating = – ------ log   10 
10
m  
 i = N1 
 m = Loudness growth exponent
 i = frequency band index (ISO R10 1/3-octave bands)
 Wi = frequency weighting in dB
 Si = electroacoustic sensitivity of the path at frequency fi
 N = frequency band number (typically 4-17 where band no. 1 = 100 Hz)
A correction may be applied to the sensitivities in these formula to account for leakage of (legacy) Type
1 ear simulators, or for impedance, depending on the application and/or applicable performance
standards.
16.7.12 ITU-T STMR (optional module required)

Calculates the sidetone loudness ratings according to the ITU-T Rec. P79
Loudness Rating from the values in Frequency Response. Requires optional
module 2007 - Loudness Rating.
For IEEE standards, the exponent can be user defined. For ITU standards, both
the exponent and the weighting curve can be user defined. This is for future use
and modifications of standards. The step is set to Use Default Values by
default.
 Select Type: Scalar
 Select Operand A: Fundamental
 Operation: ITU-T options; SLR, RLR, RLR with Leak and STMR
 Weighting Function: Select “Use Default Values” or select an item
from the Memory List
 Search Range
If Search Range is unchecked, this indicates it is set to “All” points in
the selected data.
Check Search Range and Right-click in the field Figure 16-15: ITU-T
SLR Settings
 Select Add, Edit or Remove
 Select Single Point or Range
 In the Select Search Range section, edit the frequency range From and To values
 Select Name option: Use Default or Custom Name for output

Instruction Manual
16.7.13 ITU Wideband Weighting Curves (optional module required)
The default ITU weighting curves used for loudness rating are narrowband (200-
4 kHz). They are from ITU Recommendation P.79, Table 1.
Requires optional module 2007 - Loudness Rating.
Wideband weighting curves (100-10 kHz) can be used instead. They are from ITU
Recommendation P.79, Table A.2. They are intended for use on devices that
can operate both in narrowband and wideband modes.
Wideband weighting curves are available in the SoundCheck Data folder:
C:\SoundCheck 20.0\data\.
Figure 16-16 shows an example of how the weighting curves are used.
1. Open the RLR or SLR DAT file in the Memory List
2. The weighting curve can then be selected in the Post Processing step
3. Exponent is same as default
4. If Search Range is unchecked, this indicates it is set to “All” points in the

selected data. RLR is calculated on each point in the weighting curve,
Figure 16-16: Wideband
according to the standard.
Weighting Curve
5. For better results, Operand A should be the received frequency response
in 1/3rd octave resolution. This can be the result of a 1/3rd octave RTA measurement, or conversion
from another format using “band-averaging” as described in IEEE 269-2012
6. For use in a sequence, use a Recall Step to load the RLR or SLR DAT file into the Memory List
16.7.14 Attack and Release (optional

module required)
This function can be used to test the time it
takes for the signal from a DUT to stabilize
after a sudden change in signal level. Requires
optional module 2008 - Attack and Release.
 In this example, Stimulus is set to
2 kHz, with 2 different stimulus levels
(Figure 16-17)
 Time Envelope must be turned on in
the Analysis Step of the sequence
(Figure 16-17)
 See the default sequence “Release
Time“ in the Hearing Aid folder for an
example
Figure 16-17: Stimulus and

Analysis Step Settings

Instruction Manual
Attack Time
Figure 16-18 shows the settings for the Attack Time function in Post Processing. By
making an initial measurement of the device under test, you can look at the Attack
Time Envelope to determine if the Search Range of the example sequence is
correct for that particular device.
In this case, the Attack level is set to 3 dB and the search range is set at 1 to
2.5 seconds.
Note: The Search Range of the Post Processing step must be set to start
before the onset of the transient and end well after the point were the
signal has become stable. An initial measurement of the device will
provide and Attack Envelope so that you can determine what the actual
range should be. See Figure 16-19. Right-click the Search Range field
to edit.
Figure 16-18: Attack

Time
Important! In order to avoid “turn on

transients” the Search Range
should never start at 0 mSec.
Figure 16-19: Attack Envelope
The process starts by searching the

Attack Time Envelope in reverse, from the
Search Range End Point as specified in
the Post Processing step. The green
cursor in Figure 16-20 indicates this
point. From here, the Post Processing
step searches back to the point where the
signal is 3 dB greater than the stable
level. The red cursor indicates this point.
The difference in level between the two
points is shown in the Delta Y field (Δ y);
-0.348 3.0013
3 dB as specified in the Parameters
section of the Post Processing step. Figure 16-20: Start of stability after Attack

Instruction Manual
The next step is to determine the actual
attack time. Cursor 1 and Cursor 2 are
positioned Attack time is the difference
between the transient onset time
This is the time from the onset of the and the 3 dB up time: Δ t.
transient to the “3 dB up” point. Figure 16-
21 shows the attack time in the Delta X –
Time box (Δ t).
(Delta X and Delta Y are visible by clicking
the Double Down Arrow at the right side
of the display window.)
Figure 16-21: Attack Time

Release Time
In the example sequence, the Release level Parameter is set to –4 dB with a Search
Range of 1 to 2.5 seconds. The Search Range may need to be increased if testing a
device with a long release time.
The Release Time function in the Post Processing step works in a similar fashion to
the Attack Time.
Figure 16-22: Release

Time
It searches in reverse for the point where the signal
becomes stable after release. From this point it then
searches for the point where the envelope level drops
below the stable level, by the value specified in the
Parameters section of the Post Processing Step.
-0.308 -4.038
Figure 16-23: Start of stability after Release

The Release time is then determined to be the time from
where the level of the envelope drops below the threshold
level to the point where the envelope level is 4 dB down
from the stable level.

Instruction Manual
This method of determining the attack and release time,
as well as the values noted in the setup of the sequence,
is in accordance with ANSI standard S3.22 – 1996,
section 6.15.2. The actual Attack and Release Limits will
vary according to the specifications of the device under
test. 0.4687 -31.650
Figure 16-24: Release Time

Instruction Manual
16.8 Zwicker Loudness (optional module required)
Zwicker Loudness calculates the overall perceived loudness of a sound. This post-processing operation uses a
psycho-acoustic model which takes into account the nonlinearity of the human ear to sound at different
frequencies and levels. It provides the capability to measure the perceived loudness of complex sounds, e.g.,
telephone ring tones. Requires optional module 2031 - Zwicker Loudness Rating.
This is the actual loudness of the sound recorded, with a value in PHONS and SONES.
Spectrum Auditory Ear Freq. Level Loudness

dB SPL Bands Weighting Spreading Compression in Phons
Figure 16-25: Zwicker Loudness Process
The Zwicker Loudness process from Figure 16-25 is detailed below.

1. The spectrum in dB SPL is recorded. It must be a "Calibrated Acoustic
Pressure" in Pascals or dB SPL.
2. It is regrouped into auditory bands, according to Bark Scale
3. The spectrum is remapped
4. A frequency weighting is then applied to take into account the response of

the ear
5. A frequency masking effect is applied
6. A mathematical compression is applied to achieve the final loudness

number
7. This yields the actual loudness in PHONS, by power summing the

Figure 16-26: Zwicker
compressed level
Settings
 Zwicker Loudness uses an up-to-date algorithm that conforms to the ITU-R Rec. BS.1387 PEAQ
standard. It is similar to ISO532, which is simpler and only processes 3rd Octave spectrums.
 Zwicker Loudness is intended for use with broadband signals such as speech. It is not for use with
single tones.
 Zwicker can be applied to any spectrum, as long as it is a calibrated acoustic spectrum in Pascals or
dB SPL.
 The curve must be consistent in resolution, e.g., 5 Hz, 3rd Octave, etc. The frequency resolution of the
spectrum is not necessarily important. The algorithm converts the spectrum to power spectral density
before calculating the loudness.
 Zwicker Loudness also features an option to output the Loudness Spectrum to the Memory List. The
units for the X-axis are selectable between Hz and Bark scale (See Bark Scale on page 268). The
loudness spectrum allows you to determine which frequencies are responsible for the loudness, and is
useful for analysis of signals such as: telephone ring tones, speech and music.

Instruction Manual
16.9 Zwicker Example
This example shows the Zwicker Loudness results for a set of headphones.
 The Post-Processing step in Figure 16-27 shows “RTA Spectrum (Fund) L”
selected under Operand A.
 The response curves in this example were acquired using Pink Noise
stimulus and RTA Spectrum Analysis
 Two Post Processing steps are required to create separate results with
unique names for left and right headphones
 Loudness Spectrum is checked and the X-axis unit is set to Hz
 The Show Data check boxes allow you to select which axis’ to show up in
the Loudness Value
Figure 16-27: Zwicker

Example
16.9.1 Output
The Zwicker Loudness Post Processing output
is shown in Figure 16-28.
 Headphones were measured with Pink
Noise stimulus and RTA Spectrum
analysis
 The 12th Oct RTA Response is used as
Operand A in the Zwicker Post
Processing step
 Zwicker Loudness Spectrum - This

shows which frequencies are
responsible for the loudness
 Separate Loudness values are shown

for Left and Right Headphones
 X = Loudness in Phons
 Y = Power sum of original spectrum
Figure 16-28: Zwicker Loudness Output
 Z = Loudness in Sones

Instruction Manual
Bark Scale
The auditory pitch scale is expressed in Barks. The
relationship between Barks and Frequency (Hz) is
Figure 16-29: Bark Scale
16.9.2 Active Speech Level - P56 (optional module required)

Used with a speech signal, this operation evaluates levels for only the parts of the
waveform where speech is actually present. Silent gaps are excluded but short
interruptions that are part of continuous speech are included.
Requires optional module 2033 - Active Speech Level.
It is widely used in telephony applications, e.g., testing to ITU-T P.56 05/93 Method B.
The Active Speech Level of the WAV file can be set in the Stimulus Editor.
See Stimulus Settings on page 120.
Parameters:
 Operand A - This should be a speech waveform
 Time Constant (Sec) - Time constant of exponential averaging used to
smooth the envelope of the speech signal (30 ms default)
Figure 16-30: Active
 Hangover Time (Sec) - Allowable time for silence during active speech. Speech Level
Longer silent gaps between active speech sections are ignored and left out of
the calculation. (200 ms default)
 Margin (dB) - Difference, in dB, between threshold of activity and active speech level. When the level
of the background noise is high, the margin can be reduced in order to exclude the noise. (15.9 dB
default)
Output:
The Active Speech Level value in the Memory List shows the following:
 X - Activity Factor (%): Percentage of time during waveform where speech
is active
 Y - Active Speech Level (dB): Mean power of speech measured over the
aggregate time of activity
 Z - Long-term Level (dB): Mean power of the waveform measured over its Figure 16-31: Value
entire duration in Memory List

Instruction Manual
16.10 Smoothing
Selects the degree of smoothing for the displayed curve. Smoothing corresponds to a running average on a
frequency axis with a window of the given width (1/n octave or number of Hertz). The running average can be
weighted using a Hanning window in order to get a smoother curve result.
 Smoothing applies a running weighted average on the curve with a
defined width. The width can be expressed in 1/n octave or linear terms.
 Two different weightings can be applied: None (Rectangular) or Hanning.
The weighting is symmetrical around the middle point and doesn’t include
zero end points.
 The smoothed curve has the same number of points as the original
 The curve can have an uneven spacing in frequency domain, because
interpolation is used
 Smoothing is applied on power values (y^2) and unwrapped phases
 The curve end points are unchanged. To do this, a symmetrical reduction
of smoothing width at the edges is used.
Note: To keep both the beginning and end points of the smoothed curve
untouched, the smoothing width is gradually reduced down to zero
when it reaches the extremities of the curve. In Figure 16-33, the two
curves merge at 20 kHz.
Figure 16-32: Smoothing
The display in Figure 16-33 compares an 8196-line

Fundamental curve with the same curve smoothed
to 1/3 octave.
Figure 16-33: One-third Octave Curve Smoothing

Instruction Manual
16.11 Intersection (search)
This is used to find the intersection points between two curves or
waveforms, or between a curve/waveform and a single point.
Select Type
Search Up - Determines the first intersection point
Select Operand A
Search Down - Determines the last intersection point
Return all intersection points - Yields a curve of all of the Select Operand B
intersection points. (This can also be displayed as a table of values in
a Display Step.)
Search Range allows you to narrow the range of the search or to Select Search
exclude regions that a search should not occur within. Criteria
If Search Range is unchecked, this indicates it is set to “All” points in
the selected data.
Figure 16-34: Intersection of Two

Curves
16.11.1 Result
The Intersection Value is available in the Memory List.
Figure 16-35: Intersection

Value

Instruction Manual
16.12 User Equation (optional module required)
Requires optional module 2012 - Equation Editor.
This section allows you to build an arithmetic equation using constants and the values generated by the
sequence. You can build an equation (similar syntax to writing an equation in Excel) and define the variables
and results at the top of the editor. Build this equation by selecting a curve, single value name, or defining a
constant from the pull down lists that appear in the top table of the User Equation Parameters window.
Assign variable names for these data in the Variables column, using numbers and letters, but no spaces.
Choose which axis of the curve or value you wish to use. The Values and Units columns are only accessible if
you are in a user defined constant row.
Curves and Values from the Memory List have sequence-determined values and units. Use these variables in
the equation box in the Post Processing Editor. ALL CALCULATIONS ARE PERFORMED IN LINEAR UNITS
IN THE REAL DOMAIN. Units drawn from the Memory List are analyzed, and if a log scale is in use, it will be
first converted to linear before being used in calculation. The Editor will then convert back to the log scale to
output results, if desired. Define the units of the results by clicking Units.
Complex Math operations are not supported. You will need to break the operation down to its arithmetic
equivalent.
Operations on the Z axis (phase) are not supported in the Equation Editor.
Create Variables
Create equation(s).
Use the syntax in the
Appendix for User Assign units
Equations
Clears the Equation

window and all fields
in the Parameters
Table
Input Name for results
Figure 16-36: Assign Variable Names to Curves and Values From the Memory List
You can find a list of valid function syntax for this equation box in Equation Editor Functions on page 635.
Each equation must produce only one new variable as the result. In the equation box, the result must be on the
left, an equal sign immediately to the right of the result, and then the remainder of the equation. A semicolon (;)
should end every individual equation.
Each result will be listed on the right hand of the editor, and will appear in the Memory List as you have named
it. You can use numbers and letters, but no spaces. You must assign unit information for this new value, created
in your equation.

Instruction Manual
16.12.1 User Equation Syntax
Each equation must start with the result variable, followed by
the equal sign, then the operators, variables and constants
that will produce your result. Equations shall be separated by
a semi colon.
Help menus are available for the User Equation (optional
module required) on page 271 section of SoundCheck.
Press Ctrl+H on your keyboard or Click the “? mark” on the
editor to open the Context Help window.
See Figure 16-37: Equation Context Help.
It will give information on the last item your mouse has
scrolled over. Press Ctrl+H again to make the Context Help
window disappear, or click the close box button in the upper
right hand corner.
Figure 16-37: Equation

Context Help
In general, use the following procedures:
1. Define the Input Operands
 Define the variables of input operands. Default is “a0, a1 …aX”.

 Define the units of user defined variables.
2. Create Equation
 The desired results list will be generated by the equation.

 Default curve names are the same as the result variables but can be changed manually by the user.
3. Modify results parameters
 Change the name of the desired results. (This name will appear in the Memory List.)
 Define the units of the desired results. In the column labeled Select Units and then click Units… to
change the units for that line.
 See Figure 16-36: Assign Variable Names to Curves and Values From the Memory List
Note: When creating or editing very large equations, it may be helpful to use a text editor such as
Wordpad since it has more space for typing. The equation can then be copied and pasted into the
Equation field in SoundCheck. A useful tool in Wordpad is Find and Replace.

Instruction Manual
16.13 Windowing
This type allows you to trim the curve selected in Operand A with respect
to the X axis.
1. Select a range of X values to include in the new curve from the
Search Range list box, or define a new range by clicking Edit
Range.
(See Search Range)

2. Name the new windowed curve before leaving the step.
3. By default, the new curve will be named as seen in Figure 16-

38: Frequency Window Options, with the range appended to
the original name.
You can select All Points to include the entire acquired range of the test
signal. This feature allows you to splice curves together cleanly. You can
trim curves first by setting the Frequency Window and then splice them in
an additional Post Processing step.
 If Search Range is unchecked, this indicates it is set to “All” Figure 16-38: Frequency
points in the selected data. Window Options
 Check Search Range and Right-click in the field
 Select Add
 Select Range
 In the Select Search Range section, edit the frequency range From and To values

Instruction Manual
16.14 Resolution
A curve can be resampled according to a new resolution. e.g., a Linear
Spectrum can be resampled to 1/3 octave.
Select Type
The Resolution Post-Processing operation should be used on signals
acquired with HarmonicTrak, Heterodyne and Time Selective Select Operand A
Response Analysis modes.
Original
Resolution
16.14.1 Smoothing Select New
There is no need to use a separate Smoothing Step before a Resolution
Resolution Step as this operation is available with the step. Select
Smoothing
 The smoothing function is applied before resampling
 The smoothing width is the same as the selected resolution
16.14.2 Operation
Smoothing Off: The Resolution step creates the output curve by
linearly interpolating the magnitude and phase data (y and z axes) of
Operand A at frequencies (x-axis values) defined by the selected Figure 16-39: Resolution
resolution.
Smoothing On: Resolution will first linearly interpolate Operand A data to the highest possible resolution. (This
is the equivalent of the original curve being “User defined lin” with a value of 1 Hz).
Next, the Resolution Step resamples the interpolated data at the selected resolution to create the result curve
in the Memory List.
Smoothing is only likely useful if the final curve resolution is higher than or “not a mathematical factor” of the
original resolution. See Example 2 and Example 3.
Example 1
Operand A is smoothed at 1/24th (R80) octave resolution and the desired resolution is 1/3rd octave
(R10). Smoothing is optional.
The values corresponding to the 1/3rd octave frequencies will be picked out of Operand A to create the
result curve in the Memory List.
Example 2
Operand A is smoothed at 1/24th (R80) octave resolution and the selected resolution is User Defined,
1/10th octave. Smoothing is optional.
Without smoothing: New 1/10th octave frequencies will be calculated and the original values in
Operand A will be used to linearly interpolate new values for the output curve.
With smoothing: Operand A will be used to interpolate values for every frequency between the
original 1/24th octave frequencies. Then the calculated values that correspond to the 1/10th octave
frequencies will be used to create the output curve.
Example 3
Operand A is non-standard 1/10th octave resolution and the selected result resolution is standard R40
1/12th octave. In this case, smoothing should applied.
Resolution will interpolate values for basically every frequency between the original 1/10th octave
frequencies. Then, just the values corresponding to 1/12th octave frequencies will be picked out to
create the result curve in the Memory List.

Instruction Manual
The example in Figure 16-40 shows a comparison
of the original spectrum to two different results: 1/3
octave with no smoothing and 1/3 octave with
smoothing.
Smoothing yields a curve that better tracks the mid-
line of the original spectrum.
Figure 16-40: Resolution Comparison
16.14.3 ISO or RTA Frequencies

In measurement resolutions above 1/3rd octave, ISO and RTA frequency points
no longer coincide.
When the “New Resolution” field is set to 1/6TH octave or above, you can select
either ISO or RTA frequencies. This is useful for comparing measurements
made with HarmonicTrak to measurements made with the RTA virtual
instrument.
 When set to ISO, the result can be compared to a curve made with the
HarmonicTrak algorithm
 When set to RTA, the result can be compared to measurements made
with the RTA virtual instrument
When using a Stweep with a resolution of R40 (1/12th Octave), the ISO
frequency points of the measured response curve can be converted to RTA
frequency points. The result of the example in Figure 16-41 can be compared
to a curve made with the RTA virtual instrument.
Conversely, RTA curves can be converted to ISO curves.
Figure 16-41: Resolution:
Please refer to Appendix 7: Windows Keyboard Shortcuts on page 611, for ISO and RTA frequency
a chart of ISO frequencies according to resolution.

Instruction Manual
16.15 Directivity Index
This function is used to calculate the Directivity Index from a set of off Select Type
axis response curves. These curves must be measured on an arc, Select Reference
around the DUT (based on Polar Response). This process yields a Curve A
single curve that indicates the directivity at specific frequencies.
 Reference Curve: This is the On Axis measurement (0
degrees).
Select Curve
 Weighting Function: This is a means of applying a weighting Group
curve that will emphasize/de-emphasize measurement values
according to the angle of the measurement. This is applied to
Select Weighting
the group of selected curves. The standard is: w(q)=|Sine q|.
and Increment
 Formula Applied: For a set of off-axis frequency responses
L(f, q) and a defined weighting function w(q), the directivity
index function is defined by:
maxθ
2
L ( f, 0 ) ⋅  w ( θ ) dθ
0
Index ( f ) = 10 log ------------------------------------------------------------
maxθ
-
2
 w ( θ ) ⋅ L ( f, θ ) dθ
0 Figure 16-42: Directivity Index
Directivity Index
where Maxθ is the total range of angle.

The formula used for Directivity Index is the one described in [1], with the assumption that the DUT is
symmetrical around its nominal axis.
[1] Beranek LL. Acoustics. New York: McGraw-Hill Electrical and Electronic Engineering Series,
McGraw Hill; 1954
16.15.1 Incrementation:
 Auto Increment: equally divides the selected curves across the Total Rotation in degrees,
e.g.; If Total Rotation is set to 180 degrees and there is one Reference curve and nineteen Off Axis
curves, Auto Increment will calculate an angle of 10 degrees between each measurement.
 Increment (deg.): Sets the Angle of increment in degrees for each measured curve
 Desired Result: This can use the default name or a user selected name

Instruction Manual
16.16 Nth Octave Synthesis
This operator is meant to transform an FFT Spectrum into an RTA Spectrum. The transform is done by making
a power sum of all adjacent FFT lines that are encompassed in the target Nth-octave bands. The final RTA
Spectrum has the same frequencies as the RTA analyzer.
 This can be used after an analysis step using the Spectrum or Dual Channel algorithms. e.g., A
response auto-spectrum with 1 Hz resolution can then be transformed into a 3rd octave spectrum, from
20 Hz to 20 kHz.
 It can be used to reduce the resolution of an RTA spectrum, e.g., going from a 1/24th octave to a 1/3rd
octave spectrum.
 The algorithm can be used to convert the Summable Spectrum saved from a “pre-SoundCheck 7 FFT
Spectrum Analyzer”.
Any FFT Spectrum acquired with SoundCheck

can be processed with Nth Octave Synthesis.
The example in Figure 16-43 shows the
Spectrum (acquired with the Spectrum Analysis
module) being synthesized to an RTA Spectrum
with a resolution of 3rd Octave. The result is
compared to the Summable Spectrum in the XY
Graph. The FFT Spectrum is in Blue (lower) and
the RTA Spectrum is in Red (upper).
Note: This operation should not be used

on a frequency response result
(Fundamental from HarmonicTrak),
because one cannot make a power
sum of the ratios of output over
input. In the case of frequency
response, use the Resolution and
Smoothing operations in Post Figure 16-43: 1/Nth Octave Synthesis
Processing.
FFT Spectrum nth Octave RTA Low Frequency Cut-off

apply nth octave
Resolution Minimum Time synthesis R10 Cut-off R20 Cut-off R40 Cut-off R80 Cut-off
Required (1/3rd oct) (1/6th oct) (1/12th oct) (1/24th oct)
100 Hz 10 mS > 2000 Hz 4000 Hz 8000 Hz 16000 Hz
10 Hz 100 mS > 200 Hz 400 Hz 800 Hz 1600 Hz
1 Hz 1S > 20 Hz 40 Hz 80 Hz 160 Hz
Figure 16-44: FFT to RTA Nth Octave Synthesis
A minimum of 5 lines is enforced to ensure ANSI Nth octave filter compliance. That constraint gives a lower
frequency cut-off for the operation. The chart in Figure 16-44 shows the relationship between the resolution of
the FFT Spectrum and the result of applying Nth Octave Synthesis to get the RTA Spectrum. The chart shows
the resulting low frequency cut-off point.

Instruction Manual
16.17 Resampling
This function changes the sampling rate of a waveform up or down. The
original sampling rate is displayed and the new sampling rate is entered by the
user.
For example, when measuring Bluetooth devices that only support a sample
rate of 8000 Hz, the measured waveform can be resampled to 44.1 kHz as
Since the original sample rate of the DUT may not be exactly 8 kHz, the result
waveform should have Frequency Shift applied as well. (See below.)
This will correct for any sample rate error.
16.18 Frequency Shift

This allows you to adjust the sample rate of a recorded time waveform to a Figure 16-45: Resampling
specific sample rate.
This can be used to match the sample rate of the device under test to the sample rate of the stimulus used in
SoundCheck which is useful for testing “Open Loop” devices.
When a stimulus is played back as a WAV file on a digital device, such as a Smart Speaker or MP3 player, the
device may not play the file at its original sample rate. The frequencies present in the response are artificially
offset, which corrupts the analysis. In order to perform the analysis, the response waveform must be adjusted
so its frequency points match the stimulus waveform.
The example sequence, C:\SoundCheck 17\Sequences\Microphones\Open Loop Microphone.sqc, shows
an example of how Frequency Shift is used.
In Figure 16-46, Frequency Shift is used to change the measured
Response to match the original stimulus.
After the Response Waveform is shifted, the Analysis Step will yield an
accurate frequency response.
 Dual channel or Multitone analysis will then have the correct
coherence function
 Frequency Shift can also be used with a Stweep stimulus and
HarmonicTrak Analysis
 See Rules - Frequency Shift on page 279.
16.18.1 Waveform Selection

Operand A: Select the Input waveform that should be corrected, e.g.;
The response waveform - RTW.
Playback Sampling Rate: This is the method used to estimate the
playback sampling rate of Operand A
 Automatically Calculated: The playback sampling rate is
calculated by comparing the frequency content of Operand A Figure 16-46: Frequency Shift
to the selected Reference Frequency
 User Defined: Use if the sampling rate of Waveform A is already known

Instruction Manual
16.18.2 Reference Frequency
 Reference Waveform: Select the Stimulus Waveform to be used. This
should be the stimulus used in the Acquisition Step that generates the
waveform in Operand A.
 Reference Frequency Selection
 Automatic: It automatically chooses a frequency from the Reference
Waveform for synchronization. This frequency is chosen from the
first Stweep or Multitone in the Reference Waveform.
 User Defined mode: Enter the Reference Frequency to use for
synchronization. This frequency must be present in the Reference
Waveform.
The Reference Frequency entered is automatically coerced to the
closest frequency found in the Reference Waveform.
 A stationary tone with more cycles will yield a more accurate
playback sampling rate. Longer tone duration will yield more cycles.
Higher frequency tones will also yield more cycles without increasing
the duration.
e.g., A 10 mSec, 1 kHz tone has 10 cycles, but a 10 mSec, 5 kHz
tone has 50 cycles. The 5 kHz, 10 mSec tone would provide a more Figure 16-47: Reference
reliable frequency shift reference. Frequency
16.18.3 Desired Result

Enter a custom name for the new “Shifted Waveform” or select Use Default.
Memory List - WFM Result
The new waveform is the result of Operand A being shifted to match the sampling rate of the Reference
Waveform. This new waveform should be used in subsequent Analysis steps.
16.18.4 Other Example Sequences

C:\SoundCheck 17\Sequences\Headphones & Headsets\Bluetooth Headset - Send.sqc
C:\SoundCheck 17\Sequences\Headphones & Headsets\Bluetooth Headset - Recieve.sqc
16.18.5 Rules - Frequency Shift

 Frequency Shift only works with steady state tones; the stimulus needs to have a Stweep or Multitone
segment
 Regardless of the "Analyze - No" selection in the Stimulus Editor, the reference frequency can only be
from the first stweep or multitone in a compound stimulus
 Using WAV files for non-sine base signals requires that a steady state tone be prepended to the WAV
stimulus in the Stimulus Editor, e.g., A 150 mSec, 1 kHz tone, set to "Analyze - No"
 See the following example sequence included with SoundCheck:
C:\SoundCheck 17\Sequences\Microphones\Open Loop Microphone.sqc

Instruction Manual
16.18.6 Rules - Resampling and Frequency Shift Use
SoundCheck cannot analyze response signals that do not match the sample rate of the
corresponding stimulus. Resampling and Frequency Shift post-processing steps allow
you to synchronize waveforms that do not have the same sample rate or where
generated and recorded by systems with different sample clock sources.
Resampling and Frequency Shift may be required when:
 Different audio interfaces operating at different sample rates are used to generate the stimulus and
record the response waveforms: e.g. AmpConnect ISC (44.1 kHz) generates the stimulus and DCC-
1448 (48 kHz) records it.
 The sample rate of the device under test does not match the SoundCheck sample rate, e.g., Bluetooth
Headsets that have a fixed sample rate of 8 kHz
 The audio interface(s) and DUT do not have a common clock source, which means that the resulting
waveforms may not match in sample rate.
 In general, first apply a Resampling Step, then apply a Frequency Shift Step.
See Resampling on page 278 and Frequency Shift on page 278.

Instruction Manual
16.19 Time Domain Waveform Filter (optional module required)
Arbitrary Waveform Filter
FFT-1
The Waveform Filter post-processing operation
allows you to choose a curve from the Memory FFT
List, use it as the frequency response and apply Input Waveform Output Waveform
it to a waveform in the Memory List. The result
is a new waveform that has its spectral content Filter
Operation
shaped by the selected curve. There is also an
option for minimum phase and inverting the
curve. This may be used, for example, for
measuring the A-weighted peak acoustic Memory List
pressure of a waveform. The A-weighting curve Curve
A weighting
is first applied to the acoustic waveform via the
waveform filtering post processing step, and Figure 16-48: Waveform Filter Process
then the peak value of the resulting waveform is
measured. This method is used in the IEEE 269
and TIA 920 telephony standards.
Requires optional module 2032 - Waveform Filter.
The example in Figure 16-48 shows the process of using an arbitrary waveform
filter:
 A target waveform is selected from the Memory List: P50 Speech
 A curve from the Memory List is then applied: A Weighting curve
 The result is a new waveform that is shaped by the A weighting curve:
P50 (Filtered-min phase)
Filter Options:
 Min Phase - use when selected curve for filter has no phase information
 Invert Curve - useful for creating the inverse of the selected curve when
using it as a correction curve
 The filtering process can be applied on the incoming waveform and can
be used in a sequence in real-time
 This is the same algorithm used in the Stimulus Step for creating Figure 16-49: Waveform
Equalization Curves Filter
 Waveform filtering can also be useful for applying ERP to DRP correction

Instruction Manual
16.19.1 Standard Waveform Filter
In addition to the Arbitrary waveform filters (introduced in SoundCheck 11.0), a selection of Standard Waveform
filters are also available, including Butterworth high-pass, low-pass, band-pass and band-stop filters. These
standard filters are useful for conditioning stimulus and response waveforms when you are making time domain
measurements, or for band pass analysis in the time domain (e.g., speech intelligibility or attack and release
testing). The arbitrary filters are often used for telephony and hearing aid applications and can also be used
when you need to listen to the processed time signal for subjective evaluation.
Both the Arbitrary and Standard waveform filters require Optional Module 2032: Waveform Filter.
When the post processing step is applied, the filtered waveform is output to the
Memory List.
Filter Options:
 Filter Shape - Select Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass and Bandstop
Lowpass and Highpass filters only show one Cutoff field.
Bandpass and Bandstop show Low Cutoff and High Cutoff fields.
 Cutoff (Hz) – the corner frequency for lowpass and highpass filters
(nominal 3 dB – down point)
 Low Cutoff (Hz) – the lower corner frequency for bandpass and bandstop
filters (nominal 3 dB – down point)
 High Cutoff (Hz) - the upper corner frequency for bandpass and
bandstop filters (nominal 3 dB – down point)
 Filter Order - Enter 1 to n as a value for the filter order
Figure 16-50: Standard
Waveform Filter
The slope of the attenuation is proportional to
the filter order: An order “n” will result in an
attenuation rate of 20*n dB/ decade = 6*n dB/
octave. e.g.; A 5th order filter will have an
attenuation slope of 100 dB/decade. In other
words, the higher the order of the filter, the
steeper the attenuation.
Figure 16-51: Comparison of Filters

Instruction Manual
16.20 POLQA® - Perceptual Objective Listening Quality Analysis
(requires optional module 2041 with Opticom licensing)
Opticom’s POLQA 3 algorithm has been adopted as the ITU-T P.863 standard for voice quality testing.
Testing telephone, VoIP, smart devices and other communications using POLQA provides an objective metric
of speech quality from end to end of the signal path. It replicates someone speaking into a device with
someone listening at the other end to provide a quantitative measurement of the speech quality or degradation
from an acoustic standpoint. This supersedes the PESQ algorithm which measured only network degradation
rather than the complete signal path.
In SoundCheck, the POLQA Post Processing step utilizes the Opticom algorithm to compare a reference signal
to the acquired recording and calculates a perceptual metric indicating the level of speech degradation that
accurately replicates the MOS (Mean Opinion Score) obtained from a panel of trained listeners when
evaluating the quality of speech conversation. This eliminates the expensive and time-consuming process of
assembling a listening group and drastically reduces the time spent evaluating speech quality issues.
The algorithm rates the quality of a speech signal based on the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) approach.
Note: POLQA is intended for the quality assessment of speech signals only, not music.
Note: Optional Module 2041 includes an OEM license for the POLQA algorithm, which is linked to a
specific computer. The Opticom licensing process is handled by Listen.
16.20.1 Typical Applications

 Test of telecommunication networks (impact of vocoders/bit rate)
 Assess the impact of a noise reduction algorithm on an audio communication system
 Evaluate the perceived audio degradation in a Bluetooth connection due to packet loss, low bit rate
coders
 Analyze distortions introduced in the audio path and various speech codecs and quantify the impact on
perceived speech quality
 Testing of any transmission network that passes speech to analyze distortions introduced in the audio
path through various codecs
 Any distortion related to mic/mic enclosure/protective membrane

Instruction Manual
16.20.2 POLQA Setup - Opticom Licensing
Requires two forms of licensing:
 Requires SoundCheck optional module 2041
 Requires OPTICOM license registration
Figure 16-52: POLQA Scripts
OPTICOM License Registration
1. Email Listen to start the POLQA license process and Listen will return a copy of the instructions below.
2. Run CreateLicenseInfoFile.exe found in C:\SoundCheck 20\Scripts. The user will need to accept
Terms & Conditions of use in order to register the algorithm. The process will require acceptance of the
Opticom EULA before continuing.
3. A terminal window automatically runs to create “LicenseInfoFile.txt” in the root of the SoundCheck
folder. This contains the required information for the computer.
4. Email “LicenseInfoFile.txt” to Listen ([email protected])
5. Once complete, Listen will email “LicenseFile.txt”. Download the file for use in the next step.
6. Run ActivateLicenseFile.exe and select “LicenseFile.txt” mentioned in step 4.
7. Once the license process is complete, the algorithm is locked to this specific computer.
Note: Older versions of POLQA use an external key and will not work with the SoundCheck POLQA Post
Processing step and optional module 2041.
Important! Moving the SoundCheck Hardware Key to a second computer will require a second
Opticom license. The POLQA license is tied to the computer it is installed on. If
you wish to use POLQA with SoundCheck on a second computer, you will require
an additional POLQA license. Licenses cannot be transferred between
computers or reassigned.
SoundCheck’s POLQA module includes an OEM license of the POLQA Algorithm. POLQA licensing is
managed by Listen and licensed via Opticom’s License Management System.
Installation of the POLQA license is subject to the following terms and conditions.
Perceptual Objective Listening Quality Analysis (POLQA) according to ITU-T Recommendation P. 863 included
in this product is protected by copyright and by European, US and other International patents and patent
applications and is provided under license from OPTICOM Dipl.-Ing. M. Keyhl
GmbH, Erlangen, Germany, 2022– www.opticom.de
POLQA® is a registered trademark of OPTICOM GmbH. Used by permission.
© 2011 by the POLQA Coalition of OPTICOM GmbH, Germany - SwissQual AG, Switzerland - KPN, The
Netherlands - TNO, The Netherlands.
www.polqa.info
The POLQA license is a one-time permanent installation. Once installed on a computer, the license cannot be
transferred or moved to another computer. If use of this software is required on another computer, an additional
license must be purchased.
Copies of the POLQA software may not be made in whole or in part, other than where essential for the proper
operation of the POLQA SOFTWARE or for normal security back-up purposes.
The POLQA software must not be modified, translated, reverse-engineered or decompiled except to the extent
permitted by law.
The acknowledgment of rights stated above shall not be removed from the POLQA software or any installation
of it.

Instruction Manual
16.20.3 POLQA Post Processing Step
The POLQA step requires two input waveforms. The Reference signal is sent
through the audio path under test and the Degraded Response waveform is
acquired at the end of the audio path.
Input
 Reference Waveform
 Response Waveform (degraded)
Measurement Type
 Acoustic - Diotic or Monotic: Signal acquired with a microphone
 Digital: Signal re FS
 Voltage (Overload Value field - Specify in Volts): Signal acquired
electronically (without acoustic path)
Operating Mode
 Fullband (POLQA v3): Requires a 48 kHz, mono Reference signal
with a bandwidth of 50 Hz to 24 kHz
 NarrowBand (POLQA v3): Requires a mono reference signal with a
bandwidth of 50 Hz to 3.8 kHz. 8 kHz sample rate is typical but 16 kHz
and 48 kHz are supported.
Figure 16-53: POLQA
 Super-wideband (POLQA v2.4): Bandwidth of 20 Hz to 14 kHz
 Narrowband (POLQA v2.4): Requires a mono reference signal with a
bandwidth of 50 Hz to 3.8 kHz. 8 kHz sample rate is typical but 16 kHz and 48 kHz are supported.
Note: Fullband or Super-wideband reference signals must be used when using Fullband mode.
Note: 14 kHz bandwidth reference waveforms used with v2.4 Super-wideband measurements can also
be used with v3 Fullband measurements.
Automatic Level Alignment

This scales the average active speech level of the Reference and Response Waveforms to
approximately -26 dBov. This option should only be used when the waveform levels cannot be
controlled.
Automatic Resampling
Waveforms with non-standard sampling rates are automatically resampled to 8kHz for NB mode and
48kHz for Super-Wideband/Fullband mode.
High Accuracy Mode
The MOS value is averaged across four different operations, slightly shifting the Response Waveform
in each.
Output - MOS-LQO Score
 The MOS-LQO (Mean Opinion Score Listening Quality Objective) is always output from the step
Indicates the listening quality assessment of the degraded signal. Scores range from 1 to 5 with values
4 and above considered to be good. Note that a score of 5 is considered unobtainable.

Instruction Manual
Optional Outputs
 ASR: Active Speech Ratio Indicates what percentage of the reference
signal was active speech vs silence
 Attenuation: Allows you to optimize the signal level used for a more
accurate MOS
 Delay: Shows the delay between reference and degraded signals in mSec
 Pitch: The pitch of the reference and the degraded signals are considered
in some parts of POLQA analysis. The pitch in Hz is shown on the X axis for
the reference signal and on the Y axis for the degraded signal.
 R Factor: This is a conversion of the MOSLQO to the G.107 scale. Values
range from 0 to 100. Values under 60 are considered unacceptable. R
Factor should only be used for narrowband measurements.
 SNR: This is calculated independently for the reference and degraded Figure 16-54: POLQA
signals. The reference is on the X axis and the degraded signal is on the Y Data
axis with units of dB. The reference is on the X axis and the degraded signal
is on the Y axis.
 MOS Per Frame: Short periods of time such a s POLQA frame cannot be used to determine an
accurate MOS but this value can be used to identify critical sections of speech samples.
Figure 16-55: MOS Per Frame

Instruction Manual
16.21 Histogram
This process counts the number of observations that fall into specified level ranges
(bins). This is used for any non-stationary signal analysis such as echo detection in
communications or background noise evaluation as well as community noise analysis.
Provides Histogram, Complementary Cumulative Distribution (CC Distribution) and
L Values. See Figure 16-56.
Waveform
Select a waveform from the Memory List. For Community noise measurements the
waveform should normally be in dB SPL.
Mode
 Specify bin width: This is specified using the y-axis unit of the selected
waveform, e.g., with a waveform in dB re 20uPa, the Bin Width and bin edges
are also dB re 20uPa. Similarly, if the waveform is Volts, the Bin Width and bin
edges are specified in V.
 The example in Figure 16-56 shows the Bin Width set to 1 dB SPL. The
number of bins is then determined automatically.
 Specify number of bins: When specifying the number of bins, the bin widths
are automatically calculated depending on the range of values in the input
waveform. Figure 16-56:
Histogram
16.21.1 Outputs
Histogram
Returns a curve with X-Axis at the lower edge of the bin and the
Y-Axis as the percentage of samples that fall within the bin. See
Figure 16-57.
Figure 16-57: WAV RMS vs Time

Histogram
Complementary Cumulative Distribution

Indicates what percentage of the samples are greater than
the current bin.
 Returns a curve with X-Axis at the lower edge of the bin
and the Y-Axis as the percentage of samples that are
greater than the bin lower edge. See Figure 16-58.
Figure 16-58: CC Distribution

Instruction Manual
L Value
An L value is a level that is exceeded by a certain percentage
of time. For example, L10 is the level exceeded 10% of the
time.
The example in Figure 16-59 shows that for L10 (10% of the
measurement time) the measured noise has a level that
exceeds 78.2 dB. This can be verified from the CC
Distribution shown in the graph.
The default percentages of L10, L50, and L90 are required
by community noise analysis measurements.
Figure 16-59: L Value
Other L Value percentages can be added or deleted from the list by Right-clicking in the L Value field and
selecting the appropriate operation. See Figure 16-56.
Select which L Value percentages should be calculated by clicking on a value to enable the checkmark.
Search Range (s)
The range is entered in seconds. See Search Range on page 249 for more information.
 Select Search Range > Right-click value area > Select Add > Select Single Point or Range
 In the fields of the Select Search Range window enter the desired values to determine the time region
of the waveform to use in the calculation. Multiple ranges can be selected.

Instruction Manual
16.22 Level vs Time
This step computes the RMS level over time of the selected waveform or group of
waveforms within a sequence.
61672
The step takes the square of the amplitude of the waveform, which is then
exponentially averaged (running average vs time as opposed to blocks). Finally, the
square root is taken and the result is a waveform with x and y axes. This is not the
same as smoothing.
 Select a Recorded Time Waveform from the Memory List

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Time Constant (s)
 This is an exponentially weighted, moving average which is not the same as
a rectangular weighted moving average used in smoothing. The example in Figure 16-60: Level
Figure 2-3 shows the value set to 125 mSec which is a typical Fast setting for vs Time
a sound level meter.
Resample Output
 Used to set a new, typically lower, sample rate which reduces the amount of data in the Memory List
item created.
e.g., To sample this waveform 5 times per the Time Constant of 125mSec, the Output Sampling Rate
would be 40 Hz, ( 5 ÷ 0.125 ) or 1 sample every 25 mSec.
Search Range (s)
 The range is entered in seconds as shown in Figure 16-61. See Search
Range on page 249 for more information.
Figure 16-61: Search

Range
 Select Search Range > Right-click value area > select
Add > and select Single Point or Range. Enter the
desired values in the fields of the Select Search
Range window to determine the region of the
waveform used in the calculation. Multiple ranges can
be selected.
Figure 16-62 shows the waveform compared to the Level vs
Time curve. Using the waveform window allows you to easily
determine the Search Range region for post processing.
Figure 16-62: Level vs Time Curve

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
17 Post Processing Use Chart

Operand A
Post P
Operation Description Example use Axis Result Type Post P Step Template
Type
X Y Z
Unary Change Sign Polarity inverter for phase Change polarity e.g. polarized mics which invert Y Y Y Same as none
time signal Operand A
Unary Reciprocal Calculates the Inverse (1/X) of Inverting curves used for equalization and cor- Y Y N Same as Reciprocal
Value rection curves Operand A
Unary Absolute Returns the positive valued mag- Removes phase e.g. when adding harmonics to Y Y N Same as Absolute Value
Value nitude of Operand A calculate total distortion Operand A
Unary Square Returns the Square of Operand e.g. first step in calculating RMS and removes Y Y Y Same as none
A (Operand A x Operand A) phase Operand A
Unary Square Root Returns the Square Root of e.g. last step in RMS calculation Y Y Y Same as none
Operand A Operand A
Unary Exp Raises the Operand to the user Math operation Y Y N Same as none
input power (exponent) Operand A
Unary Ln Returns the natural Logarithm of Math operation Y Y N Same as none
Operand A Operand A
Unary Unwrap Phase Returns the Unwrapped phase of Allows Unwrapped Phase to be treated as a Y N N Curve Unwrap Phase
Operand A separate curve from magnitude
Unary Group Delay Calculates the Group Delay Converts phase response to delay in seconds Y N N Curve Group Delay
(negative derivative of Phase) of vs. frequency
Operand A
Unary FFT Calculates the FFT of a Wave- Spectrum analysis N N Y Curve FFT
form
Unary Inv FFT Returns a real-valued time signal Time Domain Analysis Y N N Waveform See FFT
(waveform) from a complex (Mag
& Phase) spectrum or response
Arithmetic "+, -, x, /" Allows you to perform basic math Block math operations are performed between Y Y Y Same as Curve Addition dB, Curve
operations on data. Work In two complex data sets (magnitude and phase Operand A Addition, Curve division,
allows math to be done on the y vs. frequency) or waveforms. Multiplication or Curve Subtraction dB, Curve
axis dB or Power values as well Division of dB to dB values is NOT allowed Subtraction
as Linear values.
Constant "+, -, x, /" Allows you to apply a single Multiplication or Division of dB to dB values is Y Y Y Same as Curve divided by constant,
value constant from the Memory allowed Operand A Curve minus constant dB,
List or from the User Defined Curve multiplied by constant,
field to the selected axis of the Curve plus constant dB,
data. Curve plus constant
Scalar Average Calculates the mean of the curve Can be used to determine the Sensitivity from a Y N Y Value Sensitivity & HFA (OSPL 90
Y values over the search range, Fundamental curve at a single frequency or sequence)
(Statistics)
regardless of the units. series of frequencies
291
292
Operand A
Post P
Type
X Y Z
Scalar Power Sum of Calculates the square root of the Y N Y Value Power sum
Curve sum of the squares of each Y
(Statistics)
value in a spectrum
Scalar Power Sum of Result Z axis shows power sum, N Y Y Value Power sum
Waveform Result Y axis shows power sum
(Statistics)
in dB
Scalar Maximum / Finds the max or min Y value of Y N Y Value Maximum, Minimum
a curve in the specified search
(Statistics) Minimum
range and returns X, Y and Z val-
ues at that point.
Scalar Est. Reso- Finds the resonance frequency, Y N N Value Est. Resonance
nance amplitude, and quality factor (Q)
(Statistics)
of a peak in a curve.
Scalar Est. Notch Finds the antiresonance fre- Y N N Value none

quency, amplitude, and quality
(Statistics)
factor of a dip or notch in a curve.
Scalar IEEE TOLR This calculates the average of Transmitting Objective Loudness Rating Y N N Value none
the Frequency Response from
(Statistics)
Start Freq to Stop Freq accord-
ing to IEEE Standard.
Scalar IEEE ROLR This calculates the average of Receiving Objective Loudness Rating Y N N Value none
(Statistics)
Scalar IEEE SOLR This calculates the average of Sidetone Objective Loudness Rating Y N N Value none
(Statistics)
Scalar ITU-T SLR Calculates the send loudness For IEEE standards, the exponent can be user Y N N Value none
rating according to the ITU-T defined. For ITU standards, both the exponent
(Statistics)
Rec. P79 from the Frequency and the weighting curve can be user defined.
Response.
Scalar ITU-T RLR Calculates the receive loudness For ITU standards Y N N Value none
rating according to the ITU-T
(Statistics)
SoundCheck® 20.0
Instruction Manual
Rec. P79 from the Frequency

Response.
Scalar ITU-T RLR w/ Calculates the receive loudness For ITU standards Y N N Value none
Leak rating according to the ITU-T
(Statistics)
Response.
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
Operand A
Post P
Type
X Y Z
Scalar ITU-T STMR Calculates the sidetone loudness For ITU standards Y N N Value none
rating according to the ITU-T
(Statistics)
Response.
Scalar Attack Time / Used to test the time it takes for Requires a time envelope waveform in dB. N N Y Value Attack Time & Release time
Release Time the signal from a DUT to stabilize
(Statistics)
after a sudden change in signal
level.
Scalar Zwicker Loud- Calculates the overall perceived Used to measure the perceived loudness of Y N N Curve & Value Zwicker Loudness
ness loudness of a sound. complex sounds, e.g., telephone ring tones.
(Statistics)
Scalar Active Speech Used with a speech signal, this Widely used in telephony applications, e.g., test- N N Y Value Active Speech Level
Level operation evaluates levels for ing to ITU-T P.56 05/93 Method B.
(Statistics)
only the parts of the waveform
where speech is actually pres-

ent.
Intersection same Used to find the intersection Y Y N Value Intersection
points between two curves or
waveforms, or between a curve/
waveform and a single point.
Smoothing same corresponds to a running aver- Y Y N Curve or Smoothing
age on a frequency axis with a
window of the given width: 1/n
octave.
Directivity same Used to calculate the Directivity Y N N Curve Directivity Index
Index Index from a set of off axis
response curves (Polar
Response).
1/n Octave same Used to transform an FFT Spec- Y N N Curve none
Synthesis trum into an RTA Spectrum.
Resolution same Curves acquired with Harmonic- Y N N Curve Resolution
Trak, Heterodyne and Time
Selective Response Analysis can
be resampled according to a new
resolution: 1/3rd Octave.
Windowing same Used to trim the selected curve Y Y N Curve or Windowing
according to the selected X axis
range.
Frequency same Allows you to match the sample Commonly used to account for sample rate inac- N N Y Waveform Frequency Shift
Shift rate of the device under test to curacies of portable audio devices. Apply after
the sample rate of the stimulus using a Resampling step.
used in SoundCheck.
293
294
Operand A
Post P
Type
X Y Z
Resampling same Changes the sampling rate of a Example: measuring Bluetooth devices with a N N Y Waveform none
waveform up or down. sample rate of 8000 Hz, the waveform can be
resampled to 44.1 kHz.
Waveform same For Standard Filter, apply a But- Example: measuring the A-weighted peak N N Y Waveform Waveform Filter
Filter terworth filter to a waveform. acoustic pressure of a waveform. Used in the
IEEE 269 and TIA 920 telephony standards
For Arbitrary filter, apply the fre-
quency response of a curve to a
waveform to produce a filtered
waveform.
User same Allows you to build an arithmetic Complex Math operations are not supported. Y Y Y none
equation using constants and the You will need to break the operation down to its
Equation
values generated by the arithmetic equivalent.
Module sequence.
Average same The average curve (or wave- Make an average response curve from a group Y Y Y none
Curve/WFM form) of a selected group of data of response curves without using a Statistics
in the Memory List step
Histogram same Calculates the number of sam- Used for any non-stationary signal analysis such Y Y Y Curves Histogram
ples that fall within specified as echo detection in communications or back- & Values
ranges ground noise evaluation
Level vs same Measures the RMS Level over The output is a waveform showing RMS level vs Y Y N Waveform Level vs Time
Time time of a selected waveform or time, conforming to IEC 61672
group of waveforms
POLQA same Predicts speech quality, accord- Test telecommunication networks, assess effect Y Y N Values POLQA
ing to the ITU-T P.863 standard, of noise reduction algorithm, Analyze distortions
for the selected reference and introduced in the audio path and various speech
degraded waveform pairs codecs, quantify the impact on perceived
speech quality
SoundCheck® 20.0
Instruction Manual
18 Message Step
The Message Step (Ctrl+Shift+M) is used in a test sequence to:

 Provide messages to the operator
 Enable the operator to input information needed to complete the test (e.g., a reference resistance value
when measuring loudspeaker impedance)
 Communicate to devices through the PC’s RS232 or IEEE-488 (GPIB) interface
 Messages Steps can be run from the Offline menu as well as from a sequence
To view and change the system’s message settings, select Messages from the Setup drop-down list on the
main SoundCheck® menu bar. The Message Setup dialog provides user prompts, control of external
equipment and calls to other programs.
The four types of message allow you to interact with the Operator, a Digital I/O card, an external Interface
connected to the system or Listen Hardware.
18.1 Listen Hardware Control Message

Message steps can be used to control the functions of the following Listen
hardware products:
 AmpConnect 621, AmpConnect ISC, AudioConnect,
SoundConnect 2 and DC Connect
 AudioConnect 4x4 is not selectable since there are no functions to
control
 Also included is software control for the Portland Tool & Die BTC/
BQC-4148/4149 Bluetooth interface
 Select Listen Hardware in the Message Editor and select from
the Device ID drop-down list shown in Figure 18-2 Figure: 18-1 Listen Hardware
Specific details on how a device is controlled through Message Steps is
covered in the manuals for each device. The settings of the Listen Hardware Message Step are the same as
the Startup Default found in the Hardware Editor > Listen Hardware page.
We recommend that you set the Startup Default for each piece of Listen Hardware. See Listen Hardware
Page on page 75. The alternative is to always use Listen Hardware Message Steps at the beginning of each
sequence to configure the devices for use in the sequence. (AudioConnect requires either a Startup Default or
a Message Step in order to be used properly in SoundCheck.)
Important! Turning Mic Bias on at the beginning of a sequence may require the use of
“Wait Time” in the first panel of the AmpConnect Message Step. As an
alternative, we recommend that Bias should be turned on in the Startup
Default settings for Listen Hardware. See Listen Hardware Page on page 75.
18.1.1 Common Controls

 Apply - This is used to send the setting to the device without having to run the sequence
 Read Settings - Click to load the current settings from the device
 OK - Exit the step editor. Save the sequence in order to save the step changes.
 Cancel - Close the step editor and discard changes
SoundCheck® 20.0 Message Step 295

Instruction Manual
18.2 AudioConnectTM Message
The following controls are available in an AudioConnect Message Step
(details are in the AudioConnect manual):
 Mic Bias - Turns mic bias voltage on for both Mic Input channels
 Source - Set to Line or Mic independently for each channel
 Gain - Set to 0 dB or +20 dB independently for each channel
This gain value is used in Calibration Configuration > Auto Dev/
Auto Ch. See Listen Hardware - Auto Device / Auto Channel on
Page 90.
Headphone
 SoundCheck Output - Sends the SoundCheck Stimulus to the
headphone output. Gain is grayed out when SoundCheck Output is
selected and fixed at 0.1 dB. Figure: 18-2 AudioConnect
 Input Monitor - Allows you to monitor the Left Input of the internal Control
audio interface
Gain - Allows you to adjust the level of the Headphone Out. The default setting is 0 dB. (Available only
when Input Monitor is selected.)
 Mute - Mute signal to headphone output
18.3 SoundConnect 2TM Message

The following controls are available in an SoundConnect Message
Step (details are in the SoundConnect 2 manual):
 Input - Muted, Line In, Mic In, Mic SCM, Mic IEPE and Lemo
 Gain - Select: -20 dB, -10 dB, 0 dB, +10 dB, +20 dB,
+30 dB, +40 dB
This gain value is used in Calibration Configuration >
Auto Dev/Auto Ch. See Listen Hardware - Auto Device /
Auto Channel on Page 90.
 Bias - No Bias, 7.5 kOhm (for SCM mics), 2.2 kOhm
(typically used for testing electret capsules)
Figure: 18-3 SoundConnect 2
 High Pass - 1 Hz, 10 Hz, 20 Hz, 100 Hz
Control
 Low Pass - 22.4 kHz, 120 kHz
Overall settings for unit:

 Panel Lock - When On the front panel buttons are disabled
 Output Gain - When on the Output Gain of channels 1 and 2 are increased by 6 dB. (Refer to the
SoundConnect 2 manual for an explanation of this feature.)
 Ground Lift - Off = Chassis Ground (default). Allows you to interrupt the connection between the Line
In/Out Grounds and the Chassis Ground. Only select Lift when you are trying to resolve noise issues
due to a Ground Loop.
296 Message Step SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
18.4 AmpConnect 621TM Message
AmpConnect 621 is a USB multichannel test interface for use with SoundCheck 18.1 and later.
 6 BNC Inputs - Unbalanced Microphone/Line Inputs with selectable Voltage and IEPE bias
 2 BNC Outputs - Unbalanced Line outputs
 1 Mono power amplifier with switchable A/B binding post outputs
 Dedicated Impedance measurement interface
 8 channel Digital I/O (See Digital I/O Message on page 313)
 Supports sample rates from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz
 Supported drivers: ASIO (preferred) and WASAPI in Windows and Core Audio drivers in macOS
18.4.1 AmpConnect 621 Message Configuration

The settings in Configure Startup Default and the AmpConnect 621
Message Step are identical.
Signal Routing - Inputs

 This allows you to route the following to the audio interface inputs
1 through 6:
 BNC Input 1 through 6
 Monitor Out 1 or 2 (Loop back for self test) [Monitor Out 1 or 2
must be enabled in the Output section]
 Amplifier (internal loop back for amp calibration)
 Impedance (internal current sense circuit)
 Gain: -20 dB, 0 dB, +10 dB, +20 dB, +30 dB
 Mic Bias: Off, SCM and IEPE
Figure 18-4: Startup Default

18.4.2 SoundCheck Acquisition Step Gain Field

Instruction Manual
Signal Routing - Outputs
 BNC Out 1 and 2 - Routes the Output of the internal audio interface to the BNC outputs.
 Monitor Out 1 and 2 - Audio interface outputs are internally available so that Monitor In can be
selected in the Input Source section to make an internal loop back.
 Monitor Out 1 can be routed to the odd number Input channels: 1, 3 and 5
 Monitor Out 2 can be routed to the even number Input channels: 2, 4 and 6
 Gain and Mic Bias are automatically off (grayed out) when Monitor Out is selected
 Amplifier - Select Output A, Output B, A+B or Off. You can also Toggle Amplifier Outputs.
18.4.3 Toggle Amplifier Outputs

The Toggle control can be used to switch the Amplifier Output as a test sequence runs in Continuous or Loop
operation. This can be used to test a loudspeaker on one test fixture while setting up a different speaker on
another fixture. (The fixtures and test microphones should be identical.)
Toggle Outputs: Switches so that the first pass of the sequence uses Amplifier Output A and the second pass
uses Amplifier Output B.
18.4.4 Microphone Bias “On Time”

If you turn the microphone bias voltage on during the run of a sequence, you may need to set a “Wait” period
before proceeding to an Acquisition Step. The microphone connected to the BNC input may require 2 seconds
(approx) to fully turn on after voltage is applied. You must allow for the microphone turn on time before an
Acquisition Step using that mic is run in the sequence. See Sequence Editor > Step Configuration in the
SoundCheck manual for instructions on setting “Wait time” in a Message Step.
18.4.5 Digital I/O Control

All Digital I/O functions for AmpConnect 621 are available in Digital I/O Messages Steps.
See Digital I/O Message on page 313.

Instruction Manual
18.5 AmpConnect ISCTM Message
AmpConnect ISC is fully controllable via SoundCheck which means that adjustments of parameters such as
gain can be included in test sequences. All Front Panel settings can be changed via USB during the run of a
test sequence. An eight-bit digital I/O port provides digital control and/or status monitoring of external devices
for operator feedback, test fixture control, etc. Digital I/O is only accessed by USB through SoundCheck. The
following example shows how to use a Message Step in SoundCheck to control AmpConnect ISC.
Important! As of SoundCheck 13, after installing SoundCheck you cannot use

AmpConnect ISC with versions prior to SoundCheck 13, unless you manually
switch the drivers in Windows Device Manger. See the AmpConnect ISC
manual for a step by step driver rollback procedure.
Note: In SoundCheck ONE, you do not have access to creating a new Message Step. Only the settings
in the existing Message Step can be changed.
18.5.1 Configure AmpConnect ISC

Configure Listen Hardware to set the front panel settings of AmpConnect ISC. The standard front panel
controls are explained in the Front Panel Functions chapter of the AmpConnect ISC Manual.
Inputs
 Gain - Select: -20 dB, -10 dB, 0 dB, +10 dB, +20 dB,
+30 dB, +40 dB
 Bias - Select: None, Voltage (for SCM Mic) and IEPE
Signal Routing - Input
 Select: Quiet, Reference, DUT, Impedance (Z-High/Low),
Amp and 1 V Sine
Signal Routing - Amplifier
 Select: Output A or Output B
 Toggle Amplifier Output - See Toggle Outputs on page
300.
Figure 18-5: AmpConnect ISC Panel

Instruction Manual
18.5.2 Control
Digital I/O
Note: Enable Check Box: As of SoundCheck 18, AmpConnect ISC Digital I/O can be
controlled by a separate Digital I/O Message Step in a sequence. See Digital I/O
 Digital I/O control is available in this step for backward compatibility. You must select the Digtial I/O
check box to enable it in the step.
 Bit 0 through 7: Shows the state that the Bit expects to see when set to Read. If the actual state of the
input agrees with the setting, the step result will be “Pass“. If it does not agree, the result will be “Fail“.
 When set to write, this is the state that the Bit will change to when the Message Step runs in the
sequence
 Important!: Unused Bits must be set to Write with the switch Off or low
 AmpConnect ISC must be connected to a SoundCheck system via USB to use Digital I/O
Panel Lock
 When On (Green) the front panel buttons are disabled
18.5.3 Toggle Outputs

The Toggle control can be used to switch the Amplifier Output as a test sequence runs in Continuous or Loop
operation. This can be used to test a loudspeaker on one test fixture while setting up a different speaker on
another fixture. (The fixtures and test microphones should be identical.)
 Toggle Outputs: Switches so that the first pass of the sequence uses Amplifier Output A and the
second pass uses Amplifier Output B.
18.5.4 Headphone Monitoring

This allows you to monitor the input and output signal on headphones, during the run of a test.
 Input Monitor - Listen to signal at input of SoundCheck audio interface
 Input Monitor Gain - Headphone output level can be adjusted: -60 dB to +4 dB
 SoundCheck Output - Listen to output of SoundCheck audio interface
 SoundCheck Output Gain - Fixed at -6.1 dB. This accounts for added gain in the headphone amp and
adjusts the actual headphone output to 0 dB (Unity).
 Mute - Silence Headphone output
 A Message Step must be added to the beginning of a sequence to set the AmpConnect ISC
Headphone output to it’s maximum level. Inserting this step turns off the 27 dB output pad on the
Headphone Output (AmpConnect ISC default).
Dynamic headphones typically need very little voltage, e.g., 100 mV to produce high sound pressure levels. A
dedicated headphone amplifier, like the AmpConnect ISC headphone amplifier, is recommended to limit sound
pressure levels. A normal power amplifier can output a voltage level that will damage most headphones if used
at full gain. The maximum output voltage of the Headphone Output is limited to 1.5 Vp (1.06 V rms)

Instruction Manual
WARNING! When monitoring signals with headphones: REMOVE HEADPHONES before making any
changes to AmpConnect ISC or SoundCheck settings to prevent hearing damage due to
high sound pressure levels.
18.5.5 Sequence Example for AmpConnect ISC

The Loudspeaker Impedance Test Sequence will require the
settings as shown in Figure 18-6. (Refer to the Single
Loudspeaker Test section of the SoundCheck ONE chapter for
wiring suggestions.)
 Panel Lock is OFF. This enables the front panel controls.
Input Section
 Reference In Bias is set to Voltage
 DUT In Bias is set to None
 Gain set to 0 dB for both
Signal Routing
 Reference Mic is routed to audio interface Channel 1
 Amplifier output is set to Output A
 Z-Low is routed to audio interface Channel 2. This is used
for the Impedance measurement input in the SoundCheck
sequence.
Control
 Digital I/O is disabled Figure 18-6: AmpConnect ISC
Settings
Click Apply to send these settings to AmpConnect ISC. This allows you to check the settings without having to
run the sequence. Verify the settings on the front panel of the AmpConnect ISC.
When the sequence runs, AmpConnect ISC will automatically change to these settings.
Note: Overload of the Front Panel Input Level or Output Level indicators currently requires a hard reset
of AmpConnect ISC. Turn the AmpConnect ISC power switch off and then back on to reset.

Instruction Manual
18.6 Custom Step Conversion
SoundCheck 9 users controlling AmpConnect with the Custom Step will need to use the following procedure to
re-create the step in SoundCheck 20.0.
 Open the AmpConnect Custom Step(s) in SoundCheck 9
 Write down the settings for the step. (The AmpConnect ISC manual has a blank front panel drawing
which makes notation of settings easier.)
 In SoundCheck 20.0, edit the Hardware Configuration for AmpConnect. See AmpConnect ISC on
page 76
 Make a new Message Step in SoundCheck 20.0 and enter the settings from the front panel notation
 SoundCheck 20.0 will not open AmpConnect Custom Steps
18.7 DC ConnectTM Message

The following controls are available in a DC Connect Message Step (details are
in the DC Connect manual):
 Output Mode - Voltage or Current
 Control - USB or Analog
 Polarity - Pos or Neg
 Max I - Select maximum current range for measurement
 Voltage Level - Set output voltage level
Figure: 18-7 DC Connect
 DC Measured - Shows the DC value measured by DC Connect
Control

Instruction Manual
18.8 Portland Tool & Die BTC/BQC-4148/4149 Message
Initial communication with the Portland Tool & Die BTC/BQC instruments is setup in
Hardware Editor > Listen Hardware Tab > Startup Default settings as shown in
Figure 18-8.
This allows you to send settings to the BTC/BQC when SoundCheck opens. The
Role of the BTC-414x can only be set in the Startup Default. The BQC interfaces
only operate in Source Role.
In this case, the BTC-414x is set to Source as shown in Figure 18-8.
Figure: 18-8 BTC

Startup Default
Figure: 18-9 BTC-414x Front Panel
Portland Tool & Die BTC/BQC instruments can also be controlled by

selecting Listen Hardware in a Message Step. Click the Device ID drop-
down list to select the interface you want to use.
As of SoundCheck 17, the new aptX HD codec for high resolution
Bluetooth testing is supported. This requires the BTC-4149 Bluetooth
Interface, which is fully integrated with, and controlled by, SoundCheck.
18.8.1 BTC - BQC Functional Differences

Some functions of the BTC interface are not available on the BQC interface Figure: 18-10 Select Device ID
as noted below.
BTC-4149 BQC-4149
Test Bluetooth Source Devices Yes No
(phones and dongles)
Control via SoundCheck Control via SoundCheck
User Interface Message Steps and front panel Message Steps and PC control app
touchscreen
Digital Audio Interface SPDIF / USB USB
Bluetooth Specification Bluetooth 3.0 compliant
Bluetooth Modes Source, Sink Source only
Codecs:
A2DP SBC, aptX, aptX-HD SBC only
Note: BTC and BQC devices have different Device IDs. This means that Message Steps setup for BTC
must be manually reassigned to control a BQC.

Instruction Manual
The following Message Type selections for the BTC/BQC-414x are presented in the order they typically appear
in a sequence. The settings of each step are applied to the BTC/BQC interface when the step is run in a
sequence or when the Apply button is pressed. (Details of use are in the BTC-4148/4149 manual.)
18.8.2 Codec Selection Message Step

When the message is set to Codec Selection, the field selections change to
those shown in Figure 18-11.
Select an item from both profile drop-downs.
 A2DP Profile - Select SBC, aptX or aptX-HD
(aptX HD is only available when using the BTC-4149)
 HFP Profile - Select CVSD or mSBC
18.8.3 Device Connections Message Step

Set Message Type to Device Connections. This allows you to choose Figure: 18-11 Codec
which device to connect to. Selection
Device Connection Type

 Connect by Name - Uses the “Friendly Name” of the device
 Connect by Address - Uses the Bluetooth address of the device
 Disconnect - This disables the audio and closes both profiles. You can also select the “Clear the paired
list” check box at the same time.
(These options are typically used at the end of the sequence to make SoundCheck ready to test a
different device.)
Device Connection Type
Connect by Name Connect by Address
BTC/BQC will scan for available
devices until finding a match to
the friendly name given in the
Automatic
Connect To: field. No scanning will occur and the

address specified in the
Device Connection Method
If Run Indefinitely is checked,

Connect To: field will be used to
this operation will never timeout,
open audio channels.
otherwise the operation will time-
out after the time in seconds
specified by Inquiry Time.
A dialog prompt will be shown
allowing an operator to select a
specific device.
Not Supported
If Run Inquiry is selected, BTC/
Prompt
Connect To: field is grayed out BQC will scan for available Figure: 18-12 Device
devices. Connections
If Show Paired List is selected,
the history of devices previously
paired will be shown.

Instruction Manual
Device Selection Method
Prompt:
 Run Indefinitely - BTC-414x will scan for BT devices with no time out (not recommended)
 Run Inquiry - BTC-414x will scan for any available Bluetooth devices
 Inquiry time - Set time limit to search for devices
 Show paired list - Shows history of devices previously paired with BTC-4148/4149
 Clear paired list - Removes devices from history list. Usually done at the end of sequence.
Automatically Connect:
 Fill in the field - Connect To: (This field is grayed out when Prompt is selected.)
See Example of Prompt on page 305.
Note: You can also enter the MAC address for a device by using a TCP/IP command. See Hardware
Commands on page 516.
18.8.4 Example of Prompt

With the Message Step in Figure 18-12 set to Prompt, when the step runs a window opens to allow you to
select devices that have been found. See Figure 18-13.
Name or Address Field

 This is populated by selecting an item from
the Available Devices field
 You can also type the address in manually or
scan it in using a bar code reader
 The Refresh Icon allows you to run the

inquiry again. Inquiry time is set in the
Message Step as shown in Figure 18-12.
Available Devices
 Shows all devices found during the scan
Paired Devices field

 This will be filled in once the pairing process
has been completed in the next step
See Audio Connections Message Step Figure: 18-13 Prompt Example
below.
Click OK to close the window and continue with the sequence.

Instruction Manual
BTC-4148/4149 Front Panel Update
Note that the BTC front panel will change to show the result of
the Device Connection step. See Figure 18-14.
 Connect button - changes to Close All
 Connected device address - E0:D1:E6:OC:22:BA
 Connected device name - BTSPEAKER BY ASDF
 Selected codec - button turns green and shows codec,
Close button becomes active
 A2DP status - button turns green
Figure: 18-14 BTC Front Panel Update
 Current Sample Rate - 48 kHz (see note below)
Important!: The BTC front panel sampling rate determines the rate used between the BTC and the DUT.
 The BTC will pick the highest available sampling rate supported by both the DUT and BTC.
 There is no control for this in the BTC as it is set automatically.
The SoundCheck Hardware Editor sample rate for the BTC is specified by the WDM driver.
This means that the BTC front panel sampling rate can be different than what is specified in the
Hardware Editor.
 e.g., Hardware Editor set to 44.1 kHz vs. BTC front panel set to 48 kHz.
18.8.5 Audio Connections Message Step
A2DP and HFP Connections

From the two connection type drop-down lists select the profiles you would like to
use.
 Connected - Connect using the selected profile
 No change - Allows you to leave BTC/BQC-414x in the state set in a
previous step
Audio Channel
This is where the profile is enabled.
Figure: 18-15 Audio
 Select A2DP, HFP or Close audio channel Connections
The pairing process starts when this step is Applied or run in the sequence.

Instruction Manual
18.9 Portland Tool & Die DCC-1448/9 and PQC Control
DCC-1448A or PQC-3048 settings can be controlled in a Message Step.
18.9.1 Startup Defaults

When SoundCheck starts, Startup Default settings are written to the DCC/PQC device. This ensures that the
device is ready to take measurements from a specified setting.
18.9.2 Message Step

DCC/PQC Message Steps can be used to change the setup of the test interface during the run of a sequence
or as a standalone off line step.
18.9.3 Quick Setup

The DCC/PQC control allows for faster setup of the measurement interfaces with SoundCheck as well as
greater consistency in measurements as the device settings can be built into the test sequence. This allows for
a seamless transition between R&D and production testing. Sequences from product development using the
DCC can easily be used for the production line with the PQC.
18.9.4 DCC-1448/9 Settings
Clock
 State - In, Out, Hi and Low
 Frequency (Hz) - User defined
 Level (Vp) - User defined, 1.4 to 5.5 Vp
Data In
 State - On/Off
 Coupling Mode - AC or DC
 Input Capacitance (pF) - 5, 50, 100, 200, 400 pF
Power Supply
 State - On/Off
Figure: 18-16 DCC-1448/9
 Level (Vp) - 0.1 to 5.5 Vp Control
PDM
 Decimation Rate - 1/32 or 1/64
PSR
 State - On/Off
 Waveform - Sine or Square
 Frequency (Hz) - User defined, 20 to 20 kHz
 Level (Vp) - User defined, 0 to 1 Vp

Instruction Manual
18.9.5 PQC-3048 Settings
The available settings for the PQC-3048 are the same as the DCC-1448/9
interface.
 Clock - Frequency only
 Power Supply - Level only
 PDM - Decimation Rate - 1/32 or 1/64
Figure: 18-17 PQC-3048

Control

Instruction Manual
18.10 Operator Message - Dialog
Display messages or instructions on the computer screen for the operator to read (e.g., test signal is not
present or the DUT needs to be placed in a test fixture). You can send a text message to the operator during
the sequence, or poll the user for information during the sequence (such as temperature or humidity
conditions).
18.10.1 Pass/Fail
Sets the Pass or Fail verdict the message is associated with, e.g., No Signal Detected – Fail.
18.10.2 Wait
Control length of time (in milliseconds) the Message Step waits before finishing. This can be used to ensure
commands or devices settle before continuing to measure.
18.10.3 Format
Text Formatting is available Operator Message Steps. This allows you to change the settings for the text that
will be displayed so the message is easier to read.
18.10.4 Default Value
By setting the Default Value to “Yes (F2)“ in the Message Step, the Key Focus is to the Yes button by default.
This means that the Yes button will be “Highlighted“ each time the step runs in the sequence. The operator can
then click the Enter key to answer Yes. (As well as the F2 key or clicking on Yes in the message.)
Note: The Message Step must be configured to “Display step when run“ in order for the Dialog to display
in the sequence.
Note: Operator messages can be displayed in local languages based on the Windows operating system
in use on the machine running SoundCheck. See Display Local Language Characters on page
311.

Instruction Manual
The Dialog Message allows you to select one of
two conditions: yes or no. This can be used to The displayed
determine functionality of the test system, (Was the Message Title can be
test signal audible?) or to determine how the different than the step
sequence will proceed (Do you want to save this name
data?).
Figure: 18-18 Operator Message - Dialog, shows
an example of a Message that can be used to
prompt the operator to enter a Yes/No answer Default value setting
regarding Visual Inspection.
Format Text
This allows you to set the font, font size, font color
and attributes.
The Dialog Window that the operator sees will

resize according to the font size chosen for the text.
Only one font format can be set in each message
step. In other words, you cannot mix text colors or Message Step when
font sizes. run in the sequence
shows alternate title
Memory List Item

This result will show up on the Memory List.
The name of the result is the Name of the The result of the Message Step
Message Step. is available in the Memory List
and can be added to the Result
window
Figure: 18-18 Operator Message - Dialog
The Apply Button in the message editor allows you to test the message to see if it is displayed as required.
This also allows you to test the communication of the message step with external devices that are connected
via Serial - RS232 or GPIB.
You can also Right-click a Message step in the Sequence Editor to test the action of the step without having to
run the sequence.
The Default Value setting is available when the Operator Message Step is set to Dialog or Numeric.
Note: If the step is configured to “not display when run”, the default value for either Dialog (T/F) or
Numeric (#), is sent to the Memory list for that step's result/value.

Instruction Manual
18.11 Display Local Language Characters
In order to display Local Language Characters in a SoundCheck Message Step or Text Display, the following
changes must be made to your Windows operating system. In this example Simplified Chinese is selected.
Note: These instructions apply to Windows 7 operating systems. The instructions may vary in other
versions of Windows.
1. Install the Chinese (Simplified) Language Pack via Windows

Updates. For detailed instructions see:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/14236/
language-packs
2. Go to Control Panel > Clock, Language and Region. Select
Keyboards and other input methods
3. Click the Change Keyboards button and add Chinese

(Simplified, PRC)
4. Select the Administrative Tab, click the Change

system locale button and select Chinese
(Simplified, PRC)
5. Click OK to exit all editors
6. You must restart your computer for these

changes to take effect
7. You can now enter and display Simplified

Chinese characters in SoundCheck Message Steps and
Text Displays.

Instruction Manual
18.12 Numeric Message
When the Operator Message is set to Numeric, a number can be entered by the operator for use as a value in
the sequence.
This prompts the operator when a numeric value needs to be entered in a sequence. An example of a Message
Step setup to request a numeric during the sequence is shown in Figure 18-19.
The example shown in Figure 18-19, shows
how the Numeric Message prompts the The Memory List item
operator for a Stimulus Level. Since the name is named the same as
of the Message Step is “Stimulus Level“, an the Message Step
item is added to the Memory List called name
Stimulus Level. This item can then be used in
Stimulus Step. This will allow the operator to
change the stimulus level on each run of the
sequence.
When Apply is selected in the Message Editor,
the value is sent to the Memory List.
 The specific axis of a numeric value to
be stored can be selected, e.g., Y axis
only. Other axes will have NAN as a
value and will be shown this way when The message as it is
displayed during the
selected in a Display Table.
run of the sequence
 Units are shown next to numeric inputs
when specified.
 Preload Stimulus must be Off in the
Sequence Configuration. See Preload
Stimulus vs. Memory List Selection
on page 475.
See Units on page 115 for more information on
using the Units dialog box.
In the Stimulus Editor,

Right-click the level field
and select Memory List
Selection.
Select
“Stimulus Level”
from the Memory List.
Figure: 18-19 Operator Message - Numeric

Instruction Manual
18.13 Digital I/O Message
SoundCheck can interact with PLC controls on a production line by using
Digital I/O Message steps in a sequence. These steps control a Digital I/O
device such as the NI-65xx DAQmx series from National Instruments. The
step allows for 8 Bits of digital I/O that can be written and read directly in
SoundCheck. This allows SoundCheck to accomplish such tasks as:
 Automatically start a test on a device once it has been loaded into
a test fixture
 Used to control process indicator lights, relay boards and detect
the state of switches, e.g., Confirm that a test chamber is closed
by verifying the state of a door switch
 Communicate with PLCs in automated production lines
 Receive TTL signals from other test equipment Figure 18-20: Digital I/O
When using a National Instruments Digital I/O device such as the NI-6503, AC621
NI-6528, NI USB-6501, etc, NI DAQ Digital I/O must be enabled in the
SoundCheck Hardware Editor External Tab.
See NI DAQ Digital I/O on page 81.
Controls are the same for Listen hardware with Digital I/O (AmpConnect 621 / ISC) and NI DAQ.
 Select the Digital I/O radio button
 Device - Select the device ID from the drop-down menu
 Direction - Set the communication direction for the step: Read or
Write
Note: On some devices the function of ports may be fixed: e.g.,

Ports 0, 1 are Read and Ports 2, 3 are Write. The Message
Step settings much match the fixed state of the device ports.
 Enable Check Boxes - Select which Bits are to be used in the

step
Figure 18-21: Digital I/O NI
DAQ
18.13.1 Digital I/O States
 Each Bit in a Message Step can be enabled or disabled using the Check Box above the Bit Switch.
This allows you to ignore unnecessary bit settings when determining the Pass/Fail state of the Digital I/
O Message. Unused Bits are grayed out.
 The expected state of the Bit is indicated by the switches:
 In the Digital I/O Message Step, you click on the Switches to set the state. See Rules - Digital I/O
on page 314.
 High - On - Green
 Low - Off - Red
Note: Individual Digital I/O Message Steps are required in a SoundCheck sequence to perform various
Digital I/O operations. Each Digital I/O Message Step can control individual Bits as well as
controlling all Bits.

Instruction Manual
18.13.2 Read vs. Write
 Read: A High bit means that the step expects the selected bit(s) to see a “High State” at the Digital I/O
port(s) to produce a PASS condition when the step is run
 Write: A High bit means that the step will change the state of the selected bit to High
The bit settings are applied when the Message Step runs in the sequence. Corresponding Message Steps with
opposite Bit States may be required, e.g., switch Bit 0 High at the beginning of the sequence and the switch
Bit 0 Low at the end. Step Configuration is used to setup conditional branching allowing the Message Steps to
control the flow of the sequence. See Configure Step on page 476.
Pass/Fail
Set the Pass/Fail condition the message should show when it runs in the sequence. This can be used in
Conditional Branching. See Configure Step on page 476 and Rules - Sequence Editor: Conditional
Branching on page 478.
18.13.3 Wait
You can set an amount of time for the step to pause before proceeding to the next step in the sequence. This
may be needed to allow for settling time or operation time of external devices.
18.13.4 Rules - Digital I/O

 Digital I/O Message Steps can be set to Read (Input) or Write (Output)
 Best practice: Use a Digital I/O Message Step at the top of a sequence to “initialize” the Bits to a
desired starting state
 Bits are at ground when set Low, Message Step switch Off
 Bits are at +5 V when set High, Message Step switch On
 When set to Read (Input), enabled Bits set to High (On) are pulled high through an internal 100K
resistor
 The setting of the Bit indicates the state that you expect to read. That state is compared to the
actual state of the physical Bit line to produce the PASS/FAIL result for the step.
 The PASS/FAIL state of a Digital I/O Message Step set to Read is determined at the time the step
is executed in the sequence.
 If the state of any enabled Bit disagrees with the actual state of the selected Bit line, the step will
issue a "FAIL" verdict when the step occurs during sequence run. This verdict is then used by the
Step Configuration to perform Conditional Branching or sequence logic. See Step Configuration
in the main SoundCheck Manual for more information.
 If the state of all enabled Bits agree with the actual state of the Bit lines, the step will issue a
“PASS” verdict.
 Physical lines for Bits 0 thru 7 have an internal 470Ω resistor in series with each
 Digital I/O control is not available in SoundCheck ONE
 The Pass/Fail radio buttons are not used

Instruction Manual
18.14 External Interface
Communicate with other devices via a
computer interface such as RS232 or IEEE-
488 (GPIB). Select the Interface Number and
the Interface Type field will update according
to the matching device number in the
Hardware Editor - External Tab. For more
information see Interface Table on page 80.
When setting up multiple devices in the
Hardware Editor - External Tab, the Interface
Number order must be the same.
Figure 18-22: Hardware Editor - External

Instruction Manual
18.14.1 RS232 Choose the interface
Setting the Interface Type to RS232 enables type (RS232 or IEEE-
SoundCheck to send control messages to an 488) by selecting the
external device that accepts RS232 commands. device number
Add a Message Step to the sequence to send a
command to the selected device.
Figure 18-23: RS232 - Write/Read Message
RS232 Interface Actions

1. Invoke RS232 command based on the PASS/FAIL status of the
previous step in the sequence.
2. Read message from another instrument or write (send) message

to another instrument.
3. Wait for n number of milliseconds before executing the RS232

step configured in the Message Step Editor.
Figure 18-24: RS232 - Set

Control Lines
Figure 18-25: RS232 - Read

Control Lines

Instruction Manual
18.14.2 IEEE-488 (GPIB)
Setting the Interface Type to IEEE-488 enables SoundCheck to send
control messages to an external device that accepts IEEE-488
commands.
Output Message
IEEE commands that SoundCheck uses to control an addressed
device. Messages must be entered in full (e.g., including Header,
Header Separator, Data and Data Separator where appropriate). Only
ASCII characters are allowed.
Figure 18-26: IEEE Message

Setup
Interface Message
The IEEE commands listed below. These commands are used to setup
and control the interface itself, rather than a particular device.
 Device Clear (DCL) – causes all connected devices that
implement the command to return to a predefined device-
dependent state.
 Selected Device Clear (SDC) – sets all devices currently
addressed as listeners to a predefined device-dependent state.
Otherwise identical to Device Clear.
 Group Execute Trigger (GET) – provides a means of triggering
devices simultaneously. GET causes all capable devices, which
are currently addressed as listeners, to initiate a preprogrammed Figure 18-27: Interface Message
action (e.g., trigger, start a sweep etc.) Choices
 Go To Local (GTL) – returns all devices currently addressed as

listeners to local control. A device will return to remote when it is again addressed as a listener with
REN true.
 Unlisten (UNL) – unaddresses all current listeners connected to the bus. UNL is used to guarantee
that only the desired listeners are addressed.
Remote Enable
Enables SoundCheck to be controlled.
Serial Poll
SoundCheck interrogates an addressed device to ascertain the state of each bit in its status byte. A serial poll
is typically used to synchronize SoundCheck with an external device, such as a turntable, to make sure it is in
the desired position before making a measurement.

Instruction Manual
18.15 Syntax for Sending RS232 (serial) or IEEE-488 S
(GPIB) Commands in SoundCheck Y
S
18.15.1 Visible Characters
T
In SoundCheck, you need to use a specific syntax in the Message Step
Editor to send generic ASCII commands to your device. Any visible E
characters in the command field of the Message Step Editor are sent through M
without being altered. which would be:
For example, the command SYSTEM would be sent to the device as the 83
ASCII byte stream for the characters shown in Figure 18-28.
89
83
84
69
77
18.15.2 Non-visible (Termination) Characters
Some devices require a termination character at the end of each sent Figure 18-28: ASCII Example
command, which most often is not a visible character. To send any non-
visible characters using the SoundCheck Message Step, you must enclose the decimal ASCII code for that
character in brackets like this: <10>
Note: Some external devices state that termination characters are entered as: (CR) or [CR]. Always
replace parenthesis or braces with bracket arrows: <CR>. Termination characters must use this
format in SoundCheck message steps.
Here are a few characters that are not visible but are often used in
serial communication, followed by their decimal ASCII codes:  Line Feed (or \n): 10
To include any of these characters in the command string, you must  Carriage Return (or \r): 13
surround the decimal ASCII code for that character in brackets (e.g.,
line feed is <10> and carriage return is <13>). Parenthesis () and Bar  Tab: 9
Braces [] are not allowed. To produce an end-of-line character (\r\n),
you need to combine both line feed and carriage return characters: Figure 18-29: Non-visible
Characters
Line Feed + Carriage Return: <10><13>
Example:
When sending commands to a device like the Agilent 34401a, you must
terminate each command with a line feed character. To initiate RS232
control over this device, you must send a SYSTEM:REMOTE command
before sending any other commas.
In the SoundCheck Message Step, this command would look like:
SYSTEM:REMOTE<10>
Figure 18-30: Message Step

RS232 Example

Instruction Manual
18.16 Reading RS232
Messages
SoundCheck can “Poll” the RS232 input for a
“start” command. The trigger can be any
alpha/numeric character or a simple string.
(Single characters are preferred since there
is less chance that there will be a
communication error during the transmission
of one character.) The Message Step can be
set to automatically “Loop” back to itself, until
the RS232 string has been received.
Once a sequence has been started, a
Message Step can be set to look for input on
the Serial Port specified in the Message Figure 18-31: Hardware Config - RS232 Settings
Editor. This device must be Enabled in the
System Hardware configuration before it can
be selected in the Message Step. See Figure 18-31.
The Hardware Configuration must match the RS232 settings of the device that is sending RS232 data. This is
extremely important since incorrect settings can cause the SoundCheck computer to shut down when a
message is sent.
The Message Step is then set according to the example in Figure 18-32.
 Select “Interface“
 Select number of RS232 line that is set in the System Hardware
Configuration
 Select Function: Write/Read Message
 Enter the character string that will be sent from the external device.
In this example: “start“ (case sensitive)
 Settings: Select “Pass” and “Read” with a Timeout that is slightly
greater than the amount of time needed for the external device to
send its string of characters. (Using single characters for a trigger
is preferred.) Do not set the Timeout to 0 mSec. This can cause a
communication error. Figure 18-32: RS232
Settings
Click OK to exit or Save As to give the step a new name.
When the sequence is run, the Message Step will appear as shown in.
When the serial message has been received, the text will be displayed
and the step will close so the that the sequence can continue. The
Configuration of the Message Step must be set in order for it to Loop and
Display.
Figure 18-33: Displayed
Message Step

Instruction Manual
18.16.1 Step Configuration
The Step Configuration of the Message Step should be set as shown in Figure
18-34. (Step Configuration is found in the Sequence drop-down list of the
Sequence Editor window.)
 “Display step when run“ should be checked if you want to see the
“Waiting for message prompt” during the run of the sequence.
Normally this can be set to 0 seconds.
 Check “Jump on FAIL“ and select the same message step. This
creates the loop that recycles until the RS232 text has been received.
 Select “Overwrite Data“ so that only one instance of the Index value
(Loop Index) is created in the Memory List.
See Index (Loop Index) on page 477.
Figure 18-34: Message
Step Configuration
The Message Step must be positioned in the sequence so that all
desired measurement operations occur after it.
Figure 18-35 shows the Message Step in the sequence along with its
configuration settings. Once the RS232 string has been received, (and
the message status changes to “Passed“) the sequence will proceed to
the next step (Sti - 20k-20 Hz R10) and the operation of the sequence will
finish.
Figure 18-35: RS232 Step In

Sequence
18.16.2 Testing with HyperTerminal

A second computer can use Windows HyperTerminal to send RS232 Test Commands. The Message Step in
SoundCheck, that is reading RS232, must be configured to “Display step when run“, long enough for all of the
characters sent to be present in the RS232 buffer of the SoundCheck computer. It is important to note that
characters are sent from HyperTerminal as soon as they are typed.
A message of “start“ may take a person 2 or 3 seconds to type into HyperTerminal. If the Message Step is not
open for this period of time, all of the characters may not make it into the buffer before the step recycles. Since
the complete string was not read, the step status will indicate “Failed“ and the loop will continue. This is one of
the reasons that single characters are recommended for use as triggers.
18.16.3 Connection Type

The connection between two computers should be a Serial Port Null Modem cable. Other devices with RS232
outputs may use a standard serial port cable. Please refer to the documentation for that device for the correct
cable type.

Instruction Manual
19 Limits Editor
To view and change the system’s test limits, select Limits from the Setup drop-down list on the main
SoundCheck® menu bar, or use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+L. You can use this step to set Pass/Fail bounds for
your measured curves, waveforms and single values. A curve or value that crosses the upper or lower limit set
by the step will give a Fail result, while a curve or value that lies between or equal to the set boundaries will
Pass. There are many different ways of applying limits to measurement data.
Features include:
 Floating limit curves to fixed data
 Floating data to fixed limit curves
 Setting Absolute limits
 Allowing data to float on the x axis
 Data from the Memory List can be used to create limit curves which can be offset by a predetermined
amount in the Limits Editor
 Data from the Memory List can be used as a limit curve, e.g., +/- 3 sigma of running statistics.
The Limits Editor functions are divided between two tabs; Data and Parameters. Figure 19-1 shows the
settings available under the two tabs.
Drag limit points

with a mouse.
Resolution of the
X and Y axis can
be set from 0 to 6
Data Tab decimal places
Select one curve

from the Memory
List that limits will
be applied to
Remove existing Limits (Clear). Use

current measurements to create limits
(Copy), or use previously saved mea-
surements or test items as limits.
Parameters tab
Figure 19-1: Limits Editor Tabs: Data and Parameters
SoundCheck® 20.0 Limits Editor 321

Instruction Manual
19.1 Features
The Limits Editor offers two views. Basic view shows only the commonly adjusted settings, and by clicking on
the Advanced tab, many more are revealed. This keeps the software simple for novice and production line
users while retaining the flexibility required in R&D applications.
 Batch Processing allows you to select a Custom Group of multiple curves to apply limits on
 Custom Result Name allows you to change the default name for the limit curves in the Memory List
without having to rename the step
 Add Input Data Name appends the name of the selected data to the Limit name in the Memory List
 Click on Apply and the limit curves and results are updated in the Memory List. Settings can be
changed and tested without having to run a new measurement. Note the additional condition in Save
or OK Warning after Apply on page 334.
 Dynamic Selection of limit curves in Memory List, so that limits can come from another measurement
or Recalled DAT file
 Show measurement curve on table (disabled for waveform)
 SI Units are implemented
 The editor incorporates the look and behavior of the Display Step.
 Easy “dragging” of limit points
 Graph or Plot items such as the Mapping Mode or Precision of the X and Y axis are stored when the
step is saved
 Failed Points can be stored as curves in the Memory List
Note: Limits can be applied to single data items or a Custom Group created in the Memory List.
Sequences from SoundCheck 6.01 (and previous versions) that applied limits to multiple curves in
one step (e.g., Self Test) will need to be updated to work in SoundCheck 20.0.
322 Limits Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
19.2 Precision of Limits Display
The precision of the Limits Editor display is set through the graph controls located below the graph. Click on
x.xx or y.yy, click on Precision and select the number of decimal places to display. This changes only the
precision of the graph. It does not change the precision of how the limits are applied to the data.
See Absolute Comparison Precision on page 337 for an explanation of changing the precision of the applied
limits.
Note: Setting the Absolute Comparison Precision overrides the Display Precision set by the user.
Format and Mapping Mode selections are also available.

Format - Select Decimal, Scientific, Engineering, etc.
Mapping Mode - Select Linear or Logarithmic
19.3 Critical Points

One critical point is generated for the upper limit and a second is generated for the lower limit. These points
show up as yellow circles on the Limits Editor Display but are not passed on to the Memory List. This is to be
used as a visual marker to aid in building and editing limit steps.
In the case where the data is within the bounds of the limit curve, this point shows where the data is closest to
the limit curve.
In the case where the data lies outside the bounds of the limit curve, this point shows the greatest deviation of
the data relative to that limit curve.
19.4 Limits Editor Summary Table

Limits Type Data Tolerance(s)
Individual Points Stays fixed at measured level. Same as Absolute but with no
interpolation between data and limits
resolution.
Absolute Stays fixed at measured level. Stays fixed at values entered in Limits
Editor.
Floating Limits Stays fixed at measured level. Moves up or down such that maximum
number of points in data curve can fit
between tolerances.
Floating Data Moves up or down such that maximum number Stays fixed at values entered in Limits
of points in data curve can fit between Editor.
tolerances.
Aligned Limits Stays fixed at measured level. Used in some Moves up or down to align the
telephone (e.g., TIA 470B) and military Reference x, y value to the
standards. (not used in new TIA 470C standard) measurement curve.
Aligned Data Moves up or down to the anchor point (X and Y Stays fixed at values entered in Limits
values entered in Alignment Reference Editor.
section of Limits Editor). An example is
anchoring the 1 kHz measured curve value at
0 dB.

Instruction Manual
19.4.1 Using the Limits Editor
You only need to specify the minimum number of X-Y data pairs (or knee points) that define the shape of the
tolerance curve. All other points in between the specified knee points of the limit curve will be interpolated and
compared to see if any point on the measurement curve intersects. In the example below, a frequency
response curve for a telephone headset is shown in green. The upper and lower limits (red) were entered in the
table manually. After the points are entered you can click on any of the limit curve points on the graph to move
them. Holding down the control key restricts the movement of the graph point so it can only move along the y
axis.
Frequencies and
dB levels can be
entered/deleted
manually in table
Figure 19-2: Entering Limits in Table
Upper and Lower Limits
Note: Floating Limits or Floating Data will require upper and lower limits.
Select whether to apply an upper, lower limit or both. Distortion, for example, should only require an upper limit,
but response limits will require both an upper and lower limits if Floating Limits or Floating Data is selected.
See Alignment on page 332 for more information.
Clear
Deletes all of the limit data in the cells. This
allows you to enter new limits data manually
or copy Data from a Memory List curve into
the cells (single value or curve). Figure 19-3: Clearing (deleting) Values
To select a range of cells to delete, left mouse click and hold on the first cell and drag the mouse to highlight the
desired cells. The selected cells will be highlighted in blue. Click the Delete button at the right of the editor.

Instruction Manual
Copy
Copies the selected data curve from the Memory List and inserts the curve values into the Upper or Lower
Limits table. In the example in Figure 19-4:
1. Select Advanced View
2. In the Data section, select a data curve from the Memory List.
3. Click Copy on both Upper and Lower Limits table buttons. Data points are copied into these fields.
4. Enter the Offset for the Upper and Lower tables. +6 dB for the Upper and -6 dB for the Lower.
5. Click the Offset button for both tables. The upper limit is offset by +6 dB and the lower limit is offset by
-6 dB.
1. Select
3. Copy Data
Advanced
View 4. Enter Offset in dB
2. Selected 5. Click Offset in both

Curve upper and lower sec-
tions to shift Limit
Curve
Figure 19-4: Creating Limits by Using Data From Memory List
Note: SoundCheck may have difficulty copying very large arrays (>2000 points). For example, copying
an FFT Spectrum into the Limits Table may cause you difficulty. Computer hardware will dictate full
capability.
Delete
Removes those points that have been selected in the Upper Limit and/or Lower Limit curves. To select one or
more points, Left-click on the first UPPER cell in the range and then click on the last Lower cell in the range. In
the example in Figure 19-5: Deleting Values in Limits Table, points above 6300 Hz will be deleted. You can
also Left-click the mouse and drag it to the right to highlight both frequency and amplitude values. A blue
border surrounds the cells in the table that will be deleted.

Instruction Manual
Clicking the Delete button will remove these
cells from the table. By deleting the same cells in
Lower Limit, the resulting Pass/Fail limits are
shown in Figure 19-5: Deleting Values in
Limits Table.
Offset
Enables you to move or offset the entire or
selected section of a limit curve(s) by a specified
amount. The values you want to offset must be
highlighted in blue. Enter the number you want to
offset by (usually you will offset in the Y-axis,
leave the X-axis field at 0.0 to make no changes
there) and then click Offset. You can select all
the values in the limit table by clicking the
horizontal line between the two unit
specifications.
Figure 19-5: Deleting Values in Limits Table
To select the entire table, hold down the control
key and click on any cell in the table.
Offset by Percent
Offset by percent allows you to set the percent difference from a mean value that is acceptable for upper and/or
lower limits. In Figure: 19-6 Offset by Percent the mean value is 1 and the limits should be + or - 10%.
1. Enter the mean value (1) in the Upper and Lower Limit value boxes.
2. Enter the Percent of offset in the Upper and Lower Limit Offset boxes and select %.
3. Click Offset for the Upper and Lower Limits.
4. The Upper and Lower Limit values are updated in the value boxes and on the meter or graphs.
Figure: 19-6 Offset by Percent
Insert
X-Y cells can be added to the limit table by clicking on a cell and then clicking on the Insert button.

Instruction Manual
19.4.2 Pass/Fail Tolerance Axis
You can choose which axis will be compared to a
Pass/Fail tolerance. Typically it is the y (magnitude)
axis, but tolerances can be generated for the other
axes. The units for the tolerance curves or values are
automatically assigned based on the x, y, or z-axis
units.
Dynamic Limits - Recall from Memory List

Limits can be called from an item in the Memory List by clicking on the drop-down list. These limits could be
recalled from a DAT file or from a previous measurement in the sequence. The example in Figure: 19-7 Limits
from Memory List shows the upper and lower limits being called from 2 files; +3 Sigma and -3 Sigma.
Only applicable data types from the Memory List are available to be used as dynamic limits for any given data
type. i.e; Only single values and curves can be applied as limits on curves. If a curve is selected as data, a
waveform cannot be selected from the Memory List.
Select
“Memory List”
and then
Select Curves
from Memory
List drop-down
list
Figure: 19-7 Limits from Memory List
Note: No offset is available when using dynamic limits.

Instruction Manual
19.5 Data Tab Settings
The following choices are available in
the Data selection field:
 Single Values - Any single
number value or group of
values from the Memory List
 Curves - Any curve or group of
curves in the Memory List
 Waveforms - WFM and WAV
files and groups
 Batch Processing allows you
to select a group of curves as
shown in Figure 19-5. Any
Custom Group created in the
Memory List can be used for
the appropriate limit type. Figure 19-8: Batch Processing in Limits Editor
Please refer to Sorting and
Grouping on page 354 for
instructions on creating a Custom Group.
19.5.1 Single Values

Single Values is used when applying limits to items from the Memory List that are single number values. This
can be used for comparing the measured level at a specified frequency to a lower and upper threshold or a
single value created from a Post-processing Step, such Curve Average or Loose Particle Count.
The use of Single Value is not limited to values acquired by a measurement. Figure 19-9 shows limits applied
to the value of “Diaphragm Diameter”. This number was entered by a technician during the execution of the
sequence. The number was passed from a Message step to the Memory List.
User defined limit values can be entered manually in the numeric input field or by clicking and dragging the
Upper and/or Lower Limit arrows. If either the upper or lower limit is defined from the Memory List, the ability to
click and drag the arrows is disabled.
Figure: 19-9 Single Values

Instruction Manual
19.5.2 Offset for single value (linear or %)
 Linear allows you to select specific upper and/or lower values. Offset by percent allows you to select
the percent difference from a target mean value that is acceptable for upper and/or lower limits.
See Figure: 19-6 Offset by Percent for an example.
19.5.3 Curves
Select Curve
from Memory
List
Figure: 19-10 Curve selected, User Defined Limits

Instruction Manual
Waveforms
Select Wave-
form from
Memory List
Figure: 19-11 Waveform
19.5.4 Rules - Waveform in Limit Steps

Because waveforms have so many points, the following rules apply:
 User defined limits may be created as X-Y (Time-Amplitude) "knee points" by the user.
 User defined limits will be converted to waveforms and output to the Memory List so you can plot data
and limits together.
 Dynamic limits may be applied to waveforms. However, You can not copy a waveform in the Limits
Editor to create "static Limits" (e.g., limits saved with the step) because of the large waveform size.
 A Single Value may be applied as a limit on a waveform.
 User will not be able to view the waveform data in the table to which the limits are to be applied in the
Limits Editor. This will only be visible in the graph.

Instruction Manual
19.6 Multimeter Limit Steps
Important! Sequences prior to SoundCheck 15: Multimeter

Limit steps that were used to set the Limit Range of
the Multimeter Virtual Instrument Acquisition Step
require changes. The Multimeter Acquisition Step
must be modified to set the Limit Range. The Limit
Step used for setting the limit range can be deleted
from the sequence. When opening sequences from
prior versions you will encounter the message as
shown in Figure: 19-12 Multimeter Update. Figure: 19-12 Multimeter
Update
A separate Limit Step is then used after the Multimeter Acquisition Step to add
the Results to the Memory List. See Limits Tab on page 500 for more
information.
19.6.1 Batch Processing

This allows you to select a group of curves from the Memory List to apply limits on. Figure 19-13 shows the
custom group Array at the top of the Memory List. This custom group is then selected in the Limit Step.
Any Custom Group created in the Memory List can be used for the appropriate limit type. Please refer to
Sorting and Grouping on page 354 for instructions on creating a Custom Group.
19.6.2 Custom Result Name

The default name for a Limit Step is the name of the step itself. Custom Result Name allows you to change that
name. This name will only appear in the sequence it is used in. The example in Figure 19-13 shows a Limit
Step with the name “Resp“. The Memory List shows the new limit name, “Resp lower limit...“. You can have a
unique name for the limits in the Memory List, for every instance of the step.
Figure: 19-13 Naming Features
19.6.3 Add Input Data Name

When using the Batch Limits feature to apply limits to a Custom Group of curves, it is recommend that you use
Add Input Data Name to make it easier to keep track of the resulting limit curves in the Memory List.

Instruction Manual
Figure 19-13 shows the nine data curves in the Custom Group: Array. Each curve name, in parenthesis, is
appended to the limit curve names, e.g., “RESP lower limit (Driver 1)“ through “RESP lower limit (Driver 9)“.
19.7 Parameters Tab - Settings
Note: Advanced View is enabled in examples to show all features.
Note: The Resolution for X & Y can be set independently.
19.8 Alignment
Five methods of Aligning Limits to the selected data can be found on the Parameters Tab.
 Individual Points
 Absolute Limits
 Floating Limits
 Floating Data
 Aligned Limits
 Aligned Data
19.8.1 Individual Points

The measurement is compared to the absolute values of the individual
tolerance points. Only when the measurement exceeds the tolerance
at specific limit points will a failure be indicated. In Figure 19-14:
Individual Limit Points the level at 1700 Hz is above the level of the
limits at 1000 and 2000 Hz, but the limit status indicates Passed. Select Individual
Points
There is no interpolation between limit points.
Since there is no
Limit Line or Sin-
gle Limit Point at
3.35k Hz, the
limit status indi-
cates Passed
Figure 19-14: Individual Limit Points

Instruction Manual
19.8.2 Absolute Limits
The measurement is compared to the absolute values of the tolerance limit(s). When Apply is clicked,
SoundCheck will highlight those points where the data exceeds the upper and lower limits by the greatest
amount. In Figure 19-15: Curve Compared to Absolute Limits, the measured curve (Test Monitor) failed by -
1.0 dB at 4250 Hz (note the small yellow circle at 4250 Hz).
Yellow circle at
point of maximum
deviation
Failure Margin
Figure 19-15: Curve Compared to Absolute Limits
19.8.3 Floating Limits

The tolerance limits will float (shift up and down) in reference to the measurement curve such that the
maximum number of data points will fit between the tolerances. By clicking Apply, the curve that previously
failed now passes by 0.8 dB, because the tolerances have shifted so the measured data fits between the limits.
When Floating Limits is chosen, SoundCheck will execute a “Best Fit” curve fitting routine between the upper
and lower limits. Yellow circles will highlight those points closest to the limits (in this case 4250 Hz).
Limits have shifted

up to “Best Fit” the
data
Figure 19-16: Curve Compared to Floating Limits

Instruction Manual
Save or OK Warning after Apply
When using Floating Limits or Floating Data a warning message
will appear when you click on “Ok” or “Save as”, after clicking
Apply. This warning appears because “Apply” may have moved
the limits. You are then prompted to:
 Save Current - Save using the new position of the limits.
 Cancel & Revert - Undo the modified limit step settings Figure: 19-17 Warning - Floated/
and return to the editor. Aligned
 Save Previous - Save the limits as they were before the
last time the Apply button was clicked.
Output to Memory List

 Upper and Lower Limits are added to the Memory List for the data item selected
 Limits are named according to the name entered in the Custom Result Name field
 Add Input Data Name will append the data name to the Custom Result Name, e.g., “Response
margin Upper Limit (Fundamental)”
 If a Custom Group is selected for Batch Limits, limits are created for each item in the group. Selecting
“Add Input Data Name“ is recommended when selecting a Custom Group. See Sorting and Grouping
on page 354.
Note: Floating Limits or Floating Data always create upper and lower limits.
19.8.4 Floating Limits on y axis

Limit curves will adjust to “Best Fit“ the selected data. This
adjustment is made each time the data curve changes for each
sequence run.
19.8.5 Floating Limits on x axis

In many instances, electroacoustic transducers will exhibit sharp
resonance or anti-resonance in their frequency response
curves. Figure: 19-18 Y axis Floating Limits
For example, a small shift or reflection due to a slight change in
microphone position can cause false rejects. SoundCheck can
take into account these slight changes in peaks and dips in the
frequency response curve by floating an X-axis tolerance.
When the x-axis Float Limits box is checked, SoundCheck will
shift the frequency response curve by the amount specified in
the Step Size box. See Figure: 19-19 X axis Floating Limits.
The X-axis tolerance can be either logarithmic or linear. If it is
set to Log, the step size (amount that SoundCheck will shift the
Figure: 19-19 X axis Floating Limits
curve in the X direction) is in percent (%). If you want to shift the
curve by 1/24th of an octave, you would set this value to 3
percent. Maximum and Minimum refer to the greatest amount, in percent, that the curve will be shifted. If Lin
is chosen, the step size is in Hz as well as the Maximum and Minimum frequency limits (e.g., ± 10 Hz).

Instruction Manual
19.8.6 Floating Data
The amplitude of the Limit Curves stays fixed as it does when set to Absolute. The data points will float (shift
up and down) in reference to the upper and lower tolerances, such that the maximum number of data points will
fit between these tolerances. The example in Figure 19-20: Data Floats and Tolerance Curves Stay Fixed
shows a reference point of 1 kHz at 82.3 dB. In the first frame, the Data curve is obviously outside the range of
the limits even though the shape of the response is correct. By selecting Float Data from the Parameters Tab,
the Upper and Lower Limit Curves will remain at their current levels. After clicking Apply the Data curve has
shifted to best fit the Limit Curves. Note that the reference point of 1 kHz is now at 77.3 dB.
Note: A copy of the Floating Data is passed to the Memory List with “Floated“ appended to the end of the
name.
Before Floating Data:

Data curve is above
Limits.
Reference point 1 kHz
at 109 dB.
Select Floating Data
Click Apply to
Float Data &
update the editor
Data curve shifts.
The Reference
point is at
106.2 dB.
Figure 19-20: Data Floats and Tolerance Curves Stay Fixed

Instruction Manual
19.8.7 Aligned Limits
Positions the tolerance limits relative to the curve by a
specified offset at a user-defined reference point in the Align
Reference fields. The Alignment Reference numeric fields
are enabled when this tolerance type is selected. See
Figure: 19-21 Aligned Limits.
 Select a frequency point on the Data Curve and enter
it in the x axis Alignment Reference field Figure: 19-21 Aligned Limits
 Select the midpoint of the Upper and Lower Limits

curves, at the frequency point entered in the x axis field. Enter this in the y axis Alignment Reference
field
 On each sequence run, the limits will adjust so that selected center point of the limits always tracks the
specified frequency point on the data curve
 Used in older telecom and military standards

 Upper and Lower Limits are added to the Memory List for the data item selected
 If a Custom Group is selected for Batch Limits, limits are created for each item in the group. Selecting
“Add Input Data Name“ is recommended when selecting a Custom Group. See Sorting and Grouping
on page 354.
19.8.8 Aligned Data

Moves the selected data curve so that
the specified x axis point of the curve is
at the specified y axis point on the
graph. Limit curves are not adjusted.
 On each sequence run, the
data curve will adjust so that
selected center point of the
limits always tracks the
specified frequency point on
the data curve
 Commonly used for
microphone frequency
response, as shown in the
“Microphone” example Figure 19-22: Aligned Data Selection
sequence. Figure 19-22 shows
the response, Normalized to 0 dB at 1 kHz.

 Upper Limits, Lower Limits or both are added to the Memory List for the data item selected

Instruction Manual
 A new version of the data curve is created with “Aligned” append to the data curve name, e.g.,
“Fundamental Aligned“. This appears in the Limits Group when Autogroup is turned on.
 If a Custom Group is selected for Batch Limits, selected limits are created for each item in the group.
Selecting “Add Input Data Name“ is recommended when selecting a Custom Group.
19.9 Absolute Comparison Precision

To pass or fail the device under test to within 1 dB, choose Precision = 0; within 0.1 dB choose Precision = 1;
within 0.01 dB choose Precision = 2, etc. The default precision is one (1) decimal place. In this case, a data
point of 0.05 is rounded up to 0.1 and then the limit, which has also be rounded to the selected precision, is
applied. When the data equals the limit, a Pass verdict is returned. Only when the data is outside the bounds of
the limits is a Fail verdict returned.
Note: Regardless of the resolution set in the Limits step, the default resolution for the Results Display
window is two (2) digits of precision.
Note: Setting the Absolute Comparison Precision overrides the Display Precision set by the user. See
Precision of Limits Display on page 323.
The example in Figure: 19-23 Absolute Comparison Precision 2 decimal places show the Absolute
Comparison Precision set to 2 decimal places on the y axis. The value of 77.79 dB at 6.3 kHz is outside the
limit tolerance by 0.01 B (-10m dB). In this case the Limit step returns a Failed verdict.
Figure: 19-23 Absolute Comparison Precision 2 decimal places

Instruction Manual
By changing the Absolute Comparison Precision to 1 decimal place the y axis value is rounded to 77.8 dB. The
data values have not changed. Only the precision of the application of the data has changed. Since the Limit
value and the Data value are the same, a Pass verdict is returned with a margin of 0 dB. This is shown in
Figure: 19-24 Absolute Comparison Precision 1 decimal place.
Figure: 19-24 Absolute Comparison Precision 1 decimal place

Instruction Manual
19.10 X Axis - Log vs. Linear Interpolation
If a data point lies between two points along a limit curve, SoundCheck must interpolate along the Limit Curve
in order to determine how the data point is compared to the limit curve. When Log is selected, the data value is
compared to the limit curve using a Log, X axis scale. See Figure 19-25: Log Interpolation. The data point is
4.4 dB at 1000 Hz. The Lower Limit curve starts at 5 dB at 100 Hz and ends at 3 dB at 10 kHz. In this case, log
interpolation compares the data to a value of 4 dB at 1 kHz. This is the default setting for the Limit Step.
The result is PASS since the Data Point is ABOVE the Interpolated Point along the limit curve.
Data point:
4.4 dB at 1 kHz
Log Interpolated Point:

4.0 dB at 1 kHz
Result: Pass since the

Interpolated point is
Above the Data point
Figure 19-25: Log Interpolation
Using the same limit curve and data point, Figure 19-26: Linear Interpolation shows the Linear Interpolation
result. The Limit Curve is interpolated to be 4.82 dB at 1 kHz. The X axis of the graph has been switched to
Linear to match the Linear Mapping selected in Parameters. The result is FAIL since the data point is BELOW
the Interpolated Point along the limit curve.
Log Interpolated Point:

4.82 dB at 1 kHz
Data point: 4.4 dB at 1 kHz
X axis set to linear in both the Param-

eters tab and on the Graph control
Result: Fail since the Interpolated

point is BELOW the Data point
Figure 19-26: Linear Interpolation

Instruction Manual
This shows why the display X axis mapping and the interpolation control should be set to the same scale. This
way, the interpolation matches the visual representation of the curves. This should prevent false visual failures.
 Interpolation along the Y axis is always Linear regardless of the settings of the X Y Graph Display
 For no interpolation between limit points, select Individual Points under Limits Parameters - Alignment.
See Individual Points on page 332.
 For Displays with Linearity Limits, where both axis’ are dB, select Linear Mapping for the X axis on both
the Parameters Tab and on the Limit Graph Selection. See Precision of Limits Display on page 323.
19.11 Failed Points

When Failed Points is selected on the
Parameters tab the points of failure are
stored in the Memory List as a curve.
 One curve for Upper Limit
and another for Lower Limit
 If a Custom Group is
selected, Upper and Lower
Failed Points are created for
each curve in the group
 Curve of failed points
contains all (and only) the
points that exceed the limit
curve
 If only one failed point is
produced, the curve will
not show up in a Display
Step unless the curve is
set to Solid Points (See
Figure 19-26: Linear
Interpolation) Figure: 19-27 Failed Points
 If the limit step is
executed and there are
no failed points (PASS situation), the failed points curve is populated with a value of NaN (Not
a Number).
 If the limit step is not executed, the failed points curve will remain empty
Display Step example of Failed Points
Green and Purple
Failed Points
curves are set to
have “Square
Point Style”.
Figure: 19-28 Failed Points

Instruction Manual
19.12 Comparison of Absolute Limits, Floating Limits and Floating Data
The following three figures show how the same response curve can have limits applied in three different ways.
Absolute Limits
The measured curve is outside of
absolute value of the limits, so the
condition is FAIL. The level of the
response is 108.9 dB at 1 kHz.
Figure 19-29: Absolute Limits

Floating Limits
The measured curve stays at its
measured level,108.9 dB at 1 kHz, but
the limits shift downward to match this
level (Best Fit to Average).
No values exceed the limits, so the
result is a PASS verdict.
Figure 19-30: Floating Limits

Floating Data
The measured curve shifts upward to
fit in between the absolute values of
the limit curves. The 108.9 dB level at
1 kHz shifts upward to 113.9 dB. No
values exceed the limits so the result is
a PASS verdict.
A copy of the Floated Data is added to
the Memory List with “Floated”
appended to the data name.
Figure 19-31: Floating Data

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
20 Display Editor and Memory List
Figure 20-1: Display Step Example
The Display Editor (Ctrl+Shift+D) allows you to control the “on screen” display of:
 XY Graphs for data
 Waveform graphs
 Polar plots (optional)
 Result windows
 Table of values
 Text boxes
 Pictures
To edit an existing Display Step in a sequence, choose Display from the Setup menu.
See Display Editing on page 362 for more information on displays and their properties.
Note: As of SoundCheck 20, you can have up to 50 Display Step steps in a sequence.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Display Editor and Memory List 343

Instruction Manual
20.1 Memory List
The control center of the Display Editor is the Memory List. Select Memory List
from the Setup menu in the main SoundCheck® window (Ctrl+Shift+Y).
 To edit a Display, click on the desired Display Tab on the Main Screen.
 When a sequence contains multiple Display Steps you can select
Display from the Setup menu and select a Display Step from the list
(Ctrl+Shift+D). See Display Editing on page 362.
 Open the Memory List to show the data available for displays.
The Memory List can produce seven types of Display windows as shown in
Figure 20-2. See Display Editing on page 362.
Figure 20-2: Display
Drop-down
20.2 Tabs (Curves, Values, Results and WFM)
Data in the Memory List is divided into four tabs: Curves, Values, Results and WFM (Waveforms). The data
content of these items is generated by the sequence can be accessed by clicking on any of these tabs. Names
with an empty circle contain no data and act as placeholders when creating a sequence. After the sequence is
run, the circle will be filled indicating that data is in memory and can be displayed. If one or more steps are
added to the sequence after it is run, the associated names will be preceded by an open circle until the
sequence is run. Data items can also be filled by clicking on the Apply button in some editors and by recalling
data from disk.
Only certain types of data are appropriate for each display.
 Curves - Can be added to an XY Graph, Table or Polar Plot
 Values - Can be added to a Table
 Results - Can be added to a Results display or a Table
 WFM - Can be added to a Waveform Graph or a Table
For example, if the display consists of only XY Graphs, and a result item is selected from the Results tab of the
Memory List, you will not be able to “Left-click and Drag” the item to a display.
20.2.1 Memory List Data Items

Prior to running a sequence, the only curves in the Memory
List that contain data, are the calibration curves (filled circles at
top of list as in Figure 20-3).
 Empty Circle - Item contains no data
 Filled Circle - Item contains data
 Blue Group Heading - Data added to Custom Group.
See Sorting and Grouping on page 354.
 Check Mark - Protected data
 Empty Diamond - Autoprotected & contains no data Figure 20-3: Empty vs. Filled Circle
 Filled Diamond - Autoprotected & contains data
 Grey Group Heading - Protected data. See Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory List on page 355.
After the sequence has been run, the Memory List indicates that the curves contain data (filled circles).
344 Display Editor and Memory List SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
20.3 Memory List Features
 Clicking on items in the Memory List does not break the relationship of those items to a display
 Simply double clicking on a Memory List item will open it in its default display window
 You can use Drag and Drop to add other items to an Active Display
 Autogroup items in the Memory List and create Custom Groups (See Sorting and Grouping on page
354)
 Right-click items to set properties (See Right-click - Memory List on page 345)
 Right-click an item to display it on the Active Display, on a different display or create a new display
 Alt+click an item to add or remove it from an Active Display
 The Protect and Autoprotect functions append the serial number to the Protected Data name. This
offers a quick and easy way to annotate data by typing a comment into the Serial Number field on the
SoundCheck Main Screen.
 Open Multiple DAT Files in the Memory List
 Lock Display to prevent unwanted changes to displays - See Lock Display Off on page 346
 Report Generator - Replaces printing to Word, Excel, HTML or image file from the Memory List Report
Menu. Templates are now used to add flexibility and repeatability when printing data. See Report
Generator on page 385 for more information.
Note: Word and Excel must be installed on the computer. Cloud based installations are not recognized
by SoundCheck.
 Set Text Size and Text Color of a Value Table. See Table - Preferences on page 382.
20.3.1 Right-click - Memory List

Right-click a single item or several items in any of the Memory List Tabs
and select:
 Show on Active Display - For data that is not linked to the
active display, select an item, Right-click it and select Show.
 Select a range of items by selecting the top item, hold the
Shift Key and select the bottom item. Right-click to Show or
select another function.
 An alternative is to hold the Alt Key and Left-click on an item Figure 20-4: Right-click
to add it to the selected display window. Menu
 Hold Alt and Ctrl then Left-click on items to add them
 Remove from Active Display - Use the above methods to break the connection of the items to the
active display
 Display On - Add the selected item(s) to an existing display
 New Group - Creates a new group in the Memory List
See Sorting and Grouping on page 354.
The following features are available in the Right-click menu as well as in the Data drop-down list: Delete,
Protect, Autoprotect, Undo Autoprotect, Rename, Overwrite, Units and Comment. Explanations can be
found starting under Data Menu on page 348.

Instruction Manual
20.4 Memory List Drop-down Lists
20.4.1 Display Menu

Open display layouts, data, results and Waveforms previously saved to disk. Lock
Display prevents display overwrite.
 Load Display - Opens a new display in place of the currently selected
Display Tab.
 This display is added to the active sequence and will overwrite the
existing step.
 The sequence editor is updated the next time the sequence is run or
when it is saved. Figure 20-5: Display
 Save Display As Template - Renames the step in the sequence and saves Menu
the current display as a template. You are prompted for a file name and the
location to save the file. The default location is the Display folder in SoundCheck. The sequence must
be saved in order to remember the name change in the active sequence.
 Revert - Discard changes, returning display to last saved version
 New - Open a blank display for: XY Graph, Waveform Graph, Text, Results, Polar Plot, Table and
Picture
 Lock Display - This control prevents you from closing the displays out of
habit, as one would in other windows applications. Locked displays can be
edited, but the changes are lost when the sequence is changed or the
application is closed.
When the lock is off, displays can be edited. For Technician and Operator
login level, the lock is always on. The Lock feature can only be unlocked Figure 20-6: Lock
by the Engineer user level. See “Rules - Display Lock” on page 347. Display Off
 Duplicate - Opens a copy of a display window, retaining the Properties of

the display but not the link to Memory List items.
This allows you to “Clone“ the Active Display type. This way, all displays within a sequence can have
the same preferences. The Line Style settings; width, color, etc, are not duplicated.
Figure 20-7: Save as Default
 Save as Default - This allows you to save the Display Preferences of the Active Display, as the default
settings for that type of display. There is a default template for each type of display; XY Graph,
Waveform, etc.
 Close Memory List - Closes only the Memory List, leaves display windows open
 Close Display - Closes all display windows and the Memory List. Allows you to clear the display
windows from the desktop without deleting the display layout.

Instruction Manual
20.4.2 Rules - Display Lock
When Display Lock is on:
 Locking the display affects all displays in all sequences (until it is explicitly unlocked)
 The display windows cannot be closed, resized or "minimized". The Minimize/Maximize buttons are
removed from the display headers.
 New displays can be opened, but will not be saved in memory. The display will revert back to the “Last
Saved State“ when the sequence is run. The ONLY exception to this rule is when the display is left
open, if you have added or moved some display windows, they will stay in their new positions until they
are closed (either by File->Close in the Memory List, by the sequence, or by another display opening).
 None of the temporary edits (like positioning) will be saved in memory. You will not be prompted to
save display-related changes upon sequence exit
 Changes to the displays are not saved when the sequence is saved
 You can select Save Display as Template from the Memory List - Display menu
 A new display cannot be loaded into Active Display Tabs (you can load a display in the Offline Tab)
 The lock state is remembered in the SoundCheck 20.ini file

Instruction Manual
20.5 Data Menu
The Memory List can be used to recall saved *.DAT and *.RES files and display saved curves, values and
results in the current Memory List. See Recall Editor on page 241.
You can also open text (*.TXT) files. This will automatically open the Data Import Wizard (See Importing text
from a saved file on page 651).
 Open Data - Opens selected .DAT file
Multiple DAT files can be opened at once from the Memory List. This is
convenient when running statistics on a batch of curves and working with
large numbers of files. If a DAT file contains multiple curves, a new Group is
created in the Memory List, which contains the curves for that DAT file. When
opening data, hold down the Control Key to select individual files. Click on
the first item in the list and hold down the Shift Key while clicking on the last
item to select that range of items.
 All items opened from disk are Protected Data, denoted with a check
mark.
 Protected Data can only be added to Protected Groups. See Rules -
Auto Grouping - Memory List on page 355.
 When opening a DAT file in the Memory List, a Protected Group is added Figure 20-8: Data
to the Memory List that contains all the curves from the DAT file. The Drop-down
curves are not automatically added to the Active Display. The curves can
be individually selected (or selected as a group) so that only the required curves show up in the
display. This makes loading a large number of curves into memory much faster. Grouping makes it
easier to manage a large number of curves.
Note: DAT files created with SoundCheck 20.0 are not viewable in versions of SoundCheck prior to and
including SoundCheck 6.0x. The DAT file format was updated in SoundCheck 6.1.
 When opening a multichannel WAV file in the Memory list, each

WAV file channel is named using the file name and channel
number. All files are automatically grouped as shown in Figure 20-
9.
Figure 20-9: Multichannel

WAV Files
20.5.1 Save Data as DAT

 Saves the data selected in the Memory List to a .DAT and allows you to specify the name for the file
 Lock Display prevents display overwrite
 The item name is used as the default file name when saving an item to disk

Instruction Manual
20.5.2 Save to Multichannel WAV
As of SoundCheck 20, multiple waveforms can be saved to a single
multichannel WAV file. This is useful for any multichannel analysis, e.g.,
measurements from a 6 microphone array or left and right earphones.
 Multiple Waveforms can be saved to a single WAV file
 Save manually from the Memory List or automatically in a sequence
using an Autosave step
 No Limitation on number of Waveforms
 Used with Multichannel acquisition where WAV playback on a
different device is required, e.g.: a device that is playback only or
another software application
 Multichannel WAV files can also be recalled and used in the
SoundCheck Signal Generator and Stimulus Step
 The sample rate of all waveforms must be the same
 When saving to a multichannel WAV “Append” is not available. Figure 20-10: Save
Overwriting the file is the only option. Multichannel WAV
 The order in the Memory List determines the order the waveforms are stored to WAV
 Saving using “Sound Card Values” applies to all waveforms so they retain their original scaling
 Waveforms of different lengths can be saved together. All WAV files will start at time zero
 Save Waveforms as WAV file
 You are prompted to select the Bit Depth to save as and the scaling
 Select two Waveforms (WFM), select "Save As” then select .WAV".
This creates a single stereo WAV file. The first waveform selected
will be the left and the second will be the right.
 If the hardware is set to 24 bit, the waveform saved will be 24 bit
20.5.3 Save Waveform as WFM

 Save multiple Waveforms to a single *.WFM file.
20.5.4 Save curves, values or results to a *.TXT file

If save to a *.TXT file is selected, you will be asked to make formatting choices,
The options available in this window are identical to those of the Autosave
Editor when saving to a Text file. You can choose which axes to save, whether
to include a standard or custom header, to orient the data into rows or columns,
and the notation and precision of the numerical values.
See Autosave Editor on page 227.
Figure 20-11: Formatting

Choices

Instruction Manual
 Recently Opened Files - Shows the most recent Displays, DAT, RES and WFM files (useful when
opening the same files on a regular basis)
 Delete - will remove only the selected item(s) from the active Memory List Tab (Available in both the
Right-click and Data Menu)
 Delete All In Tab - removes all of the items from the active Memory List Tab (Data Menu Only)
 Delete All In All Tabs - removes all of the items from all tabs: Curves, Values, Results and WFM (Data
Menu Only)
 Protect Data - Items in the Memory List can be protected so
that subsequent runs of the sequence do not overwrite the data
Any unprotected Curves, Values, Results and WFMs generated
by a sequence are overwritten in memory each time the
sequence is run. To keep the current data and results in
memory as more tests are run, highlight the item(s), Right-
click or click on the Data Menu and select Protect. Protecting
items will keep them in the Memory List until they are deleted or
the application is restarted.
Protected Data will be shown in the Memory List with the same
name as the original curve, with a suffix of "-p" appended to the
data name. Protected items are also identified with a Check
Mark to the left of the name, which only appears in the Memory
List. Figure 20-12: Protect Data
You can also choose to Protect any information after the
sequence has been run. Protected data is not discarded when changing sequences.
 The Protect and Autoprotect functions append the serial number to the Protected Data name. This
offers a quick and easy way to annotate data by typing a comment into the Serial Number field.
 The protected data should be removed by using the Delete option in the Data Menu or the Right-click
Menu.
 Protected Data can only be added to Protected Groups. See Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory List
on page 355.
 Autoprotect data - Used to keep data contents of items in memory every time a sequence is run
When an item is highlighted in the Memory List and Autoprotect is selected, the icon to the left of the
item(s) changes to a diamond shape ().
Autoprotecting allows you to designate items that should be protected before the sequence is run. A
copy of the item is generated each time the sequence is run and will be protected in the Memory List
(until Undo Autoprotect is selected).
Each time the sequence runs, the selected item will be protected and numbered in ascending order.
If a serial number is entered in the Serial Number field, either manually or with a Serial Number step,
that number will be appended to the Autoprotected items.

Instruction Manual
Choosing Autoprotect for the Fundamental curve will create a
diamond  next to that curve, and all information will be protected.
Fundamental [L] is a place holder for information, indicating that the

item is to be Protected. Each time the sequence is run the data for
Fundamental [L] is appended to the end of the Memory List and
protected.
Protected Data will have checkmarks on the left, and items that are
protected multiple times, with the same name, will be given a prefix
number.
Figure 20-13: Fundamental
Autoprotected
Note: If the Serial Number Step is used at the beginning of the
sequence, the Autoprotected data has the serial number
automatically appended to the data name, for all autoprotected
items in the Memory List.
20.5.5 Rules - Protected Data - Protected Group

When opening a DAT file (containing one or multiple curves) from the Data Menu in the Memory List, it is
important to remember that some Offline, Limit and Post Processing functions may not be available.
 Limit Steps that manipulate data such as Aligned Data cannot be used on Protected Data
 Post processing of Protected Groups is not allowed but post processing of individual data items is
allowed
 Using a Recall Step in a sequence will allow you to open data and perform post processing and limit
functions with no restrictions
20.5.6 Rules - Autoprotect/Undo Autoprotect

 The Autoprotect and Undo Autoprotect functions require that a Display Step is in the sequence
 The Display MUST be open to access the Autoprotect and Undo functions in the Memory List
 Autoprotect with multiple Displays: The Autoprotect state of a Memory List item is unique for
each Display Step in a sequence. You should only autoprotect data on one display, unless you have
a step in between the displays which regenerates the data such that there is new data to autoprotect
on the second display.
Remember: Autoprotect renames the data, e.g., 2 - Fundamental - p, 3 - Fundamental - p, etc.
 The display does not need to be configured to “Display Step When Run”. See Configure Step on
page 476.
 Once the item is selected for Autoprotect, the Diamond marker is only visible while the display is open.
Items are still Autoprotected, but not marked with a Diamond.
 Autoprotected data will remain in the Memory List after changing sequences. The data is deleted when
SoundCheck is closed or the data is selected and deleted manually.
When Autogrouping is enabled, a “Protected Group” (Grey Text) is automatically created. See Figure 20-13.
See Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory List on page 355.
 Undo Autoprotect - Selected Items are no longer Autoprotected in subsequent measurements
To stop Autoprotecting an item, highlight the original name (with the diamond to the left []) and select Undo
Autoprotect. The Protected Data will remain in the Memory List, but all measurements following this action will

Instruction Manual
only remain in the list until the next time the sequence is run. Future measurements will no longer protect the
item automatically.
The data and results are in Memory and will only be saved to disk by using commands in the Data Menu or
using one or more Autosave Steps.

Instruction Manual
 Rename - Creates a Protected copy of the item and prompts you for a new name
The new item appears in the Memory List with a Check Mark and a “-p” suffix.
A Memory List item can be renamed at any time. Renaming an item will automatically protect it, since a
curve of that name may not exist in the sequence. Select the item(s) from the current tab to rename.
Right-click an item and select Rename. (Or select Rename from the Data Menu of the Memory List.)
 Units - To increase flexibility, the units of Memory List Items can be temporarily changed
These changes disappear each time the sequence is executed. To retain the Unit changes the Item
must be Protected. Otherwise, the unit information will revert to the values created by the sequence, on
the next sequence run. Unit changes are not available on Autoprotected Items. The sequence Units
will be used in the Autoprotected item.
TIP: To temporarily change the Units of a curve in a display (or table), Right-click the curve in the
Memory List and select Units. The new Units will appear in the display. This is a one time change.
The next time the sequence runs, the units will revert back to the original units.
 Overwrite - Allows you to select a Subject item from the Memory List and then choose another item as
the Target to be overwritten
Note: In general, overwriting a correction in or out curve with a Reference Calibration File is handled in
the Calibration Editor by using the “Copy from Memory List” button.
In special cases, you might want to overwrite a curve

in the Memory List manually.
The data of a Reference.DAT file (magnitude and
phase of a curve) can be used to replace the
contents of a Correction In or Out.DAT in the Memory
List.
This can be used in special cases for importing
custom correction curves and/or EQ curves.
Figure 20-14: Overwrite a curve - step 1
1. In Figure 20-14, we have loaded a Microphone Correction Curve into the Memory List (See Data
Menu on page 348).
2. Right-click the curve and click Overwrite or select Overwrite from the
Data drop-down list.
3. In Figure 20-15 the Calibration Curve for the Input is selected:
Special Reference corr-in

4. OK to replace the data of this curve with the data from “Special
Reference Corr s/n: X1234“.
 The name of the target curve does not change, only the data
changes
Figure 20-15: Overwrite
 The new curve can be used in the Calibration Editor to correct for the - step 2
response of the microphone in future measurements

Instruction Manual
 Comment - Comments can be attached to Curves in
the Memory List. They appear in green text, to the right
of the item, in the Memory List.
 Comments are normally added to curves or items
that have already been protected or recalled from
disk
 Comments on an Autoprotected source curve ()

only appear on the next curve that is protected.
Subsequent runs will have no comment. This will
also leave a copy of the comment on associated
Limits. (Remove these by entering a blank
comment on the source curve)
 The comment is saved with the data when saved
as a .DAT file
Figure 20-16: Comment Protected
 When importing the .DAT file, the comment will still Memory List Item
be attached to the data
Right-click an item and select Comment or select an item and then click on Comment from the
Memory drop-down list. See Figure 20-16. The comment can then be entered in the editing window.
Long comments will not “text wrap“ in the Memory List, so the entire comment may not be easily
visible. Use the Comment function to view the text in the editor window.
Important! Comments should only be added to Protected or Recalled items in the

Memory List. Adding comments to Unprotected items is not recommended.
Comments added to empty items, before sequence run, will be erased.
Comments added to Unprotected items after sequence run will duplicate the
comments to related Limits and other related items.
20.5.7 Sorting and Grouping

In order to improve organization and ease of use, items in the Memory List can be grouped and sorted.
 Data can be sorted alphabetically by Name or by the Order in which
generated by sequence
 Data cannot be manually sorted by moving an item in the list
 Data can be set to Auto Group by Category or Step
 Sort and Auto Group are continuously applied to all data in the Memory
List so data is automatically sorted into the correct place
 Custom Groups can be created allowing you to put selected data into a
custom named group
 Items can be added to a Custom Group through the menu option or by Figure 20-17: Group
clicking on an item and dragging it to a group Curves
 Items can also be removed from a Custom Group by clicking and dragging them to the root of the
Memory List Tab
 Custom Groups can also have Subgroups
 Custom Groups always appear at the top of the list
 Group names should not contain Parenthesis, ( ), or other types of brackets

Instruction Manual
 Protected Data can only be added to Protected Groups. See Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory
List on page 355.
 Grouping is constantly updated as steps are added to a sequence
 Sorting and Grouping functions are independent for the four items tabs: Data, Values, Results and
WFM
 New Group - Selected items will be added to a Custom Group and you
are prompted to enter a name for the group
 Uncheck “Group Selected Items“ to create a Group without adding
items to it
Figure 20-18: Group
 Ungroup - Removes the Group heading and returns the Items to the root of the Memory List
 Expand All - Opens all Groups in the Memory List (show all Items)
 Contract All - Closes all Groups in the Memory List
 Sorting and Grouping
Clicking on any of the following functions will Undo all Autogroup in the current Tab. Sort functions will
return the grouped items to the root of the Memory List. This does not effect Custom Groups (User
Groups).
 Sort By Order - Arranges all items in the current Tab in the
order created by the sequence
 Sort By Name - Arranges all items in the current Tab in
alphabetical order
 Autogrouping Off - Autogroups are dissolved, returning
Autogrouped items in the current Tab to the root of the
Memory List and sorted according to the Sort function
(Custom Groups are not effected)
 Autogroup By Category - Automatically creates groups for
items in the current Tab based on the data type of the Items
 Autogroup By Step - Automatically creates groups for
items in the current Tab based on the Sequence Step that
created the items
Figure 20-19: Sorting
20.5.8 Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory List

 Memory List items can be moved to Custom Groups. The group title is in Blue Text.
 Protected Data (noted with a check mark before the curve name) can only be added to Protected
Groups indicated by Grey Text, not Custom Groups (Blue Text)
 Turning off auto grouping does not remove Custom Groups
 Memory List items cannot be moved between Auto Groups
 Switching between sort by category or sort by step does not break sorting of Custom Group items
 Memory List items can be moved back to auto groups if the Custom Group remains (is not deleted)
 When all items in a Protected group are deleted, the group is not visible in the Memory List until new
items fill the group
 When saving an Autogroup of items, the default file name will be the first item in the group

Instruction Manual
 Search - The Data drop-down list has a search function feature to
find and highlight all items which match a search string. Advanced
searching through the use of regular expressions is also possible
as described in the context sensitive help window of the search
string (See Figure 20-20). This is particularly useful when the
Memory List contains a large number of curves such as in
production line applications.
Figure 20-20: Search

Function
Example: A user wants to display a group of curves from a large list, all on the same graph, even though each
curve has an appended number, e.g., 2-Fundamental, 3-Fundamental, etc.
Use the Memory List Search function to find all the curves with the characters, “Fun”. Then Right-click on any
of the highlighted curves and select Display On - Graph or New Group.
 Select All - Highlights all of the items in the current Memory List tab
From the Data Menu click on Select All (not available in Right-click Menu). This is useful for adding all
Results to a Results display for an Overall Pass/Fail verdict, or to add a long series of curves to a XY
Graph or Polar Plot.

Instruction Manual
20.6 Report Menu
 Load Logo - select .BMP or .JPG file for the heading of a report
 Report Setup - Opens the Report Generator
Create and print company reports in Word, Excel, HTML and image
files. The Report Menu is available in the Memory List - Report Menu,
and in each of the Display Windows. See Report Generator on page
Note: Word and Excel must be installed on the computer. Cloud based
installations are not recognized by SoundCheck. Figure 20-21: Report
Generator
 Open Report - Opens a report based on the current display and the
settings in Report Setup
 Print Preview - Opens the report in Print Preview
 Print Report - Sends the report to the default system printer
20.7 Right-click - Data

Right-click a single item or several items in any of the Memory List Tabs and select:
 Add/Remove from Active Display - (Press Alt+Left-click on an
item to break the connection of all items to the active display)
 Display On - Add the selected item(s) to an existing or new
display window
The options vary depending on which Memory List Tab is
selected. The example in Figure 20-22 shows that a curve can be
added to:
 One of the current display windows in the “Display On“ list
 New XY Graph - Creates a graph for the selected items
Figure 20-22: Right-click
 New Table - Creates a table for the selected items
Menu
 New Polar Plot - Creates a polar plot for the selected items
 New Group - Creates a new group in the Memory List

Instruction Manual
The following features are available in the Right-click menu as well as in the Data Menu. They follow the
same explanations and rules. For more information see Data Menu on page 348.
 Rename - Creates a Protected copy of the item and prompts you for a new name
 Overwrite - Allows you to select a Subject item from the Memory List and then choose another item as
the Target to be overwritten
 Delete - will remove only the selected item(s) from the active Memory List Tab (Available in both the
Right-click and Data Menus)
 Units - To increase flexibility, the units of Memory List Items can be temporarily changed
 Comment - Comments can be attached to Curves in the Memory List
 Protect - Items in the Memory List can be protected so that subsequent runs of the sequence do not
overwrite the data
 Autoprotect - Used to keep data contents of Items in memory every time a sequence is run
 Undo Autoprotect - Selected Items are no longer Autoprotected in subsequent measurements
20.7.1 Right-click a Group

 Show on Active Display - Add all items in group to display
 Display On - Select display to add group items to
 Save Data As - Save all items in group as selectable data type
 Ungroup - Removes the selected Custom Group heading and returns the
Items to the root of the Memory List (Will not remove Auto Groups)
 Delete Group and Data - Deletes the selected Custom Group heading
Figure 20-23: Right-
and all of the Items under that heading (Cannot be Undone)
click on Group
Will not delete Autogroups but will clear data in items
 Rename - Change the name of the selected Group
 New Group - Creates a new Group and adds the selected Group to it
20.8 Window Menu

 Full Size - Set the SoundCheck Main Screen to fill the
computer desktop (Does not allow application window to
be resized)
 Clicking on an Open Window Title brings that display
window to the front - useful when smaller windows are
inadvertently hidden behind larger display windows
Figure 20-24: Window Menu
20.9 Help Menu

 Context Help menus are available for many items in SoundCheck.
Press Ctrl+H to open the Context Help window or select it from the
Help drop-down list. This will give information on the last item the
mouse has scrolled over. Press Ctrl+H again to make the Context Help
window disappear, or click the close box button in the upper right hand
corner.
Figure 20-25: Help
Menu

Instruction Manual
20.10 WAV File Types
 SoundCheck will read and write 8, 16, 24 and 32 bit WAV files.
 8 bit WAV files in PCM format are stored as unsigned integers, each sample ranging from 0-255.
However, there are two other compressed formats, A-law and mu-law (commonly used in telephony).
These files are stored as 8 bit files, but decompress to 16 bit Integer when read.
 SoundCheck will read 8 bit files in all three formats, PCM, A-law and mu-law, but writes only in PCM
format. See table below.
 As of SoundCheck 16.01, WAV files that do not conform to the standard WAV file header can be read
 As of SoundCheck 17, importing multichannel WAV files is supported in the Memory List, Stimulus
Editor and Signal Generator
20.10.1 Rules - WAV File

 When opening a WAV file, SoundCheck will prompt you to select units of FS or
FS (AES17)
 ‘FS’ – SoundCheck default value, the max amplitude of a digital sine wave is
-3 dBFS
 ‘FS (AES17)’ – Value corresponding to AES17 standard definition, the max
amplitude of a digital sine wave is 0 dBFS
 When opening a stereo WAV file, SoundCheck will automatically split the file into two waveforms in the
Memory List, adding [L] or [R] to the file names
 16 bit files are stored as 16 bit Integer PCM format WAV. SoundCheck reads and writes 16 bit WAV
files in PCM format.
 24 bit files are stored as 32 bit Integer PCM format WAV. SoundCheck reads and writes 24 bit WAV
files in PCM format.
 32 bit files are stored as 32 bit Integer PCM format WAV ranging from -2147483648 to +2147483648.
SoundCheck reads PCM and IEEE float but writes only PCM format.
 The sample rate of the WAV file must match the sample rate of the System Hardware Configuration
20.10.2 WAV File Format Table

SoundCheck reads and writes WAV files according to the following table.
Bit Depth Read Write

8 bit PCM uncompressed unsigned
8 8 bit A-law compressed unsigned 8 bit PCM uncompressed unsigned
8 bit mu-law compressed unsigned
16 16 bit Integer PCM 16 bit Integer PCM
24 32 bit Integer PCM 32 bit Integer PCM
32 bit Integer PCM
32 32 bit Integer PCM
32 bit IEEE Floating Point
A-law and mu-law WAV files are mostly used in Telephony (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.711).
Most popular audio editing programs can write WAV files in these formats.

Instruction Manual
20.11 WAV File Scaling
In SoundCheck versions 6.11 and higher, WAV files are scaled according the following rules. (In versions 6.00,
6.01, and 6.10 WAV files were normalized to +/- full scale deflection when saved).
20.11.1 Rules for scaling Waveforms when they are saved as WAV files:
 A Waveform is not scaled or normalized if the amplitude unit is FS, FSD, dB re:FS, or dB re:FSD.
 Waveforms with dB re:[any unit] get converted to their linear version upon being saved as a WAV.
 If the waveform has units based on Full Scale Deflection (dB FS or dB FSD), but the Absolute Linear
Peak Amplitude is greater than 1.0, the data of the resultant WAV file will be clipped.
 For any waveform with units that are not based on FSD (e.g., Pa, dB SPL, V/V, etc.), data will be
normalized to +/- 1.0 FS (or 0 dB FSD), which is the maximum allowed amplitude of a WAV file. The
scaling either increases or decreases the amplitude values of the data so that the Peak value of the
data in the WAV file is +/- 1.0 FS.
 It is possible for a SoundCheck user to convert the units of a waveform from anything to FS (either
directly from the Memory List or via Post-Processing), so its peak amplitude could be greater than +/-
1.0. In this case, no scaling occurs. Saving such a waveform as a WAV file means that there are points
lying outside the allowable range. Upon saving this WAV file, these points will be coerced to either +1.0
or -1.0 FS (i.e., clipped). See Figure 20-26.
When a WFM with an amplitude greater than 1 FS is saved to a WAV file, the resulting WAV file is clipped.
When a WFM with an amplitude less than 1 FS is saved to a WAV file, the resulting WAV file is not scaled.
Figure 20-26: WFM saved as WAV examples
 When acquiring data on a digital channel or creating a stimulus for a digital channel, the waveform will,
by definition, have an absolute peak amplitude of less than or equal to 1.0 FS. Saving these WFMs as
WAV files will not result in clipping.
 When saving the waveform as a WFM, the data is never scaled, normalized, or clipped.
 In SoundCheck, when a WAV is opened from disk, it has units of FS. (Peak allowable range of +/- 1.0)
More information on the use of WAV files in SoundCheck can be found in: WAV File Excitation on page 135
and WAV File playback on page 493.

Instruction Manual
20 Displays
The SoundCheck Main Screen tool bar allows you to quickly switch between display steps when viewing
sequence results.
20.12 Offline Tab

The Offline Tab is available with or without a sequence loaded. This allows you to open, process, and view
data without loading a test sequence. In the Offline Tab, data can be examined or analyzed without affecting
the layout of the display steps of the sequence. It minimizes the risk of accidentally editing sequences. In this
mode, virtual instruments such as the signal generator, multimeter etc. can also be used, without a sequence
being open.
This is especially useful for those who view data on a regular basis:
 Development engineers who run a series of experiments and then post-process the data
 Production engineers who need to view large sets of data from the factory
Note: The Lock Display function does not apply to the Offline Tab.
20.13 Display Tabs

The Display Steps in a sequence are always available via the
Display Tabs on the SoundCheck Main Screen as shown in
Figure 20-1. This allows you to easily manage multiple displays
in a sequence. When a sequence is loaded, new tabs are added
for each display step in the sequence.
 When the Memory List is Unlocked, any changes to the Figure 20-1: Display Tabs
display windows, in any of the tabs, are saved when the
sequence is saved. See Lock Display Off on page 346.
 If you remove the display windows and save the sequence, those windows are deleted from the display
tab
 In a sequence with multiple displays, clicking Setup and then
Display opens a drop-down list of available Display Steps to
choose from. Selecting a step opens that Display Tab.
 In a sequence with only one display, simply click on that Display
Tab to edit
 You can Revert the display to its most recently saved form
 Opening a Display Step DOES NOT open the Memory List
 Opening the Memory List DOES NOT open a Display Step
 Closing the Display Step will close the display windows for that tab as well as the Memory List. This is
not saved with the sequence.
For more information see Memory List Display Menu on page 346.

Instruction Manual
20.14 Display Editing
You can easily display info from the Memory List in a sequence by adding a Display Step. Under the Display
Menu - New, you can choose from six types of displays:
 XY Graph
 Waveform Graph
 Table
 Results
 Polar Plot (Requires optional module 2011)
 Text Box
 Picture
A Display Step can have many display windows, in any combination. The only limitation is in organizing the
displays so that they can be seen on the computer screen.
 To view the data associated with the items in the Memory List, select one or
more items under the Curves, Values, Results or WFM tabs.
 Select a single item by Left-clicking on it once
 To select more than one item, hold down the Control key while making
multiple selections
 To de-select an item, click on it a second time while holding down the
Control key
 To select a range of curves highlight the first curve in the range, hold down
the Shift key and then select the last curve in the range
Figure 20-2: Multiple
Items Selected

Instruction Manual
20.15 Right-click - Graph
20.15.1 Copy Image

This takes a screen shot of only the selected graph window and puts it in the Windows
Clipboard. This graphic can be cut and pasted into a document or image editor to save
it.
20.15.2 Tool
 Arrow - When active you can click on the XY axis to change the values. You
can also click on the cursor to drag it to a location.
 Zoom - Click to zoom into a specific part of the display
 XY allows you to drag a box to select zoom area
 X allows you to drag between two points on the X Axis
 Y allows you to drag between two points on the Y Axis
 Hand - Click on the graph and move it within the graph window
 Autoscale - Select to set both X and Y axis to the maximum extent of the graph
window
20.15.3 Cursors
Cur1 and Cur2

Right-click a graph, Select Cur1 or Cur2, then select:
 Drop Here - Places the cursor on the closest curve
 Drag the cursor to any point on the curve
 Drag the cursor to a different curve
 Snap to Max - The cursor jumps to the maximum value of the curve
 Snap to Min - The cursor jumps to the minimum value of the curve
 Remove the cursor from the graph window
The cursor can be moved by Left-clicking and dragging the cursor marker (+) to the desired point on the curve.
The cursor will snap to the closest curve you drag to.
 The XY coordinates of a cursor are displayed next to the cursor on the
display. The XY coordinate box can be moved so that it does not cover the
graph line.
 Cursors can be placed on the graph to note specific coordinates or find
the X/Y difference between 2 cursors.
 Delta X and Delta Y are displayed in the bottom right corner of the graph
window.

Instruction Manual
20.15.4 Legend
Legend - The curve legend can be placed on the Top
of the graph or on the Right as shown in Figure 20-3.
Autosize Legend - Ensures that the full title of curves
or waveforms in the legend is visible. When Autosize is
disabled, placing the mouse pointer over a curve or
waveform name will display the entire name.
Legend Visible - Allows you to hide the legend
Figure 20-3: Legend On Right

20.15.5 Magnitude
 Shows the XY relationship of the selected curve
20.15.6 Phase
 Shows the XZ relationship of the selected curve
20.15.7 Unwrap Phase

 Allows you to show the phase as a continuous plot, even if the phase exceeds + 180 degrees.
Note: Magnitude, Phase and Unwrap Phase are not available on Waveform Graphs.
In a wrapped phase graph, the phase offset of the device

under test is only expressed between 180 and -180
degrees.
If the device has a fixed delay that exceeds the wavelength
of the highest frequency of interest, then the results in the
phase graph will "wrap around" as shown in Figure 20-4.
Figure 20-4: Wrapped Phase

When you un-wrap the phase you take this into account
and plot phase offset values greater than 180 degrees.
This allows phase to be shown as a continuous plot.
Figure 20-5 shows the same Fundamental phase curved
with Unwrap Phase selected.
Figure 20-5: Unwrap Phase
Note: Unwrap Phase can also be accomplished in a Post Processing step if you want to save the Unwrap
Phase data or apply Limits to Unwrapped phase. See Unary on page 253.

Instruction Manual
20.15.8 Open Report
 Follows same rules from Memory List Report Generator. See Report Generator on page 385.
20.15.9 Print Preview

 Opens report in print preview
20.15.10 Print Report

 Sends report to selected default printer. No print preview or print setup.
20.15.11 Save Image as

 You can save the current view of the selected display window as a JPG or PNG file. The graph header
and footer can be expanded so that they are included in the image.
20.15.12 Randomize Colors

This function is especially useful in displays with a large
number of curves.
Right-click the graph area and select Randomize
Colors. This affects only the selected graph. No other
graphs in the display will change..
It creates a random list of colors for the curves displayed
in the active graph. These new colors are linked to the
curves in the Memory List. If one of the curves is added
to a different display, it will use the same color assigned
by “Randomize Color”. Figure 20-6: Randomize Colors
For information on graph colors see Default graph

palette on page 52.
20.15.13 Reset Curve Colors

Right-click the graph area and select Reset Curve Colors.
Sequences or data from prior versions of SoundCheck will have their colors already assigned. When these
sequences are loaded, they will not use colors from the custom color palette. You can reassign these curve or
waveform colors by selecting the "Reset Curve Colors". When you reset colors, the curves and waveforms will
use the colors defined by the Default graph palette in SoundCheck Main Screen Preferences > Display tab.
This is applied to all graphs in the active display. Other displays are not affected.
See Display on page 52.
20.15.14 Reset Graph Colors

Right-click the graph area and select Reset Graph Colors to set the background and grid line colors to those
selected in SoundCheck Main Screen > Edit > Preferences > Display tab. This is applied to all graphs in the
active display. Other displays are not affected.
This allows you to reset the background, gridline, and cursor colors for a display so that they match the color
palette defined in the SoundCheck display preferences. This may also be useful when loading displays from
pre-existing sequences where the display theme does not match new sequences.
See Display on page 52.

Instruction Manual
20.15.15 Preferences
Right-click the graph window and select Preferences. Click on a tab to change graph settings.
As of SoundCheck 17, new display window backgrounds are white. Displays in existing sequences are not
affected.
General
 Title - Enter a name for the graph window. This name appears on
exported graphics for reports.
 Logo - The Listen Logo is displayed in all graph windows
 Autosize - The logo will change size as the graph window is
changed. When Autosize is not selected you can select fixed
sizes of small, medium and large.
 Position - Select: Upper Right or Left, Lower Right or Left
 Color - Select black logo background or white logo
background. The default is white which is better for printing.
 Legend
 The Legend can be Autosized so that it alway shows all of the curves selected for a graph. This
disables the re-sizing bar on the graph.
 Visible allows chose whether or not to show the legend
 Legend Position allows you to place the legend on top or on the right side of the graph
 Colors - Select colors for: Background, Cursor 1, Cursor 2, X and Y Major and Minor divisions. See
Default graph palette on page 52.
 X Axis
 Scale
 Select Linear or Log Axis
 Range
 Select Free or Autoscale
 Autoscale will automatically scale the graph to fit the full
X Axis extents of the graph information
 Free allows you to set fixed Max and Min values in the
graph window
 Standard axis ratio (requires that Auto Offset is on in Y Axis Range control). See Standard
Axis Ratio on page 367 for instructions.
 Grid Lines
 Show Major and/or Minor Grid line check boxes
 Major and Minor Grid Color selection boxes. By default the minor grid lines are set to
transparent (T).
 When the Major or Minor divisions are not selected in the X Axis/Y Axis Tabs, the color is set
to transparent.

Instruction Manual
 Y Axis
 Scale
 Select Linear or Log Axis
 Range
 Select Free or Autoscale
 Autoscale will automatically scale the graph to fit the full Y
Axis extents of the graph information
 Free allows you to set fixed Max and Min values
 Auto Offset - Used to set the Y Axis scale to a fixed range.
The graph will always perform a “Best Fit” on full extents of
the graph information. In this example the Y Axis range is 30 dB.
Note: Y Axis 2 is available if two graph items have different Unit Sets. Only two unit sets are supported
on a graph window. If an third type is added you will see the following message:
“Cannot plot these data together! You must select curves with a maximum of two different unit sets,
including phase.”
 Grid Lines
 Show Major and/or Minor Grid line check boxes
 Major and Minor Grid Color selection boxes. By default the minor grid lines are set to
transparent (T).
 When the Major or Minor divisions are not selected in the X Axis/Y Axis Tabs, the color is set
to transparent.
20.15.16 Standard Axis Ratio

This allows the XY Graph to display a user-defined dB range per decade of frequencies. The example below
ensures that the XY Graph will always be 50 dB per decade, regardless of actual size of the screen.
Note: IEC 263 specifies 10, 25, and 50 dB/decade. B&K chart paper conforms to this standard.
1. Right-click the display and select Preferences.
2. Click on the Y Axis tab, click the Auto

Offset radio button and enter the proper
decibel range as in Figure 20-7. The
typical ranges are 25 or 50 however any
value can be used.
In this example the Y Axis will always have

a scale of 50 dB.
Figure 20-7: Y Axis Auto Offset

Instruction Manual
3. Select the X Axis tab, click Standard axis ratio as in Figure 20-8.
Make sure that the X Axis is set to Free and NOT Autoscale.
4. Click OK to close
Figure 20-8: X Axis

Standard Axis Ratio

Instruction Manual
20.16 Graph Header
Click the up/down arrows to the right of the Plot
Legend to select other curves.
You can also Left-click and pull down the divider
bar at the top of the graph to expand the header to
show all the curves in the Plot Legend.
Right-click a graph line in the Plot Legend to
adjust its properties.
Plot Visible - The selected plot can be hidden.
Common Plots - Select the line style for the selected item: Continuous Line, Dots,
Connected Dots, Fill Baseline, Vertical Lines and Bar Plot.
Color - You have several options using the color spectrum bars: Greyscale, Soft Colors
and Bright Colors. You can also click on the artist palette in the lower right and create a
custom color. The selected color is shown in the bottom left hand box.
20.16.1 Color History

You can view and edit the Color History of the Display Editor in the
SoundCheck 20.ini file.
This shows a list of up to 11 colors used in the most recent run

sequence.
Colors in the list follow the standard HEX color code with “00”
prepended to the value.
The color history and INI file text are shown in Figure 20-9.
[SoundCheck 20.0]
colorHistoryItemA=000411D4
colorHistoryItemB=00CA0D00
colorHistoryItemC=00E84D00
colorHistoryItemD=00FFD900
colorHistoryItemE=0012FF00
Figure 20-9: Color History

Instruction Manual
20.16.2 User Colors
18 Colors can be defined in the SoundCheck 20.ini file.
Colors in the list follow the standard HEX color code and can
be named as shown in Figure 20-10. This also shows the text
of the INI file used in the example.
This is a continuous string with no line breaks. All color items
must be within quotes and semi-colons must be used as
delimiters.
[SoundCheck 20.0]
colorUserItem="Limits_Red=FF0000;Yellow=F7FF
00;L_Green=00DE25;Red=FF5080;Blue=2500DF;
Violet=E060FF;Lt._Gray=C3C3C3;Dark_Violet=C8
0FE8;Light Violet=FFAFFF;Dark
Green=008000;Dark Red=A00000"
Figure 20-10: User Colors
Line Style - Set the selected line to solid or dashed
Line Width - Set the width of the selected item
Anti-Aliased - Select this item to make plot lines appear smoother. Note that anti-aliased lines can make
sequences run slower if a large number of lines are drawn.
Bar Plots - Select between Line Style and a variety of Bar Plots.
Useful for display of RTA Spectrums.
Fill Base Line - This is used to fill the area above or below the
selected item in the Plot Legend.

Instruction Manual
This is useful for creating masks as in Figure 20-11, making it
easier to see the response curve inside the limits mask.
 Infinity - Fills the area above the selected item
 -Infinity - Fills the area below the selected item
 Zero - Fills the area from the selected down to zero
 Memory List Items - You can fill the area from the
item to another curve Figure 20-11: Fill Base Line Mask
Interpolation - Determines how the line between known points

will be drawn. The most commonly used method in SoundCheck sequences is 1 2 3
number 4: Point to Point line.
1. Points only - No interpolation between data points
2. Right edge of step is aligned to data point
3. Center of step is aligned to data point 4 5 6

4. Point to point - (Linear interpolation) is the straight line between each
data point
5. Left edge of step is aligned to data point
6. Vertically centered to data point
Point Style - Select None or a variety of point styles.
X Scale - This function is not supported and should not be used.
Y Scale - This function is not supported and should not be used.
Export - This function is not supported and should not be used.
Important: As of SoundCheck 8, Display Windows do not allow the user to export data to
Excel. This has been replaced with the Report Function. See Report Generator on

Instruction Manual
20.17 Graph Footer
To view the tools, click on the Expand Footer icon (down
arrow) in the bottom right corner of the graph.
20.17.1 Tools
Select the tool icons in the Graph Footer:
 Arrow - When active you can click on the XY axis to
change the values. You can also click on the cursor to Figure 20-12: Expand Footer
drag it to a location.
 Magnifying Glass - Click to zoom into a specific part of the display.
 XY allows you to drag a box to select zoom area
 X allows you to drag between two points on the X Axis
 Y allows you to drag between two points on the Y Axis
 Hand - Click on the graph and move it within the graph window
 Autoscale - Select to set X or Y axis to the maximum extent of the graph window
20.17.2 Axis Controls

Left-clicking on the X, Y1 or Y2 buttons acts as a “One-time” AutoScale.
You can also set the X and Y axis to automatically AutoScale with the Right-click
functions noted below.
Y2 is only enabled when there is a graph item requiring a Y Axis that is different from
Y1, e.g., Y1 = Frequency Response and Y2 = Impedance

Right-click on the X, Y1 or Y2 buttons to open the properties for that axis.
 AutoScale - Set the preference to automatically scale the graph
so the selected axis always fits the screen.
 Format - The appearance of the numbers on the axis can be changed.

This is set to Decimal by default.
 Decimal - Standard decimal point number
 SI - International system of units
 Precision - Set the number of decimal points that should be
represented on the axis.
 Mapping Mode - Sets the scale of the axis to linear or logarithmic

Instruction Manual
20.18 Creating a Display Step
1. Open the sequence editor
2. Open the Display Category folder in the library
3. Right-click the area under Display and select New
4. Type in a name for the Display Step. This example is

named “Final Test”.
5. Click OK.
6. Left-click on the new display template and drag it into the

Active Sequence. Make sure it is at the end of the sequence.
You can Left-click on the Display step to drag it to a new location
in the sequence.
20.18.1 Rules - Display Step

When using multiple Display Steps, each Display Step in the
sequence must have a unique name or data will not be displayed
correctly. This includes sub-sequences.
1. Open the Memory List. In this example we have already run the
sequence so that we have data ready to view in the display
windows.
2. Open the Curves tab. Simply double clicking on a Memory

List item will open it in its default display window. You can
use Drag and Drop to add other items to that window.
3. As an alternative, select multiple data items for the XY

Graph. Right-click the selected items. Select Display On
and select New XY Graph.
4. A new graph display opens on the SoundCheck Main Screen

in the Final Test Tab.
5. You can modify the settings of the graph following the instructions seen in Display Editing on page
362.
6. Right-click the graph of the new display. Select Preferences and name the window. In this case it is
named Response.
7. Next click on just the Response 3rd Oct curve.
Right-click and select Display On and select New XY Graph.

This creates another XY Graph in the Final Test Tab.
8. Right-click the graph of the new display. Select Preferences and
name the window. In this case it is named Phase.
9. The example phase curve is not displayed as a continuous curve,

shown in the example to the right.

Instruction Manual
10. Right-click the graph again and select Unwrap Phase. This makes the phase a continuous curve as
shown in Figure 20-13. See Unwrap Phase on page 364 for more information.
11. In the Memory List, click on the Results tab.
12. Select all of the result items. Right-click the group. Select
Display On and select New Results.
13. The final display has three windows for Response,

Phase and Results.
14. Other windows can be added in the same manner.
15. See Display Examples on page 375 for more

information on available displays.
16. As of SoundCheck 20, you can have up to 50

Display Step steps in a sequence.
Figure 20-13: New Display

Instruction Manual
20.19 Display Examples
20.19.1 XY Graph
The XY Graph can only be used to display curves.
Figure 20-14: XY Graph
 Multiple curves may be shown on one graph, with one or two Y-axes in use.
 You can change the colors of a line on the graph by Right-clicking on the name of the target curve and
choosing Color.
 Other XY Graph properties such as Line Width, Line Style, and Point Style may be configured through
the Plot Legend as well. See Graph Header on page 369.
See Display Editing on page 362.
20.19.2 Results
The Results window displays the test results,
margins, and actual yield percentage if one or
more Statistics Steps are in the sequence.
The Display Step must occur after the Statistics
Steps.
Only items in the Results tab of the Memory List
can be displayed in this window. Figure 20-15: Results Window

Instruction Manual
20.19.3 Export to Excel
Note: To export the information to Excel you must export the entire display from the Report function in the
Memory List. See Report Menu on page 357.
Note: Excel must be installed on the computer. Cloud based installations are not recognized by
SoundCheck.
Results - Display Menu

Set the options for the Results window by Right-clicking on the window and then
selecting Preferences.
The name of the Results display window can be changed in the Preferences
dialog box. Use Show Limits and Show Yield to display more information about
the limits that produce the pass/fail result. Change the notation and precision
(decimal places) to further customize the numerical values.
Figure 20-16: Results -
Preferences
The Overall Pass/Fail selection performs a “Boolean AND” function on the

selected results and shows the final Pass or Fail verdict.
When Overall Pass/Fail is selected, the verdict is shown as a Green “Passed” or
Red “Failed” window as shown in Figure 20-17.
Figure 20-17: Overall

Pass/Fail

Instruction Manual
20.19.4 Polar Plot (optional module required)
The Polar Plot allows you to visualize directionality
characteristics of the device under test. The list of Responses in
the Memory List should be in order (from lowest angle to highest
or highest to lowest). SoundCheck will assume that all
measurements have been taken consecutively. When all the
curves are selected (there must be more than one to show data
on the Polar Plot), there will be one color for each.
Requires optional module 2011 - Polar Plot.
By default:
 The Polar Plot is Autoscaled
 It displays the magnitude of the response at a frequency
of 1000 Hz
Figure 20-18: Polar Plot Display
 The curves will be set at an interval of 10 degrees
 These default settings may be altered by selecting
Preferences from the Display Menu of the Polar Plot window
Note: The “Polar Plot (Linear X turntable)” default sequence has several display examples.
20.19.5 Rules - Adding Polar Curves to Display

 Click on the Polar Display to make it the “Active Display”
 If the number of curves for the polar plot changes you must remove the curves from the Polar Display,
Re-select the curves in the Memory List and add them back to the Polar Display. This keeps the curves
in the proper order so they are displayed correctly.
 Select the group of curves for the Polar Plot in the Memory List. They must be selected in order,
from 0 degrees to the last degree measured and added as a group.
 The curves should be from 0 to 180 degrees or 0 to 360 degrees
 Right-click on the curves and select “Show On Active Display”
Polar - Display Menu

The Display Menu in the Polar Plot display window allows you to:
 Show Legend - of Frequencies next to the Polar Plot as in Figure 20-18
 Show XY Graph - in the Polar Plot window as shown in Figure 20-25
A check mark next to these items means they are visible.
 Open Report - Opens a report based on the current display and the settings in
Report Setup. See Report Generator on page 385.
 Save to Image File - Allows you to save the display window as a JPG or BMP file

Instruction Manual
Preferences
Display Title
Allows you to enter a unique name for the polar window.
Tabs
There are two tabs in the Polar Plot Preferences window, Polar
Plot and XY Graph. Click on the tab to access the options for the
desired graph.
Figure 20-19: Polar Plot Settings

Instruction Manual
Polar Plot Options
Visible Section
This is used to change the viewable portion of the 360 degrees available.
Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the options, or Left-click the
current selection to view the possible displays.
Figure 20-20: Polar Plot

Quadrants
Mirror
If the curves represent less than 360 degrees of data, you can choose to Mirror the information around the
vertical axis of the polar plot. The data will start at 0º at the North position of the circular grid, and proceed
counter-clockwise. By clicking the Mirror check box, the right side of the polar display will be a Mirror Image of
the left side of the display.
Background and Grid Color

The color of the plot background or plot grid lines can be
selected by Left-clicking on the color control icon, and then
selecting a new color from the color palette.
See Figure 20-21.
Figure 20-21: Background and Grid Color

Angle of Increment
The Polar Plot display assumes that the first curve in the series of
curves is at the 0º mark of the rotation.
 Auto Increment requires that you enter the Total
Rotation, in degrees, of the polar measurements. The
number of points is then automatically divided and
displayed in even increments. The And Increment field
changes so you can enter the Total Rotation. Auto
Increment is off in the default sequence example.
 Angle Increment is used to set the degrees of rotation Figure 20-22: Zero Adjust
used when rotating the turntable. This is to Increment the
curves so they are equally spaced from zero degrees.
 Zero Adjust is used to reflect the true angle of the first measurement. Every other curve is assumed to
be taken in increments as set in the Angel Increment field above.
 Angle Increment should match the degrees of rotation used in rotating the turntable. The default
sequence step configuration is set to 10 degrees.

Instruction Manual
Scaling
The Polar Plot, like the XY Graph, is set to Autoscale the curves by default. You
can set this to Manual and set a minimum and maximum range. As curves are
added or removed to the display using the Memory List, this value will not
change.
The Precision field sets the number of decimal places displayed on the Polar
Plot.
Figure 20-23: Autoscale -
You can show magnitude on a log scale by checking the Log box, or make the
Manual
minimum value of the Polar Plot the minimum magnitude in the selected range
of curves by using the clip to min check box.
Cursors
Once all the curves to be displayed are selected, one
line will be visible. This line represents the response
level for each curve at a frequency of 1000 Hz. If the XY
Plot is displayed, the selected curves will be visible with
one cursor labeled 1000. This is a discrete cursor. Other
discrete cursors can be added at other frequencies. An Figure 20-24: Cursors
additional line will be added to the Polar Plot with each
discrete cursor. The default frequency increments are
one-octave widths (e.g., 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, etc.)
To see the response over many frequencies, select the Range option. You can set the start and end values of
the range, and one line will be added to the Polar Plot for each measured frequency. These frequencies are
shown in the legend to the right of the Polar Plot.
20.19.6 Polar Plot Example

 A color is assigned to each Cursor Point
within the designated range
 Each measured point within the range
will create a vertical line in the polar plot
You can add an XY graph to the Polar Plot

display window as noted inPolar - Display
Menu on page 377.
This graph (See Figure 20-25) will show all the
curves that have been selected from the
Memory List as well as the Cursor Lines
selected in the Polar Plot Options tab. See
Polar Plot Options on page 379.
Figure 20-25: Polar Plot with XY Graph

Instruction Manual
XY Graph Options
This is a subset of the functions available in the XY Graph
Preferences as described in Display Editing on page 362.
There are no settings for:
 auto-offset
 standard axis ratio
(See Randomize Colors on page 365 for information on how to
easily change the plot colors.)
Figure 20-26: XY Graph

Options
20.19.7 Table
A Table displays the numerical values, the name, and units of the
Curves, Values, Results or WFM selected from the Memory List.
Any combination of these three types of information can be
displayed in the same table.
Figure 20-27: Table of Curves,

in Column Format
Table - Display Menu

Table properties can be set by choosing Preferences from the Display Menu.
You can change the title of the Table display window, and set the notation and precision for the numerical
values in the table. By default, the names selected from the Memory List for display on the Table are displayed
in columns. This can be changed to Rows by selecting Transpose in the Table Format section.
When the Memory List Items are displayed in column format, the width of
all the columns can be manually adjusted. Put the mouse cursor over the
grid lines in the table until it becomes a double-sided arrow, then drag it
left or right.
Figure 20-28: Manual Resize

Instruction Manual
Table - Preferences
This allows for a great deal of flexibility in how table data
is presented. From the Active Table window select
Display and then Preferences.
Column
 Auto Size sets the column width to widest table
cell (default setting)
 Fixed Width allows you to enter a value for the
cell width
 Manual Resize allows you to click on a column
boundary and move it to the desired width
Table Format
 Transpose changes the x and y orientation of the
data in the table
When Transpose is selected, you can set the
width of the row header (which then contains the
name and unit information of the curves, values
and results). The rest of the table is no longer
manually adjustable. Figure 20-29: Table Preferences
 Row Header Width can be set to a specific value

 Display Units show the units along with the column header (default setting)
Number Format
 Choose between SI Notation or Floating Point
 Enter value for Significant Digits
 Hide Trailing Zeros
Font
 Choose from a drop-down list of fonts
 Set Size, Color and Attributes of selected font (See Figure 20-29)
 Set color of the Background of the table

Instruction Manual
20.19.8 Text
The Text box can be used to annotate tests. The text box allows you to enter free-
form notes into the display layout, although it is not a full-fledged text editor.
Local Language Characters

Text can also be entered in Local Language Characters. See Display Local
Language Characters on page 311.
Menu Options
Text - Display Menu

The Display Menu in the Text display window allows you to change the
formatting of the words and numbers of the display. The size, font, style,
and color of the displayed text can be changed as well as the title of the
Text display window.
Figure 20-31: Text

Preferences
20.19.9 Picture
The Picture display window allows jpeg (*.JPG) or bitmap (*.BMP) images to
be opened in the display.
Mic __
Placement
Picture - File Menu

The File menu of the Picture Display window allows you to select an image
to display.
Direction of
Rotation
Figure 20-32: Picture

Figure 20-33: Select an Image Display

Instruction Manual
Picture - Display Menu - Preferences
 Picture Title - Set the name of the window
 Image Path - Select the image file to be displayed
 Resize Window to Picture - The display window automatically
adjusts according to the size of the image file
 Resize Picture to Window - The image file automatically adjusts to
the size of the display window. Left-click on the border of the window
and drag it to adjust the window size.
Figure 20-34: Preferences
20.19.10 Waveform
Waveforms can be displayed on a graph. They cannot
be displayed on the same graph as a curve.
The Preferences for Waveform graphs are the same
as XY Graphs. See XY Graph on page 375.
Figure 20-35: Waveform Graph

Instruction Manual
20.20 Report Generator
Create and print company reports in Word, Excel, HTML and image files. The
Report Menu is found in the Memory List and Open Report is in each of the
Display Windows.
 Load Logo - Company logos can be added to the heading of a
report. Click here to select .BMP or .JPG file.
Figure 20-36: Report Setup
 Report Setup - Select the Export Settings for the
report:
 Report Selection - Word, Excel or HTML:
Export settings change depending on the type
of report selected
 Report title - None, Standard or Custom
 Template - Must follow rules as noted in Rules
- Report Template on page 385
 Test Information - Operator, Time, Lot Number Figure 20-37: Report Setup
and Serial Number
 Option to Create New File or Append to Existing File
 Open Report - Opens a report based on the current display and the settings in Report Setup
Note: When printing to PDF Writer or PDF Distiller, the file is not automatically named.
SoundCheck.
20.20.1 Rules - Report Template

When creating a template, the following fields must be present or an error message will display indicating that
the template is corrupt or invalid. These fields are case sensitive and must be included in every report even if
they are not used.
 'seq_name' - Sequence Name
 'operator' - Operator's Name
 'time' - Time the sequence was run
 'lot' - Lot number
 'serial' - Serial number
 Graph name (case-sensitive, no spaces)
Regarding graph names: Bookmarks in Word and Excel use the name of the Display Window: Response,
Distortion, Harmonics, Results, etc. The name in the title bar of the display will be used as a bookmark. Excel
and Word do not allow spaces in bookmark names, e.g., "Waveform Graph 1" should be "WaveformGraph1"
(case-sensitive).

Instruction Manual
20.20.2 Creating Templates
Word and Excel Bookmark instructions can be found at: http://office.microsoft.com/ by searching for Work
Bookmark or Excel Bookmark.
20.20.3 REPORTS USING EXCEL

An Excel worksheet will appear on the desktop with the data filled in. This file is named and saved to retain the
data. The other option, Excel format… is used to set up the way the data is exported to Excel. These
preferences are saved when the Display is saved. If the preferences for exporting to Excel are not set, default
settings will be used.
You can choose which axes to include. This may become useful, for example, if all the data has the same X-
axis. In that case, it is recommended to avoid taking up disk space by omitting the X-axis from all Exports after
the first one. Data exported to Excel will be displayed in columns by default, but export to rows can also be
used. If the data requires a Header, the Standard Header can be used, which includes unit information. A
custom header can also be created.
You can choose to export the data in scientific or floating point notation. Test Information such as Operator
name, Time of test, Lot number, and Serial number can be exported with the numerical data. All data will be
exported to a new Excel spreadsheet, each time, by default. Data can also be appended to an existing Excel
file that was created by SoundCheck. Each different name of a curve, value, or result will be saved to an
individual worksheet in the Excel workbook. The worksheet will have the same name as the curve, value, or
result saved there.
Note: If selected, time information is exported with one second resolution, but the default Time/Date
format in Excel is one minute resolution. To display the complete time information, format the cell,
row, or column in Excel that contains the data. For example to show hour, minute, and second
information format the row or column to HH:MM:SS.
Figure 20-38: XY Data Curves In Excel

Instruction Manual
21 Print Step
A Print Step in a sequence allows you to produce a printed report each time the sequence runs. Printing can be
done in the background with no operator action required. A standard SoundCheck® report is shown in Figure
21-1: Printing Editor Standard Report. This can be sent to your printer, or reports can be output to Word,
Excel, HTML or Images.
A print step must be inserted after a Display Step in the sequence and the Display Step must be configured to
“Display when run”.
Figure 21-1: Printing Editor Standard Report
 The Test Info and Test Parameters fields on the left side of the printout are linked to the test
information of the sequence. All of the fields can be modified except for the date, which is fixed.
Printing is also available in the Offline menu on the SoundCheck Main Screen. Reports can be created in the
Memory List. See Report Generator on page 385.
21.1 Print Type Modes

There are five modes to choose from in the Select Print Type field; Standard, Word, HTML,
Excel and Images.
Important! A Display Step MUST come before the Printing Step in the sequence and be
open when the Printing Step runs.
21.1.1 Standard Mode

This mode allows you to setup a report in the Print Editor. You can choose any combination of two graphs,
tables, and/or results displays for your printout.
sends a report to your printer formatted as Printing Editor.
This mode is compatible with the Printing Editor available in previous versions of SoundCheck.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Print Step 387

Instruction Manual
21.2 Report Generator Modes
The Report Modes for Word, Excel, HTML and Images each create a report based on the layout of the currently
open Display Step that occurs prior to the Printing Step in the sequence. The Filename options are the same as
those used for Autosave and Recall.
Rules for the generation of reports are the same as those for the Display Step. See Report Generator on
Note: Word and Excel must be installed on the computer. Cloud based installations are not recognized
by SoundCheck.
21.2.1 Excel Mode

Some options are common to all print modes. The
rules for setting the common options are the same
as those for Word. See Word Mode on page 389
and Rules - Report Template on page 395 for
more information.
The options for setting Axes, Layout, Data Format

and Notation are the same as Autosave and
Recall Steps.
Axes - Choose axes to include in export. The X
axis is always included on the first save to Excel.
Layout - Set in Columns or Rows.
Data Format - Save Data, Images or Both.
Notation - Scientific or Floating Point.
Figure 21-2: Printing Editor - Excel Mode
Note: Excel .XLS files are limited to 256 Columns. Rows are unlimited. In Excel 2007 and later the .XLSX
file maximum worksheet size is 1048576 rows by 16384 columns.
Important! When using an Excel file (XLS) as a template in the Printing Step Editor, the
SoundCheck sequence name must not be longer than 31 characters. This is
because Excel has a limitation of 31 characters maximum for worksheets. The
sequence name is used as the name for the first worksheet in the Excel
workbook created by the Printing Step. In the end, short sequence names are
recommended.
388 Print Step SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
21.2.2 Word Mode
Print to Word options:
 Report Title - None, Standard or
Custom
 Report Template and Path (See Rules
- Report Template on page 395)
 Test Information to include:
 Operator
 Time
 Lot Number
 Serial Number
 Printing Options
 Open Report - Opens the report in
Word (Word must be installed)
 Print - Prints the file to the default Figure 21-3: Printing Editor - Word Mode
printer (opens Word in the
background)
 Save to File - Saves Word file to the location specified in “Report Folder“. Check “Use Default“ to
use the “Default Data Path“. See Folder Paths on page 53.
Save to File Options

 Filename for the report
 New/Overwrite - Creates a report using the Template name
 Append - Add to an existing report
 Automatic - Creates the file when the step is run
 Prompt Operator - Requires operator to enter name for report
Automatic Filename uses the same options as found in the Autosave and Recall Steps:
 Construction - Select an item and click Add> to put the item in the Template
 Separator - Specify what is to be added between items: Spaces, Underscores or None
 When Memory List is added to the Template, the Memory List Value field is enabled. This allows you to
select a value from the Memory List to add to the name template; e.g., Index number of Loop. The Axis
and number Format of the value can be set as well.
 User Defined - User entered text
 Clear button empties the Template field
 The file names must not contain the following characters: \ / : * ? < > | or the
files will not be saved

Instruction Manual
21.2.3 Images Mode
Some options are common to all print modes. The

rules for setting the common options are the same
as those for Word. See Word Mode on page 389
Image Format - Select JPG or BMP.

BMP files have a higher resolution but a larger file
size.
When printing JPG or BMP files of display

windows, the window names must not contain the
following characters: \ / : * ? < > | or the files will
not be saved.
Figure 21-4: Printing Editor - Image Mode
21.2.4 HTML Mode

HTML mode requires that you designate a path
and filename for your HTML file, and decide
whether you would like to simply create the HTML
file and save it to disk, or send it directly to a
printer.
HTML files can be edited with any type of HTML
editor.
The individual graphic files associated with the
HTML file, are uniquely named but not according
to the output file name.
Some options are common to all print modes.
The rules for setting the common options are the
same as those for Word. See Word Mode on
The file names must not contain the following
characters: \ / : * ? < > | or the files will not be
saved.
Figure 21-5: Printing Editor - HTML Mode
Note: As of SoundCheck 8, it is no longer necessary to set the Page Setup options in Internet Explorer.
The default graphic format for HTML mode is BMP. The format can be set to JPG or BMP by editing the
“SoundCheck 20.ini“ file. This file is located in the root of the SoundCheck folder.

Instruction Manual
21.2.5 Standard Mode
Many functions of the Printing Editor are contained in the menu bar. The following sections describe what
options are available.
File
In the File menu, you can open saved data or results files to be displayed for printing.
Additionally, Data or Results in the current sequence can be saved to a *.DAT, .RES,
*.TXT, or *.WAV file.
Click Logo to load your company logo to customize your reports.
Print Preview shows a preview of your report only if you are in Standard mode.
Print sends the report in the Print Editor to the selected printer without having to run
the sequence. This allows you to make adjustments to the Print Step and then test the Figure 21-6: File
results. Menu
Page Setup allows you to choose page formatting and printer options.
Figure 21-7: File - Page Setup
Display
The Display menu enables you to configure your printout while in Standard
mode. (The Display drop-down list is disabled for all other modes.)

Menu Options
The Preferences command opens the dialog box shown in Figure 21-9.
Here, you have the option of enabling one or two displays (marked Display A
and Display B). If you choose to show one display, options for Display B will
become disabled, and Display A will be the only display. For each display you
can choose to show a Graph, a Table, or Results.
Figure 21-9: Preferences

Instruction Manual
Figure 21-10 shows a graph and a
table on the Standard Print report.
Notice that unlike the Display Step,
the Printing Step has two Memory
Lists, one for each type of display.
XY Graphs and Tables can display
curves and single values, and a
Results display can display the
result margins and verdicts.
Figure 21-10: Show Graph and Table
Use Graph Options, Figure 21-11,

to adjust scale options on the x or y-axis. You can remove grid lines or
change from a linear to a logarithmic scale. You can also cancel the
default Autoscaling of the graphs, allowing you to choose your own
scale.
In the Y Axis options, Auto Offset is available. Here you can set the
visible range on the Y-axis. This enables the XY Graph to display a
user-defined dB range per decade of frequencies. When this is
selected on the Y-Axis box, the Standard axis ratio becomes
available on the X-Axis box. Selecting this option will ensure that the
aspect ratio set by the Auto Offset will remain constant. Since you Figure 21-11: Configure Graphs
cannot alter the graph size in the Printing Editor, the Standard axis
ratio is set by default.
The table data can be transposed from rows to columns, and the width of
the columns can be controlled for each of the two possible tables.
Figure 21-12: Table Options

Instruction Manual
Show Limits displays the upper and/or lower bound of your Limits Step in
the results display. The results can be displayed individually, or by
choosing Overall Pass/Fail, you can perform a Boolean “AND” on the
results selected for display, and receive one Pass or Fail notice. To choose
Overall Pass/Fail in this example, you would first need to uncheck the
Show Limits box, and then the Overall Pass/Fail box will become
available. The choices in Figure 21-13: Results Options are mutually
exclusive.
Figure 21-13: Results Options
Curve
In the Curve menu, you can alter the properties of the curves and single
values in the Memory List box of the Printing Editor. Delete enables you
to delete curves, single values or results selected from the Memory List
box on either Display A or Display B (called “Graph A” and “Graph B” in
Figure 21-14: Curve menu options. You can rename one selected
curve, single value or result at a time in either Display A or Display B.
Similarly, you can change the units of the Y axis of one curve or single
value (not valid for results) at a time from either of the two displays.
Figure 21-14: Curve menu

options

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
22 Report Templates
22.0.1 Rules - Report Template

 Office 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2016 are supported for generating reports. Office 97, 2000, XP and 2002
are not compatible.
 Word and Excel must be installed on the computer. Cloud based installations are not recognized by
SoundCheck.
When creating a template, Bookmarks must be added to the template so that these items are automatically
placed in the correct location in the report. These fields are case sensitive.
 logo - Uses the file specified under Edit > Preferences > Folder Paths > Logo Path. Maximum size
of 260 x 60 pixels
 seq_name - Sequence Name, Custom Name or None, depending on what is selected in the Report
Title field
 operator - The User Name used in the SoundCheck Login window
 time - Date and Time the sequence was run
 lot - Lot number from the SoundCheck Main Screen
 serial - Serial number entered on the SoundCheck Main Screen or from a Serial Number Step that
occurs prior to the Print Step/Report generation
 Display Window Name - Each Display window must have an individual bookmark or it will be ignored
when the report is generated. (case-sensitive, no spaces)
 Bookmarks in Word and Excel use the Graph Title set in Graph Preferences of the Display Window:
Response, Distortion, Harmonics, Results, etc. HOWEVER - Spaces are not allowed in Excel or Word
bookmarks.
Example: SoundCheck graph title "Waveform Graph 1" should be bookmarked with the spaces
removed; "WaveformGraph1" (case-sensitive)
 Only letters and numbers are allowed. No other characters, punctuation or hyphens can be used.
In addition, the following rules apply:
 Reports require that a Display Step, along with all its windows, be open in SoundCheck prior to
generating the report. The properties of each of the windows must be set in advance since the report
will use a Bitmap of each display window.
 The graphic of a Display Window cannot be automatically scaled in Word or Excel. The graphic size is
set in the SoundCheck display. The Excel template can have its page scaling set to reduce the size of
report graphics.
 A Report Template is matched to a sequence since the Bookmark names must match the titles of the
Display windows
 Changing the name of a Display in SoundCheck will break the link to the Bookmark in the template
 The Report Setup in a display window or the Memory List cannot be saved with the sequence. The
Report Title is not remembered after you switch sequences or close SoundCheck. The information will
need to be re-selected the next time SoundCheck is run.
 Reports can be in Landscape or Portrait orientation
 Bookmarks can be added to the Header or Footer of the template
 Tables can be used to group graphics with text
For more examples of report templates, refer to the Report Templates folder in SoundCheck.
The “Self Test“ sequence has template examples in Landscape and Portrait orientation.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Report Templates 395

Instruction Manual
22.1 Manually Creating Reports
Reports can be created from the Memory List for the whole display, or from individual display windows.
1. In the Memory List click on File > Report Setup.
2. Under Report Selection select a report type from

the drop-down list. Selections are: Word, HTML
and Excel. The Export Settings will change
depending on the Report Type selected.
3. For this example, Word is selected.
4. Under Report Title you can choose the title name

that will be used on the report. This is the value
that is used for the template field - “seq_name“.
Selections are:
Figure 22-1: Report Setup
 None - report title will be blank.
 Standard - report title will be the name of current sequence.
 Custom - text entered into the field on the right will be used for the report title.
For this example, Custom is selected and the name entered is “GS Model 6”.
5. Under Test Information, select which of the four items are to be included on the report. These
correspond to the required fields as noted in Rules - Report Template on page 395.
6. Click OK to close the Report Setup menu.
7. Click Open Report and a generic report opens

in Word as shown in Figure 22-2:.
The logo is included at the top along with a table that

contains the Report Title and the four items selected
under Test Information. Bitmaps of all of the display
windows follow.
Note: The manual report setup cannot be saved

with the sequence. Changes to the table or
graphic size and position are not
remembered. The Report Title is not
remembered after you switch sequences or
close SoundCheck. The information will
need to be re-selected the next time
SoundCheck is run.
Figure 22-2: Generic Report, Page 1
396 Report Templates SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
22.2 Creating a Word Template
For the next example, a Word Template is created so that the layout of the
report can be customized.
1. Open Word and create a new document named “Speaker Test
Template.doc“.
2. In Word, select Page Setup.
3. Set the Orientation of the page to “Landscape”.
4. Set the Margins as desired.
5. Add a page number field to the Footer of the document. Click on (View
- Header and Footer)
22.2.1 Create Bookmarks Figure 22-3: Page Setup

Bookmarks are used in Word to set the location of text and graphic fields that
SoundCheck will use as targets when generating the report.
The window names from the generic report in the previous example are used to create a report template for this
sequence.
1. Insert and then Bookmark.
2. Under Bookmark name type in “logo“ and then click Add. Since this
is the first Bookmark entered, it will appear in the upper left corner of
the document. The Bookmark appears as a simple “I” bracket as long
as Show Bookmarks is checked under: Tools - Options - View.
(The size of the logo must be set in advance.)
3. Set the location of the next Bookmark in the document. In this case, a
Tab is entered so that the next field is moved away from the logo.
4. Insert and then Bookmark. Enter the Report Title field name,
seq_name and then click Add. Figure 22-4: Set
Bookmarks
5. Set the location of the next Bookmark in the document. Hit Enter to
move to a new paragraph.
6. Type “Serial Number: “. Click on Insert and then Bookmark. Enter the field name, serial and then
click Add.
7. Repeat the procedure to enter the other required field names as noted in Rules - Report Template on
page 395. Enter the bookmarks for the display windows as well. The bookmarks must be in place for
the display window graphics to be added to the document.

Instruction Manual
8. The Word example in Figure 22-5: shows the final
template for this sequence. The document is simply
a collection of bookmarks as listed in Figure 22-4:.
Text can be added before or after the bookmark so
that a text marker for the graphic is included.
9. Save and close the word template, “Speaker Test

Template.doc“ to the Report Template folder in
SoundCheck: C:\SoundCheck 20.0\Report
Templates\Word.
Figure 22-5: Template Bookmark Layout
22.3 Manual Report With Template

10. In SoundCheck, the Report Setup will be modified
as in Figure 22-6:. Select the template from the
previous step. The example title has been changed
to “GS 6.5 Woofer”.
11. Click OK to close the setup window.
12. Click Open Report to generate a new report using

the template.
Figure 22-6: Report Setup 2
13. The report example in Figure 22-7: shows the two pages of the report. The Bookmarks are visible on
the screen but are not printed. The size of each display graphic is set in the SoundCheck Display. If the
graphics in the report are too large, change the size in SoundCheck and re-open the report.
Figure 22-7: Report Example in Word

Instruction Manual
22.4 Print Step Reports
By adding a Print Step to a sequence, generating reports can be an automatic process. Reports can be saved
to Word without being visible to the user.
In the following process, the same sequence from previous examples has been used. The same template can
then be used in the Print Step.
1. Insert a Print Step to the sequence. It must occur after a Display
Step that is configured to “Display Step when run“. If not, an error
will occur when the sequence is run. See Figure 22-8:. (See
Adding Multiple Steps on page 470 for more information.)
The settings in the upper section are the same as the Report Setup in
the previous example: Manual Report With Template on page 398. Figure 22-8: Error
2. Under Select Print Type, choose
Word from the drop-down list. See
Figure 22-9:.
3. Under Report Title select Custom

and enter ”GS 65 Woofer”.
4. Under Report Template select

“Speaker Test Template.doc“.
5. Under Test Information select all

four items.
The settings in the lower section follow the

same rules as found in Word Mode on page
389.
6. Under Printing Options select
Open Report then click Apply to
test the report. A new report will
open in word so that you can verify Figure 22-9: Print Step Setup
the above settings. The report will
be the same as the previous example: Manual Report With Template on page 398.
7. Under Printing Options change the selection to Save File. The filename
options are now enabled.
8. Under Filename select New/Overwrite to create a new report for each

measurement.
9. Select Automatic to enable the Construction fields. Select User Defined

and click Add. Select Serial Number and click Add. The Separator
should be set to “Spaces”. In the User Defined field enter “GS 65 W“. For
every sequence run, with a new serial number, a new report will be
generated. Figure 22-10: Report
Folder
10. Click Apply and a new report is generated in the selected Report Folder.
Remember: The Display Step of the sequence must be open in order to
generate a report. As seen in Figure 22-10:, ten reports were generated after testing ten speakers.
Each file has the serial number appended to the name.

Instruction Manual
22.4.1 File Path
The Report Template and Report Folder fields do not follow Relative File Path rules. The path must be re-
entered if the sequence is run from a different computer.
22.5 Creating an Excel Template
Note: When printing to an Excel template, it is important to keep the File Name short since there is a
maximum File Name Length when saving to some versions of Excel.
Defined Names are used in cells as field markers for information and graphics when SoundCheck saves to
Excel using a template. In this example, we have created a new Excel file named
“Speaker Test Template.xlsx“.
1. Right-click a cell where you want to
locate a field marker. (A1)
2. Select Define Name and enter the name

in the editor. See Figure 22-11:.
3. In the Define Name window enter “logo”

and click OK.
4. The Defined Name can now be seen in

the Name Box above column A.
5. Select cells for the other required field

markers and markers for the graphics of
the report.
Figure 22-11: Excel Template
6. In this example, the markers are in the following fields:
(Cells A6 through A10 must be sized to allow enough room for the A1 - logo C1 - seq_name
graphics.) A6 - Results E1 - serial
7. Save and close the template. A7 - Fundamental E2 - lot
A8 - Impedance E3 - Operator
A9 - THD E4 - time
A10- RubandBuzz

Instruction Manual
In our example sequence we have changed the Print Step to Excel as the Print Type. See Figure 22-12:.
The settings for an Excel Print Step are covered in Excel Mode on page 388, Word Mode on page 389 and
Autosave Editor on page 227.
8. Under Report Template select “Speaker Test

Template.xls”.
9. Under Printing Options select Open Report

and click Apply.
10. Note that the Data Format is set to Both. This

will save both the graphics and the raw data to
the report. The data for each of display
windows will appear in a separate worksheet in
the Excel file.
11. The Excel Report is opened and the size of the

cells can be Fined Tuned to fit the display
graphics. See Figure 22-13:.
Figure 22-12: Print Step - Excel
12. Once the cells in the Excel report have been

adjusted, delete the graphics and text from the variable
fields. Then delete the worksheets for the display data.
This leaves the Defined Names and Cell Titles for the
template.
13. Save and close the Excel template.
14. In the Print Step in SoundCheck, set Printing Options

to Save to File. When the sequence is run, a new
Excel spreadsheet is created for each new device
tested: “GS 65 W 2001.xls“.
Figure 22-13: Excel Template With Data

Instruction Manual
Important! The font size of the cells in the Excel template cannot be adjusted. The setting
is over written by SoundCheck. The font size is fixed at 10 point.
Important! The size of graphics is not remembered when they are adjusted in the Excel
template. Display windows must be scaled in the SoundCheck display.

Instruction Manual
23 Serial Number Editor
You can choose to automatically increment the serial number each time the sequence is run, or to prompt the
operator to manually enter the serial number of the DUT. When used in a sequence along with the Autosave
Step (See Autosave Editor on page 227) the updated serial number can be saved with measurement data.
The serial number also appears at the top of the main SoundCheck® window and in reports generated by the
Printing Step. To view and change the system’s serial number settings, select Serial Number from the Setup
drop-down list on the SoundCheck Main Screen, or use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+E.
When exiting SoundCheck, the last recorded serial number is saved in the SoundCheck 20.ini file. The next
time SoundCheck is opened, the last serial number is automatically recalled to the S/N field of the SoundCheck
Main Screen. This enables the operator to continue measuring a lot that was not finished before their shift was
over.
23.1 Auto Increment

With Auto Increment selected, the S/N prefix appears along with the
incremented number. Using a step configured as in Figure 23-1: Serial
Number Setup, the serial number for the first three items tested would
be; ABC1, ABC2 and ABC3.
Figure 23-1: Serial Number Setup
23.2 Prompt Operator

When Prompt Operator is selected, any alpha-numeric combination can
be entered by the user. This number is then used to identify the data. Once
the number is entered, you can click OK or Enter to continue running the
sequence.
Note: The Serial Number Step must precede the Autosave Step in a
sequence for the serial number to be correctly recorded with Figure 23-2: Serial Number
the measurement data. Prompt
Note: As of SoundCheck 7, the Serial Number category in the Step Library has been changed from
“Serial #” to “Serial No”. To use steps from previous versions of SoundCheck, copy the steps
from the Serial # folder of SoundCheck x.x to the Serial No. folder in the SoundCheck 20.0
directory. These can then be used as step templates.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Serial Number Editor 403

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page intentionally left blank
404 Serial Number Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
24 Statistics Editor
The Statistics Editor allows you to perform a variety of statistical measurements on the data that is produced.
These measurements include: minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, Cp, Cpk, and Best/Worst fit to
Average for curves.
The editor can operate in either of two modes depending on the application. The Online mode allows for the
use of the statistics step in a sequence. You can use this mode to determine the standard deviation after each
run and determine whether the spread of the results is outside of acceptable limits. Statistical calculations are
made upon the consecutive runs of a sequence when using Online mode.
24.1 Online Mode

The values calculated by the Statistics Step are created from curves, values, and results generated during the
run of the current sequence.
Important! If the Hardware, Calibration, Acquisition, Analysis or Statistics Steps are

changed, all unsaved statistical data is lost.
It is important to understand the circumstances that will enable you to keep building upon the current statistics
values. The first time the sequence is run, the statistical values begin to fill. This first run produces curves and
values that are based on only one set of data. In other words, the curve Minimum, Maximum, Mean, and
Standard Deviation are all identical curves the first time the sequence is run.
The second time the sequence runs, all the statistics calculations are performed using the current and previous
data together. The third time, the algorithm integrates the current run values with the running statistics
calculated from the last two runs, and so on.
24.1.1 Redo
When Redo is selected from the SoundCheck® Main screen, the last
measurement gets overwritten and the statistics recalculated to include the new
measurement. This is an unlimited Redo, so it can be selected as many times as is
necessary.
A change in the lot number, changing the sequence or changing certain steps of
the current sequence (See note above) will reset and empty all your Statistics
curves. Any statistics values from this point on will not take old curves/values into
account.
Figure: 24-1 Unlimited
Redo
SoundCheck® 20.0 Statistics Editor 405

Instruction Manual
24.2 Offline Mode
You can use the Offline Display Tab to calculate statistics on previously
measured data. The Offline mode is used outside of a sequence and can be
used on protected data or other previously collected data. Offline mode allows
you to compare each of the selected curves to each other, rather than to
previous runs. The results are output to the Memory List in the form of
protected data.
If you want to calculate the average of a group of impedance curves, you can
use the Offline mode to compare these curves. Figure: 24-2 Offline Mode
Note: Histogram, Best and Worst Fit to Average options are only available in Offline mode, and can be
used to determine "Golden Units" and "Outliers".
When using stored *.DAT files to create statistics, verify that the *.DAT file contains multiple tests of the same
measurement. Please note that any statistical analysis becomes more valid with a large number of samples.
Depending on the variability of your measurements, you may need 60 to 100 tests. You can adjust your Sigma
value based on the number of samples available.
Note: Mean, Maximum, Minimum, and Standard Deviation calculations are done on the numerical values
as they are stored in the file. No conversion is made to use a linear scale.
Note: Protected Data can only be added to Protected Groups. See Rules - Auto Grouping - Memory
List on page 355.
Important! Any display windows added to the Offline Tab are temporary. They are not
stored with a sequence.
406 Statistics Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
24.3 Statistical Process Control
Statistical Process Control measurements are also available in SoundCheck. These options allow users to
track the quality of the production by comparing deviations to user-defined limits. For more information See
SPC - Statistical Process Control on page 411.
 Select Statistics from Offline

Menu
 Select Data, Results or both
 Work In mode allows for calculation

in Linear, dB or Power units
 Select items from Memory List
 Select statistical processes to run for

Data and Results
 Click Apply and the statistics results

are updated in the Memory List
Figure: 24-1 Statistics Offline

Instruction Manual
24.4 Choosing What Statistics to Create
You can decide what curves, values and/or results to analyze
statistically. In Figure 24-3: Choosing Data and/or Results the top
area of the editor indicates the number of times this particular step
has run in this sequence. All statistical values calculated are based
on the “No. of Curves Selected”. Figure 24-3: Choosing Data and/or
You can choose to calculate statistics on Data (curves and values), Results
Results or both. The Data or Results items are selected form the
Data and Results lists, respectively. Data items will include the curve and/or value names displayed in the
Memory List. Each selected name in the list box will have between one and four calculations performed, which
depends on how many statistics boxes are checked.
24.4.1 Statistics for Curves and Values

The Data section of the Statistics Editor (See Figure: 24-1 Statistics Offline) contains all the options for
statistical measurements that this step may perform.
 Work in mode: Statistics can be calculated using Linear (RMS), dB or Power Units for the Y axis.
Linear Example: 90 dB + 90 dB = 96 dB (The math is applied on the linear values.)
dB Example: 90 dB + 90 dB = 180 dB (The math is applied on the dB values.)
Power Example: 90 dB + 90 dB = 93 dB (The math is applied on the power values.)
 Max – Compares the current Y (magnitude) and Z (phase) value at point X (frequency or time) with the
existing maximum for point X. If the new value is higher, the maximum value is rewritten. The Memory
List is updated with a new curve or value whose name ends in Max (e.g., Fundamental [L] Max). This
enables you to track the upper extreme of the range of the DUT.
Note: To view the Z values in the Display Step, select Phase from the Display menu in the XY
Graph, or use a table to display the numerical values of the curve or single value.
 Min – Compares the current Y and Z value at point X with the existing minimum for point X. If the new
value is lower, the minimum value is rewritten. The Memory List is updated with a new curve or value
whose name ends in Min (e.g., Fundamental [L] Min). This enables you to track the lower extreme of
the range of the DUT.
 Mean - Calculates the mean Y and Z value at every X point along the curve. If a single value, this
command calculates the average single value. The Memory List is updated with a new curve or value
whose name ends in Mean (e.g., Fundamental [L] Mean). Variation in the mean after many tests have
been run indicates a new factor has been introduced that may be causing problems.
Note: This is not to be confused with Statistics: Average in the Post-Processing Editor, a single value
which is the average of all the Y values in one curve.
 Standard Deviation - The standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion

of the Y and Z dimension of the selected curve or value. SoundCheck uses
 (χ −M)
2
σ=
i
the equation, where xi is the current Y or Z value at point X, M is the mean of
all the past values at point X, and n is the number of values in the set. n −1
Choosing this option creates two new curves. These may be viewed as bounds around the curve being
measured. For example, if Fundamental [L] is chosen from the Data list box, and the Standard
Deviation box is checked, you will see two new curves in the Memory List: Fundamental [L]

Instruction Manual
+1.00sigma and Fundamental [L] -1.00sigma (this is assuming 1 sigma was indicated, as in Figure:
24-1 Statistics Offline). When these two curves are displayed on the XY Graph with the Fundamental
[L] Mean curve, the Mean curve should fall directly between the two Standard Deviation curves. Future
Fundamental curves have a 68% chance of falling within these bounds. If 2 sigma is chosen, you know
that there is a 95% chance new curves will fall between these bounds. At 3 sigma, there is a 99%
chance that new curves will fall within the bounds. Responses that fall outside the Standard Deviation
of the Mean may indicate erratic problems with the DUT or the test environment.
Please note that Standard Deviation values become more accurate when a large number of samples
are taken.
 Absolute Standard Deviation - The absolute standard deviation is the pure σ value. The curve that is
the result of this calculation is available in the Memory List.
 Histogram
 Available only in Off Line Statistics, on single
values (cannot be used on curves)
 Select which axis of value to apply statistics on: X,
Y or Z
 Select Bin Width - Sets the width of the bar plots
of the Histogram Curve and sets the resolution of
the counting process. Enter any value greater
than 0.
The example in Figure 24-5 shows a Bin Width of 1.
The bar at 90-91 Pa shows the number of samples
that fall in that bin.
 Enter Custom Name for the resulting curves
Figure 24-4: Offline Histogram Settings
 Users will be able to select a series of single

values and output a histogram curve Figure 24-5:
Histogram Display
 Histogram and Distribution (Gaussian bell) curves will
appear as new Curves in the Memory List
 These curves can be added to a display
Figure 24-5: Histogram Display

Instruction Manual
Histogram Display Setup
The setup of a Histogram Display window is different than other display types. Follow the example in Figure
24-6 when creating a Histogram Display.
1. Add Histogram curves from the Memory List
to a new X Y Graph.
2
2. Right-click the Histogram Curve in the
Legend.
 Select Common Plots and click Bar Plots

 Select Fill Base Line and click “-Infinity”
 Set the curve colors as well
3. Right-click an X axis value to open the X
Axis Tools. 3
 Set Format to Decimal
 Set Precision as needed
 Set Mapping Mode to Linear
 Do the same for the Y axis 4
4. Right-click the graph of the display and

select Preferences.
 Enter the Graph Title

 Set the desired Plot Area color on the
Colors tab
 Set Legend properties as desired
 Turn off Major and Minor Grid Lines for both
the X and Y axis
 Set both X and Y axis to Free.
 Click OK to exit
 You will need to double click on the X and Y
axis values on the graph to change the
graph window scaling
5. From the Memory List click Display and
select Save Display as Template to save
the layout for future use.
Figure 24-6: Histogram Display Setup

Instruction Manual
24.5 SPC - Statistical Process Control
Statistical Process Control can be used to monitor the quality of the production run.
Statistics can be calculated on a specific scalar parameter (e.g., THD or sensitivity @ 1 kHz) for a group of
loudspeakers (e.g., the production of the day). The Statistics module calculates the capability indexes and the
results are made available in the Memory List. These can then be saved using an Autosave Step. The history
of these indexes can be used to check the trend of production using some external software (e.g., EXCEL).
Figure: 24-7 USL/LSL Settings
Menu choices:
 USL: Upper Specification Limit. The maximum tolerance of the production limits. Constants set by the
user. e.g., 92.5 dB SPL. (See Figure: 24-7 USL/LSL Settings)
 LSL: Lower Specification Limit. The minimum tolerance of the production limits. Constants set by the
user. e.g., 88.5 dB SPL.
 Process Capability indexes Cp and Cpk. These indexes are added to the existing list: min, max, mean,
sigma. These indexes are calculated in real time and appear in the Memory List.
Cp - A measure of process performance

Essentially it is a measure of variance/spread of one's data with respect to specification limits. Values greater
than 1 indicate that the 6 sigma range is within the limits. If Cp is equal to 1, the range of 6 sigma exactly equals
the range of the limits. If it is less than one, the 6 sigma range exceeds the limits. Ideally or to be safe, the
process would yield a result of 1.33 (8 sigma) or higher. This means that your measured parameter will not
exceed the limits more than 0.0063% of the time. To the right is a table of Cp values and the related
Percentage of Failure. The formula for Cp is:
C p = ( USL – LSL ) ⁄ ( 6σ )
Cpk - Process performance index

This is similar to Cp, except that it takes into consideration any off-centered alignment of the data. The 6 sigma
range may be much smaller than the limits range, but the mean could still be close to one of the limits. This
would result in a high Cp but a low Cpk. The formula for Cpk is:
C pk = Min [ ( USL – mean ), ( m ean – LSL ) ] ⁄ ( 3σ )

Instruction Manual
If the spread of data is Well Centered, then Cpk
equals Cp. This would be a good situation. In this
example, Cp = 1.5 and Cpk =1.5 on day 1.
If the spread of data is Off Centered, Cpk is less

than Cp. This is a warning sign of a bad trend. In
this example, Cp = 1.5 and Cpk =1.05 on day 2.
If the spread of data is outside the USL/LSL limits,

Cpk will be below 1. This of course, indicates pro-
duction problems. In this example, Cp = 1.5 and
Cpk = 0.66 on day 3.
If the mean is outside the USL/LSL limits, Cpk will be

less than zero. This indicates a serious problem. In
this example, Cp = 1.5 and Cpk = -0.28 on day 4.
The graph shows the Cp and Cpk values plotted over

the course of the days indicated in the above exam-
ples. An ideal situation would be to have Cp and Cpk
equal on all days. In this case, Cp (solid blue line) is
constant indicating that the spread of the data is con-
sistent. Cpk (dashed green line) is unfortunately not
consistent. Tracking the two values in such a way
gives you a quick check on your production perfor-
mance for a particular line.
Note: Careful selection of USL and LSL numbers is essential to have meaningful Cp and Cpk numbers.
Calibration of the SoundCheck system is also critical.
Note: Cpk - Process capability index (and Cp): SoundCheck provides Cpk (and Cp) instead of Ppk (and
Pp), but they are mathematically identical. Once a process is put into a state of statistical control,
process capability is described using process capability indices, which uses the same formula as
Cpk (and Cp). The indices are named differently to call attention to whether the process under
study is believed to be in control or not. For more information, please visit: www.isixsigma.com.

Instruction Manual
24.6 Best Fit to Average
You can select the number of Best or Worst Fit curves that you want to produce. For
example, if you have five hundred curves representing the impedances of five hundred
speakers, you might want to determine which ten of those were the closest to the average
(to find "Golden" reference unit). To do this, you should enter "10" in the "No. Ranked" field
in the editor. This will determine which ten curves are the closest to the average, and rank
them according to how close they are.
In addition to determining which curves are the best fit, the option also produces a deviation curve for each of
the "best fit" curves. These curves are the arithmetic difference between the mean curve and the "best fit"
curves.
The best fit is the curve, which minimizes the quadratic distance to the average curve: 2
, where X is the average curve and Y is one of the result curves.
ε =  Xi – Yi
i
Best fit curves with

ranking appears in ranking number
Memory List
Deviation curves
Figure: 24-8 Memory List - Best Fit to Average
The curves selected in Statistics Offline on page 407, that meet the Best Fit criteria, appear in the Memory
List. The numbers of the curves are indicated along with their ranking. See Figure 24-8 for an example of the
items created in the Memory List.
In addition to the Best Fit to Average function, a Worst Fit to Average function is also included. This function
maximizes the quadratic distance to the average curve using the same formula as shown above. With this
option, you can isolate a specified number of outliers. As with the Best Fit function, this option will generate a
group of curves whose quantity is specified in the editor along with a group of corresponding deviation curves.
This function can be useful in determining which of the tests represent useless data. You can remove these
curves from their data group and re-perform the statistical measurements in order to get results that are more
meaningful.
24.6.1 Statistics for Results

The Results section of the Statistics Editor (See Statistics Offline on page 407) holds the options for
Statistical calculations you can perform on a Result, the Margin or the Verdict.
 Individual Limits Yield [%] - Each Result chosen from the list box has its own Verdict (Pass/Fail).
Selecting Individual Limits Yield will create a running tally of the success rate of each result, as the
sequence runs multiple times. This value will reflect the percent of times the Individual Limit has
passed and can be viewed next to the Limit Result in the Results Display (See Results on page 375),

Instruction Manual
or as a Value in a Table of the Display Step. You could use this value to set a Limits Step, and alert the
operator when a Result is failing over 75% of the time.
 Overall Yield [%] -A Boolean AND function is performed on the Verdicts of the result names selected
in the Statistics Step. A PASS or FAIL Verdict is recorded for that test run. The next time the sequence
runs, the new value (after the Boolean AND) will be compared with the previous. For example, after
two runs, if one run passed and one failed, the Overall Yield will be 50%.
 Margin Mean - Each time the sequence is run, the Margin mean value is recalculated. There will be a
unique Margin Mean for each Result selected, named e.g., Response Margin [L] Margin Mean.
Tracking the Margin Mean can give advance notice that a particular process is drifting towards an out-
of-specification condition (e.g., if the Margin Mean is getting smaller over time).
 Margin Standard Deviation - The standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of the result
margins. The equation used is the same as the one used for calculating the standard deviation for a
curve or value. When choosing this option, two new values are created, named Response Margin
+1.00 sigma and Response Margin -1.00 sigma (assuming 1 sigma was specified). These may be
viewed as bounds about the margin being estimated. When these two values are displayed on the
Table with the Response Margin Mean value, the Margin Mean value should fall between the two
Standard Deviation values. If you choose one 1 sigma (one Standard Deviation) then the bounds
created will indicate that 68% of future runs will fall with in these bounds. If 2 sigma is chosen, you
know that there is a 95% chance new Margin values will fall between these bounds. At 3 sigma, there
is a 99% chance that new Margin values will fall within the bounds. Response signals that fall outside
the Standard Deviation curves may indicate a new issue in the DUT or the test environment.
Note: Please note that Standard Deviation values become more accurate when a large number of
samples are taken.
 Absolute Margin Standard Deviation - Applies only to the Margin of the Results. It is calculated in the
same method as Absolute Standard Deviation.
24.7 Adding Statistics Steps to the Sequence

In the case that more than one Statistics Step exists within a sequence, the Statistical values remain
completely exclusive to the step. For example, you can insert a jump condition into your sequence, and run a
Statistics Step called Passing Stats if a Limits Step passes and Failing Stats if the Limits Step fails. In this way,
you can keep your averages, maxima and minima comprised of only Passing, or of only Failing data.
24.8 Verdict of the Step

In the sequence, the Verdict of the Statistics Step is dependent on whether you have selected an Overall Yield
calculation in that step. If the Overall Yield box has been checked, the step’s Verdict will be Pass if all the
Results selected are Pass. If any of the Result verdicts are Fail, the Overall Yield will fail, causing the step
verdict to be Fail. If Overall Yield has not been selected in the step, the step will pass by default.
Note: All Mean and Standard Deviation calculations are done on the numerical values of the data or
result. No conversion is made to linear units.
24.8.1 Rules - Statistics

 The Statistics Step must occur before the Display Step that shows the Yield Results tied to those
statistics.

Instruction Manual
24.9 Statistics Example Sequence
The Statistics sequence located in the “How to Example”
sequence folder can be used as a template when creating a new
sequence. These steps can be added to an already existing
sequence as well.
Figure 24-9 and Figure 24-10 show the settings of the Statistics
steps in the sequence.
The first step is used to calculate statistics on the Fundamental
curve and the Response Limits results.
Figure: 24-9 Statistics Step 1
The second Statistics Step is used to calculate Process

Performance on the Max SPL value.
Figure: 24-10 Statistic Step 2

Instruction Manual
Figure 24-11 shows the results screen of a sample run of speakers.
Figure: 24-11 Statistics Sequence Display

Instruction Manual
25 SoundMap
25 SoundMapTM
25.1 Time Frequency Analysis Introduction

SoundMap™ Time Frequency Analysis is a module which enables detailed analysis of signals simultaneously
in both the time and frequency domain. This off-line analysis module can read measurement data from any
WAV file or any waveform file created with SoundCheck [.WAV, .TIM (MLSSA), .WFM, .TXT and .MAP].
SoundMap offers the following transforms:
 Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT)
 Cumulative Spectral Decay (CSD)
 Wigner-Ville
 Wavelet
These transforms are ideal for loose particle detection, Rub & Buzz detection and impulse response analysis of
loudspeakers. They are also used for identification of transient effects such as drop out in digital devices
including VoIP, Bluetooth headsets or transient distortion in MP3 players.
Example data is included in SoundCheck: C:\SoundCheck 20.0\data\SoundMap\Demo Data
When opening SoundMap™, the initial
display is a Time-Frequency Analysis window
which displays the time signal to be analyzed.
From this, you can select which of the four
algorithms to use, and define the analysis
parameters. The time signal to be analyzed is
shown in Figure: 25-1.
25.1.1 Displays
SoundMap™ offers a variety of display
options including:
Figure: 25-1 Analysis Window
 3D waterfall plot
 Intensity map with time and
frequency slices
 Global Energy Spectrum
 Instantaneous spectrum
 Partial Average Spectrum
 Group delay
 Time envelope
 Partial time envelope
 Frequency time curve
 Instantaneous frequency
SoundCheck® 20.0 SoundMap 417

Instruction Manual
25.2 Controls

These controls allow you to move the graph, zoom in or out to
select the area to be analyzed, and move the cursor by
dragging the mouse target along the curve.
25.2.2 Advanced Graph Controls

Autoscale: Left-click on the Lock symbol to turn Autoscale Autoscale OFF for X
on and off. The Green light indicates that Autoscale is on axis (Unlocked)
(as well as the Lock/Unlock symbol). Clicking on the X or Y
axis symbol, autoscales the axis without turning autoscale Autoscale ON for X
on. This is a “one shot“ autoscale. axis (Locked)
X and Y-axis formatting: Choose value type, number of

decimal places and Log or Linear scale by Left-clicking on the “x.xx” or “y.yy” buttons.
Left-click on x.xx or y.yy
Grid Color: Changes the gridline color for X or Y axis.
Zoom: Choose to zoom in to different areas of Cursor: Click to activate cursor control
the graph tool
Hand: Choose to move graph with hand control Graph Background: Click to change
color of background
Figure 25-2: Axis Scaling, Zoom and Style Controls
Zoom
To zoom different sections of the graph, place the mouse pointer on top of
the magnifying glass and Left-click. This will open the zoom window,
allowing you six (6) different choices.
Zoom in any area of graph Zoom vertically along the Y axis
418 SoundMap SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Zoom horizontally along the X axis Undo zoom
Left- the zoom-in or zoom-out buttons. Move mouse pointer inside graph and single click.
Graph will zoom in or out automatically.
Figure: 25-3 Zoom Modes
Cursor Controls
By clicking on a cursor line on the graph, or on the cursor icon in the control box, you can make that cursor
active. Once active, the cursor is highlighted and its attributes can be modified.
(Snap to is an unused function.)
a cursor to
make it active.
Change cursor
Bring to Center moves the cursor attributes
to the center of the graph screen
Go to Cursor moves the graph
screen so that it is centered on the
cursor position
Figure: 25-4 Cursor Controls
25.2.3 Right-click Graph

Right-click any graph in the Analysis or Map windows:
 Copy Data - The selected graph is copied to the clipboard so it
can be pasted into a report
 Export Simplified Image - You can choose to save as .BMP,
.EPSor .EMF. Choose to Export to clipboard or Save to file. Hide
Grid simply removes the grid lines of the graph.

Instruction Manual
25.2.4 Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT)
The Short Time Fourier Transform is a general purpose algorithm which enables observation of the spectral
changes of a signal over time. This method is ideal for the detection of manufacturing defects such as:
 Loose particles and Rub & Buzz in
loudspeakers
 Measurement of settling time and
ringing in devices including
loudspeakers and telephones
 Analysis of dropouts,
discontinuities and instabilities in
digital devices
Figure: 25-5 shows the STFT Analysis of a
loudspeaker with loose particles.
Figure: 25-5 STFT Analysis
25.2.5 Cumulative Spectral Decay (CSD)

Cumulative Spectral Decay is the traditional tool for impulse response analysis of loudspeakers. It calculates
the “ringing” of the loudspeaker for each frequency using the impulse response.
Data can be output in a variety of formats
including the widely-used three-
dimensional ‘waterfall plots’.
An example of a 3D waterfall plot is
shown in Figure: 25-6. This is from the
analysis of an impulse response of a
loudspeaker.
Figure: 25-6 3D Waterfall Plot

Instruction Manual
25.2.6 Wigner-Ville
Wigner-Ville is the ultimate algorithm for detailed analysis of very short events.
 Fine analysis of transients or in-
depth observation of rapidly
evolving signals are two examples.
 This algorithm offers an output
resolution down to one spectrum
per sample
 Wigner-Ville provides the best
resolution of all the algorithms
 It complements the more
commonly used analysis methods
discussed above
 Figure: 25-7 show the analysis of
the impulse response of a
loudspeaker with a time-slice at
3.69 kHz and the group-delay
curve
Figure: 25-7 Wigner-Ville Analysis
25.2.7 Wavelet
Wavelet analysis differs from CSD and STFT analysis in that it uses constant percentage bandwidth rather than
constant frequency bandwidth. This offers better time resolution at high frequencies and better frequency
resolution at the lower end of the spectrum. This is advantageous as it is more psycho-acoustically significant
and it is easy to see the entire 20 Hz – 20 kHz spectrum in one picture.
 Applications for wavelet analysis
are generally the same as for STFT
analysis described above
 The algorithm selected depends on
whether constant frequency or
constant percentage bandwidth is
preferred
 Wavelet analysis presented as a
time-frequency map to show
Bluetooth dropout is shown in
Figure: 25-8
Figure: 25-8 Wavelet Analysis

Instruction Manual
25.3 Time-Frequency Analysis Window
The Analysis Window is displayed when SoundMap is started. This window allows you to select the file to be
analyzed, the region of the file to be analyzed and the type of transform to be used.
25.3.1 Data Selection

Select a Waveform from the Memory List or click on the
Browse button and navigate to the file.
Allowable files types are:
 .MAP - SoundMap data file. Opening a .MAP
file automatically opens the Time-Frequency
Map window using waveform information stored
in the MAP file.
 .WAV - Standard Windows PCM file. See WAV
File Types on page 359 for more information
on supported WAV file types.
 .TIM - MLSSA time file.
 .WFM - SoundCheck waveform (This must be a
linear format waveform - y axis not in dB.)
 .TXT - a text file with specific format (See Text
File Format on page 445).
A Waveform file may contain more than one waveform.
You will be prompted to select which file should be opened for analysis.
Important! The waveform must be in linear units such as V or Pa, not dB V or dB Pa.
25.3.2 Bargraph Indicators

The bargraph above the Intensity
Display shows information on the
following:
 Window - A graphic display of the window size that is applied to the waveform being analyzed.
 Smoothing - The amount of time smoothing applied when using the Wigner-Ville algorithm.
 Analysis Segment - Shows the location and block size of the waveform portion being analyzed in
relation to the full waveform.

These controls allow you to move the graph, zoom in or out to select the area to be
analyzed, and move the cursor by dragging the mouse target along the curve. The
operation of these controls is outlined inControls on page 418.

Instruction Manual
25.3.4 Analysis Process
Figure: 25-9 shows the breakdown of how the analysis window moves along a waveform in Time Resolution
steps. For each step, a Spectra is created. The resulting Multispectrum is used in the Time-Frequency Map and
3D Waterfall Window.
Frequency
Intensity Display
Multispectrum
Time
# of Spectra
Gaussian
Window 1 2 3 n n+1
Waveform
Window Size Time Resolution Overlap %

Start Stop
Analysis Duration
Figure: 25-9 Analysis Process
25.3.5 Analysis Parameters
Algorithm
You can select one of four available algorithms:
 Short Time Fourier Transform - STFT: General purpose
algorithm. Not recommended for low frequency analysis.
 Cumulative Spectral Decay - CSD: Specifically for impulse
response analysis.
 Wigner-Ville - For tightly focused analysis of waveform
details. Sharper resolution than STFT (Super-STFT).
 Wavelet - Much better for general acoustic measurements (logarithmic frequency spacing).
Default Parameters
Using the Default Parameters allows SoundMap to calculate a sensible number of spectra and size of spectra
for the block of time data displayed. The default values depend on the algorithm chosen and the current block
duration selected in the graph window.
Time Resolution
Decreasing the Time Resolution increases the number of spectra in the analysis.

Instruction Manual
Frequency Resolution
For the first three algorithms this is set in Hz. For Wavelet this is set in octaves, selected from a drop-down list;
1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/24, and user defined.
Setting a lower Frequency Resolution increases the analysis window size. The Frequency Resolution is
inversely proportional to the window size, e.g., changing the Frequency Resolution from 100 Hz to 10 Hz will
make the window 10 times larger.
25.3.6 Information
 # of Spectra - The number of spectra calculated in the analysis
segment. This is directly proportional to the Time Resolution. + =
 Lines/Spectra - The number of frequency lines calculated
according to the Frequency Resolution specified.
 # of Points - The # of Spectra multiplied by the Lines/
Spectra. This is the number of points in the Time Frequency
Map (similar to the number of pixels in a digital photo).
 Sampling Rate - The sampling rate of the selected file.
 Analysis Duration - Time length of the analyzed portion.This is equal to the # of Spectra multiplied by
the Time Resolution (1000 spectra x 1 mSec Time Resolution = 1 Second Analysis Duration).
 Window - Shows the size of the analysis window as determined by the Frequency Resolution setting.
For Wavelet, this will be the minimum window size.
 Overlap - The amount one analysis window overlaps the previous.
 BT Product - Time Resolution multiplied by the Frequency Resolution. Normally this is 100% but for
Wigner-Ville this value varies according to the degree of smoothing applied. See Algorithm
Definitions on page 442. (BT=1 or Bandwidth x Time equals unity)
 Analysis - This shows the Analysis Completeness. “Gapless” means that the Overlap of the Analysis
Window is sufficient to ensure that no information is lost between windows. This helps to prevent
missing short term transient details. If “Gaps” are indicated, some data is lost and the curves for
Global Spectrum, Partial Spectrum and Group Delay, as well as the values for Total Energy and Partial
Energy cannot be calculated. These curves and values will not be available in the Time-Frequency
Map. See Frequency Display on page 426 and Cursor, Parameters and Information on page 427.
Important! Using a high number of Points (great number of spectra and/or a very high
accuracy in frequency resolution) can use all available computer memory and
lead to program instability.
25.3.7 Analyze
Click Analyze to run the selected algorithm on the portion of the file selected in
the graph display.
Click Exit to close the SoundMap program.

Instruction Manual
25.4 Time-Frequency Map
The Time-Frequency Map is available after clicking “Analyze” or after opening a .MAP file.
The Map is an arrangement of three displays and a set of Tabs. The Tabs contain information about the Map
and how it was analyzed.
The top left window is the Time-Frequency Intensity Plot.
The top right window is the Frequency Display which shows the different frequency functions.
The bottom left window is the Time Display. Different time functions can be displayed as well.
The information panel at the bottom right side of the screen shows current cursor positions and values as well
as information on how the analysis was processed.
25.4.1 Intensity Map Display

This provides a 3 dimensional map of the multispectrum
created in the analysis process. The three axis of the map are:
 Vertical Scale - Frequency (axis on right). Linear Scale
except for Wavelet, which is Logarithmic.
 Horizontal Scale - Time in seconds (axis on the
bottom).
 Color Scale - Indicates the level of power at a specific
time and a specific frequency (scale on the left).
Figure: 25-10 Intensity Plot Axis
The three display windows share the X and Y axis. As the cursor is moved in the Intensity display, the
horizontal cursor line is linked to the Frequency Display. Changes in the vertical cursor line are also linked in
the Time Display.
The graduated color scale shows level in dB U. In the example, the color scale transitions from bright red at a
high level (-63 dB U), to dark blue at a low level (-93 dB U).
Note: U is the unit of the waveform used in analysis. All dB are at a reference of 1.
25.4.2 Color Table

There are five different color settings for the plot and color scale thermometer.
 Rainbow
 Fire
 Sunset
 Grey Scale
 Inverse Grey Scale
Auto-Offset - Applies the dynamic range to the Map and side curves, below the maximum value. You can
modify the max and min scale numbers by double clicking on a number and editing it. Level values that are
below the minimum of the color scale will be displayed with the background color (not visible).

Instruction Manual
Dynamic range: The dynamic range of the display is set by typing a value into the Z Dyn (dB) field or by
clicking on the up/down arrows.
Snap to Max sets the horizontal and vertical lines of Cursor 1 to the absolute peak energy point of the Intensity
Plot.
The 3D button opens the 3D Waterfall display. See 3D View on page 428.
25.4.3 Frequency Display

The Frequency Display axis are transposed compared to the conventional way of looking at level vs. frequency.
This is done so that the spectrum can be viewed in direct relation to the Intensity Plot. Cursors 1 and 2 of the
Frequency Display are linked to the cursors in the Intensity Plot.
The following display modes are available:
 Instantaneous Spectrum (U2/Hz) - Shows the power density spectrum slice at the time location of
cursor 1.
 Global Spectrum (U2.s/Hz) - The sum of all spectra of the multispectrum in the Intensity Plot.
 Partial Spectrum (U2.s/Hz) - The sum of all spectra of the multispectrum that are between the two
vertical cursors.
 Group Delay (s) - The time of arrival for the energy of each frequency. This shows the mean time of
arrival of each horizontal time slice over frequency. See Multispectrum Exploitation: on page 445 for
formula.
The X and Y axis controls function the same as those in the Analysis Window. See Controls on page 418 for
more information.
25.4.4 Time Display

The following display modes are available:
 Waveform - Shows the waveform of the analyzed
segment.
 Time Slice (U2/Hz) - The horizontal time slice is taken at
the frequency location of cursor 1.
 Time Envelope (U2) - The sum of all the horizontal time
slices in the Intensity Map Display. Figure: 25-11 Time Display
 Partial Time Envelope (U2) - The sum of all the horizontal

time slices between the two horizontal cursors in the Intensity Map Display.
 Instantaneous Frequency - This is the plot of frequency vs. time which shows the frequency location of
the energy at each time point (shows the mean time of arrival for each spectra vs. time).
The X and Y axis controls function the same as those in the Analysis Window. See Controls on page 418 for
more information.
The name of the analyzed file is shown below the Time Display.
 Save - Click “Save Map” to store the current analysis as a .MAP file. The analyzed portion of the
waveform is stored as part of the Map file. This allows you to open the Map file and change the
analysis and display parameters.
 Save Image - This saves the entire Time-Frequency Map screen as a .JPG or .BMP file
 Close - Closes the Time-Frequency Map and returns you to the Analysis Window

Instruction Manual
25.4.5 Cursor, Parameters and Information
The Cursor tab shows the values for the current locations of the cursors.
 t (s) - The time at cursor 1.
 f (Hz) - The frequency at cursor 1.
 A (dB U2/Hz) - The power level at cursor 1.
Delta
 t (s) - The time difference between cursor 1 and cursor 2.
 f (Hz) - The frequency difference between cursor 1 and cursor 2.
 A (dB U2/Hz) - The power level difference between cursor 1 and cursor
2.
Energy (dB U2. s)

 Total Energy - This is the sum of the entire multispectrum analyzed,
both in time and frequency. This is equal to the energy of the waveform
analyzed.
 Partial Energy - This is the sum of the multispectrum that occupies the
area between both the horizontal and vertical cursor lines.
Figure: 25-12 Info Tabs
The Parameters tab shows the Analysis Parameters that were used to create the current Map. These are
reference values and cannot be edited.
The Information tab shows the information from the original Analysis window that was used to create the
current Map. These are reference values and cannot be edited.

Instruction Manual
25.5 3D View
The 3D View or Waterfall Plot allows you to
display the analyzed segment in a three-
dimensional window showing Level vs.
Frequency vs. Time.
Additional controls on the right side of the
window allow you to show 2D displays showing
aspects of the current analysis.
Note: The units of the display are in dB

FS.
Figure: 25-13 3D View Waterfall

25.5.1 Manual Scaling
 Min Freq, Max Freq - Adjust the Frequency Axis range
 Min Time, Max Time - Adjust the Time Axis range
 Min dB, Max dB - Adjust the vertical scale
 Apply - Click Apply to use the new axis settings.
 Default View - Click to return to the original display angle. This does not change the time or frequency
axis ranges.
 Cursor On - Activates Cursor
25.5.2 3D Axis and Color

Select from four options for 3D display:
 Logarithmic, Surface - Color Intensity with log frequency scale
 Linear, Surface - Color Intensity with linear frequency scale
 Logarithmic, Waterfall - Monochrome with log frequency scale
 Linear, Waterfall - Monochrome with linear frequency scale
Save Image - Save 3D view to .JPG or .BMP
Close 3D View window
25.5.3 2D View Controls

The 2D control buttons to the right side of the window allow you to select 2d Intensity Plots from the
current 3D display. This allows you to put the cursor on a specific point of interest and then switch back
to the 3D view.
 Time vs. Frequency (X,Y)
 dB vs. Time (Z,X)
 dB vs. Frequency (Z,Y)
 3D View (X,Y,Z) - Returns to the 3D view

Instruction Manual
25.5.4 Rotate
Change the viewing angle of the display.
 Put the cursor on the plot.
 Click and hold on the left mouse button.
 Rotate the plot by moving the mouse.
 Release the mouse button and the plot will
be redrawn using the new viewing angle.
 Default View: Click to return to the original
display angle. This does not change the time
or frequency axis ranges.
Figure: 25-14 Rotate Viewing Angle
25.5.5 Zoom
You can zoom in and out of the plot view.
 Hold down the “Shift key”. The cursor
changes to a magnifying glass.
 Left-click and hold on the mouse button.
 Move the mouse up and down while Left-
clicking on the mouse to zoom in and out.
Figure: 25-15 Zoom In/Out
25.5.6 Move
The plot can be moved on the screen.
 Hold down the “Control key”. The cursor
changes to cross hairs.
 Left-click and hold on the mouse button.
 Move the mouse to drag the plot to a new
location.
Figure: 25-16 Move Plot

Instruction Manual
25.5.7 3D Axis and Color
You can choose from 4 different types of plot.
 Logarithmic, Surface - Logarithmic
frequency axis 3 dimensional surface
map. In addition, the level is color
coded using a rainbow scale.
 Linear, Surface - Linear frequency axis
3 dimensional surface map.
 Logarithmic, Waterfall - Logarithmic
frequency axis, traditional black and
white waterfall plot.
 Linear, Waterfall - Linear frequency
axis, traditional black and white
waterfall plot.
The spectrum shown are a subset of the

complete multispectrum. This is done for
display clarity.
The examples in Figure: 25-17 show the two

waterfall versions of the same analysis shown
in Figure: 25-13.
Figure: 25-17 3D View Waterfall Versions

Instruction Manual
25.6 Analysis Examples
The following section shows the four analysis types and examples of how they can be used. The example
.MAP files are installed with SoundMap and can be found in the Demo Data folder. Please use these .MAP files
while reading this section of the manual.
The “Linear Chirp” and “4 Pulses” files are provided for educational purposes. They do not represent typical
signals to be analyzed.
25.6.1 Linear Chirp

Open the “Linear Chirp - Wigner.map” file. This
file was created using a linear sine sweep from
near 0 Hz to approximately 22 kHz. The diagonal
response line in the Intensity Display shows how
the frequency content changes over time. By
moving Cursor 1, you can track the frequency
response in the Intensity Display and see the
time of arrival of each frequency in the Time
Display.
(Time Display set to “Time Slice“.)
The Frequency Display shows the Instantaneous
Power Spectrum at that point in time. See Figure:
25-18.
Figure: 25-18 Linear Chirp - Wigner-Ville
Analysis
Click Close and change the Analysis type to

Short Term Fourier (STFT).
Click Analyze.
With this analysis method there is less resolution
in the Intensity Display but the Time and
Frequency Displays are clearer. See Figure: 25-
19.
Figure: 25-19 Linear Chirp - STFT Analysis

Instruction Manual
If you increase the Frequency Resolution in the
Analysis Window, you can see that the width of the
Intensity Display gets smaller. Experimentation with
Frequency Resolution values will help you optimize the
resolution of the analysis of future waveforms.
Figure: 25-20 STFT

Change the Analysis type back to Wigner-Ville. Use
the default Frequency Resolution but decrease the
Smoothing to 1 mSec.
Click Analyze and you will see the Intensity Display
is more narrow, compared to the width in Figure: 25-
18.
Figure: 25-21 Wigner-Ville
25.6.2 4 Pulses
Open the file, “4 Pulses - Wigner.map“. This is
from a waveform of two overlapping tone bursts
followed by a copy of the same pair of tone
bursts. The Analysis Type is Wigner-Ville.
In the Time Display you can’t determine the
difference between the two tones. In the
Frequency Display you can see two tones but you
don’t see their occurrence in time. Only in the
Intensity Display do you see four distinct pulses.
Figure: 25-22 4 Pulses - Wigner-Ville Analysis
1. Click Close and uncheck Default Parameters in the Analysis Window.

2. Change the Smoothing and Time Resolution values to 0. Note that
the field automatically changes to 22.7 μSec. This is the minimum value
for these fields. 22.7 μSec is the sampling interval.
3. Increase the Frequency Resolution from 100 Hz to 25 Hz.

Instruction Manual
4. Click Analyze to see the changes in the
Intensity Display. The resulting Analysis
Window will encompass both sets of
pulses. This introduces interferences in
the Intensity Display. Note the “Ghosting“
of pulses in the example.
Figure: 25-23 Ghost Interference
General Rules For Wigner-Ville:

 The interferences or “Ghost“ will always occur at the midpoint between two components of the signal.
 The ripple pattern or “Beating“ is perpendicular to the axis drawn between the two components. In the
example, you can see the ghosts on the horizontal, vertical and diagonal axes. The center ghost
pattern is a product of both diagonal axes.
 The Global Spectrum shows that the ghost interference adds no residual energy to the Total Spectrum.
 The frequency of the ripple pattern in inversely proportional to the distance between the two
components. As the distance grows, the beating of the ripple becomes more rapid.
 In the Time Display you can see that the ghost interference adds no residual energy in the time
domain.
 To eliminate the ghost that appears between two successive components, the Analysis Window size
should be less than the distance between the two components.
 To eliminate the ghost that appears between two simultaneous components, the Smoothing should be
long enough to encompass 10 periods of the ghost ripple pattern.
Although the interferences are the representation of real phenomena, such as: time beating between two
simultaneous frequencies or harmonic patterns due to signal periodicity, they may obscure the distribution of a
complex signal.
In the end, these ghost interferences are caused by having excess resolution and/or insufficient smoothing in
the analysis process. Decreasing the Frequency Resolution from 25 Hz to 100 Hz removes the interference
along the frequency axis. Increasing the Smoothing from 22.7 μSec to 1 ms removes the interference along
the time axis.

Instruction Manual
25.6.3 Short Term Fourier Transform
(STFT)
Open the file, “Stweep + Loose Particles -
Fourier.map”. This map was made from a
Stweep on a loudspeaker with loose particles
under the dust cap.
The log curve of the Stweep is visible as the red
curve in the Intensity Display.
Along the time axis, the loose particle impacts are
very obvious as shown by the randomly spaced,
vertical, blue lines.
Figure: 25-24 STFT
Note that you cannot see the loose particles in the

Global Spectrum. Only by zooming into the Time
Display can you see the transients added to the
waveform.
Switching the analysis type to Wigner-Ville will

increase the resolution so the transients are more
defined.
Figure: 25-25 Time Display Zoom

Instruction Manual
25.6.4 Cumulative Spectral Decay (CSD)
Open “Loudspeaker 1 Impulse Response -
CSD.map“. This is the impulse response of a
Loudspeaker analyzed by Cumulative Spectral
Decay. This was made from a MLSSA time file
(.TIM).
Notice the high frequency ringing between 15 kHz
and 20 kHz. There is also ringing below 1000 Hz.
Move Cursor 1 before the start of the impulse
response (before 17.5 ms). The Instantaneous
Spectrum Display shows the actual frequency
response of the device under test. This is one of
the special features of using CSD.
Next, click the 3D button to show the Waterfall

Display. The default view shows a log waterfall
plot with the intensity indicated by color.
Clicking on Logarithmic, Waterfall under 3D

Axis and Color shows a black and white
waterfall display that is equivalent to a MLSSA
display.
Under Manual Scaling, enter min/max
frequencies of 250 and 20 kHz. Enter min/max
times of 17 and 23 mSec. Then click Apply.
This allows the waterfall plot to fill the grid so
that the screen is optimized.
Any of the display modes can be rotated on any
of the three dimensional axes. The cursor can
be switched on and moved to highlight any
point in three dimensions to indicate its
coordinates.
Click “Save Image“ to save a screenshot of the display.
Clicking Default View allows you to return to the default three dimensional orientation. This does not change
the Min/Max Frequency or Min/Max Time settings.

Instruction Manual
CSD Analysis Window
With CSD analysis the end point of the analysis window is fixed at the endpoint of the analysis segment. The
start point of the window is what changes, as shown in Figure 25-26. As the window moves from one analysis
point to another, it gets smaller. As this happens frequencies that have less than one cycle within the remaining
analysis window are removed because they cannot be reliably measured.
t
t
ar
ar
ar
ar
st
st
st
st
1
n
3
w
w
w
do
do
do
do Each window becomes progressively smaller Window End
in
in
in
in
W
W
W
Figure: 25-26 CSD Analysis Window
25.6.5 Wigner-Ville
Loudspeaker 2 Impulse Response

Open “Loudspeaker 2 Impulse Response -
Wigner.map”. This example was made from the
impulse response of a two way, near-field monitor.
The Global Spectrum shows the overall frequency
response. There is a large resonance at 23 kHz.
The large spread of energy at this frequency
indicates the loudspeaker is ringing at this
frequency. There is also a long ring at 31 kHz.
Below 3 kHz the signal not only rings but lags
behind the high frequency, as evident from the
Group Delay Display. This indicates that the
woofer and tweeter are not time aligned. Figure: 25-27 Wigner-Ville
Set the Frequency Display to Group Delay. The delay peaks are seen here.
Ideally, this would be a straight, vertical line.

Instruction Manual
The ring time or decay time for specific
frequencies is also viewed in the Time Slice
Display. By comparing the position of Cursor 1 to
Cursor 2, you can find the decay rate at specific
frequencies.
This can be seen in Figure: 25-28.
 Set Cursor 1 at the peak of the signal at
31.1 kHz.
 Move Cursor 2 to a Delta of approximately
2 ms and then adjust it to the point where
the Frequency Delta is 0 Hz.
 The Amplitude Delta in this example is
10.38 dB. This indicates that the time
constant of the resonance at 31.1 kHz is
about 0.83 ms. Figure: 25-28 Decay Rate
2ms -
-------------------- × 4.34dB = 0.83ms
10.38dB
Note: 4.34 dB is exp(1) expressed in dB.
In the Time Display, Time Slice shows the

ringing that occurs between two frequencies.
The beating pattern can easily be seen by setting
Cursor 1 at approximately 30.1 kHz, between the
two frequency peaks as shown in Figure: 25-29.
Figure: 25-29 Set Cursor 1 between HF peaks
The Time Slice in Figure: 25-30 shows the

beating pattern.
Figure: 25-30 Beating Pattern

Instruction Manual
To reduce the amount of information in the
Intensity Display, you can decrease the
Frequency Resolution in the Analysis Window.
This will tend to smooth the distribution of energy
along the vertical frequency axis of the Intensity
Display.
The example in Figure: 25-31 has been
reanalyzed with a Frequency Resolution of
250 Hz.
It is now easier to see the main features of the
distribution. Notice that the duration of the ringing
frequencies is shorter. This shows that too much
smoothing can throw away useful information. It is
recommended to always start with a high definition
and then smooth gradually. This way you can
determine when you have gone to far and return to Figure: 25-31 Lower Frequency Resolution
a more appropriate resolution. Analysis
Select 3D to show the same information as the

Intensity Map, with a more intuitive method of
viewing.
Note that the Min/Max Frequency and Min/Max
Time values have been adjusted to so that the
3D plot is filled with information.
MP3 Encoded Dirac Impulse

Open “MP3 Encoded Dirac Impulse -
Wigner.map”.
This was made by encoding a Dirac impulse WAV
file to MP3 and then decoding it back to WAV. This
is a single impulse at 44100 Hz that is 1 sample
long with a level of 0 dB Full Scale.
Instead of seeing a single vertical bar in the
Intensity Display, there is a lot of added noise
after the signal and even some added noise
before the signal.
The pre-ringing in the high and low frequencies is
due to the low-pass filtering that occurs in the MP3
encoding process.

Instruction Manual
The Global Spectrum Display shows the high frequency cut off above 17 kHz.
The signal after the impulse shows the noise created by the encoding process. This is most likely quantization
noise due to perceptual encoding.
You can get the spectrum of the noise part by
selection it with the two vertical cursors and using
the Partial Spectrum Display as shown in
Figure: 25-32.
Notice that the noise is not flat. There is less
energy at approximately 5.53 kHz.
Using Cursors 1 and 2 you can see the duration of
the noise in the Waveform Display. This is
approximately 20 ms.
25.6.6 Wavelet
Figure: 25-32 MP3 Noise
p50 Male Artificial Speech

Open “p50 male artificial speech -
Wavelet.map”. This file is the Wavelet Analysis of
the p50 speech file that is included with
SoundCheck.
The frequency axis of Wavelet Analysis is
logarithmic. Logarithmic is the more typically used
type of axis for electroacoustic signals.
You can see fundamental of each syllable of the
speech waveform as well as each harmonic.
Figure: 25-33 p50 Speech

Instruction Manual
25.6.7 Bluetooth Dropouts
Open “Bluetooth Dropouts - Wavelet.map“. This
is a Bluetooth headset measurement using a
steady sine wave at 1 kHz.
The constant signal at 1 kHz can be seen in the
Instantaneous Spectrum Display.
Due to intermittent loss of signal, you can see the
effect on the constant tone in the Intensity
Display.
You can easily see the dropouts by looking at the
Time Slice Display. Each dropout appears as a
vertical spike over time. Move the Cursor 1
horizontal line to the top of the dropout peaks as
shown in Figure: 25-34. The cursor value shows
that the peaks of the drop out extend above Figure: 25-34 Bluetooth Dropouts
1.15 kHz.
With this information you can now make a 12th octave filter, centered at approximately 1.2 kHz, to act as a
dropout detector when testing this device in SoundCheck.
Note: In SoundCheck this is done by limiting the Analysis Step - Time Envelope values to around
1.2 kHz.

Instruction Manual
The resolution of the analysis can be changed to 1/6th octave by closing the
Intensity Display, unchecking Default Parameters and then selecting 1/6 octave
from the Frequency Resolution drop-down list.
Click Analyze.
Wavelet Analysis has low time resolution/

high frequency resolution in the low
frequencies and high time resolution/low
frequency resolution in the high frequencies.
This time resolution is logarithmic, as in an
RTA.
As you increase frequency resolution, the
time resolution decreases. The two are
inversely related.
You can see this by moving Cursor 1 from
high frequencies to low frequencies while
looking at the Time Slice Display.
High frequencies are very defined as shown
in the Time Slice Display of Figure: 25-35.
Figure: 25-35 High Frequencies
As you move lower in frequency, the details

diminish which can be seen in the Time
Slice Display of Figure: 25-36
Figure: 25-36 Low Frequencies

Instruction Manual
25.7 Algorithm Definitions
25.7.1 Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) Definition

– i2πuf 2
SoundMap uses the following formula: S x ( t, f)=  h(u ) × (t + u)e du
With:
 x(t) = time function to analyze
 h(u)= weighting function for time window
Window
The window used is a truncated Gaussian function. Gaussian functions provide the best time-frequency
precision.
Analysis Completeness
If the time increment is below a certain threshold, there is no loss of data and the energy of the signal is
conserved. The analysis is then complete. The threshold of completeness is the windows rms duration.
BT Product
It is the normalized product of the window duration by the window bandwidth. It is always 100% for the STFT. It
is called the Heisenberg-Gabor limit in the signal processing world. (BT=1 or Bandwidth x Time equals unity)
25.7.2 Cumulative Spectral Decay Transform Definition

At each frequency, the CSD time-frequency distribution yields the temporal decay of a “stopping tone burst” of
that frequency. This is applied on the analyzed impulse response. This allows you to see which frequencies are
“ringing“ in the Device Under Test, including the room.
CSD is meaningful only when applied on an impulse response. It should not be used on other types of
waveforms.
CSD Transform
With x(t) being the signal to analyze, the CSD is defined in SoundMap for a frequency, f, as the squared
magnitude of the convolution of x by the stopping tone burst 1 [ – T, 0 ] ( t )Exp ( j2πf t ) .
t+T 2
C ( t, f ) = t x ( τ ) e– j2πfτ dτ
The CSD can be expressed as a STFT with a rectangular, right-sided window.
Low frequency limit

Because the analyzed data gets shorter as the integration window slides, the frequency limit for each spectrum
gets lower. Under this limit the values are meaningless and set to zero. The limit is equal to the inverse of the
effective duration of the integration.

Instruction Manual
The completeness is determined in the same way as for the STFT.
BT Product
The BT Product is always 100%. (BT=1 or Bandwidth x Time equals unity)
25.7.3 Wigner-Ville Definition

SoundMap uses the following formula, which is a Smoothed Pseudo Wigner-Ville Transform (SPWT):
τ τ τ
  h  --2- g ( u ) x̃  t + u + --2- x̃∗  t + u – --2- e
– i2πτf
W x ( t, f ) = du dτ
With:
 x̃ ( t ) = analytical signal from time signal x(t)

 h = window function
 g = smoothing function
The window function h is used to limit the time integration range for practical implementation. Each Wigner-Ville
spectrum is localized around its time location.
The smoothing function, g, is used to smooth the values along the time axis.
With a smoothing value equal to the sampling interval, the result is an effective time resolution down to the
sample. In this case, there may be a lot of interference on a complex signal. See BT Product on page 443.
Analytical Filtering
The analytical filtering removes the negative frequencies of the signal. It is used in the Wigner-Ville analysis to
avoid frequency aliasing.
Window
SoundMap uses two separate Gaussian windows for windowing and smoothing. When the window and
smoothing functions have the same duration, the SPWT is equivalent to an STFT.
With the SPWV, the Analysis Completeness depends only on the smoothing. The threshold of completeness is
the rms duration of the smoothing.
BT Product
With the SPWT, it is the normalized product of the smoothing duration multiplied by the window bandwidth. The
two can be adjusted independently.

Instruction Manual
When BT is smaller than 100%, the time-frequency resolution is better than with the other transforms, but
interference appears between components of the signal. This is the price paid when breaking the Heisenberg-
Gabor limit. (BT=1 or Bandwidth x Time equals unity)
The smaller the BT, the better the time-frequency resolution, but interference is stronger. Increasing the
smoothing allows you to smooth out the time aligned interferences. Increasing the frequency resolution value
smooths out the frequency aligned interferences. When the BT Product is 100%, the result is equivalent to an
STFT.
25.7.4 Wavelet Transform Definition

SoundMap uses the spectral expression of the continuous Wavelet Transform:
1 v 2
WLT x ( t, f ) = ------ ⋅  X ( v ) ⋅ Ψ∗  ---  ⋅ e
j2πvt
dv
f  f
With:
 X(í) = spectrum of the signal to analyze
 Ø(í) = wavelet spectrum
For the wavelet, SoundMap uses a Gaussian analytical wavelet (modified Morlet wavelet) defined in the
frequency domain as:
π v–f 2
– ---  ----------- 
v 2 γf
Ψ  ---  = e
 f
Frequency Scale
The center frequencies of the analyzing wavelets will follow the standardized, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/24 octave (RTA)
frequencies. The center frequency of each band will use the RTA scale so the analysis can be compared to an
acquisition from the SoundCheck RTA analyzer.
As for STFT, the threshold of completeness is the rms duration of the shortest wavelet (maximum analysis
frequency).
BT Product
The BT Product is 100%. (BT=1 or Bandwidth x Time equals unity)

Instruction Manual
25.7.5 Multispectrum Exploitation:
Global Energy Spectrum †: sum of all spectrum of the multispectrum. It is the energy spectrum of the analyzed
signal.
Sub-Total Spectrum †: sum of all spectrum of the multispectrum, between the two vertical cursors. It is the
energy spectrum of the portion of signal that lies between the two vertical cursors.
Energy Calculus †: the total energy of the analyzed signal is obtained by summing of all time-frequency values
of the multispectrum. The partial energy is obtained by summing the multispectrum values in the time-
frequency region delimited by the two cross-cursors.
Energy Time Curve: sum of all time slices of the multispectrum. This yields the time envelope of the signal.
Partial Energy Time Curve: sum of all time slices of the multispectrum, between the two horizontal cursors. This
yields the time envelope of the filtered signal, limited to the frequency band delimited by the two horizontal
cursors.
Mean Group Delay †: center of gravity of each time slice over frequency. It is the time of arrival of the energy for
each frequency.
 t ρx ( t, v ) dt
T x ( v ) = -----------------------------
 ρx ( t, v ) dt
Mean Instantaneous Frequency: center of gravity of each frequency slice over time. It is the frequency location
of the energy at each time.
 v ρx ( t, v ) dv
F x ( t ) = --------------------------------
 ρx ( t, v ) dv
Note: †: These functions are only available when Analysis Completeness is attained.
25.7.6 Text File Format

 Physical unit string <CR-LF> (Must be linear units such as V or Pa, not dB V or dB Pa.)
 Sampling rate in Hz <CR-LF> (Such as 44.1 kHz sampling rate)
 Real Values (floating point) <CR-LF> .. <CR-LF> (one value per line. For a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz
there will be 44100 value lines.)

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
26 Custom Steps Included With SoundCheck
As of SoundCheck 16, the Exit Status of custom steps is now indicated. Like other SoundCheck steps, the
Sequence Editor now highlights in red or green whether a custom step completed successfully or not.
26.1 Outline Ethernet

As of SoundCheck 16, ethernet control for the Outline
ET250-3D turntable is included in a custom step.
As of SoundCheck 19 the custom step is compatible
with the ET50-3D and ET250R2-3D turntables.
Note: In order to configure the Outline Ethernet

custom step, it must first be inserted into a
sequence from the Template Library.
Note: Turntables made January 2021 and after will

require the UDP communication port to be set
to 6667, 6668 or 6669. Port 6667 is the
previous default. Once selected, this port
should not be used for any other
communication. Figure: 26-1 Outline Ethernet Control
26.1.1 Address Selection
Scan Network
Under Address Selection, select Scan Network and then click the Scan Network button. SoundCheck will
search for the turntable and automatically populate the address information into the Detected Units table. If the
host computer is on both a LAN and wireless network, multiple instances of the turntable may be visible in the
Detected Units table. This is the recommended method.
User Entry
If you are writing a sequence which will be used at another location, you may want to manually enter the known
Network Adapter address.
Enter the host computer's Ethernet IP address in the Network Adapter field and the turntable's address in the IP
address field. Note that the computer Ethernet IP address must be set in Windows prior to using the custom
step in SoundCheck. If the computer is connected to a network using an ethernet connection, a separate
ethernet interface will be required for the connection to the turntable.
26.1.2 Movement Type
Move to Angle
Input a specific target angle into the Angle entry box, e.g., Enter 0° to return the turntable to its Home position.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Custom Steps Included With SoundCheck 447

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Move in Angled Steps
Input the desired angular increment of rotation into the Angle entry box. This would be used to move the
turntable in 10° increments for measurement of polar data.
Direction
Specify clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the turntable
Wait Until Rotation Stops

This will pause the operation of the SoundCheck sequence until the turntable stops moving before continuing
on to the next step.
For complete setup instructions, please refer to the example sequence and sequence note included with
SoundCheck.
26.2 Instrument Open Close

This demonstrates opening and closing Virtual Instruments from a Custom Step. It serves as a template so you
can create a custom step that combines your LabVIEW code with the operation of virtual instruments.
1. Open the necessary Virtual Instruments in SoundCheck. Set them as required for use with your code.
2. Save them as a .VIC file. See Virtual Instrument Configuration on page 487.
3. Open your LabVIEW development system.
4. Open “Instrument Open Close.vi” to use as a template.
5. Before doing anything else, select "Save As" from the file menu and
give the template a new name, e.g., “My Code with SigGen.vi”.
6. It must be saved in your current SoundCheck installation, e.g.,

C:\SoundCheck 20.0\System\Custom VIs\.
7. The example shows where you should enter your code.
8. Specify the location of the .VIC file.

Figure: 26-2 Instrument
Note: The file path to the .VIC file is absolute.The VIC file will need to Open Close
be copied to new versions of SoundCheck and the file path used
in your Custom Step will need to be updated when you update to
a new version of SoundCheck.
448 Custom Steps Included With SoundCheck SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
9. Next, open the LabVIEW VI template
"SoundCheck\System\Custom
VIs\Instrument Open Close
Editor.vi".
10. Select "Save As" and use the same

name from the previous step. Make
sure it contains ' Editor.vi' after the
custom name. For example: and “My
Code with SigGen Editor.vi”
11. Edit the new custom step in

LabVIEW 2021. A place marker for
your code has been left in the
template as shown in Figure 26-3.
12. For more information refer to the

instructions in Creating a Custom VI Figure: 26-3 Put Your Code Here
and Custom Step on page 461.
See Instrument Open Close Custom Step on page 498 for instructions for use in TCP IP.

Instruction Manual
26.3 System Custom Step - Windows
Included in SoundCheck Steps library is the Custom Step, System.cus. This allows you to run Command Line
operations as part of a sequence. This includes:
 executable files (.EXE)
 batch files (.BAT)
Command Line Field

If the executable is not in a directory listed in the Windows PATH
environment variable, the command line must contain the full path
to the executable.
As of SoundCheck 17, when executing Batch Files or Executable
Files that require a Command Line Interface, “cmd/c” no longer
needs to be added before the file name in the Command Line
Field as shown in Figure 26-4.
 Batch files may require that the Working Directory is
specified
 When the System Step is executed in the sequence, it will Figure: 26-4 System Step -
perform the functions in the batch file Command Line
The following example batch file is useful for opening the latest Excel file, according to the “Date Modified”,
from the specified folder. Batch file contents:
@echo off
for /f "eol=: delims=" %%F in ('dir /b /od *.xls') do @set "newest=%%F"
"%newest%"
In order to open the latest Word document you would change *.xls to *.doc.
Windows Executable Files

When running an executable file that runs from the standard desktop,
only the name of the executable needs to be in the Command Line
Field as shown in Figure 26-5. The Working Directory is not required
for this type of executable file.
Figure: 26-5 Open Calc.exe
Working Directory
Working Directory is the file system directory from which you want to execute the command.
Note: Do not use working directory to locate the executable you want to run. Working Directory applies to the
executable only after it launches.

Instruction Manual
Wait for completion
When checked, SoundCheck will wait for the operation called in the Command Line field to complete or be
closed, depending on type of operation called. When this is left unchecked, SoundCheck will execute the
Command Line and continue to the next step in the sequence.
26.3.1 Run as administrator

The next step is optional depending on where the batch file is located and what the batch file tries to access.
When you launch SoundCheck, it launches under the current user account. By default, this account only has
read/write access to its own user folder. So you can run SoundCheck as the administrator by Right-clicking on
the shortcut and clicking “Run as administrator”. This will open up the privileges. Another way to work around
that is to move the batch file and restrict it’s “movement” to the account user’s folder.
26.4 System Custom Step - macOS

Included in SoundCheck Steps library is the Custom Step, System.cus. This allows you to run Command Line
operations as part of a sequence. This includes:
 application files (.APP)
 script files (.SH)
26.5 Command Line Field

When calling a script in the Command Line you must enter “bash”
before the script name. The example in Figure 26-6 calls
“script.sh” from the Working Directory:
“/Users/support/Documents”
Working Directory
Working Directory is the file system location of the application or
script that is being called. Figure: 26-6 Run Script
Wait for completion

This must remain checked in macOS.
The example in Figure 26-7 shows how to open an application file.

In the Command Line enter:
“open -a calculator” (-a specifies that the target of the open
command is an application)
In the Working Directory enter the location of the app:
“/Applications” Figure: 26-7 Open Calculator

Instruction Manual
26.6 Mixer Volume
Each Mixer Volume Step in a sequence, allows you to control the input and output levels of a 2 channel WDM /
WASAPI or Core Audio device.
For example, the volume of a headset may be controlled while testing it,
or the levels of a device can be fixed at unity gain for consistent
calibration.
Figure 26-8 shows the Input and Output of a Bluetooth Headset set to
100%. This will require two Mixer Volume steps in the sequence.
 Compatible with Windows and macOS
 Compatible with WDM / WASAPI or Core Audio devices
 Separate steps are required for Playback and Record
 Separate steps are required for each device being controlled
 The steps cannot be renamed in a sequence. The name must
remain “Mixer Volume” for each instance. Use Step Comments to
name the function of each step.
Figure: 26-8 Mixer Volume

Instruction Manual
26.7 RS232 Read Integer
 Intended for use as a programming example only. Not for use
“as is” in a sequence.
 Reads the integer value from an external device connected
via RS232
 Generates a value in the Memory List: Read Integer
26.8 Serial Number Write Read

 Intended for use as a programming example only. Not for use “as is” in a sequence.
 This step writes the value "1234" to the serial number field
 Next, it reads the serial number and writes it to the Memory
List in a value named "Serial Num"
It is useful as a template for creating your own custom vi's which
read/write the serial number field of SoundCheck.

Instruction Manual
26.9 Open Before Converting Old Custom VIs
This serves as a tool to be used when updating your Custom VIs to the latest version of SoundCheck and
LabVIEW.
 Easier to use Custom VI templates
 Updating Custom vis from previous SoundCheck versions is easier
Important! This must not be used in a sequence!
To convert Custom VI’s from a previous version of SoundCheck:

1. Copy the Custom VI’s into the Custom VI folder of this SoundCheck version.
Example: C:\SoundCheck 20.0\System\Custom VIs\

2. Open the version of LabVIEW which is appropriate for the SoundCheck version and bitness
you are upgrading to. In LabVIEW open the vi, “Open Before Converting Old Custom
VIs.vi”. (SoundCheck 20.0 requires LabVIEW 2021)
3. From the File menu of “Open Before Converting Old Custom VIs.vi”, open the custom vi(s) you
are converting.
4. They should automatically relink to the appropriate vi and ctl files. These are located in the file
“custom and SC Run Seq Sub VIs(xXX).llb” found in the root of the SoundCheck folder.
5. Save the vi’s, Start SoundCheck and verify the functions of your vi.
Issues you may encounter:

Some user Custom VI’s may refer to “Global Data Stack Database Dynamic.vi”. You should relink to
“Global Data Stack Database.vi”
Some user Custom VI’s may read the “Abort” global from previous versions of SoundCheck. Instead,
you must use “Query Sequence Abort Flag.vi”
Figure: 26-9 Open Before Converting Old Custom VIs
When opening your vi you should see a solid arrow as in Figure 26-9. This indicates
that the vi opened correctly.
Figure: 26-9 Solid

Arrow
If you see a broken arrow (Figure 26-10), debugging is required.
Figure: 26-10 Broken

Arrow

Instruction Manual
26.10 Copy via Config File
SoundCheck has offered batch processing of collected data since 2012. As of SoundCheck 20 Copy via Config
File provides the ability to automatically load and process external data. This is useful in any application where
it is desirable to automate the testing of a large number of external data files via a sequence, for example, WAV
files of speech recordings. This has many uses in communications testing, for example in testing the Mean
Opinion Score (MOS) of degraded speech files.
This Custom Step allows the user to process a large number of data files that would otherwise require long
sequences with individual processing steps for each file. In some cases sequences become so large there is
practically no way to process all of the data.
The following example shows a simple nine step sequence that Loops through and analyzes 8 unique
waveforms with only one Analysis step instead of four. This could be extended to any number of waveforms,
WAV files or DAT files and the number of steps in the sequence wouldn't change. The Copy via Config File
steps automatically handle data copying and renaming allowing the sequence to process generic file names
that never change.
 Large amounts of data can be processed without having to edit the SoundCheck sequence
 Recalling .DAT files from a production run for statistical purposes or reporting
 Data can be any format allowed in SoundCheck: .WFM, .WAV, .DAT, etc.
 The custom step copies measurement files specified in a configuration file (CSV file) to a designated
drive location with a specific name. It can also copy a designated file to multiple file locations specified
in the CSV file.
 The Config File (config.csv) will have one or more columns, depending on the number of required files.
The three columns of the example Config File contain the data types for the sequence run. For
example:
 A. Reference file - Stimulus.wfm
 B. Response file - RTW.wfm
 C. Result Name - DUT.dat
 The number of rows indicates the required number of sequence runs
Figure: 26-11 Config.csv File
 SoundCheck uses the Copy via Config File step along with the associated Recall step to copy files into
memory using the relationship built between the steps,
e.g., the Copy via Config target path is "tmp\RTW.wfm" and the Recall Step file path is "tmp\RTW.wfm".
See Step Settings on page 3.
 SoundCheck uses the files specified in columns A and B, perform analysis or post processing and then
with a second Copy via Config File step, outputs the data with distinct names shown in column C.
 There is no limit to the number of columns in the config.csv file. Each column will require its own Copy
via Config File step in the sequence. Each line of the config.csv will require a run through the loop of
the sequence.

Instruction Manual
26.10.1 Output Files
Since this sequence is set up to save each Analysis as the generic name “DUT.dat” it will require an Autosave
step to create the file in the “tmp” folder. See Step 6 in the example sequence. The need for this type of step
varies depending on the files being copied and the final output process.
When this step is executed a message prompts the user to replace the “DUT.dat”
file in the following passes of the sequence. Either answer “Yes” each time or
select “Always Replace without prompting”. To reset this function edit the
SoundCheck.INI file and set
PROMPT TO OVERWRITE FILE = "TRUE".
Figure: 26-12 Prompt
26.10.2 Sequence Example

The sequence is configured to run in a loop until all data called for in the CSV file
has been processed.
Steps 1 & 2, the first two custom steps, establish the relationship between the
CSV file and the files recalled in steps 3 and 4.
Figure: 26-13 Sequence
Step 5 could be a single Analysis or Post-Processing step or any number of

steps required for data handling.
In this case the Analysis step is always using data from the generic file names
determined in Steps 1 & 2 so that only one Analysis step is required to process
all the data called out in the “config.csv” file.
Step 6 saves the generic Dat file to the “tmp” folder. This is used in Step 8.
Figure: 26-14 Step 5

Instruction Manual
Step 8 is the final Copy via Config step which establishes the relationship
between the output of the sequence and the output file name used in the CSV
file.
The sequence is configured to run in a loop until all data called for in the CSV
file has been processed.
Step 8 also controls the “Looping” of the sequence to recursively process all
the data referenced in the config.csv file. The “iteration” value set in the “Step
Configuration” increments each time the sequence runs which updates the
data file numbers used in the Copy via Config Step. See Figure 26-15.
Figure: 26-15 Step

Configuration Loop

Instruction Manual
26.10.3 Step Settings
The three Copy via Config File steps required for the example sequence are shown in Figure 26-16, Figure
26-17 and Figure 26-18.
Note: Both the Source and Target columns are 0 indexed meaning that the Copy via Config File Source/
Target fields start numbering at 0 while the CSV file starts numbering at 1, e.g., column 0 of the
Step corresponds to column 1 of the CSV file.
Figure: 26-16 Stimulus File Config Figure: 26-17 RTW File Config
26.10.4 Step Fields

 Configuration File Path: Location of CSV file
 Row: The “iteration” value is created in the Loop configuration of the final Copy via Config File step.
See Figure 26-15.
 Source
 Source Definition: The Source is the file that is getting copied.
Example: For Stimulus.wfm, the source is changing on every run so “Source Definition” is set to
"Column". This tells the step to look at the CSV file in “Column 0” for the name of the source.
Remember: Column 0 of the step is Column 1 of the CSV file!
 Path: Specify physical data file that is being copied
 Column: Selects the source using the CSV file to select the data name, e.g., Stimulus 1.wfm
from Figure - Config.csv File
 Source Path: Specifies the path to the physical data file
 Source Column: Selects the Column number of the CSV file to get the data name from
 Target
 Target Definition: If the target being copied is physical data the definition will be a specific path to
a file, e.g., tmp\Stimulus.wfm as shown in Figure 26-16.
 Path: Specify path for target file

Instruction Manual
 Column: Uses the CSV column name to select the name for the file being copied
 Target Path: Specify name for target file
 Target Column: Selects the Column number of the CSV file to get the data name from
Generally speaking, either the Source or the Target will be a column from the CSV and the other one
will be an Absolute or Relative Path.
When outputting data the configuration of the Source and Target
properties switch.
The Source is a physical file identified in the Source Path field. DUT.dat
will be saved with a new name specified in the config.csv file column 2 as
 Source Definition
 Path: Specify physical data file that is being copied
 Source Path: Specifies the path to the physical data file
 Target Definition
 Column: Uses the CSV column name to select the name for
the file being copied
 Target Column: Selects the Column number of the CSV file
to get the data name from
Figure: 26-18 DAT File Config
26.10.5 Sequence Folder Organization

The source files, reference files and output files are all in separate folders to
keep them organized.
 Output Files: These are the result of the batch processing e.g.,
DAT files that can be opened in any SoundCheck system for further
review or reporting Figure: 26-19 Folder
Structure
 Source Files: Data to be processed: WFM, WAV and DAT files
 tmp: Location for files with generic names that are used in Analysis,
Post Processing, Autosave and other sequence processing.

Instruction Manual
26.11 Median
This can be used to calculate the arithmetic Median on a set of similar items with
differing values, e.g., a series of Gain values from a production run of microphones
or a series of distortion values from a number of loudspeaker drivers.
 Operates on Values from the Memory List
 Select individual Values or a Group of values from the Memory List
 With an odd number of elements it returns the center element
 1234567
 median: 4
 With an even number of elements it returns the average of the two center
elements
 12345678 Figure 26-20: Median
 median: 4.5
Rules
 Can select multiple groups. All units must be the same.
 Can select a group and a single value. All units must be the same.
 Calculates the median of all selected data

Instruction Manual
27 Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step
Important! The contents of this chapter requires the use of LabVIEW. It is suggested that
users have an advanced level of experience with the LabVIEW development
environment in order to use these examples.
27.1 Creating a Custom VI for SoundCheck®

SoundCheck provides a way for you to integrate your own LabVIEW code into your SoundCheck sequence as
a step. Included with SoundCheck are templates to create your own Custom Steps which can be run in a
SoundCheck sequence. Once the files are created according the instructions, you can use those steps in the
SoundCheck sequence editor.
Note: LabVIEW 2021 English Language version is required to create custom steps and step editors for
SoundCheck 20.0. The "Save for Previous Version" option in LabVIEW is not recommended.
27.1.1 your step name here.vi

1. Make sure the SoundCheck application is closed.
2. Open your LabVIEW development system.
3. Open the LabVIEW VI template: C:\SoundCheck 20.0\System\Custom VIs\your step name here.vi.
Figure: 27-1 Open VI Template
SoundCheck® 20.0 Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step 461

Instruction Manual
4. Before doing anything else, select "Save As" from the file menu and give the template a new name.
For example: 'RS232 Read Integer.vi' (This example is installed with SoundCheck by default.) The new
name cannot be the same as a pre-existing custom vi.
5. This must be saved in the "Custom VIs" folder. Make sure it has the ".vi" extension (lower case).
6. Make note of the VI name. The step name used must be the same as the VI name (minus the ".vi"). It
is also CASE SPECIFIC.
7. Combine your code with the existing code in the SoundCheck template.
Figure: 27-2 Add LabVIEW Code To Template
8. Save the VI.
462 Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
27.1.2 your step name here Editor.vi
9. Next, open the LabVIEW VI template "C:\SoundCheck 20.0\System\Custom VIs\your step name here
Editor.vi".
Figure: 27-3 Open VI Editor Template
10. Select "Save As" and use the same name from the previous step. Make sure it contains ' Editor.vi' after
the custom name. For example: 'RS232 Read Integer Editor.vi' (This example is installed with
SoundCheck by default.)
11. Follow the instructions highlighted in yellow on the VI diagram, and "wire in" all the custom code.
27.1.3 Rules
 The two VIs, Step Name.vi and Step Name Editor.vi, work together within SoundCheck and must be
located in the SoundCheck 20.0\System\Custom VIs folder.
In this example, 'RS232 Read Integer Editor.vi' is used to create the custom step, and 'RS232 Read
Integer.vi' is called when the custom step is run in the sequence to execute the custom code.
 The curves listed in the 'Curves Generated' array in the custom editor must have exactly the same
name as those created by the custom vi. This ensures that the placeholder for the curve in the Memory
List is filled with the correct data when the sequence is run.
 If the VI has any subVIs, put them in the folder: "...\Custom VIs\subVIs\". If the folder does not exist, it
must be created and must be located in the "SoundCheck 20.0\System\Custom Vis" folder.
 If you make your custom VI wait for user interaction, such as clicking a Done button, the Custom Step
must be configured to "Display step when run" as shown in Figure 27-4. Otherwise, SoundCheck
may get stuck inside the custom VI, in an infinite loop. (See Sequence Editor on page 465)
 If you call a sub vi in a custom vi, and that subvi has the VI Property “Separate compiled code from
source file" turned on, SoundCheck will not be able to load the custom vi.
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27.2 Creating a Custom Step
1. Start SoundCheck and open the Sequence Editor.
2. Select "Custom" from the left hand Step Category menu. By default, this list contains the example step
'RS232 Read Integer'.
3. Select "New..." from the Step menu and enter the name for the new step, using the same name as
your step VI and step Editor VI.
Important! The step name should be exactly the custom VI name, minus the ".vi" (e.g.,
RS232 Read Integer).
In this example, the new step would be called RS232 Read Integer (do not include the .CUS extension
in this dialog). This opens your Custom Editor of the same name (RS232 Read Integer Editor.vi).
4. A Custom Step is created and saved when you click OK. The new step can now be used in a
sequence.
Note: The settings of the Custom Step must be made after inserting it into a sequence.
27.2.1 Using your Custom Step in a Sequence

1. Open SoundCheck and open the sequence
editor.
2. Insert the step in a sequence and then open it

from the right side of the editor Figure 27-4.
If you have used the Curves Generated option

in your Editor, you will add names to the Memory
List with your step. These curve, value, and
result names will allow steps, such as Limits and
Display Steps, that occur later in the sequence,
to act on your custom curves. Open the Memory
List to view the curves, values, and results
generated by your sequence.
Configure step to
3. Edit and save the parameters for the step as you
“Display when
would any other step in SoundCheck, and save
run” if it requires
the sequence. user interaction
To edit the parameters of a Custom Step in a sequence,
select “Custom” from the Setup menu, or use the
shortcut Ctrl+Shift+X. If there is a Custom Step in the
sequence, either method will open the editor for the
Custom Step.
Figure: 27-4 Custom Step In Sequence
464 Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
28 Sequence Editor
28.1 What is a sequence?

 A script to carry out a "sequence" of events
 A series of individual Steps
 The sequence (.SQC file) contains all of the steps and settings for those steps. It does not contain the
settings for Hardware and Calibration. (See Hardware - System.Har on page 63 and System.Cal on
page 85)
 A sequence contains steps, test variables and Conditional Branching instructions. (See Configure
Step on page 476)
28.2 What is a step?

 These are the building blocks of a sequence
 Each step is from a specific category
 Each step in the library of the sequence editor is a template for use in the active sequence on the
right side of the editor
 The file extension of each step file matches the step type, e.g., Stimulus Step = .STI, Acquisition
Step = .ACQ
 After a step is inserted into the active sequence, it has no connection back to the step in the library.
 The step information for the active sequence is saved in the .SQC file (See Single-file Sequence
Format on page 466)
28.3 Default Sequences

SoundCheck comes with a library of sequences and step templates
that can be used with minor or no modifications.
 These sequences serve as templates for making new
sequences
 Step Templates are independent of sequences and are
reusable
Please refer to Default Sequence List on page 655 which includes

descriptions of all the sequences included in the SoundCheck installation.
Note: Application specific sequences are also available on the Listen, Inc. website.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Sequence Editor 465

Instruction Manual
28.4 Features
 The Sequence Editor runs in parallel with the rest of SoundCheck (See Sequence Operation on page
468)
 Editor can remain open while running a sequence
 Current running step is highlighted allowing you to see the progress of the sequence run
 The SoundCheck Main Screen menu can be accessed
 Editor can be moved to a second monitor
 The step templates pane now features an expandable tree structure for template categories and can
be fully collapsed to maximize sequence space. See Step Template Library on page 471.
 You can add single or multiple steps to a sequence simply by dragging and dropping. Steps can also
be moved in a sequence with drag and drop. All other functions are accessed by Right-clicking on the
step.
 Drag and drop to insert and re-order single or multiple steps
 Intuitive Right-click menu for all functions (See Right-click Functions on page 473)
 Sequence Debugging Tools (See Debugging Tools on page 474)
 Steps with Pass/Fail (Conditional Branching) (Mes, Lim, Dis) are highlighted green or red in the
editor after they are run
 Breakpoints can be inserted into a sequence for debugging purposes. Control buttons on the
SoundCheck Main Screen can then be used to advance the sequence one step at a time or run the
remaining steps in the sequence. See Debugging Tools on page 474.
 Insert as many break points as desired
 New buttons for run a single step or continue from breakpoint
 Steps and sequence may be edited while at a breakpoint
 ‘Run from here’ option allows you to run only a portion of the sequence
 Undo functionality has also been added to the Sequence Editor both as a Right-click and the familiar
Ctrl+Z shortcut. This allows you to quickly revert changes made when developing and editing
sequences.
28.4.1 Single-file Sequence Format

As of SoundCheck 12:
 The sequence file (.SQC) contains all sequence parameters and steps. Individual Step files are no
longer required.
 All attributes and fields of a step in the active sequence are linked to that sequence
 Changes to the steps in the active sequence appear only in that sequence
 Changes are not linked back to the step template in the Step Template Library of the Sequence
Editor. See also Right-click Functions on page 473.
 Selecting Save As when editing a step in the active sequence, saves the changes in the sequence and
makes it a template in the library
 Sharing and updating sequences is greatly simplified. Only a single SQC file is required, rather than an
entire folder full of step files. See Exporting Sequences on page 481.
466 Sequence Editor SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
28.4.2 Converting Sequences
As of SoundCheck 12, sequences are no longer imported. The Setup Wizard allows you to convert sequences
from a previous version to the Single File Sequence format. Master sequences and sub-sequences from
versions prior to SoundCheck 12 should be handled as follows:
1. Export the sequence from SoundCheck 11 (or previous) into its own folder
2. In SoundCheck 20.0, open each sub-sequence (from the exported folder) and click save. This will
convert the sub-sequences to the single file format.
3. Open the master sequence and click save so that it is in single file format
4. See Exporting Sequences on page 481
28.5 Sequence Editor Interface

The Sequence Editor (optional module 2002) allows you to create
and customize sequences to fit your specific testing needs.
Sequences can involve a few steps for a straightforward
measurement (e.g., loudspeaker frequency response), or include
dozens of steps for elaborate tests. To view and change the
current sequence, select Sequence from the Setup drop-down
list on the main SoundCheck® menu bar, or use the keyboard
shortcut Ctrl+Q.
Figure 28-1: Sequence Editor
The right side of the Sequence Editor shows the Active Sequence being edited. Here you can expand or
collapse step details.
The overall sequence configurations are listed first (Overall sequence) and take precedence over any
conflicting step configurations.
Any individual step configurations are displayed immediately after the step. You can expand the configuration
info by clicking the + button next to the step.
The left side shows the Step Template Library which gives you a variety of preset steps normally used in
SoundCheck. You can also create your own step templates.
The editor window allows the right side to be expanded for easier viewing of long step names.
Note: Settings for the window and column size of the sequence editor window are stored in the
SoundCheck 20.ini file under [WinColBounds]. This will be recalled the next time SoundCheck is
run.
28.6 Relative File Paths

File path controls in a sequence step can be set relative to the folder path of the sequence itself. This is useful
when sharing sequences with other SoundCheck users and locations, as it makes it easy to move the
sequence and all of its related files (recalled DAT files, WAV file stimuli, etc.) from one place to another. The
relative path can even include sub-folders. See Rules - Relative File Path in Recall Editor on page 242.

Instruction Manual
28.6.1 File Menu
The File menu on the SoundCheck Main Screen has the following sequence
related functions:
 New - Create new sequences
 Save current sequence being edited
 Save As - Save current sequence with a new name and optional change
location folder
 Revert allows you to discard all changes made since the last time the
sequence was saved to disk. Figure 28-2: Sequence
Menu
 Delete - Deletes the selected sequence from the sequence folder. This
does not go to the Recycle Bin. Deleting is permanent.
Document Sequence - Allows you to export a list of the steps of the active sequence along with information
regarding the configuration of the steps and sequence. See Document Sequence on page 482.
28.7 Sequence Operation

The Sequence Editor can remain open while a sequence is running. This
allows you to see the progress of the sequence as the steps run.
 As a step is running it is highlighted in Yellow. See Display Step in
Figure 28-3.
 Steps configured with Pass/Fail Conditional Branching functions are
highlighted in Green or Red after they have run. (.MES, .LIM and .DIS)
 Breakpoints can be set to pause the sequence run for debugging.
Steps are marked with a red dot. See Debugging Tools on page 474.
Figure 28-3: Step

Highlighting
 The SoundCheck Main Screen menu can be accessed while the Start
editor is open. The Start, Stop, Step and Continue buttons are located Stop
in the top left corner. Continue
Note: As of SoundCheck 13, the Status window has been removed.

Use the Enter key or the Continue button as shown in Figure
28-4. Step
Figure 28-4: Sequence
See SoundCheck Main Screen on page 45 for more information on Control
Sequence Control Buttons. Also see on page 611.
 The editor can be moved to a second monitor to leave more room for display windows.

Instruction Manual
28.8 Editing Sequences
Every sequence is comprised of several steps. The Sequence Editor
allows you to configure the sequence as a whole, as well as to
configure individual steps.
Figure 28-5: Sequence Editor
The active sequence name is shown on the SoundCheck Main Screen

Figure 28-6: Active Sequence
All the steps are listed in the order that they are Line number for
executed. Steps can also be configured with one or each step in
more Conditional Branches (or jumps) to change the sequence
order of execution. See Configure Step on page
Conditional
476.
Branching or
 You can change the order of these steps by “Jumps” show
clicking on a step and dragging it to a new the line number
location in the sequence. SoundCheck will and step name
prompt you if you are moving steps that are Right-click to
part of a jump. change view with
Expand All or
 Double click on a step to open its editor. Collapse All
 As the sequence runs, each step is
highlighted in Yellow as it is processing.
 Steps marked with a Red Dot are set as
Breakpoints. See Debugging Tools on Figure 28-7: Sequence Editor
page 474.
 You cannot edit sub-sequences from the master sequence. Instead, open the sub-sequence itself in
the Sequence Editor to edit it.

Instruction Manual
28.8.1 Insert/Remove Steps
You can also remove or insert steps into the current sequence.
Right-click a step (or select several steps), Right-click them and select Remove
To insert a Step Template:
1. The default Step Template location is the Steps folder of your current SoundCheck installation.
2. Choose the desired Category from the drop-down list, Left-click on a step and drag it into the Active
Sequence.
3. You can then “Drag and Drop” the new step in the correct position in the sequence.
Note: You can only browse to the Steps directory specified in Main Screen > Edit > Preferences > Folder
Paths. See Preferences on page 49.
After the step is added to the active sequence it is no longer connected to the Step Template Library. Changes
to the step in the sequence appear only in that sequence.
Note: In the Step Template Library you can select Sequence to show the steps of a saved sequence.
This is an easy short-cut for re-using steps from another sequence.
28.8.2 Adding Multiple Steps

It is possible to “Add a Block“ of steps to a sequence. This Cursor Line
is very useful when adding steps from another saved
sequence.
Figure 28-8 shows an example.
 In the Step Template Library select Sequence and
pick a sequence from the list
 Select a group of steps from the sequence in the
library. Left-click and drag them to the Active
Sequence
 They will be added above the cursor line that
appears when you “mouse over” the Active
Sequence. In this example, the steps were inserted Figure 28-8: Add Multiple Steps
above the Acquisition Step.

Instruction Manual
28.9 Editing Steps
You can edit a step in the sequence by simply double-clicking on the step in the Active Sequence list box.
You can also click Setup on the SoundCheck Main Screen, select a Category and select a step to edit.
28.10 Step Template Library

The Step Template Library contains preset steps for use in building sequences. The
steps are arranged by Category as shown in Figure 28-9.
 Double clicking a step name in the Step Template Library will open that step so
you can review its properties or edit its default settings.
 To save changes click Save As in the editor.
 You can give the step a new name or leave the name the same and overwrite
the existing step.
Figure 28-9: Step

Template Library
28.10.1 Categories Associated
Abbreviation
 Messages - Specifies text based, digital I/O based messages, or Editor
RS232 and/or IEEE messages. Mes Messages
Sti Stimulus
 Stimulus - Specifies the test signal (sine-based, WAV file)
Acq Acquisition
 Acquisition - Selects method of data acquisition, e.g., Play and Ana Analysis
Record, Record only, Real Time Analyzer, etc. Rec Recall
 Analysis - Selects the analysis algorithm Pos Post-Processing
Lim Limits
 Recall - Recalls a saved data file (SoundCheck-specific *.DAT, Dis Display
*.RES, *.WFM and standard *.WAV files) into the Memory List Ser Serial Number
 Post-Processing - Allows for complex data operations Sta Statistics
Aut Autosave
 Limits - Checks measurement data against preset tolerances
Pri Printing
 Display - Selects how the data and results will be presented Cus Custom
 Serial No - Selects automatic incrementing of a serial number, or Seq Sub-sequence
a prompt for the user to enter a Serial Number Figure 28-10: Category
Abbreviations
 Statistics - Calculates running statistics of curves and results
that are updated with each test run
 Autosave - Saves data, results and/or wave forms to disk in one of five formats
 Printing - Selects how the data and results will be printed
 Custom - Allows you to integrate your own LabVIEW code into the sequence as a step. See Creating
a Custom VI and Custom Step on page 461.
 Sequence - Allows you to copy a step from a pre-existing sequence into the selected sequence. See
Adding Multiple Steps on page 470.
 This step will retain the settings it had in the saved sequence in the library.
 You can also insert a sequence file, making it a sub-sequence. You can only select sequences that
are in the same folder as the current Active Sequence. See Insert Sub-sequence on page 473.

Instruction Manual
28.10.2 Step Template Menu
Right-click a Step Template category and select:
 New - Create new steps in the selected category
 Import Step Templates allows you to bring steps in from previous versions
of SoundCheck or other SoundCheck folders. The entire folder of steps
must be selected. If you want specific steps it is recommended that you
Figure 28-11: Step
make a copy of the original folder and remove the unwanted files before
Template Menu
importing the folder.
28.10.3 Rules - Sub-sequences

 You can insert an entire sequence into another sequence. This makes it a sub-sequence. The sub-
sequence must be in the same folder location as the master sequence.
 Batch Processing and Memory List Grouping is not allowed in Sub-sequences. If you want to use a
sequence which contains batch processing, as a sub-sequence, it will need to be re-configured to use
individual steps that do not require Memory List Groups and Batch Processing.
 Reminder: Rules for Overwrite Data/Keep Repeated Data in Step Configuration applies to data in sub-
sequences. Either use unique names for Data and Waveforms or, select “Add Input Data Name” or
“Use Signal Path Name”. Refer to Overwrite vs. Keep repeated data on page 477 for more
information.
Example: When all Acquisition Steps use the name “Recorded Time Waveform” AND the sub-
sequence acquisitions are configured to “Keep Repeated Data”, the resulting names are:
Recorded Time Waveform, 2- Recorded Time Waveform, 3-Recorded Time Waveform, etc.
The Analysis Steps then point at the first waveform generated, “Recorded Time Waveform”, instead of
the waveform that analysis is paired with in the Sub-sequence.
The best way to get around this is to use unique names for the acquisition waveforms in each sub-
sequence.
 When using the Memory List Sorting and Grouping function, “Autogroup By Category”, in the Master
Sequence, the Curves, Values, Results and Waveforms from the Sub-sequence are automatically
grouped under the heading “Seq” for each Memory List Tab.
 The sub-sequence when inserted into the master
sequence is given a step number in relation to the
other steps of the master sequence
 Steps of sub-sequences are numbered separately,
relative to the first step of the sub-sequence. Other
steps of the Master Sequence resume their numbering
after the sub-sequence.
 Steps of a Sub-sequence are indented in relation to
steps in the Master Sequence.
 You cannot edit sub-sequences from the master
sequence. Instead, open the sub-sequence itself in the Figure 28-12: Sequence Step Numbering
Sequence Editor to edit the steps.
 When exporting the Master Sequence, its sub-sequences are exported as well. This will also export the
Associated Files of the Sub-sequences. See Exporting Master Sequence and its Sub-sequences
on page 481.
 See Converting Sequences on page 467 for information on converting Master and Sub-sequences
from previous versions of SoundCheck

Instruction Manual
28.10.4 Insert Sub-sequence
 In the active sequence, select the step that you want the
Sub-sequence to occur before
 Right-click the step and select Insert Step
 Select Category and Sequence
 Choose a sequence
 The sub-sequence must be in the same folder location as
the master sequence.
 Sub-sequences show up in the active sequence as a single
step. The step category is identified as “Seq“.
In this example, the Display step was selected and the sub- Figure 28-13: Inserting a Sub-
sequence was inserted before it. See Figure 28-13. sequence
28.11 Right-click Functions

Right-clicking on a step or overall sequence opens a selection menu. This
makes it easier to change the configuration of any step or the overall
sequence.
28.11.1 Steps
 Configure Step - Open step configuration window to set options for
how the step works in the sequence. See Configure Step on page
476.
 Comment Step - Comments appear in the Comment column of the
Figure 28-14: Right-click
sequence editor as well as the sequence Documentation
 Insert Step/Replace Step - Allows you to select a step from the Step
Library. See Figure 28-8.
 Remove - Removes the selected step(s) from the sequence. Select multiple steps by holding down the
CTRL key while selecting Steps.
 Rename - Change the name of the selected step
 Undo [Name of Last Edit] - Revert last change(s) made. This remembers the order that changes are
made to the sequence and allows you to step back through multiple layers of Undo. You can also use
Ctrl+Z as long as the Sequence Editor window is Active (blue title bar).
28.11.2 Sequence
 Expand All / Collapse All - Used to Show or Hide the configuration of all steps in the sequence
 Configure Sequence - Opens the sequence configuration window

Instruction Manual
28.11.3 Debugging Tools
These functions are typically used to test and fix sequence operation.
 Set Breakpoint - Select a step for the sequence to stop on. This
step is denoted by a Red Dot. You can set as many breakpoints in
a sequence as required.
 Clear Breakpoint - Removes the Breakpoint on the selected
step(s).
 Run from here - Run the sequence from the selected point. This
allows you to run to the end of the sequence or to the next
Breakpoint. After the sequence stops at a Breakpoint, you can
select “Run from here” again to continue sequence run. Figure 28-15: Set Breakpoint
 Apply - Allows you to Apply the action of selected step without
having to open the step. For .MES, .LIM and .DIS steps this will show the Pass/Fail state of the step by
highlighting the step number in Green or Red. (Clicking Apply in the step editor will not change the step
highlighting.)
When a sequence run pauses at a breakpoint, the Step and Continue buttons Start
become available to either advance one step at a time or run the rest of the Stop
sequence. Continue
While the sequence is paused at a breakpoint, you can edit the steps in the
sequence. This allows you to trouble shoot a sequence one section at a time,
without having to run the entire sequence.
Breakpoints can also be set in Step Configuration. See Configure Step on Step
page 476.

Instruction Manual
28.12 Configure Sequence
Double click on the first line of the sequence,
Overall sequence, at the top of the active
sequence or Right-click the Sequence Editor to
open the Configure Sequence window.
28.12.1 Sequence Parameters

As of SoundCheck 18, you can create empty
Memory List items that will be populated with data
using the “MemoryList.Set“ command. The
Figure 28-16: Configure Sequence
example in Figure 28-16 shows how Curves and
Values are created in the Sequence Parameters
section.
These empty items show up in the Memory List as shown in
Figure 28-17 and will be populated with data when the
MemoryList.Set command is used. See Controlling
SoundCheck with TCP/IP on page 497 and MemoryList.Set
TCP/IP Command on page 499 for more information.
 Preload Stimulus and Clear measured data must be
unchecked in order to use the MemoryList.Set
command.
Figure 28-17: MemoryList.Set Items
28.12.2 When Sequence opens

 Preload Stimulus - Creates and loads the Stimulus Waveform into memory when the sequence
opens.
Preload Stimulus vs. Memory List Selection
When "Memory List Selection" is selected in the Stimulus
Editor, a message will pop up as a reminder to "shut off"
Preload Stimulus.
 Open First Display Step when sequence opens
 Open Memory List when sequence opens
 Open Instruction File - PDF or other document types can be tied to a sequence so that the file opens
when the sequence opens. Example sequences included with SoundCheck use this function to open
sequence notes and instructions.
 Browse to Location - Select the file to link to sequence
 File - Shows the linked File Name and path
28.12.3 When Sequence Starts

 Close Open Display Step - Only the SoundCheck Main Screen is visible after sequence start
 Clear Measured Data - Used to clear displays of curves and values. Helps prevent confusion during
sequence run.
 Sequence Comments - This field can be used to include notes about the sequence; version, date
created, author, etc.

Instruction Manual
28.12.4 When Sequence Runs
 Update Data in Displays - Data is shows in the display in the order it is acquired, analyzed or
processed rather than waiting until the sequence run completes.
 Display all steps for ___ Time - Useful for debugging. Allows you to see the operation of each step
for a preset time.
 Display FAILED Steps for ___ Time - Same as above except that it only applies to steps that issue a
FAILED verdict.
 Wait for confirmation - Waits for you to click Continue (Enter) or Stop Start
(Esc) on the SoundCheck Main Screen. Stop
Continue
 Halt on Fail - Stops the sequence run when the verdict of any step is
FAIL.
Figure 28-18: Stop or

Continue Buttons
28.13 Configure Step
You can configure individual steps to fine tune their role in the sequence.
Configuring individual steps allows implementation of loops and Conditional Branching in the sequence.
28.13.1 Conditional Branching Example

Right-click a step and select Configure Step.
The example in Figure 28-19 shows that if the result of the
“Imp Test for Signal” step is Pass, it is configured to
“Jump” to step 6, “Est. Resonance”.
If the result is Fail, the sequence continues to the “No
Signal” step and the sequence stops since this step is set
to Halt on Fail.
Using these options, you can alter the operation and order
of step execution in the sequence based on the outcome
of a particular step. See Rules - Sequence Editor:
Conditional Branching on page 478 for more Figure 28-19: Conditional Branching
information.
28.13.2 Options
 Wait for Confirmation - The sequence will pause after the selected Start
step is completed and wait for user input before continuing. Click the Stop
Continue or Stop buttons on the SoundCheck Main Screen as shown Continue
in Figure 28-20.
 Display step when run for / Display Step on FAIL for - Eliminates
the need for user confirmation. Enter the amount of time you wish the
sequence to pause while the step is displayed. The sequence will Figure 28-20: Stop or
resume once the step times out. Continue Buttons
 Halt on FAIL / Halt on Pass - Allows the sequence to be stopped
based on the result of the step (PASS or FAIL).
 Jump on PASS to / Jump on FAIL to - Allows for Conditional Branching. Depending on the PASS/
FAIL result of the step, the sequence will jump to a different point in the sequence. The drop-down lists
contain the names of all the steps in the sequence; you can jump forward or backward in the sequence.

Instruction Manual
You can also elect to loop through part of the sequence for a given number of iterations and jump to a
selected step. See Rules - Sequence Editor: Conditional Branching on page 478 for more
information.
 After “n” repetitions - Sequence operation jumps to the selected step
for a set number of runs. This increments the Index value as noted
below. The Index value appears in the Memory List and can be used to
control stimulus level, set turntable angle for polar plots and other
uses. (Requires that “Jump on PASS or FAIL” is selected.)
Index (Loop Index)
You can create a Memory List value that increments according to the
following settings:
 Start - Starting value of Memory List item
 Name - Name of Index value created in Memory List
 Increment - Amount the item will increase or decrease after each Figure 28-21: Configure
repetition Step - Loop Stimulus Level
 Unit - Log or Linear units can be used. Uses standard editor.
 See Loop Stimulus Level or Polar Plot (Linear X turntable) example sequences and sequence
notes for more information.
 The Index is a "Y axis” value. When using the Index value to update Start and Stop Frequencies in
the Stimulus Editor, select Y axis. See Start and Stop Frequencies from Memory List Values on
page 121 for info on how this is used in a Stimulus Step.
 Set Breakpoint - Allows you to set a Breakpoint to halt sequence operation. Useful for debugging.
Looping sequences. The step will have a red dot next to the step name in the Active Sequence to
indicate the Breakpoint. See Debugging Tools on page 474.
 Comment Step - Comments appear in the Comment Column of the sequence editor as well as the
sequence Documentation.
Overwrite vs. Keep repeated data

 Overwrite data - This is selected so that the Memory List data generated by the step will be
overwritten in the each time a sequence loop occurs. This helps reduce the number of curves that
appear in the Memory List. This can be set on a per-step basis. In other words, you can overwrite data
for some curves in a loop and keep all repeated data for other curves. This is the default setting.
 Keep repeated data - Allows you to keep the repeated measured curves in memory. They will be
added to the Memory List with an iteration prefix, e.g., 2-Fundamental, 3-Fundamental, etc. Curves are
only kept when the iteration logic produces a PASS.
 Default Action for new steps - Any New Step added to the sequence, after this point in time, will use
the “Overwrite data/Keep repeated data” setting of this step. This applies to any new step added,
independent of its location in the sequence.

Instruction Manual
28.13.3 Rules - Sequence Editor: Conditional Branching
 Stimulus, Acquisition and Analysis steps should be configured to “Overwrite Data” when these steps
are within a Loop
The default state of steps when added to a sequence is “Overwrite Data”. When steps in a loop are
configured to “Keep Repeated Data”, redundant curves can be generated in the Memory List, e.g.,
Fundamental [L], 2-Fundamental [L], 3-Fundamental [L], etc. In most cases, steps should be set to
Overwrite Data so that only one instance of the curves is created. They will be updated each time the
sequence runs.
 The final step of a sequence should not be used in a Loop
Jump on Pass or Fail may create an endless loop
In order to execute a jump at the end of a sequence, add a dummy display or message step at the end
of the sequence, e.g., Message Step named “End of Sequence“. Then configure the previous step to
jump to the desired location.
 Step Configuration in the Sequence Editor shows the Line number
and Step name for the target of a “Jump“
Refer to Figure 28-22 for an example
For an example of how Conditional Branching and Loops work, open the
Loop Stimulus Level sequence from the SoundCheck Sequences - How
To Examples folder.
Figure 28-22: Step

Configuration Info

Instruction Manual
28.14 Creating a New Sequence
This is the basic procedure required to complete a sequence. You can alter it to fit your test needs.
Note: The order of the Step Categories in the Template Library is also the order that the steps are
normally used in a sequence: Stimulus, Acquisition, Analysis, etc.
Note: Steps can be added to the sequence from the Step Template Library on the left side of the editor.
The step can be opened and edited from the Active Sequence on the right hand side of the editor.
Changes to the step are stored in the sequence and are not saved back to the Step Template
Library.
Note: After opening any of these sequence steps in the active sequence, they can be saved under a
different name by clicking on Save As in the Step Editor. You can also Right-click a step and select
Rename. This change is not saved in the library.
1. On the SoundCheck Main Screen select File > New. This opens the Sequence
Editor with a blank Active Sequence. Click File again and select Save to name
the sequence. You can also browse to save the sequence in a different folder.
2. The sequence will use the system Hardware and Calibration configurations.
3. Right-click in the blank Active Sequence and select

Insert Step.
 Select the Stimulus Category and select the Stimulus

Step to be used for the test.
 You are prompted to select the Output Signal Path.
Note: You can also drag and drop steps from the Step Template Library into the Active Sequence.
4. Right-click in the blank Active Sequence and select Insert Step again.
 Select Acquisition and select the method for playing the stimulus signal and recording the DUT
(device under test) response and drag it into the Active Sequence.
 You are prompted to select the Input and Output Signal Path.
5. Repeat the process of Right-clicking on the Active Sequence to insert steps. You can always change
the order of the steps by clicking on them, using the “Drag and Drop” method.
6. Once a step is inserted in the sequence you can Right-click it and select Rename to give it a unique
name to identify its function in the sequence.
7. Insert an Analysis step.
 Select the type of signal analysis that will be performed.

Instruction Manual
8. Insert a Display step.
 Select a step to display your data

 Add display windows as described in Creating a Display Step on
page 373 and Display Examples on page 375
 Right-click the Display Step and select Configure step. See
Configure Step on page 476 for more information
 Select Display step when run. This is required in order for the display to be shown when the
sequence is run.
Note: When using multiple Display Steps, each Display Step in the sequence must have a
unique name or data will not be displayed correctly.
9. At the top of the Sequence Editor double

click on “Overall sequence”. This opens the
Configure Sequence window. You can also
Right-click the sequence and select
Configure Sequence. See Configure
Sequence on page 475 for more
information.
 Select Preload Stimulus to optimize

test speed
10. Insert other types of steps as noted above.
Note: Remember that you can Drag and Drop steps to change the order that they occur in
the sequence.
11. Double click to open each step in the Active Sequence (right hand side of the editor) to fine tune the
operation of each step.
12. Right-click a step to Configure the Step. See Configure Step on page 476 for more information.
13. Now you can save and run your sequence.

Instruction Manual
28.15 Exporting Sequences
Sequences developed on one SoundCheck 20.0 installation can be used by other SoundCheck 20.0 (and later)
systems using the Export Seq command from the File menu. This will copy the saved sequence to a selected
folder.
28.15.1 Associated Files

In addition to the .SQC file, it also exports the following:
 Any *.DAT, *.RES or *.WFM files from Recall Steps set to “Specify File Path”
 Picture files being used in the Display Steps
 WAV files used in the Acquisition or Stimulus Steps
 Calibration .DAT files associated with the signal paths used in the sequence
 Any instruction files from the Sequence Configuration
The sequence can be run from the exported folder. This folder can be on a network or on the local PC.
28.15.2 Exporting Master Sequence and its Sub-sequences

When exporting the Master Sequence, its sub-sequences are exported as well. This will also export the
Associated Files of the Sub-sequences.
28.15.3 Example - Exporting Sequences

To export sequences, do the following:
1. Make sure the sequences you want to export have been saved.
2. Select File→Export Seq….
3. Navigate to the sequence file(s) location, select the desired .SQC file(s) and click OK
4. Open the folder where the exported sequences will reside. This can be a folder on the local hard drive
or anywhere on a network.
5. Once you have opened the destination folder, click on Select Cur Dir
6. SoundCheck will then export the sequence files as noted above

Instruction Manual
28.16 Document Sequence
From the SoundCheck Main Screen click File > Document Sequence.
Figure 28-23: Document

Sequence
Allows you to export a list of the steps of the active
sequence along with information regarding the
configuration of the steps and sequence.
 Export the list of steps of a sequence to a text

file in 2 text formats or to an Excel file: (See
Figure 28-24)
1. Delimited txt file; tab, comma,
semicolon and other
2. Space-aligned for fixed width text

editors
 The Documentation setup window allows you to

select:
1. Summary: Shows the Simple step
information first. For sequences with
sub-sequences, only the master Figure 28-24: Documentation Editor
sequence setup is shown.
2. Current View: same layout as on screen
3. Expanded Details: Steps names, configuration and settings:
a. Line number
b. Output Signal Path / Input Signal Path
c. Category
d. Step title
e. Step configuration
 The Comment window gives you a space to enter general notes about the sequence and it’s use. This
info shows up in the Quick-Start menu.
An example of the output from the Documentation Editor is shown in Figure 28-25.

Instruction Manual
Documentation Spreadsheet
SoundCheck www.listeninc.com
Sequence: Limits in Reference to Standard
Fri Mar 23 2018 11:48 AM
Sequence Title
Type Step Name # Out In
Date & time of
(Overall sequence) documentation
preload Stimulus
display instructions
clear data at start
close display at start
Mes Measure Standard 1 // Measure standard or use stored data
display step
jump on pass to # 2:
Comment Lines are
Fixture Standard
jump on fail to # 8: denoted by a double
Reference Standard slash (//) starting in the
overwrite curves first column.
Mes Fixture Standard 2
display step
wait for confirmation
overwrite curves
Sti 10k-100 Hz (R40) 3Amp ch 1
Data Out
Max FSD Out 10k-100 Hz (R40)
10k-100 Hz (R40)
Acq Play & Record 4Amp ch 1 Reference Mic
Data In
10k-100 Hz (R40)
Data Out
Max FSD In
Recorded Time Waveform
Figure 28-25: Documentation in Excel spreadsheet
The documentation example shows the result of selecting the “Expanded View” format. If “Summary“ were
selected, the step configuration information below each step would be omitted.
Sub-sequence Notation
 The sub-sequence title is given a step number in relation to the other steps of the master sequence
 Steps of sub-sequences are numbered separately, relative to the first step of the sub-sequence. Other
steps of the Master Sequence resume their number after the sub-sequence.

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
29 Virtual Instruments
29.1 Instrument List

Select Instruments (formerly Operate) from the SoundCheck main screen.
The Virtual Instruments offered by SoundCheck allow you to manually

operate the different components of the test system as stand-alone
instruments:
 Signal Generator (Ctrl+F4) - generate sine waves, noise and WAV files. See Page 489
 The EQ output function can be applied to all types of output signals available in the Signal
Generator. (Requires optional module 2013 - EQ a Wav File)
 Multimeter (Ctrl+F5) - display the weighted or unweighted RMS level of an input signal See Page 498
 Oscilloscope (Ctrl+F6) - view time waveforms See Page 511
 Spectrum Analyzer (Ctrl+F7) - narrow-band frequency analysis See Page 503
 Real Time Analyzer (Ctrl+F8) - Nth octave analysis Multi RTA with Power Average See Page 512
 Distortion Analyzer (Ctrl+F9) See Page 517
 Frequency Counter (Ctrl+F10) See Page 518
29.2 Overload Indicator

An overload indicator is included in all Instruments. This appears when the amplitude of the input signal
exceeds the range of the hardware.
 If the signal is within the Max FSD tolerances the value characters of the
meter are White
 When the input signal is within 3 dB of Max FSD, the meter reading will
switch from White to Orange characters. See Record Level Monitoring -
Max FSD on page 147.
 When the input signal is actively overloading the hardware, the Overload
Indicator becomes visible and flashes Red
 After the overload condition ceases, the indicator stops flashing, but it
remains highlighted in yellow to let you know that an overload condition had
been present in the current data acquisition session
The Overload Indicator is reset (closed) by clicking on the X (upper left corner), or
by stopping and starting the instrument. For the Spectrum Analyzer, Oscilloscope
and RTA, click on the Overload Indicator to close it.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Virtual Instruments 485

Instruction Manual
29.3 Common Instrument Controls
The following controls are used on all of the Instrument meters and analyzers:
 Save to Memory - Saves the acquired data to the Memory List
 Save Settings - Allows you save the current settings of the Instrument Figure 29-1: Common
to a .VIC file Controls
 Set as Default - Saves the current settings as the default settings for
this type of Instrument
 Load Settings - Allows you load settings from a .VIC file
 If the selected .VIC file does not contain settings for the current instrument, an error is returned
 If the .VIC file contains multiple configurations for the current instrument, the first entry is used
 Close - Closes the Instrument
 Save In Compact View - Sets the Instrument to open in Compact View when you select Save Settings
or Save as Default
29.3.1 Gain - Auto Read

All input Virtual Instruments have a drop-down menu for setting Gain.
When using Listen Hardware or Portland Tool & Die Hardware you can select Auto Read in order to
automatically update the Virtual Instrument with the gain setting for the selected channel.
It also allows you to
override the gain setting by
selecting any of the gain
values available for the
selected channel.
The gain of the hardware

device changes when the
Gain value is selected in
the Virtual Instrument.
This also allows you to set

the Gain value in a Virtual
Instrument Acquisition
Step without the need for a
prior Message Step.
Figure 29-2: Gain Auto Read
Trigger
Instruments with a Trigger function have a Gain field as well.
486 Virtual Instruments SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
29.4 Virtual Instrument Configuration
The set up of the multiple instruments can be
saved in a Virtual Instrument Configuration
file otherwise known as .VIC. This allows you
to save or recall a set of instruments that
might be used on a regular basis.
Note: The Signal Generator output will

be muted when a .VIC file is
opened.
Figure 29-3: Save Config
Virtual Instrument Configurations are

managed from the Instruments Menu on the
SoundCheck Main Screen. See Figure 29-3.
 Click Instruments Menu
 Save Configuration or Save Configuration
As to save current Virtual Instrument setup
 Open Configuration to open a .VIC file
 Start Up Configuration - Opens the selected
virtual instrument set up when SoundCheck is
opened. See Figure 29-4.
 Recently Opened Configurations - List of
recently used configurations
Figure 29-4: Startup Config

Instruction Manual
29.5 Opening Multiple Instances of Instruments
Several instances of the same virtual instrument or combinations of instruments can be opened at the same
time.
 For multichannel applications, a new instance of the VI can be opened for each channel
 Both the Spectrum Analyzer and the RTA can run simultaneously while running a sequence so real
time live data can be viewed
 Two (or more) Signal Generators can be used to mix signals (e.g., pink noise and a sine sweep) for
signal conditioning
 Waveforms in the Memory List may also now be played directly from the Signal Generator VI
29.5.1 Rules - Instrument Operation Time

There is no deterministic link between the input and output of virtual instruments. They are completely
independent. In fact, all Input Instruments are independent from each other. The only deterministic
synchronization implemented between instruments in SoundCheck is “Sync” for Signal Generators (output side
only).
The best way to guarantee that the Signal Generator is
playing for the entire duration of the Multimeter record
operation is by setting up your acquisition as follows:
 Include a record delay value that is long enough to
allow the Signal Generator to open and start
playing
 Configure the Multimeter to record for the duration
of interest
 Make sure the Signal Generator is configured to
play for long enough to cover:
a. The Record Delay entered in the Acquisition
Step field
b. The record duration set in the Multimeter Time
field
c. The time it takes for the Multimeter to open and
close
The example in Figure 29-5 shows the Signal Generator

set to run for 3.8 seconds.
Figure 29-5: Total Acquisition Time
This covers the times for:
Record Delay (1 Sec) + Multimeter Time (2 Sec) + Multimeter Open & Close (0.8 sec)
These methods should be used when using any of the virtual instruments as stand-alone instruments or when
using them in an Acquisition Step.
The values used in this example are for demonstration purposes only. You should determine the optimal record
delay, signal generator duration and multimeter duration times for your setup. They will vary based on OS,
audio driver, and number of input and output channels acquiring during the step.

Instruction Manual
29.6 Signal Generator
As of SoundCheck 20 the Signal Generator brings additional functionality and simplified operation, particularly
when using WAV files. In addition to standard audio stimuli (sine, white noise, pink noise, multitone) with user-
selected sampling rates and resolution, it can play any WAV file, any Memory List file, and any complex
waveform created by the stimulus editor. The level can be referenced to Peak, dB or RMS. The signal can be
equalized in real time, and custom EQ curves applied, which is useful when using a non-flat source such as a
mouth simulator. A specific portion of a waveform can be selected to play, either by selecting a start and stop
time in seconds, or by examining the waveform. Outputs from 2 or more signal generators can be mixed on the
same channel. Waveforms from multiple signal generators can be synchronized, or, a delay added for non-
coherent playback, for example when generating background noise. Signals may be played for a fixed duration,
a fixed number of times, or in a continuous loop. Improved controls, such as sliders in addition to numerical
entry simplify use.
29.6.1 Controls
Choose the Output Signal Path, Frequency, and Output Level of the sine wave or WAV file to play. The Signal
Generator always opens with the Play button Off to prevent playback of inadvertent, excessively high levels.
When you are ready to play your signal, click the Play button to output signal.
 Top header shows the Signal Path, sample rate and EQ status, e.g.:
Mouth Sim@44100, EQ. See Figure 29-7.
 Play Button will start or stop a Signal Generator. Sync allows multiple
Signal Generators to Play or Mute by clicking on only one generator. This
is only visible when multiple signal generators are open.
 Integrated Signal Type drop-down menu - Select Sine, Pink Noise,
White Noise or a Waveform file present in the Memory List. (See Play
Waveform Option on page 493.) “Add WAV File” can be selected to
load a file from disk. All the available channels of the WAV file will appear
in the Waveform list. (See WAV File playback on page 493.)
 Level can be referenced to Peak, dB or RMS by selecting the appropriate
option from the drop-down field
 Keyboard Page Up/Page Down arrows step the level in 1 dB
increments
 Slider control to vary level
Figure 29-6: Signal
 Frequency - Steps are in non-integer values. A decimal frequency can be Generator - Sine
entered as: 37.3 Hz. Scale can be set to Linear or logarithmic.
 Bandwidth is limited only by the sampling rate of the audio interface. DC is not supported in the
Signal Generator.
 Slider control to vary frequency
 Keyboard Page Up/Page Down arrows step the frequency in 12th Oct/R80 increments

Instruction Manual
 Play Start and End controls allow for playback of a selected region of a
WAV or WFM file. Right-click on one of the numeric fields to toggle to a
slider control.
 Compact Layout Button to Minimize/Maximize the Signal Generator
 Sync Delay - This is only available when more than one Signal Generator
is open. This is used to pad the beginning of signal generator playback with
silence. This can be useful when playing signal from multiple sources
where the output of the sources should be non-coherent. Default: 10 mS
 Save to Memory - The value from the Level field is saved to the Memory
List with the name “Generator” in RMS units. In a Virtual Instrument
Acquisition Step the name is set using the “Data Name” field.
 Slider Controls for both Level and Frequency
 Signal Path selection drop-down and EQ check box
 Max level and units defined in Calibration Editor - Output Signal Path
 Apply EQ uses the correction curve associated with the selected Signal Figure 29-7: Signal
Path (See EQ on page 492) Generator - Speech
 The EQ output function can be applied to all types of output signals
available in the Signal Generator. (Optional module 2013 - EQ a Wav File is required)
 Sampling Rate - This is used to specify the sampling rate for Sine Wave, Pink and White Noise from a
drop-down list of rates available for the selected Signal Path. When a WAV file is selected the Signal
Generator automatically changes to the Sample Rate of the WAV file. See Play Start and Play Stop
on page 491.
 Noise Frequency Resolution (Hz) - Sets the Frequency Resolution of Pink or White noise generated,
in Hz. Setting to 0.1 Hz will generate noise with a periodicity of 10 seconds (1/0.1=10) which yields a
higher resolution noise stimulus. See Figure 2.
 Play Mode - Becomes active when Noise or WFM/WAV are selected
 In Continuous Loop: Plays signal until step is stopped
 For Duration: The Time field is available to enter the length of time the step should play signal as
shown in Figure 2.
 N Times: Plays Noise, WAV or WFM the number of times selected in the N field
The Signal Generator uses the same button functions found in the Multimeter.
 Save in Compact View - With this selected, recalling a saved configuration always opens in Compact
View.
 Save Settings - Stores the current settings as a .VIC file. Does not save the position of the window or
the Sync state.
 Load Settings - Loads the settings from a .VIC file.
 Save As Default - The current settings are saved as the default opening state.
When the Signal Generator is used in an Acquisition Step of a sequence, this button changes to “OK”.
This closes the window and stores the settings in the Acquisition Step.
 Save to Memory - The value from the Level field is saved to the Memory List with the name
“Generator Level” in RMS units. In a Virtual Instrument Acquisition Step the name is set using the
“Data Name” field.

Instruction Manual
As of SoundCheck 15, you can unconditionally sync WAV file and Noise playback with other WAV file/Noise
generators and Sine Wave generators.
 Sync only guarantees matching first sample output on the audio interface. Anything beyond that is up
to the user. That is, they are not “synced” in terms of overall Signal Generator configuration:
 Frequency and level are unique to and controlled individually on each synced generator.
 Changing the frequency on one synced signal generator will mute all synced generators. This is for
phase matching reasons. Syncing signal generators guarantees the signals match at Phase 0/Time 0.
Changing the frequency would change the phase relationship between two signals, so all generators
need to be reset. Muting all synced generators effectively forces the sync operation to reset. Un-muting
any synced generator is a signal for all in the group to start playing again in sync.
 Changing the level of one synced signal generator has no effect on any other synced signal generator.
The same rules generally apply to synced WAV file/Noise Signal Generators. Clicking “Stop,” modifying the
WAV file path, or changing the Noise parameters will stop all synced generators. “Start” will start them all. Other
than that, each one is configured individually.
29.6.2 Play Start and Play Stop

This is used to play only a portion of the selected
Memory List WAV or WFM file.
Open a Waveform Display from the Memory List in order
to view and confirm Start and Stop times as shown in
Figure 29-8. Right-click on Play Start or Play End to
switch to a Play Range slide selector.
Figure 29-8: Play Start - Play Stop
29.6.3 Preferences
Click on the Preferences link at the top of the Signal Generator window to
change the numeric representation as shown in Figure 29-9.
Linear Numeric Representation

 Choose between SI notation and Floating point
 Select Digits of precision or Significant digits
 Check to Hide Trailing Zeros
dB Numeric Representation
 Set Digits of precision. Setting a greater precision may be required Figure 29-9: Preferences
when using Multimeter Limits in a sequence as noted above.

Instruction Manual
29.6.4 EQ
The EQ output function can be applied to all types of output signals available in the
Signal Generator (Sine Wave as well as WAV and noise). (Requires optional
module 2013 - EQ a Wav File)
When the EQ box is checked the EQ Out Correction curve that is created in the
output calibration process is applied to the output signal. This allows you to equalize
the response of an artificial mouth or anechoic chamber. EQ out correction curves
are populated with data when the Speaker Equalization or Simulated Free Field
calibration sequences are selected in the output calibration process. See
Equalization and Correction Curve on page 99.
The level and units are determined by the calibration setup. For example, if you
have calibrated the output sensitivity to include the gain of an amplifier in the path of
the output signal, the level indicated will be the level into the DUT. The output level
is in physical units. Refer to Calibration Configuration on page 85 for more
information on Physical Units.
Figure 29-10: EQ
29.6.5 Pink or White Noise

When playing Pink or White Noise you can select the Duration of the noise and the
number of times it can be looped.
 Select in Continuous Loop to playback until you hit Stop
 Select Duration and enter the playback time in the Duration field
or
 Select N Times and enter the number of times for file playback in the N
field
Figure 29-11: Play for

Duration

Instruction Manual
29.6.6 Play Waveform Option
Any waveform available in the Memory List can be played from the Signal
Generator. Select Waveform from the first drop-down list.
The Memory List Waveform is selected from the drop-down list under Waveform
Name.
29.7 WAV File playback

WAV file streaming in the signal generator with real time equalization removes
memory limitations on the length of test signals. Longer test signals such as those
required for analysis of speech and music can easily be accommodated. This Figure 29-12: Play
applies to the standalone Signal Generator as well as the Signal Generator when Waveform
used in an Acquisition Step. (WAV file streaming is not available in the Stimulus
Step.)
As of SoundCheck 18, the sample rate of the WAV file automatically sets the sample rate of the
Hardware Channel associated with the selected Signal Path.
Important! See Rules - Instrument Operation Time on page 488 regarding syncing and
operation time with multiple instruments.
29.7.1 Level
The Output Level field allows you to set the playback level of the WAV file. The level
is set in physical units. The output units will vary depending on the output units of
the System Calibration Configuration. For example, if using an artificial mouth or
anechoic test box the output level will be Pa rms. For an amplifier or direct output
the level will be V rms. This requires an accurate calibration of the output signal
chain. (See Calibration Configuration on page 85 for instructions on output
calibration.)
 The drop-down list next to the Level field allows for selection of RMS (Pa
rms, V rms), dB or Peak
29.7.2 WAV Info

 File Path - Browse and select a WAV file.
 WAV Channel - Select which channel of stereo WAV file to use for playback.
The following section shows the properties of the selected WAV file. These Figure 29-1: Signal
values are for reference only, and cannot be changed. Generator - WAV File

Instruction Manual
When opening a multichannel WAV file, each WAV file channel is
numbered and selected from the WAV Channel drop-down list
 Peak: the maximum absolute value of the file (in dB FS, or %FS)
 RMS: the RMS value of the entire wave file (in dB FS, or %FS)
 WAV format: stereo/mono, sampling rate, bit depth
 Time: total duration of the wave file in mm:ss.ms
Note: As of SoundCheck 10.0, WAV file playback “N times“ is available

when using NI DAQmx hardware devices such as the PCI/PXI
4461.
More information on the use of WAV files in SoundCheck can be found in WAV
File Excitation on page 135 and WAV File Types on page 359. Figure 29-13: Multichannel
WAV Files
29.8 Why use an equalized WAV file?
Many modern electroacoustic products, in particular mobile phones, incorporate nonlinear digital signal
processing for noise suppression and speech encoding. Usually these products must be tested using complex
excitation signals such as real or simulated speech. Prior to their use, these special signals need to be
equalized to compensate for the non-flat response of the mouth simulator or loudspeaker used as the output
device.
29.9 Equalize a WAV file (Requires optional module 2013 - EQ a Wav File)
In order to obtain an accurate output level the WAV file should be equalized as shown in Figure 29-14. The
selected WAV file is equalized by applying the EQ curve defined in the System Calibration Configuration.
The System Calibration Configuration must have an equalization curve associated with the selected Output
Signal Path. EQ Out Correction curves are populated with data when the Speaker Equalization or Simulated
Free Field calibration sequences are selected in the output calibration process. See Equalization and
Correction Curve on page 99.
Make sure that the desired Output Signal Path has an appropriate EQ curve available in the Memory List.
The EQ curve is unique to the Output Signal Path. The EQ curve is available in the Memory List and can be
manipulated via Post-processing or calibration.
(For more information on generating or manipulating EQ curves refer to Calibration Configuration on page
85.)

Instruction Manual
29.9.1 How to example
1. Open the Signal Generator by choosing it from SoundCheck’s Instruments
menu. (Open the RTA as well if you wish to see the measured signal
change as the equalization is applied.)
2. Select WAV file from the radio button in the upper left hand corner of the
Signal Generator. Browse to the WAV file you would like to equalize, and set
your Output Level and number of times for the file to play. Press Start to
play the file, and watch the unequalized response on the RTA. The WAV file
will stop playing when the number of times to play has passed, or, if you
have chosen Continuous Loop, click Stop when you are satisfied.
3. Select the EQ option at the top of the Signal Generator, make sure your
Output Level is appropriate, and the WAV file is set to play a fixed number of
times (for Duration will play the WAV file once).
4. The Analyzing Status light indicates that the EQ'd signal is being
calculated. When the light goes out the process is complete. Figure 29-14: WAV
File EQ
5. Press the Start button and watch the equalized
response of your WAV file on the RTA.
6. Return to editing your sequence. Add a Virtual

Instrument Acquisition Step to play the WAV file
(e.g., P50 speech.wav) through the Signal
Generator. The EQ box must be checked in
order for SoundCheck to apply the EQ.
7. Record the response through the RTA, as in

Figure 29-15.
Figure 29-15: Equalize WAV in Sequence

Instruction Manual
29.9.2 Signal Generator Synchronization
Multiple signal generators can be synced in real time and in
a sequence so they will start and stop simultaneously. This
is important when checking the phasing of multiple
channels such as loudspeaker and microphone arrays.
 Figure 29-16 shows three Signal Generators, all
set to Sync
 Output on multiple channels or on the same
channel
 Clicking Start or Unmute on a signal generator in
the group will start all signal generators in the
group
 Clicking Stop or Mute operates all generators in
the group
 The output level of signal generators can be Figure 29-16: Signal Generator
changed independently while the group is running Synchronization
 Changing the Signal Path or Frequency on one
generator in the group will Stop/Mute the whole group
 Different signal types can be mixed as shown in Figure 29-17
 Sync allows you to Start, Stop and Mute multiple signal generators by clicking on only 1 button
 It synchronizes the phase of sine signals and the start of WAV files

Instruction Manual
29.9.3 Signal Generator Mixing
In Figure 29-17, two Signal Generators are open, both sending to Direct Out 1 but with different frequencies
set in their respective control panels.
 Signal Generator 1 is set to 1000 Hz
 Signal Generator 2 is set to 2000 Hz
 The Scope FFT shows the mix of the two signal generators
Figure 29-17: Multiple Signal Generator Mixing
Of course, other types of signals can be mixed. Signal Generator 1 can play a 1 kHz sine wave while a WAV file
is played from Signal Generator 2.
Note: When playing WAV files, the sample rate of the WAV file automatically sets the sample rate of the
Hardware Channel associated with the selected Signal Path.
Note: See WAV File Types on page 359 for more information on supported WAV file types.

Instruction Manual
29.10 Multimeter
The Multimeter allows for measurement of input signal in real time.
The level and units are determined by the Signal Path Calibration setup. For example, if you have calibrated
the input sensitivity to include the sensitivity of a microphone used to measure the input signal, the level
indicated will be the absolute SPL level at the microphone position.
29.10.1 Meter Display

 Compact View Button - (double Up or Down arrows) Minimizes the
Multimeter to just the Thermometer and Numeric display. This helps to
save space on a computer monitor.
 Strip Chart Recorder Button - Opens and Closes the Strip Chart
Recorder. See “Strip Chart Recorder (optional module)” on page 501.
 Thermometer - When Limits are active, a Yellow bar indicates passing. A Compact View
Red bar indicates the level is failing the set limits.
Strip Chart Recorder
 Overload - The numeric display area will turn yellow when the signal into
the audio interface exceeds the Max In Vp level Figure 29-18: Buttons
29.10.2 Resolution
The Display Resolution can be set by Right-clicking on the numeric
display of the meter and setting the values for Linear Numeric and dB
Numeric as in Figure 29-21.
Linear Numeric Representation
 Choose between SI notation and Floating point
 Select Digits of precision or Significant digits
dB Numeric Representation
 Set Digits of precision. Setting a greater precision may be
required when using Multimeter Limits in a sequence as noted
above. Figure 29-19: Numeric Display
 Check to Hide Trailing Zeros Preferences

Instruction Manual
29.10.3 Measurement Tab
 Signal Path - Select any signal path available in the Calibration Editor as
the Input to the Multimeter
 Apply Correction - Allows you to apply input correction curves
associated with the selected, calibrated signal path
 Measurement Type
 Select AC RMS, AC Peak or DC RMS (DC requires a DC coupled
audio interface)
 Peak - Within 100 mSec time blocks
 Strip Chart Button - This opens the Strip Chart Recorder for the
Multimeter. Circled in Figure 29-20.
 Autoscale - Default is 100 dB scale. You can manually change the upper
and lower scale values to “Zoom In’. This is not remembered when a
configuration is saved.
 Save in Compact View - Changes the meter to Compact view when you
click Save Settings or Set as Default. Figure 29-20: Multimeter
29.10.4 Averaging Tab (Avg.)

 Averaging - The meter shows the Average value, updated according to
the Time or Time Weighting selected
 Max Hold and Min Hold - The meter collects data for the duration the
meter is running and shows the Maximum or Minimum value
 Linear
 Click “Start” to run the meter
 The Multimeter will run for the duration set in the Time field
 The “Averaging” indicator is green when the Multimeter is running
 The Elapsed Time window shows the amount of acquisition time
 Linear - Repeating
 Measures the input signal for the duration set in the Time field.
Example: If Time is set to 1 second, the meter will measure for 1
second and then repeat. This is particularly useful when used with
the Strip Chart Recorder to output a curve with measurements taken Figure 29-21: Averaging
in blocks of time. The Value saved to the Memory List is the last
value taken.
 The Strip Chart Recorder Duration field will set the length of the
acquired curve. See Strip Chart Recorder (optional module) on page 501.
 This will run in a loop until you click Stop. Only the data from the most recent acquisition is saved
to the Memory List from a Virtual Instrument Acquisition Step or when you click “Save to Memory”.
 Continuous - Moving Avg.
 Click “Continuous” to run the meter
 The Multimeter will run continuously until you click OK or Cancel in the Multimeter window
 Averaging Time: Fast (250 mSec), Slow (2 Sec) or User Defined
 The Strip Chart Recorder Duration field will set the length of the acquired curve

Instruction Manual
29.10.5 Filters Tab
 Weighting - Select A, B, C or any curve available in the Memory List
 Check to enable the High Pass Filter and/or Low Pass Filter and enter values in Hz
 The selected frequency will be the -0.1 dB point of a dynamically calculated filter
 Bandpass Filter option with Auto or Fixed frequency selections
 Auto: Tracks the most prominent tone
 Fixed: Allows you to specify the frequency
 The Q is the same value, for either mode, regardless of frequency
Figure 29-22: Filters
29.10.6 Limits Tab

Limits can be used when the Multimeter is opened from the Instruments menu. The
limit settings are remembered when the Multimeter is saved in a Configuration. The
Pass/Fail indicator is only for visual reference.
 Check Limits On to enable
 Upper and Lower Limit values are entered manually
 When the condition of the limits is “Passing”, the Multimeter Thermometer
is yellow. When failing, the thermometer turns red.
 Pass/Fail conditions can be set in Step Configuration to use for Conditional
Branching (Jump on Pass/Fail to ...). See Configure Step on page 476.
Figure 29-23: Limits

Instruction Manual
29.11 Strip Chart Recorder (optional module)
The Strip Chart Recorder is an optional module available for the following Instruments:
 Multimeter Strip Chart
button
 Distortion Analyzer
 Frequency Counter
Strip Chart
Click the Strip Chart button to open the feature. Active button
The chart window can be “Undocked” from the Docking
meter, resized and moved on the desktop as an button
independent window. Click the Docking button as
The Strip Chart can be “Docked” to it’s Instrument
by clicking the Docking button.

Click the Expand Menu button on Strip Chart for the
following controls:
 Cursor Arrow - Click on an X or Y axis
endpoint value to change the extents of the
graph Figure 29-24: Strip Chart
 Magnifying Glass - Zoom on X, Y or and X
and Y axis
 Hand - Move the graph within the window. (Autoscale X and Y should be shut off when using this.)
 XY Autoscale buttons
 Time
 Relative - Shows the time according to the start of signal acquisition
 Actual - Shows the clock time of the SoundCheck Computer. Note: Data saved to the Memory
List uses Relative Time values.
 Duration - Sets the maximum window size. The window scales to show as much data as possible until
the Duration value is reached. The Strip Chart will then stop unless Scroll is selected.
 Scroll
 Off - The Strip Chart recorder stops after the Duration value has been reached
 On - The Strip Chart data will scroll to the left once the Duration value has been reached. The Strip
Chart window maximum width is set by the Duration value. This is also the available data that is
saved to the Memory List when you click Save to Memory.
 Delta X and Delta Y - Shows the X and Y axis difference between Cursor 1 and Cursor 2
 Right-click the Strip Chart window to place cursors, access the Zoom Tool and to
export the window as a JPG or BMP file. The remaining controls are not available.
 Cur1/Cur2 - Two cursors are available in the Strip Chart window
 Tool - An alternate means of accessing the Cursor Arrow, Zoom, Hand and Autoscale
controls
Note: Syncing of multiple Strip Chart Recorders is not supported

Instruction Manual
Averaging Tab
The Strip Chart Recorder follows the selected Averaging Mode. See Averaging
Tab (Avg.) on page 499.
Linear - Makes one measurement that is integrated over the Time set in Averaging.
The Strip Chart shows all the measurements that comprise that measurement.
Linear Repeating - Makes one measurement every X seconds, depending on the
Time set.
Continuous - Makes a continuous measurement but the Strip Chart Output Curve
is set by the Duration Field.
Save to Memory
In the meter that is linked to the Strip Chart, click on Save to Memory to send the
data to the Memory List.
 Only the data in the window is saved Figure 29-25: Linear
Repeating
 If Scroll is selected, data that scrolls past the left edge of the window is not
saved
 You can click Save to Memory more than once while scrolling to save “Snapshots” of data
 When used in a sequence, the data is saved to the Memory List when
acquisition is complete
The Value and Waveform data will be named with the Meter Input name, e.g.,
Multimeter - Direct In 1 and saved to the Memory List Values and WFM tabs. If
multiple data Snapshots are taken while scrolling the data will be Autoprotected
and the order number prepended to the data name.
Figure 29-26: Memory

List
When used in a sequence, Limits can be
applied to the Strip Chart waveform (or
value) as shown in Figure 29-27.
This allows you to apply limits to
measurements of Level vs. Time,
Distortion vs. Time or Frequency vs. Time.
Figure 29-27: Limits On Strip Chart Waveform

Instruction Manual
The spectrum analyzer allows detailed analysis of spectral components. The weighted spectrum is now
available. The weighting functions include: none, A, B, C or any other curve in the SoundCheck Memory List.
Estimated
Frequency and
Level
Choose
Units based on Window type
Signal Channel and Weighting
Calibration
Cursor 1 - Snap to
Max - Harmonics
and THD level
Cursor position
and level
Figure 29-28: FFT Screen Overview
29.12.1 FFT Controls
Display (Mode Select and Cursor Readout Controls)

 Spectrum/Time: Selects mode of operation - frequency or time analysis. The Oscilloscope
will run in the time domain, while the Spectrum Analyzer will run in the frequency domain.
 Est. Freq: Displays interpolated frequency estimate, in Hz, at Cursor 1. The
interpolated frequency value is significantly greater in resolution than the
measurement bandwidth.
 Est. Level: Displays the calculated level estimate at Cursor 1, in units RMS. In order to get valid results
for Est. Frequency and Est Level, Cursor 1 must be positioned before or during measurement. The
interpolated level value is significantly great in resolution than the direct reading in the Cursor 1 legend.
 Spectrum (Display properties): Allows you to change the
color and attributes of the Spectrum Line. For more
information on these controls refer to Display Editor and
Memory List on page 343.
 Cursor 1 & 2: Shows the position on the X and Y-axis of

the two cursors. Cursor position can be fine tuned by using the Diamond
control to the right of the cursor panel.

Instruction Manual
 The Snap to Max button on the Scope-FFT control panel moves
Cursor 1 to the peak of the acquired spectrum. The Estimated
Frequency and Estimated Level are shown in the fields at the top of
the Spectrum Display. This function is available when the mode is
set to Time or Spectrum but the cursor location is only shown when
the mode is set to Spectrum. The Estimated Frequency and Level are shown in either mode. Clicking
on the Harmonic Cursor will then plot and show the Harmonics on the FFT display as well as calculate
the THD.
 Delta: Difference (in relevant units) between the position of Cursor 1 and Cursor 2.
29.12.2 Axis Scaling, Zoom and Style Controls

 Curve Attributes: Controls curve attributes. See Introduction on page 29
for more information on these graph controls.
 Autoscale: Left-click on the Lock symbol to turn Autoscale on and off. The Green light
indicates that Autoscale is on (as well as the Lock/Unlock symbol). Clicking on the X
or Y axis symbol, autoscales the axis without turning autoscale on. This is a “one shot“
autoscale
Autoscale OFF Autoscale ON
 Precision: Allows you to set the level of precision for the display of values.
29.12.3 Scale
 Y axis: Provides choice of dB (relative) or linear (absolute) units.

Instruction Manual
Right-click the graph:
 Copy Data - Creates a screen shot of the graph side of the instrument window,
including Cursor section and annotations
 Description and Tip - Not used
 Visible Items - Select/De-select items to show in the graph section of the
instrument
 Clear Graph - Not used
 Create Annotation - Allows you to post markers on the graph that are included
when exporting a screen shot of the graph
 Delete All Annotations - Removes all annotations from the graph
 Smooth Updates - Selected by default to minimize flicker as the display changes
 Autosize Plot Legend - Always on
 Optional Plane - Not used
 Export
 Data to Clipboard - Copies the graph
data to the clipboard so that it can be
pasted into another application
 Data to Excel - Opens Excel and copies
the graph data to a new worksheet
 Simplified Image - Sends a black and
white capture of only the graph window
to the clipboard. Annotations are
included.
Figure 29-29: Export Simplified Image
Right-click a Cursor name:

 Visible Items - Turn the Vertical Scroll Bar on and off (Other controls are not used)
 Snap To - Not used
 Attributes - The Standard Line Attribute settings are available. Refer to Cursor Color
and Grid Color on page 60.
 Bring to Center - Moves the selected cursor to the center of the spectrum display
 Go to Cursor - Centers the spectrum on the selected cursor
 Create Cursor - Not used
 Delete Cursor - Not used

Instruction Manual
29.12.5 Trigger Controls
Triggering can be used to automatically capture a spectrum when the signal level exceeds the value set in the
“Trigger Level” field.
 Trigger Channel: Sets the Input Signal Path used for Trigger
Trigger Level: Sets level of measurement trigger, in either Physical Units or dB.
If dB is chosen, the trigger threshold is on the positive value of the waveform.
The trigger level is a Peak value. The trigger value has the same dB reference
as the trigger signal path.
 Trig. Offset (sec): Sets the amount of time that the Acquired Signal is shifted,
relative to the point at which it is triggered. A negative offset indicates that the
signal will be shifted to the right by the time that is in the field e.g., -100 mSec.
 Slope: Selects whether Positive going signal triggers before negative going signal
 Indicator light next to Triggered button indicates when the signal is triggering measurement
29.12.6 Resolution
When the Display type is set to Time, only the Time [sec] field is available.
When the Display type is set to Spectrum both the Time and Spectral lines fields are available. See Figure 29-
30.
 Time [sec] indicates the total amount of
time allowed before the next trigger will
be allowed. Measurement record length
in seconds (sec).
As Averaging Time increases, the filter
bandwidth gets more narrow. Figure
29-30 shows the effect of increasing the
Averaging time from 50 ms to 500 ms.
 dT [sec]: Sampling Interval of the time
signal. This is the inverse of the
sampling rate determined in the System
Hardware configuration.
 Spectral lines: Number of FFT lines
from 0 Hz to 0.5x (half) of the audio
interface sampling frequency.
Figure 29-30: Averaging Time
 dF [Hz]: Resolution/spacing of Spectral
Lines.

Instruction Manual
29.12.7 Averaging Controls
 Linear/Exponential: Different averaging modes
Linear will average for only the number of averages entered (e.g., 12)
and then stops measuring. When Linear averaging is selected, the
Averages indicator will appear, specifying the number of averages
currently completed.
Exponential allows for continuous measurement. Averages, in this case,
sets the number of spectrum that are averaged together for each
measurement display. If this number is set to 1, there will be no
averaging. This will then be the raw spectrum.
 Start Button (Available in Linear mode): Starts the acquisition of data.
Acquisition ends when the number of averages is complete.
 Continuous (Available in Exponential mode): Starts the continuous
measurement of spectrum and ends when the Stop button is clicked. The Continue button allows you
to resume a previously started measurement.
29.12.8 Spectrum
 Input Channel: Any predefined Input Signal Path will be
available for input.
 Average: Displays the average spectrum, either Linear or
Exponential, as determined in the Averaging Field.
 Power: The result is the average Power of each FFT bin,
excluding phase information.
 Complex: The result is the average of the complex value of each FFT bin (amplitude and phase); this
must be used in conjunction with the trigger controls. The signal must be very stable when using
triggering, otherwise slight random variations in phase from one trigger cycle to the next will cause
synchronous components to be underestimated in amplitude. A greater signal to noise ratio can be
obtained by using this.
 Maximum: Displays the maximum of each spectral line.
 Minimum: Displays the minimum of each spectral line.
29.12.9 Weighting Controls Window Types

 Window: User selectable time window. See Figure 29-31. Weighting Types
Note that the Window selection affects the Power Sum of the
FFT curve. See ENBW - Equivalent Noise Bandwidth on
page 258.
 Weighting: Allows you to select A, B or C weighting.
Additionally, a curve from the Memory List can be used as a
weighting function. This is applied to the measured spectrum,
e.g., frequency domain.
 Apply Correction: Applies the correction curve associated with
the Input Signal Path. Refer to Calibration Configuration on Figure 29-31: Window and
page 85 for information on the creation of Calibration Curves. Weighting Types

Instruction Manual
29.12.10 Operation Control Buttons
 Save to Memory: Saves the current measurement data to the
Memory List. The curve will appear in the Memory List as “FFT
Spectrum [L]”. Change the file name by Selecting “Rename“ from the
Memory drop-down list in the Memory List. The FFT Spectrum displays
the amplitude corrected for the noise energy bandwidth of the time
window used in the FFT calculation (e.g., Hanning, 4-Term Blackman-
Harris, etc.). The FFT spectrum should be used when measuring pure
tones and/or sinusoidal distortion components, such as harmonics. The
FFT Spectrum is used when using the Power Sum post-processing
function. Typical applications include determining the total power in a
frequency band when using Pink or White noise or program material.
 If “Snap to Max” is selected before clicking “Save to Memory”, the FFT
Cursor values will also be added to the Memory List: Est. Freq, Est.
Level and THD. This value can then be shown in a Display Table as
 Cancel: Closes the Spectrum Analyzer, any changes to user defined
fields will not be stored
 OK: Closes the Spectrum Analyzer, storing all settings.
Figure 29-32: Memory
List - Snap to Max Values
29.12.11 Measurement Status
Buffer Use
 This shows memory buffer use. If this indicator is not solid red, there is no
data loss (all data processed). Real time analysis is performed.
Real Time Margin

 This shows the update rate of the data display. A solid green bar indicates
that the data is being displayed as quickly as it being acquired. There will be circumstances where the
display processor cannot keep up with the actual data processing. Since the display may not be able to
be updated after each completion of a new average, this field would be a partial green bar. The actual
time data is still processed even though the display is not updated with each new average. After the
number of required averages has been calculated, the final screen is the cumulative average of all
averages.
29.12.12 Measurements
Listen’s Scope/FFT instrument allows straightforward measurements of acoustic, vibration and electrical
signals. The procedure to make a measurement is relatively simple:
1. Set up the Y-axis, X-axis, time window, and units in the Scale and Weighting sections.
In the Trigger and Averaging sections:
2. Select the proper Input Signal Path.
3. Input the Trigger Level and the Slope.
4. Determine the Time record length. For lower frequencies and higher resolution, a longer record length
is needed. The delta Hz will automatically be updated to reflect changes in record length and number
of FFT Lines.
5. Enter the number of FFT Lines desired and select type of averaging (Linear or Exponential).
6. Select and type in the number of Averages needed.

Instruction Manual
29.12.13 Running a Measurement
After set up of the above sections, pushing Start in linear averaging mode will start the measurement and
averaging and will stop the analyzer when finished (when the requested number of averages is reached). In
Exponential averaging mode, this button becomes the Continuous button which, when pressed, starts
exponential averaging. To stop exponential averaging, press the Continuous button again. Pressing Start in
linear averaging mode while running will stop the measurement and averaging. Use the cursors and/or saving
facilities to analyze and view data.
Note: The Estimated Frequency and Level fields only update during measurements. When the
measurement is finished (as in the case of linear averaging), the fields will reflect the last cursor
position before the completion of the last average.
Using the Graph Cursors

When the cross (+) cursor appears (selected using the Return to Cursor button), click on the graph cursor and
drag it to the frequency line of interest to read the frequency and level data. Use the other cursor facilities to
zoom, scale and change the graph attributes. Refer to Introduction on page 29 for tips on using graph
controls.

Instruction Manual
29.12.14 FFT Windowing Types
An FFT analysis must be made on a time record or measurement of finite length. The measurement is then
limited to a specified window. Spectral leakage occurs when the acquired data does not exactly correspond to
one of the spectrum frequency lines. This leakage leads to amplitude accuracy errors as well as obscuring
adjacent frequency peaks. For these reasons it is important to apply a Windowing function to obtain more
useful information from a measurement. Various windowing types affect the results of the measurement in
different ways.
Note: When importing data from an external system or exporting SoundCheck data to an external
system, ENBW should be considered in calculations. See ENBW - Equivalent Noise Bandwidth
on page 258.
None (Uniform)
Also referred to as Rectangular. No windowing is applied to the measurement. This works well with transients
that are shorter in length than the measurement time. Due to the flat characteristic in the time domain, all parts
of the signal are equally weighted.
Hanning
This is a smooth window function, which is one period of a cosine2 function and tapers to zero at the beginning
and end of the measurement. Hanning is recommended for the analysis of noisy signals. Its main advantage is
that it has excellent frequency selectivity.
Blackman-Harris
This window has a low ripple (<0.87 dB) in the pass-band and a low skirt (<-80 dB) in the stop-band. Blackman-
Harris is recommended for harmonic and order analysis. Its main advantage is that it has an excellent dynamic
range combined with good frequency selectivity.
Flat-top
This window has very little ripple (<0.01 dB) in the pass-band (in the frequency domain). The window’s main
use is for level measurement of sinusoid (calibration), due to its negligible amplitude errors. Its main advantage
is that it has excellent amplitude accuracy.
Note: Audio Analyzer Type 2012, Brüel & Kjær Technical Documentation, BE 1074-12, 1994.
Figure
29-33: Windowing
Types

Instruction Manual
29.13 Oscilloscope
The Oscilloscope allows you to display and analyze the waveform of the signal from your transducer. This
instrument draws a graph of the instantaneous input signal as a function of time. You can configure the settings
of the SoundCheck Oscilloscope to take a linear average of the input signals as well. The units of the Y axis of
the Oscilloscope are determined by the System Calibration Configuration. Controls for the Oscilloscope are
similar to those in the Spectrum Analyzer and are defined in more detail in the Spectrum Analyzer section.
Set to Time for

Oscilloscope
Select Start/Continuous
to begin measuring, click
this button again to
freeze or stop
the measurement
Figure 29-34: Oscilloscope
 Triggering: All of the controls available in Spectrum are available except for the following: Average –
Maximum - Minimum, Power - Complex, Window, Weighting, Apply Correction, Spectral Lines, dF, THD
and X & Y Axis scale. Triggering can be used to automatically capture a spectrum when the signal level
exceeds the value set in the “Trigger Level” field. Refer to Spectrum Analyzer on page 503 for more
information.
 Calculate Spectrum
 Off - FFTs are not being done in the background which makes it faster.
 On - Collect data while the Scope is running and then switch to FFT scope to view or save the
spectrum. The spectrum acquired by Calculate Spectrum will be available in the Memory List.
29.13.1 Controls
 Save to Memory: Saves the current measurement waveform to the Memory List. The data will appear
in the Memory List as “Oscilloscope Waveform [L]”. Change the file name by selecting “Rename“
from the Memory drop-down list in the Memory List.

 Refer to Right-click Functions on page 505

Instruction Manual
29.14 Multi RTA - Real Time Analyzer
The Multi RTA allows you to analyze a signal using Constant-Percentage Bandwidth (1-Nth octave) filters.
This method of frequency analysis is inherently different than using the FFT. (The FFT approach operates on a
whole block of time data; e.g., a time block of 100 ms in length.) The RTA uses recursive digital filtering which is
a continuous process. For every input (each time sample from the audio interface), an output data value is
obtained. This way, the RTA functions like a bank of analog 1-Nth octave filters that are wired in parallel.
Typical RTA uses:
 Analyzing non-linear audio devices (such as cell phones)
 Using complex signals (such as simulated or actual speech)
 Testing devices using pink noise or tone bursts
Note: When using a National Instruments DAQmx interface hardware you cannot open Multimeter and
RTA instruments simultaneously.
To use the RTA, select Real Time Analyzer (Ctrl+F8) from the Instruments drop-down list.
The RTA will start as soon as it opens. The RTA wakes up in the same mode it was last used (e.g., Exp
averaging with a Slow time constant using 1/3 octave filters).
As of SoundCheck 19, the Multichannel Real Time Analyzer includes expanded functionality for real time
observation of audio signals. It displays multiple channels simultaneously, and offers real time calculations.
 The right hand control
panel allows you to set
the options for each RTA
 All functions of the Multi
RTA are available when
used in a sequence
Acquisition Step
 The settings under
Spectrum are
independent for each RTA
allowing complete
measurement flexibility
 Conforms to the ANSI
S1.11-2004 Class 0 Figure 29-35: 1/Nth-Octave Real Time Analyzer
standard
29.14.1 Multi RTA applications

 Automotive industry standard 6-microphone array infotainment measurements using the Multi RTA
Power Average function. This allows for a repeatable method of “automotive listening position” testing
rather than the typical manual measurement process.
 Real-time adjustment of Active Noise Cancellation filter
 Real time attenuation with real time background noise and calculations
 Testing Noise Canceling headphones showing noise reduction vs background noise
 Real time “Headphone Seal Check” to ensure accurate placement of the DUT on a test head
 Comparing the same source with different settings, e.g., Weighting or Average vs. Maximum

Instruction Manual
29.14.2 Graph Preferences
As of SoundCheck 20, the RTA
uses Display Step graph
preferences as shown in Figure
29-36.
Right-click on an RTA curve
symbol and uncheck Plot Visible
to hide curves as shown in Figure
29-36.
Refer to Right-click - Graph on
29.14.3 RTA Settings Figure 29-36: Graph Preferences

When Autoread is enabled for a
Signal Path the Gain field changes automatically when the gain of Listen Hardware changes. This is the same
as the Acquisition Step or Multimeter.
29.14.4 LIVE CURVES

This can be used to overlay Memory List curves such
as Limits and Reference curves on a Live RTA
Graph. RTA curves can also be shown in a display
window separate from the RTA to have a better view
of critical data.
The Offline Display Step in Figure 29-37 shows the Figure 29-37: Live Curves
hidden curves from Figure 29-36.
 Curves from the RTA appear in the Memory List Data tab indicated with a Green dot
 RTA curves can be put on graphs on the SoundCheck main screen and update in real time
 RTA graph uses the same XY graph functions and properties as the Display windows
 Limit curves and static curves from the Memory List can be added to the RTA graph
 Static curves from the Memory List can be added to the RTA display, e.g., limit curves
 Live curves only exist while the RTA is open. Live Curves can be retained for later use by selecting
Save to Memory in the RTA which will save all curves of the RTA to the Memory List at the instant the
button is clicked. Another method is to Right-click on curves in the Memory List and select
Protect Data > Protect which also saves the curve(s) at the instant the button is clicked.
29.14.5 Multi RTA Acquisition in a sequence

When the RTA runs in a Virtual Instrument Acquisition Step, Multi RTA curves are saved at the moment the
Virtual Instrument closes.

Instruction Manual
Controls
The right hand control panel allows you to set the options for each RTA.
Buttons
 Record: Starts the operation of the selected RTAs. Note that if one RTA
is already running, clicking Record will only start the remaining RTAs. It
will not restart the first RTA.
 Stop: Stops all running RTAs
 Add: This allows you to add RTAs and a Power Average of all RTAs
 Real Time Margin: This shows the update rate of the data display. A
solid green bar indicates that the data is being displayed as quickly as it
being acquired. See Page 508.
Right-click functions
 Add or Remove individual RTAs or Calculations
Right-click>
Calculations
 Power Average (For formula see Page 516.)
 Uses the same calculation as Post Processing - Average Curve /
WFM > Power
 Subtraction (dB)
Figure 29-38: Controls
 Calculates the RTA frequency response magnitude between two
RTA curves, e.g., Two microphones: Ref Mic vs DUT mic.
(equivalent to linear division)
 Result will be plotted on Y2 axis with units of dB re1
 New operand selection system to allow for exactly 2 operands
 Second operand is subtracted from first
 Maximum/Minimum
 Calculates the Maximum/Minimum curve of all selected RTA curves in real time
 Maximum and Minimum can be used to show the extremes compared to the Power Average
 Maximum can be used to show the Overall Max SPL in a room for different mic positions
 Maximum and Minimum Calculations should not be confused with the RTA > Spectrum >
Maximum/Minimum which are Hold functions showing the cumulative Max or Min over time.
RTAs Heading
 Shows the names of all running RTAs
Calculations Heading
This shows the names of all running Calculations.
Note: You are not allowed to change the Octave Band of an

RTA while it is selected in the Power Average
calculation. Uncheck the RTAs selected in Power
Average before changing an RTA Octave Band.
Figure 29-39: Average

Instruction Manual
Spectrum
 The settings under Spectrum are independent for each RTA allowing
complete measurement flexibility.
 Name: Allows you to set a custom name for each RTA. Select an RTA in
the top of the control panel and then enter the text.
 Signal Path: Any predefined channel will be available for input
 When Autoread is enabled for a Signal Path the Gain field changes
automatically when the gain of Listen Hardware changes. This is the
same as the Acquisition Step or Multimeter.
 Add Signal Path Name: Appends the Signal Path text to the Name text.
(This does not appear when using the RTA in an Acquisition Step.) Figure 29-40: Spectrum
 Average - Measures the average frequency spectrum over time
 Maximum Hold / Minimum Hold - Measures the maximum or minimum frequency spectrum over time
Octave Band
The RTA has 1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, and 1/24 octave digital recursive filters. The upper frequency range is based
on the audio interface’s sampling frequency. The highest frequency that can be measured will be no more than
one-half the audio interface sampling rate (Fsample). To measure beyond 22 kHz, choose a sampling rate higher
than 44.1 kHz.
Because of the different filter widths, the highest filter that is displayed will typically be lower than Fsample/2. For
example, the highest 1/3 octave filter that can be used for a 44.1 kHz sampling rate is 16 kHz. To measure
closer to the actual upper limit of 22 kHz, you must use filters that are narrower (e.g., 1/12 or 1/24 octave).
The following controls operate the same as in the Spectrum Analyzer. Refer to Spectrum Analyzer on page
 Real Time Margin - See Page 508  Minimum
 Gain - See Page 486  Weighting
 Average, Maximum and Minimum  Apply Correction
Averaging
 Linear: Linear will average for only the number of averages entered (e.g., 13) and then stops
measuring. When Linear averaging is selected, the Averages indicator will appear, specifying the
number of averages currently completed.
 Exponential: Exponential averaging is a continuous process. It is equivalent to a running average. As
the averaging time gets longer, the response of the filters slows down.
 Choice of Averaging Time: Fast (250 ms), Slow (1 s), User Defined (s).
 Recommendation: Set RTA 1 with the desired settings for additional
OK
 Click to close the RTA and save the current settings of the RTA as default.
Cancel
 Click to close the RTA and disregard current settings.
Save to Memory
 Save to Memory: Saves the current measurement data to the Memory List. The curve will appear in
the Memory List as named in the right hand control panel of the RTA. You can also change the file
name by Selecting “Rename“ from the Memory drop-down list in the Memory List.

Instruction Manual
 The standard Scale Legend, Graph Palette and Cursor Legend appear below the graph. See Axis
Scaling, Zoom and Style Controls on page 504 for more information.
29.14.6 RTA Right-click Functions

 Refer to Right-click Functions on page 505
29.14.7 Multi RTA Acquisition Step

All functions of the Multi RTA are available when used in a SoundCheck
sequence Acquisition Step.
The Add Signal Path Name check box is not available when using the
RTA in a sequence since the Acquisition Step has the Add Signal Path
Name selection in the Virtual Instrument Acquisition Setup panel.
29.14.8 Power Average Formula Figure 29-41: RTA Acquisition

Given a set of N samples in the frequency domain, the power average
can be defined as the sum of the squares of the magnitude at each frequency sample, divided by the total
number of samples N:
N
PowAvg =  pow ( i ) ⁄ N
i=1
2
Where: pow ( i ) = mag ( i )
If the magnitude is originally expressed in dB, the following conversion can be performed to get to the
linear domain:
2
magdB ( i ) = 20 × log 10 ( mag ( i ) ⁄ dBref ) or magdB ( i ) = 10 × log 10 ( pow ( i ) ⁄ dBref )
Hence,
( magdB ( i ) ⁄ 10 ) 2
pow ( i ) = 10 × dBref

Instruction Manual
29.15 Distortion Analyzer
The Distortion Analyzer measures the distortion or distortion and noise characteristics of the signal on the
selected signal path.
29.15.1 Measurement tab controls (Meas.)

Signal Path control - Select any input signal path available in the Calibration Configuration
Apply Correction control - Select to apply input correction is applied
29.15.2 Measurement Type

Select the type of distortion to be measured and then
select the appropriate harmonics from the Distortion
(Dist.) Tab. See Figure 29-42.
 THD Ratio IEEE - Same as in HarmonicTrak
 THD Ratio IEC - Same as in HarmonicTrak
See Total Harmonic Distortion on page 188
 THD Residual - The power sum of the harmonics
selected in the Dist. Tab.
 THD+N Ratio IEEE - Same as in HarmonicTrak
 THD+N Ratio IEC - Same as in HarmonicTrak
See THD + Noise on page 189
 THD+N Residual - The level of all the noise and Figure 29-42: Meas. and Dist. Tabs
distortion products in the measurement
bandwidth
 SINAD - Is the reciprocal of THD+N, if and only if THD+N is calculated without High and Low Pass
filters in the Analysis Editor
See Virtual Instrument THD+N Options on page 190
29.15.3 Averaging Tab (Avg.)

Averaging Type
When setting the averaging time, be aware that averaging times greater than
250 mSec my be required to produce repeatable THD+N measurements.
When selecting Continuous - Moving Avg, the default averaging time is
Fast (250 mSec).
When selecting Linear or Linear - Repeating, the default averaging time is 1 second
The remaining tab controls are the same as the Multimeter.

See Averaging Tab (Avg.) on page 499, Filters Tab on page 500 and Limits Tab
on page 500.
For more details on THD+N Optimized, refer to THD + Noise on page 189.
Figure 29-43: Avg.
Tab

Instruction Manual
29.16 Frequency Counter
The Frequency Counter returns a precision frequency measurement of the
dominant signal in the selected signal path.
Combined with the Strip Chart recorder this can be used to determine if the
device under test is playing back audio at a constant rate.
The remaining tab controls are the same as the Multimeter. See Averaging Tab
(Avg.) on page 499, Filters Tab on page 500 and Limits Tab on page 500.
Figure 29-44: Frequency

Counter

Instruction Manual
30 SoundCheck ONE™
30.1 Introduction
SoundCheck ONE is an entry-level SoundCheck system which is essentially a lower cost, simplified, version of
SoundCheck coupled with the AmpConnect ISC or AudioConnect. SoundCheck ONE offers the capability to
test loudspeakers, microphones and headphones within predetermined sequence templates.
Figure 30-1: Final Display
Although the user interface is the same as in the full version of SoundCheck, rather than using the Sequence
Editor, SoundCheck ONE users are supplied with sequence templates. These templates serve as the starting
point for all SoundCheck ONE tests and can be used to generate as many product specific sequences as
desired by selecting parameters such as the stimulus signal, characteristics to be measured, frequency range,
level and limits.
SoundCheck ONE is aimed at customers who do not own a full version of SoundCheck and need a low cost
and easy to set up system for basic production line tests of loudspeakers, microphones or headphones. While
it offers the same accuracy, advanced algorithms and speed as the regular version of SoundCheck, its flexibility
and test customization capabilities are restricted. It is a good entry point for a company testing their products for
the first time or moving up from a more rudimentary test system. It can be upgraded to the full version of
SoundCheck at any time for an additional fee.
30.2 Setup Wizard

The Setup Wizard runs when you start SoundCheck ONE. You can check “Do not show this dialog again” to
stop the wizard from running at each startup. See Setup Wizard on page 39 for details.
As of SoundCheck 18, hardware setup is simplified by "Automatically Create Signal Paths for Listen
Devices" in Preferences > Launch. AmpConnect ISC or AudioConnect are detected when SoundCheck starts
and Vp values are loaded automatically from the connected Listen Hardware device.
(SoundCheck ONE requires either AmpConnect ISC or AudioConnect.)
SoundCheck® 20.0 SoundCheck ONE™ 519

Instruction Manual
30.2.1 AudioConnect Hardware Setup
Before calibrating the reference mic and/or before the
first run of the sequence, open the Hardware Editor and
select the Listen Hardware Tab. (This requires that the
user has signed in with Engineer or Technician Access
Level.)
Right-click AudioConnect Device ID and select Assign
Startup Default. Set the channels as instructed in the
Sequence Template - Sequence Note you are using.
Typical settings for each template:
Loudspeaker
 Inputs: Channel 1 Mic In, Channel 2 Line In
 Mic Bias: On for SCM microphone Figure 30-2: Assign Startup Default
Microphone
 Inputs: Channel 1 Mic In, Channel 2 Line In
 Mic Bias: On for SCM microphone
Headphone
 Inputs: Channel 1 and 2 Line In
 Mic Bias: Off
30.3 Template Sequences

SoundCheck ONE template sequences are used to create customized sequences that are specific to a given
product. The provided templates serve as a starting point, containing all the necessary steps to perform the
essential measurements for their test application.
The basic process of using SoundCheck ONE:
 Select the template for your interface: AmpConnect ISC or AudioConnect
 Choose the appropriate template for the application
 Modify any necessary settings
 Save the template as a new sequence, e.g., “Product Name rev ##.sqc”
 There is no limit as to how many custom sequences can be saved from these templates
The typical setup for a SoundCheck ONE system is to have a separate test sequence for each product model
that will be tested. Each sequence can have its own unique settings such as: stimulus range/level, tolerance
limits, graphical displays, and data saving. Unlike the full version of SoundCheck, sequences in SoundCheck
ONE cannot have their steps and layout modified, however the settings within the steps can be changed.
30.3.1 AmpConnect ISC/AudioConnect Self Test for SC ONE

Included in the SC ONE sequence folder are Self Test sequences for AmpConnect ISC and AudioConnect.
These are used to verify the operation of the hardware. They should not to be used as template sequences.
520 SoundCheck ONE™ SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
30.4 Setup & Calibration
The required calibration will depend on which application is being tested. Choose from the three sub-headings
below:
30.4.1 Loudspeaker:
AmpConnect ISC: The calibration for the AmpConnect ISC power amplifier is fixed, so no additional steps are
required.
AudioConnect: Calibrate the power amplifier according to the instructions in Amplifier Calibration
Procedure on page 106.
The Reference Microphone should be calibrated in either case.
See Microphone Calibration Procedure on page 102.
Prior to calibrating the microphone, the gain of the AmpConnect ISC/AudioConnect Reference
Mic channel must match the gain used in the AmpConnect ISC/AudioConnect Message Step of
the test sequence. See Input Hardware Channel on page 91.
30.4.2 Microphone:
The SC ONE Microphone sequence uses a substitution method to account for the response of the reference
speaker.
1. Calibrate the Reference Microphone. See Microphone Calibration Procedure on page 102.
2. Open the sequence, C:\SoundCheck 20.0\Sequences\SC ONE\SC ONE Microphone (Measure

Reference).sqc
3. Position the reference microphone at the test point in front of the reference speaker
4. Run the sequence to measure and record the response of the speaker
5. Remove the reference microphone and replace it with the DUT
6. Open and run the SC ONE Microphone sequence
Note: These steps should be run at a regular interval to ensure accurate calibration of the reference
speaker as environmental conditions change.
30.4.3 Headphones:
AmpConnect ISC: The headphone amplifier provides a unity gain output, so no calibration is required for the
output. The ear simulators or couplers (signal paths “Ear Sim L” and “Ear Sim R”) should be calibrated
according to the instructions in Microphone Calibration Procedure on page 102.
AudioConnect: The headphone amp (or external power amp) should be calibrated to account for gain and
frequency response. In this case, the two channels should be calibrated independently for more accurate
results. Use the Headphone Amplifier Calibration sequence and follow the instructions for Headphone
Amplifier Calibration in the AudioConnect Manual.

Instruction Manual
30.5 Generating SoundCheck ONE Sequences
1. Refer to the sequence note PDF files for the
SoundCheck ONE sequences, included in the
Sequences > SC ONE folder, for complete
instructions on setup and use.
2. Open one of the three template sequences which will

serve as the starting point (Loudspeaker,
Microphone or Headphones). There are versions for
AudioConnect and AmpConnect ISC, named
accordingly. “Microphone (Measure Reference)” is
used to store the Reference Microphone
Fundamental and Sensitivity, before using the
“Microphone” measurement sequence.
Figure 30-3: Template Sequences
Important! All sequences must be generated from one of these templates. Sequences
cannot be created from scratch.
3. Use File > Save As to save a copy of the sequence with a new name. The new sequence file can be
stored anywhere on the system. It does not need to be stored in the same folder as the template.
Note: The templates are Read-only files and cannot be overwritten.
4. To modify sequence parameters click Setup from the SoundCheck

Main Screen then choose the step category that you would like to
modify (See the examples below).
Note: The Sequence Editor can be opened to watch the progress of a

sequence, but steps can only be edited through the Setup drop-
down list.
5. Click the green start button on the toolbar to run the sequence and see
the result.
6. When finished making changes save the sequence (File > Save) to
store your changes to disk. Figure 30-4: Setup
Drop-down List
Note: For more information on the Template Sequences, please refer to the sequence note:
“SoundCheck ONE Templates” found in the SoundCheck ONE sequence folder: C:\SoundCheck
20.0\Sequences\SC One.

Instruction Manual
30.6 Sequence Editing
 The Sequence Editor is not used. All steps are grayed out. You can use it to view the progress of a
sequence.
 All steps are accessed by using the Setup drop-down list on the SoundCheck Main Screen as noted in
Step 3 of Generating SoundCheck ONE Sequences on page 522
 Steps cannot be added or removed from a sequence
 Step parameters can be modified
 Breakpoints cannot be added to a sequence
30.6.1 Stimulus
To edit the stimulus level and frequency range in a
SoundCheck ONE sequence click Setup > Stimulus.
This will open the stimulus editor. Make the desired
changes then click 'OK'. The changes will be saved to
disk when the sequence is saved.
For details on Stimulus Step editing see Stimulus
Editor on page 119.
Note: SoundCheck ONE uses only Frequency

stepped-sine sweep (Stweep™). No other
stimulus types are available. See
Frequency Stepped Sweep (Stweep™)
Excitation Signal Parameters on page
119.
Figure 30-5: Stimulus Step
30.6.2 Limits
To edit the limits in a SoundCheck ONE sequence
click Setup > Limits. You will see a list of all the
different limit steps in the sequence. Choose the
one you would like to edit, and click 'OK'. The editor
will open where you can make any desired changes
then click 'OK'. The changes will be saved to disk
when the sequence is saved.
For details on Limit Step editing see Limits Editor
on page 321.
Figure 30-6: Response Limits Step

Instruction Manual
30.6.3 Display
To edit the display in a SoundCheck ONE sequence, first click the tab for 'Final Display'. The windows for the
sequence display will then open.
For details on Display editing see Display Editor and Memory List on page 343.
Add or remove windows, modify what data is shown via the Memory List, and change display preferences of
the individual windows. The entire display is configurable.
Once all necessary changes have been made click File > Save to save the sequence.
Note: If you use both SoundCheck ONE and SoundCheck full version, you can switch between the two
versions by selecting the appropriate status.dat file under preferences. See Folder Paths on page
53. SoundCheck ONE operation mode is shown on the Main Screen title bar. The desktop
wallpaper is the same as the full version of SoundCheck.
Important! If you save a sequence in SoundCheck Full Version, it cannot be opened in

SoundCheck ONE.
Figure 30-7: Final Display

Instruction Manual
Controlling SoundCheck with TCP/IP
31.1 Overview
As of SoundCheck 15, you can control SoundCheck through TCP/IP.
External control of SoundCheck is simpler, yet more powerful with the new TCP/IP control. This offers many
advantages over the previous ActiveX controls (still available), such as the ability to connect to SoundCheck via
any programming language, on any operating system, either locally or through a network. It also features a
more powerful and expandable command format for interacting with SoundCheck. This is extremely valuable
for anyone who needs to control SoundCheck from an external program, for example as part of an overall test
plan or factory automation. For example, one computer can control multiple SoundCheck systems, simplifying
production line measurements. This helps when integrating with LabVIEW Test Stand.
TCP/IP control uses a JSON data format so that commands return information in a format that is easily parsed
by any programming language.
 You can receive test data and results
 SoundCheck sequences can be opened and run through this API, but not modified
 Only one connection to SoundCheck can be used at any time
31.2 Setup
 Click Edit on the Main Screen and select
Preferences
 Select the Advanced tab
 Check Enable TCP/IP Server. This automatically
updates the SoundCheck 20.ini file with the Enable
status and Port #.
Figure 31-1: Advanced Tab
31.2.1 Windows Security

The first time you enable TCP/IP in SoundCheck Preferences, you may get a Windows Security Alert
prompting you to allow SoundCheck to communicate on the selected network.
Click Allow Access and continue.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Controlling SoundCheck with TCP/IP 525

31.2.2 Manual Setup
The “Enable TCP/IP” and “Port #” settings are stored in the SoundCheck 20.ini file found in the root of the
SoundCheck folder.
[External Control]
 TCP IP SERVER ENABLED = TRUE or FALSE
 TCP IP SERVER PORT # = 4444
These settings can be modified manually if necessary.
31.2.3 Suppress Dialogs

For unattended operation of SoundCheck the SUPPRESS
DIALOGS function can be enable in Preferences >
Advanced. See Advanced on page 55 info on Preferences.
For example:
When autosaving a file, SoundCheck may prompt, “Do you
want to overwrite the existing file?”.
or when changing sequences, SoundCheck may prompt, “Do
you want to Protect or Discard data?”
These Dialog Messages will interrupt TCP IP communication
with SoundCheck.
Setting Suppress Dialogs to True allows you to disregard all
dialog prompts from SoundCheck.
Figure 31-2: Suppress Dialogs
31.2.4 Server IP address

If running on the local computer this is “127.0.0.1” or “localhost”. If accessing a computer on the network, it is
the IP address of the target PC, e.g., 192.168.0.107. You will need to know the IP address of the computers
running SoundCheck in order to control them over a network.
31.2.5 Instrument Open Close Custom Step

When calling the new custom step from TCP IP the command should be formatted as:
 Instruments.OpenVICFile(path, mute?)
 Instruments.CloseAll()
Note: When you log in to SoundCheck as “Operator” (See “Login” on page 61.), clicking on anything in
SoundCheck that initiates a modal Popup Window will stop TCP IP communications. This includes
clicking on Displays and Main Menu buttons.
526 Controlling SoundCheck with TCP/IP SoundCheck® 20.0

31.3 MemoryList.Set Command
31.4 Sequence Parameters

As of SoundCheck 18, the Sequence
Parameters section found in Sequence Editor
> Configure Sequence will allow you to create
Memory List items that will be populated with
data using the “MemoryList.Set“ command.
The example to the right shows how Curves and
Values created in the Sequence Parameters
section show up in the Memory List as empty Create Memory List
items. data placeholders in
Sequence Parameters
Note: Configure Sequence > Clear
measured data must be unchecked
to avoid clearing the data from
MemoryList.Set.
31.4.1 Available Sequence Parameters

 Curves
 Values
 Waveforms
Using this method allows you to create data
placeholders that are available as soon as the
sequence is opened.
This can be used to update stimulus levels or
limits without having to open the sequence.
31.5 MemoryList.Set TCP/IP

Command
This command allows you to easily write data
from an external control program to the
SoundCheck Memory List for use in sequences.
The MemoryList.Set TCP/IP command will fill
existing Curves, Values, Results and
Waveforms in the Memory List with data. The
data is passed to SoundCheck via TCP/IP.
Figure 31-3: Sequence Parameters
This command is the functional opposite of
For MemoryList.Set
MemoryList.Get.

31.6 Controlling SoundCheck with TELNET
31.6.1 Windows Telnet Setup

Windows 10 no longer includes Telnet Server by default as Telnet is considered an insecure protocol. In order
to use Telnet, Port 23 must be open on the firewall. In general, Telnet is not be required in order to use TCP IP.
These instructions are included for legacy support purposes.
Windows users will need to enable Telnet. Telnet is enabled by default on Mac computers.
1. Click Start > Control Panel
2. Click Programs and Features
3. Click Turn Windows features on or off
4. In the Windows Features dialog box, check the Telnet Client check box
5. Click OK. The system installs the appropriate files. This will take a few seconds to a minute.
31.6.2 Using Telnet

1. Edit SoundCheck Preferences. See Setup on page 525.
2. Open SoundCheck 20.0
3. macOS
 Use the Terminal editor

 enter: “telnet localhost 4444” and hit Return
Figure 31-4: Mac Telnet Editor
Windows OS
 Open a Command Line window
 enter: “telnet localhost 4444” and hit Return
Figure 31-5: Windows
Telnet
4. “Connected to SoundCheck” confirms that the connection to
SoundCheck is complete.
Then it is a matter of entering commands with the proper syntax and then
executing them. See Command Set Definition on page 534 & Command
List and Return Format on page 535. Figure 31-6: Connected

31.6.3 Run a Sequence and Retrieve Data
Now that you have connected to SoundCheck through Telnet, you can start to execute commands.
The following example covers manually opening a sequence, running a sequence from Telnet and retrieving
results.
1. From the SoundCheck File menu, open the Calibration/Self Test.sqc file.
(Later you'll learn how to do this from Telnet as well.)

2. Open Telnet as shown in Using Telnet on page 528.
Telnet should show: Connected to SoundCheck

3. To Run the sequence, type the following then hit
Enter/Return:
Sequence.Run
You will need to click on the SoundCheck window
and answer any prompts from the sequence.
4. Telnet returns a JSON response:
{"cmdCompleted":true,"returnData":...
The response format is defined in Command List Figure 31-7: Sequence.Run Example
and Return Format on page 535.
5. After the sequence has run you can retrieve a curve using: Command: MemoryList.Get('Curve',
'Parameter'). See on page 539.
6. Type the following and hit Enter/Return:
MemoryList.Get('Curve', 'Fundamental [Direct In 1]')

The JSON response is:
{"cmdCompleted":true,"returnType":"MemoryListCurve","returnData":{"Found":true,"Curve":{"Name":"F
undamental [Direct In1]","XData":[20000,16000,...,31.5,25,20],"Data":[0.3442260151137711,...,3.0393
952906618722],"ZData":"","XUnit":"Hz","YUnit":"V/
V","ZUnit":"deg.","XDataScale":"Lin","YDataScale":"dB","ZDataScale":"Lin","XdBRef":1,"YdBRef":1,"Z
dBRef":1,"XAxisScale":"Log","YAxisScale":"Lin","ZAxisScale":"Lin","Protected":false}},"errorType":"","e
rrorDescription":"","originalCommand":"MemoryList.Get('Curve', 'Fundamental [Direct In
1]')","resolvedCommand":"MemoryList- Get('Curve', 'Fundamental [Direct In 1]')"}
Every command sent via TCP/IP gets back a JSON formatted text string. The definitions for these are found in
Command Returns on page 534.

31.7 C# Example App
This shows what can be created using C# and how it can be used to control SoundCheck.
The example executable is in the main SoundCheck folder:
C:\SoundCheck 20\External Control Examples\C Sharp\Application\C Sharp Example.exe.
Figure 31-8: C# API Example
1. Run SoundCheck - Click “Select Executable” and navigate to: C:\SoundCheck 20\SoundCheck
20.exe. Click “Run SoundCheck”. You can also have SoundCheck running and then open the C Sharp
Example.exe.
Window State - Allows you to select how SoundCheck opens: Standard, Hidden or Minimized.
2. Connect to SoundCheck - Enter the IP Address and Port number of the PC to control, e.g., 127.0.0.1
and 4444. Click “Connect to SoundCheck”.
These fields are disabled as soon as the app has connected to SoundCheck, and enabled again if it is
determined that the connection has been lost.
3. Open Sequence - Click “Select Sequence” and navigate to your sequence folder and select a
sequence, e.g., Complete test.sqc
Click “Open Sequence” to load it into SoundCheck.

4. Set Lot Number - Click “Set Lot Number” to send data to the Lot Number field on the SoundCheck
Main Toolbar.
5. Set Serial Number - Click “Set Serial Number” to send data to SoundCheck
6. Click “Run Sequence”
7. Curves - Allows you to query curves from the Memory List. This is only a preview window. It does not
allow you to view multiple curves with limits.
Steps - Shows the order of steps in
the sequence along with channel
settings and Limits results.
8. Click “Exit SoundCheck” when
finished
Log Window - This shows all of the

activity occurring with the C Sharp App.
31.8 LabVIEW Example App

The example app shows what can be created in LabVIEW 2021 to control SoundCheck.
It also works as a control panel to test the operation of the available commands.
The example executable is in the main SoundCheck folder:
C:\SoundCheck 20\External Control Examples\LabVIEW\Application\LabVIEW Example.exe
The LabVIEW example uses the same Command Set Definition as the C# Sharp example. See Command Set
Definition on page 534 and Command List and Return Format on page 535.
Figure 31-9: LabVIEW API Example
Server IP address: If running on the local computer this is “127.0.0.1” or “localhost”. If accessing a computer
on the network, it is the IP address of the target PC, e.g., 192.168.0.123. You will need to know the IP address
of the computers running SoundCheck in order to control them over a network.
Port: Port number of the selected SoundCheck system
Connected: Shows that the selected system is responding
Commands: List of available commands and the proper syntax to use when entering the command

Command: Enter a command from the list and click Execute Command
Return Data: Defines the format for each of the listed data types
It shows information based on the most recently run MemoryList Command, e.g., “MemoryList.GetAllData”
shows the data fields in Figure 31-9. The Up/Down arrows to the left of each data type allow you to cycle
through the data from the sequence run.
Response Details: Shows if a command completed and the type of data returned as well as showing details
on errors.
Response JSON: Shows the data contents of the Response JSON. See Command Returns on page 534.
Each data return type has a uniform standard which is defined in Command List and Return Format on page
535.
31.8.1 LabVIEW Return Library

Located in C:\SoundCheck 20\API\LabVIEW Return Library
This collection of VIs is included to help you get data out of the JSON Response.
Note: LabVIEW 2021 or later is required to use these VIs.

31.9 Python Example
Python is an object-oriented scripting language that
offers some advantages over C++.
The example included with SoundCheck shows off
the simplicity of SoundCheck control via Python.
 Compatible with Python 2 and 3.
 See SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library
(soundcheck_tcpip) on page 545
Important: Before running any of the example scripts included with SoundCheck, please
follow the Setup Notes in the Readme.txt file found in: <SoundCheck root>\External
Control Examples\Python.
The example script included with SoundCheck will:

 Open SoundCheck
 Automatically run the “Complete Test” sequence
 After the sequence is complete, results are passed back to the python script for further processing
31.9.1 Requirements
Before running the Python script you will need to:
 Uncheck “Run Setup Wizard” in Preferences > Startup
 Uncheck “Show Quick Launch” in Preferences > Startup
 Uncheck “Show Login Window on Startup” in Preferences > Login
 Check “Enable TCP/IP Server” in Preferences > Advanced
 See Preferences on page 49 for more information
31.9.2 Example
Set the drive letter to the root where the python script is stored. In this case, C:.
From a Command Line, run the Python script by calling:
python “<SoundCheck root>\External Control Examples\Python\Scripts\SimpleSoundCheckExample.py"
e.g.,
python “C:\SoundCheck 20\External Control Examples\Python\Scripts\SimpleSoundCheckExample.py”
The quotes must enclose the path to the python script.

31.10 Command Set Definition
The commands sent to SoundCheck via TCP/IP must conform to these rules. This is used in C Sharp, Telnet or
any other communication method, via TCP/IP.
 SoundCheck commands are built of period (.) separated command segments, where each segment
may take parameters
 All parameters must be enclosed by single-quotation marks, a.k.a. apostrophe ('). This includes both
string and numeric values.
 All commands must be completed with the \r\n (Carriage Return + Line Feed) sequence. You don’t
need to add these when using Telnet or any other terminal app that automatically adds Carriage
Return & Line Feed.
Please note that you will need to do this only when programming your own TCP interface for sending
commands to SoundCheck.
 The parentheses after a command are only needed if the command needs parameters. If there are no
parameters associated with a command or command segment, and parentheses are added anyway,
SoundCheck will ignore them.
 Commands ARE case sensitive
31.10.1 Command Returns

Every command sent gets back a JSON formatted text string with
the following fields:
 cmdCompleted: true or false
True indicates that the command was recognized as a valid
SoundCheck command and was executed to completion. If
the command is not recognized, it times out, or there is an
error while trying to execute the command, cmdCompleted will be false. It does not indicate what the
result was, e.g., Sequence.Save - cmdCompleted = true can be returned even if the sequence is
marked “Read Only” and cannot be saved.
 returnData - This field contains the data that is returned by SoundCheck after executing a command.
This may be the result of a query, e.g., Sequence.GetName, or it may indicate if a requested operation
successfully completed, e.g., SoundCheck.SetSerialNumber. returnData will be different for each
command.
See Command List and Return Format on page 535.
 returnType - This field indicates the data type of the returnData, e.g., Boolean, String, StringArray, etc.
 errorType - If an error occurs, this field shows the error type, e.g., Timeout, Unknown Command, etc.
 errorDescription - If an error occurs, this field shows the error description
 originalCommand - This is the original command that was sent to SoundCheck
 resolvedCommand - This is the actual resolved command that SoundCheck executed
originalCommand and resolvedCommand fields are provided for troubleshooting.

31.10.2 Command List and Return Format
The following legend may be used to determine the data type of a field by examining the value in the example
JSON data, returned by SoundCheck API.
For example, if you see “false” in the result, you can interpret that as a Boolean, which may be either false or
true.
Data Type Value
Boolean false
String "string"
String (with three possible values: "a", "b", or "c") "a/b/c"
Number (Integer) 0
Number (Double) 0.1
The following list of commands are currently available for use with SoundCheck. Every command issued gets
back a Return. Some Returns show as “Void” which simply means that no data was returned. An
acknowledgment is still returned indicating that the command completed.
SoundCheck Commands
Command/Parameter Return Data
Command: SoundCheck.SetLoginLevel('Parameter') Void
Parameter: Login level (0, 1, or 2)
0 = Engineer, 1 = Technician, 2 = Operator
Description: Used to set the user login level
Command: SoundCheck.SetUserName('Parameter') Void
Parameter: User Name
Description: Used to set the user name of the currently logged in user
Command: SoundCheck.SetSerialNumber('Parameter') Void
Parameter: Serial Number
Description: Used to set the serial number of the device under test
Command: SoundCheck.SetLotNumber('Parameter') Void
Parameter: Lot Number
Description: Used to set the lot number for a batch of devices to be tested
Command: SoundCheck.GetLoginLevel {"Value":0}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the login level of the currently logged in user. It
returns an integer: 0 = Engineer, 1 = Technician, 2 = Operator.
Command: SoundCheck.GetLotNumber {"Value":"String"}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the lot number of the batch of devices currently
being tested
Command: SoundCheck.GetSerialNumber {"Value":"String"}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the serial number for the device under test

SoundCheck Commands
Command: SoundCheck.GetUserName {"Value":"String"}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the user name of the currently logged in user
Command: SoundCheck.GetLicenseStatus {"Valid":false,"KeyID":"String"}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the license status of SoundCheck. It indicates
whether a valid hardware key was found, and if so, what the key ID is.
Command: SoundCheck.GetStatus {"Busy":false}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to query SoundCheck for its status and determine if
SoundCheck is busy, or available to execute a command such as, run a
sequence.
Command: SoundCheck.Exit Void
Parameter: None
Description: Used to request SoundCheck to exit.
Command: SoundCheck.SetFloatStrings('Parameter1','Parame- Void
ter2','Parameter3')
Parameter:
1. String representing "Not a Number"
2. String representing "Positive Infinity"
3. String representing "Negative Infinity"
Description: For floating point numbers, SoundCheck uses "NaN" for "Not
a Number", "Infinity" for "Positive Infinity", and "-Infinity" for "Negative Infin-
ity". If your programming environment use different strings to represent these
values, send this command with all three parameters.
For example, for clients written in Python and MATLAB will need to send Set-
FloatStrings('NaN', 'Inf', '-Inf'). JavaScript does not support any of these val-
ues, so the command should be SetFloatStrings('null','null','null').
A client written in any language that uses "NaN", "Infinity", and "-Infinity",
which are the same strings that SoundCheck uses, does not need to send
the SetFloatStrings command, if it is the only TCP client connecting to
SoundCheck.
Command: Instruments.OpenVICFile(path, mute?) Void
Parameter:
1. ‘x:\file path\VicFile.vic’
2. ‘TRUE’ or ‘FALSE’
Command: Instruments.CloseAll()
Parameter: None
Description: Allows you to open and close virtual instrument configuration
files (.VIC)

Sequence Commands
Command: Sequence.Open('Parameter') {"Value":false}
Parameter: Sequence Path
Description: Used to request SoundCheck to open a
sequence. If a sequence is already open, SoundCheck
may display a dialog to save or discard the existing
sequence. That dialog needs to be closed for this com-
mand to complete, otherwise it will time out.
Command: Sequence.Run or {
Sequence.Run('Parameter') "Success?": false,

Optional Parameter: Timeout in milliseconds "Pass?": false,
Description: Used to request SoundCheck to run the "Margin": 0.1,
currently open sequence. SoundCheck has a default
timeout of 5 minutes to run a sequence. If a longer "StepResults": [{
sequence needs to be run, the optional timeout may be "Evaluated": false,
included. For example, for a timeout of 10 minutes, the
command will be: "Verdict": false,
Sequence.Run('600000') "Margin": 0.1,
"Limit": "String",
"Max/Min": "String"
}]
}
Command: Sequence.Save {"Value":false}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to request SoundCheck to save the
currently open sequence.
Command: Sequence.GetDuration {"Value":0.1}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the duration of the last run
sequence.
Command: Sequence.GetName {"Value":"String"}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the name of the currently
open sequence.
Command: Sequence.GetPath {"Value":"String"}
Parameter: None
Description: Used to get the path of the currently
open sequence.

Sequence Commands
Command: Sequence.GetStepsList [{
Parameter: None "Name": "String",
Description: Used to get a list of all the steps in the "Type": "String",
currently open sequence.
"InputChannelNames": ["String"],
"OutputChannelNames": ["String"]
}]

Memory List Commands
Command: MemoryList.GetAllNames {
Parameter: None "Curves": ["String"],
Description: Used to get names of all curves, values, "Values": ["String"],
results, and waveforms in the Memory List
"Results": ["String"],
"Waveforms": ["String"]
}
Command: MemoryList.Get('Curve', 'Parameter') {
Parameter: Curve Name "Found": false,
Description: Used to get data for a specific curve from "Curve": {
the Memory List.
"Name": "String",
The response indicates whether or not the curve and its
data were found. "XData": [0.1],
"YData": [0.1],
"ZData": [0.1],
"XUnit": "String",
"YUnit": "String",
"ZUnit": "String",
"XDataScale": "dB/Lin/Pwr",
"YDataScale": "dB/Lin/Pwr",
"ZDataScale": "dB/Lin/Pwr",
"XdBRef": 0.1,
"YdBRef": 0.1,
"ZdBRef": 0.1,
"XAxisScale": "Log/Lin",
"YAxisScale": "Log/Lin",
"ZAxisScale": "Log/Lin",
"Protected": false
}
}

Command: MemoryList.Get('Value', 'Parameter') {
Parameter: Value Name "Found": false,
Description: Used to get data for a specific value from "Value": {
the Memory List.
"Name": "String",
The response indicates whether or not the value and its
data were found. "XData": 0.1,
"YData": 0.1,
"ZData": 0.1,
"XUnit": "String",
"YUnit": "String",
"ZUnit": "String",
"XdBRef": 0.1,
"YdBRef": 0.1,
"ZdBRef": 0.1,
"Protected": false
}
}
Command: MemoryList.Get('Result', 'Parameter') {
Parameter: Result Name "Found": false,
Description: Used to get data for a specific result from "Result": {
the Memory List.
"Name": "String",
The response indicates whether or not the result and its
data were found. "Passed": false,
"Limit": "String",
"Unit": "String",
"Scale": "String",
"Max/Min": "String",
"Margin": 0.1,
"Protected": false
}
}

Command: MemoryList.Get('Waveform', 'Parameter') {
Parameter: Waveform Name "Found": false,
Description: Used to get data for a specific waveform "Waveform": {
from the Memory List.
"Name": "String",
The response indicates whether or not the waveform
and its data were found. "Waveform": {
"X0": 0.1,
"dX": 0.1,
"YData": [0.1]
},
"XUnit": "String",
"YUnit": "String",
"YdBRef": 0.1,
"Overload?": false,
"Protected": false
}
}
Command: MemoryList.GetAllData {
Parameter: None "Curves":[<See data format for "Curve" in
Return Data for Command: MemoryL-
Description: Used to get data for all curves, values, ist.Get('Curve', 'Parameter')>],
results, and waveforms in the Memory List
"Values":[<See data format for "Value" in Return
Data for Command: MemoryList.Get('Value',
'Parameter')>],
"Results":[<See data format for "Result" in
Return Data for Command: MemoryL-
ist.Get('Result', 'Parameter')>],
"Waveforms":[<See data format for "Waveform"
in Return Data for Command: MemoryL-
ist.Get('Waveform', 'Parameter')>]
}

Command/Parameter The entire format shown below must be used
when creating data to send to SoundCheck.
Description: Used to fill pre-existing curves, values, {
results, and waveforms in the Memory List with data.
"Curve": {
This cannot create data in the Memory List.
"Name": "String",
It can overwrite pre-existing data in the Memory List.
See Sequence Parameters on page 475 for infor- "XData": [0.1],
mation on creating Memory List data placeholders.
"YData": [0.1],
"ZData": [0.1],
Command: MemoryList.Set('Curve', 'Data')
"XUnit": "String",
Description: Used to fill pre-existing curves in the "YUnit": "String",

Memory List with data. "ZUnit": "String",
"XdBRef": 0.1,
"YdBRef": 0.1,
"ZdBRef": 0.1,
"XAxisScale": "Log/Lin",
"ZAxisScale": "Log/Lin",
"Protected": false
}
}

The entire format shown below must be used
Command/Parameter when creating data to send to SoundCheck.
Command: MemoryList.Set('Value', 'Data') {
Description: Used to fill pre-existing values in the "Value": {
Memory List with data.
"Name": "String",
"XData": 0.1,
See Sequence Parameters on page 475 for infor- "YData": 0.1,
"ZData": 0.1,
"XUnit": "String",
"YUnit": "String",
"ZUnit": "String",
"XdBRef": 0.1,
"YdBRef": 0.1,
"ZdBRef": 0.1,
"Protected": false
}
}
Command: MemoryList.Set('Result', 'Data') {
Description: Used to fill pre-existing results in the "Result": {
Memory List with data.
"Name": "String",
"Passed": false,
See Sequence Parameters on page 475 for infor- "Limit": "String",
"Unit": "String",
"Scale": "String",
"Max/Min": "String",
"Margin": 0.1,
"Protected": false
}
}

The entire format shown below must be used
Command/Parameter when creating data to send to SoundCheck.
Command: MemoryList.Set('Waveform', 'Data') {
Parameter: Waveform Name "Waveform": {
Description: Used to fill pre-existing waveforms in "Name": "String",
the Memory List with data.
"Waveform": {
"X0": 0.1,
See Sequence Parameters on page 475 for infor- "dX": 0.1,
mation on creating Memory List data placeholders. "YData": [0.1]
},
"XUnit": "String",
"YUnit": "String",
"YdBRef": 0.1,
"Overload?": false,
"Protected": false
}
}
Hardware Commands
Command: Hardware.Object('Parameter1').SetAddress(' Parameter2') Void
Parameter:
1. Bluetooth Device Name - BTC device ID (e.g. 'BTC1')
2. Bluetooth Address - (e.g. 'AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF')
Description: Used to set the bluetooth address for a Portland Tool & Die
BTC or BQC device

32 SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library
(soundcheck_tcpip)
SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library (soundcheck_tcpip)
The SoundCheck TCP/IP Python library is included for users who want to control SoundCheck with
Python scripts. This library greatly simplifies the process of launching SoundCheck, running sequences, and
interacting with the Memory List.
Getting Started
Before using soundcheck_tcpip you must install it using pip.
From a Terminal (macOS) or DOS shell (Windows), CD to ${SOUNDCHECK_ROOT}/External Control
Examples/Python where ${SOUNDCHECK_ROOT} is the location of your SoundCheck installation (e.g.,
C:\SoundCheck 20).
Run:
pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install soundcheck_tcpip-2.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
Classes and Methods

SoundCheck Installation (SCInstallation)
The SCInstallation object manages an installed version of SoundCheck.
SCInstallation Methods
Method Description / Example Code
construct_installation( Returns a SCInstallation object for the version of SoundCheck located at
version, path where version is a list containing the major and minor version numbers
path (e.g., [20, 0])
)
from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.installation
import construct_installation
sc_inst = construct_installation([20,0], 'C:\SoundCheck 20')

construct_remote_installation( Returns an SCInstallation object for a SoundCheck that is already running,
ip_address, either locally or remotely.
port
) from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.installation
import construct_remote_installation
sc_inst = construct_remote_installation('192.168.0.200', 4444)

launcher_path() Returns the full path to the SoundCheck executable
sc_inst = construct_installation([20, 0], 'C:\SoundCheck 20')

sc_path = sc_inst.launcher_path()
Launch Methods
SoundCheck® 20.0 SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library (soundcheck_tcpip) 545

launch() Launches SoundCheck specified by a SCInstallation object

sc_inst.launch()
terminate() Terminates the SoundCheck that was launched by a SCInstallation object

sc_inst.launch()
sc_inst.terminate()
is_running() Returns True if SoundCheck specified by a SCInstallation object is running

running = sc_inst.is_running()
INI File Methods

ini_path() Returns the full path to a SCInstallation INI file

sc_path = sc_inst.ini_path()
get_ini_option( Attempt to read an option from a SCInstallation INI file where section is a
section, string identifying where in the INI file where the option is located. If the option
option, is not found in the ini file, get_ini_option returns the default value.
default

option = sc_inst.get_ini_option('Dialogs', 'SHOW SPLASHSCREEN')
546 SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library (soundcheck_tcpip) SoundCheck® 20.0

set_ini_option( Attempt to write an option to a SCInstallation INI file where section is a
section, string identifying where in the INI file where the option is located and value is
option, written to the INI for option.
value

sc_inst.set_ini_option(
'Dialogs', 'SHOW SPLASHSCREEN', 'FAlSE'
)
File Import Methods

import_ini(ini_file) Import an INI file into an installation where ini_file is a string containing the
path to the INI file

sc_inst.import_ini('C:\Users\Me\MySoundCheckINI.ini')
import_har(har_file) Import a hardware file into an installation where har_file is a string containing
the path to the hardware file

sc_inst.import_har('C:\Users\Me\MySoundCheckHAR.har')
import_cal(cal_file) Import the calibration file into an installation where cal_file is a string
containing the path to the calibration file

sc_inst.import_cal('C:\Users\Me\MySoundCheckCAL.cal')
Miscellaneous Methods
server_details() Returns the IP address and port number for an SCInstallation TCP/IP server

ip_address, port = sc_inst.server_details()

SoundCheck TCP/IP Control (SCControlTCPIP)
The SCControlTCPIP object manages the TCP/IP connection to a SoundCheck installation.
Construction
SCControlTCPIP( Creates an SCControlTCPIP object from the SCInstallation object,
installation installation, and enables its TCP/IP server where:
)
from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.controller
import SCControlTCPIP

sc_tcpip = SCControlTCPIP(sc_inst)
Launch Methods
launch(timeout=30) Starts SoundCheck and waits for it to be ready to respond to external
commands. If SoundCheck does not respond within timeout seconds, an
exception is raised

sc_tcpip.launch()
close(timeout=5) Sends SoundCheck a shutdown command and force exit if SoundCheck does
not exit within timeout seconds

sc_tcpip.close()
Sequence Methods

open_sequence( Sends a command for SoundCheck to open the sequence located at path. If the
path, sequence does not open within timeout seconds, an exception is raised
timeout=10

sc_tcpip.launch()
sc_tcpip.open_sequence('C:\Users\Me\Sequences\My Seq.sqc')
current_sequence() Returns the name of the currently loaded sequence

sc_tcpip.launch()
sqc_name = sc_tcpip.current_sequence()
get_sequence_path() Returns the full path name of the currently loaded sequence

sc_tcpip.launch()
sqc_path = sc_tcpip.get_sequence_path()

get_sequence_steps_list() Returns a list of dicts containing the name, type, input channels, and output
channels of the currently loaded sequence. The format of the response is:
[
{
'Name': step1_name,
'Type': step1_type,
'InputChannelNames': [list of input channel names],
'OutputChannelNames': [list of output channel names]
},
.
.
.
]

sc_tcpip.launch()
sqc_steps = sc_tcpip.get_sequence_steps_list()
run_sequence( Sends a command for SoundCheck to open and run the sequence located at
path=None, path for the specified number of iterations. If the sequence does not open
timeout=300, and run within timeout seconds, an exception is raised. If respond is True, a
iterations=1, list of responses from each sequence iteration is returned, otherwise None is
respond=True returned.
)

sc_tcpip.launch()
sc_tcpip.run_sequence()
save_sequence() Saves the currently loaded sequence to disk.

sc_tcpip.launch()
sc_tcpip.save_sequence()

get_sequence_duration() Returns the time (in seconds) that it took for the last sequence run.

sc_tcpip.launch()
sc_tcpip.run_sequence()
duration = sc_tcpip.get_sequence_duration()
Memory List Methods

get_memlist_names( Returns a dict of name lists keyed by data_type where data_type can be one of
data_type=None 'Curves', 'Values', 'Results', or 'Waveforms'. If data_type is not
) specified, get_memlist_names returns the names of all items of all data types
as a list of strings.

sc_tcpip.launch()
sc_tcpip.run_sequence('C:\Users\Me\Sequences\My Seq.sqc')
ml_names = sc_tcpip.get_memlist_names()
get_result(name) Gets the result from the Memory List identified by name

sc_tcpip.launch()
result = sc_tcpip.get_result('My Result')

get_value(name) Returns a dict representing the value in the Memory List identified by name. The
format of the response is:
{
'Name': name,
'XData': X data,
'YData': Y data,
'ZData': Z data,
'XUnit': X units,
'YUnit': Y units,
'ZUnit': Z units,
'XDataScale': X data scale,
'YDataScale': Y data scale,
'ZDataScale': Z data scale,
'XdBRef': X dB reference,
'YdBRef': Y dB reference,
'ZdBRef': Z dB reference,
'XAxisScale': X axis scale,
'YAxisScale': Y axis scale,
'ZAxisScale': Z axis scale,
'Protected': protected status
}

sc_tcpip.launch()
value = sc_tcpip.get_value('My Value')

get_curve(name) Returns a dict representing the curve from the Memory List identified by name.
The format of the response is:
{
'Name': name,
'XData': X data,
'YData': Y data,
'ZData': Z data,
'XUnit': X units,
'YUnit': Y units,
'ZUnit': Z units,
'XDataScale': X data scale,
'ZDataScale': Z data scale,
'XdBRef': X dB reference,
'ZdBRef': Z dB reference,
'XAxisScale': X axis scale,
'ZAxisScale': Z axis scale,
}

sc_tcpip.launch()
curve = sc_tcpip.get_curve('My Curve')

get_waveform(name) Returns a dict representing the waveform from the Memory List identified by
name. The format of the response is:
{
'Name': name,
'Waveform': {'X0': initial X, 'dX': delta X, 'YData': Y
data},
'XUnit': X units,
'YUnit': Y units,
'Overload?': overload status
}

sc_tcpip.launch()
waveform = sc_tcpip.get_waveform('My Waveform')
set_value( Sets the value in the Memory List identified by name. Note that the value must
name, exist in the Memory List for it to be set.
x_data=0.0,
y_data=0.0, from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.installation
z_data=0.0, import construct_installation
x_unit='', from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.controller
y_unit='', import SCControlTCPIP
z_unit='',
x_data_scale='Lin', sc_inst = construct_installation([20, 0], 'C:\SoundCheck 20')
y_data_scale='Lin', sc_tcpip = SCControlTCPIP(sc_inst)
z_data_scale='Lin', sc_tcpip.launch()
xdb_ref=1, sc_tcpip.set_value('My Value', y_data=4.321, y_unit='Hz')
ydb_ref=1, sc_tcpip.run_sequence('C:\Users\Me\Sequences\My Seq.sqc')
zdb_ref=1,
protected=False
)

set_curve( Sets the curve from the Memory List identified by name. Note that the curve must
name, exist in the Memory List for it to be set.
x_data=np.array([]),
y_data=np.array([]), from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.installation
z_data=np.array([]), import construct_installation
z_unit='', import numpy as np
x_data_scale='Lin',
y_data_scale='Lin', sc_inst = construct_installation([20, 0], 'C:\SoundCheck 20')
z_data_scale='Lin', sc_tcpip = SCControlTCPIP(sc_inst)
xdb_ref=1, sc_tcpip.launch()
ydb_ref=1, sc_tcpip.set_curve('My Curve', y_data=np.random.rand(4096))
zdb_ref=1, sc_tcpip.run_sequence('C:\Users\Me\Sequences\My Seq.sqc')
x_axis_scale='Lin',
y_axis_scale='Lin',
z_axis_scale='Lin',
protected=False
)
set_waveform( Sets the waveform from the Memory List identified by name. Note that the
name, waveform must exist in the Memory List for it to be set.
x0=0.0,
dX=1.0, from soundcheck_tcpip.soundcheck.installation
y_data=np.array([]), import construct_installation
y_data_scale='Lin', import numpy as np
ydb_ref=1,
y_axis_scale='Lin', sc_inst = construct_installation([20, 0], 'C:\SoundCheck 20')
overload=False, sc_tcpip = SCControlTCPIP(sc_inst)
protected=False sc_tcpip.launch()
) sc_tcpip.set_waveform('My Curve', x0=0.0, dX=0.1,
y_data=np.random.rand(4096))


33 Controlling SoundCheck® From ActiveX - DEPRECATED
Important! ActiveX control is being replaced by TCP/IP control. SoundCheck 17 will be the last version in
which ActiveX is supported. We recommend that you use the TCP/IP interface instead.
Please refer to Controlling SoundCheck with TCP/IP on page 497 for more information. The following
information is provided for legacy purposes and to assist with converting existing ActiveX controls to TCP/IP.
33.0.1 SoundCheck Run Seq.vi has been replaced with a version that uses TCP/IP:
C:\SoundCheck x.x\API\SoundCheck Run Seq TCP\SoundCheck Run Seq TCP.vi.
 SoundCheck must be running, with TCP/IP enabled, before running the vi
 You must enable TCP/IP at port 4444 in SoundCheck preferences before running the vi
The new vi outputs standardized data structures which are easier to work with than the old
SoundCheck Run Seq vi.
For Windows users who are relying on the old SoundCheck Run Seq.vi, a new version has been included for
compatibility purposes. This vi starts SoundCheck and converts the new data formats to match the old data
format. This vi will not return waveforms from the Memory List. "SoundCheck Run Seq.vi" is found in the root of
the SoundCheck folder.
"SoundCheck Run Seq TCP.vi" is run inside of "SoundCheck Run Seq.vi" after the code to open and close
SoundCheck. The name of the top level vi has not been changed for legacy/upgrading purposes.
33.1 ActiveX Control - Legacy Examples (Windows Only)

 You can run SoundCheck test sequences from any programming language that supports ActiveX
 You can receive test data and results
 SoundCheck is opened in this process, but the SoundCheck window can be hidden
 SoundCheck sequences can be opened and run in this mode, but not modified
 A valid Hardware Key is required to register ActiveX components during SoundCheck installation. The
Hardware Key is not required to use ActiveX in Demo Mode.
Important! Please make sure only one version of SoundCheck is installed on the
computer before using ActiveX control. Otherwise, the wrong version might
get called.
In terms of Microsoft’s® Component Object Model (COM), SoundCheck is an ActiveX Server, while the
software to control SoundCheck is an ActiveX Client. It is important that the developer be familiar with these
programming concepts before attempting to use SoundCheck’s API. Listen, Inc. does not provide a static
library to link to.
Examples are in included in the SoundCheck installation folder: C:\SoundCheck 20.0\External Control
Examples\_Legacy ActiveX Examples
 Visual Basic (2010): See Visual Basic Example on page 559
 C#: See C # Example on page 560
SoundCheck® 20.0 Controlling SoundCheck From ActiveX - DEPRECATED 557

Instruction Manual
33.1.1 LabVIEW’s ActiveX Library
SoundCheck is written in LabVIEW. There are many ways to programmatically obtain SoundCheck's ActiveX
object, but the most efficient way is to import its Type Library into your project. The SoundCheck program
folder contains a file: "SoundCheck 20.0.tlb". This is the SoundCheck Type Library which contains a superset of
LabVIEW 2021, plus SoundCheck’s interfaces. You add the TLB as a reference into your project.
The main ActiveX interface used to control SoundCheck is the Call Method of the VI object. The Call Method
defines inputs to a VI, runs the VI, and then receives the outputs from the VI. The Call is synchronous, so your
program execution will stay on that line of code until the Call is completed.
33.1.2 Starting Up SoundCheck

SoundCheck can be started via a shell object as a command line invocation, or when the COM object is
created. In our examples, ActiveX is not used to start SoundCheck. Instead, a Windows® "command line"
command is used.
Example: In Visual Basic the line of code is: Shell "C:\SoundCheck 20.0\SoundCheck 20.0.exe"
If your SoundCheck folder is not in the root directory, replace the beginning of the path, with the path to the
SoundCheck folder on your system.
33.1.3 Command Line Options

SoundCheck interprets three command line options:
 -m – Minimize SoundCheck immediately after it starts up (SoundCheck main screen is accessible)
 -h – Hide the SoundCheck Main Screen so that it cannot be brought into view even by clicking the
SoundCheck Task Bar Button (Prevents access to the SoundCheck main screen options)
Note: The only restriction on these options is that -m and -h cannot be used together.
558 Controlling SoundCheck From ActiveX - DEPRECATED SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
33.1.4 Visual Basic Example
 The example executable file can be run to show its general use. The source code files are included in
the example folder.
 C:\SoundCheck 20.0\External Control Examples\_Legacy ActiveX Examples\VB2010 Example.exe
This line of code is used to start SoundCheck. The Main window is hidden.
Shell """C:\SoundCheck 20.0\SoundCheck 20.0.exe"" -h -s"
Figure 33-1: Visual Basic Panel
 Select Command Options:

 None - SoundCheck opens in a normal window
 Hidden - SoundCheck is hidden from view
 Minimized - SoundCheck is opened but the window is minimized
1. Select SoundCheck version to run - SoundCheck 20.0, then click Run SoundCheck
2. Select sequence to open - ActiveX & Test Stand example, then click Open Sequence
3. Enter Serial Number and click Set Serial Number
4. Enter Lot Number and click Set Lot Number
5. Click Run Sequence - Get Curve Names
6. Click Exit SoundCheck to close

Instruction Manual
33.1.5 C # Example
 The example executable file can be run to show its
general use. The source code files are included in
the example folder.
 C:\SoundCheck 20.0\External Control
Examples\_Legacy ActiveX Examples\C
Sharp\Application\C Sharp Example.exe
1. Launch SoundCheck. Check SoundCheck Main
Screen and dismiss open dialog windows.
2. Press any key to load sequence. Check

SoundCheck Main Screen and dismiss open Figure 33-2: C # Example
dialog windows.
3. Run Sequence
33.1.6 Creating the VI ActiveX Object and Calling SoundCheck

Here are some Visual Basic lines of code that illustrate how to create the VI object you need and then how to
use it to communicate with SoundCheck.
Only paramValues (0) is an input to ControlSC.vi. You must set the remaining seven paramValues to dummy
values prior to making the Call. After the Call returns, paramValues (1) through (7) will contain values returned
by the VI.
Set lvApp = CreateObject("SoundCheck111.Application")
lvPath = "ControlSC.vi"
Set lvVI = lvApp.GetVIReference(lvPath)
paramNames(0) = "Command"
paramNames(1) = "Success?"
paramNames(2) = "Pass?"
paramNames(3) = "Margin"
paramNames(4) = "Table"
paramNames(5) = "Xdatapoints"
paramNames(6) = "Ydatapoints"
paramNames(7) = "Zdatapoints"
paramValues(0) = "serial " & txtSerialNum
paramValues(1) = False
paramValues(2) = False
paramValues(3) = 0#
paramValues(4) = ""
paramValues(5) = ""
paramValues(6) = ""
paramValues(7) = ""
lvVI.Call paramNames, paramValues

Instruction Manual
33.2 API Specification (Windows)
33.2.1 SoundCheck’s ControlSC.vi

The VI that you Call is ControlSC.vi, which is embedded in the application's executable file. ControlSC.vi has
the following inputs and outputs (not all outputs are returned by every command):
Parameter / Input or
Type Description
Function Output?
[0] - Command Input string One of seven commands directing SoundCheck perform an action. The
command word may be followed by parameters that are separated by
spaces, all in the same string.
[1] - Success? Output boolean Tells whether or not the command and action were successful.
[2] - Pass? Output boolean Tells whether or not the test sequence passed or failed overall, typically
as configured in the final Display Step.
[3] - Margin Output double float The margin of Pass or Fail in the last Limits Step of a test sequence.
[4] - Table Output string Multi-purpose table of information, in standard tab-delimited spread-
sheet format, in which columns are separated by tabs and rows are
separated by CR-LF.
[5] - Xdatapoints Output array of Array of X values of requested data curve.

double floats Example: Frequency in Hz.
[6] - Ydatapoints Output array of Array of Y values of requested data curve.
double floats Example: Magnitude in dB.
[7] - Zdatapoints Output array of Array of Z values of requested data curve.
double floats Example: Phase in deg.
33.2.2 Common Properties of the Success? Returned Parameter

For all seven commands, the "Success?" parameter returns a FALSE if SoundCheck was busy or if the
command was not understood.
For example, SoundCheck is busy and cannot process any commands if it is not finished processing
the last command that was sent or a test sequence is running.
If "Success?" returns a FALSE, SoundCheck is probably busy, and therefore it is suggested practice to reissue
the command until Success? = True.
Note: Do not reissue the command more than about 10 times, which should take a total of less than one
second.

Instruction Manual
33.2.3 The Seven Commands of the “Command” Input
1. Open - Action: Loads a desired test sequence into SoundCheck and prepares it for execution.
Unloads the previously loaded sequence. If this command is not issued, SoundCheck will load its
default sequence at start-up.
Parameter /
Input Output Remarks
Function
[0] - Command “open <sqc>” string <sqc> must contain full path of sequence file
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if the requested sequence was opened successfully. FALSE if:
 Opening a sequence not currently permitted

 Sequence file not found or path invalid
 Sequence file corrupt
 One or more steps in the sequence not found or is corrupt
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean Not used, but input should still be initialized to FALSE
[3] - Margin 0.0# Not used, input value should be zero.
[4] - Table NULL string Table – One row for each step in the sequence. Four columns, as fol-
lows:
 Output channel
 Input channel
 Step category (3-letter abbreviation)
 Step name
[5] - Xdatapoints NULL Not used
[6] - Ydatapoints NULL Not used
[7] - Zdatapoints NULL Not used
Example: open C:\SoundCheck 20.0\Sequences\Loudspeakers\Fundamental.sqc

Instruction Manual
2. Lot - Action: Sets the Lot Number in SoundCheck. This Lot Number will remain in force until it is
changed.
Parameter /
Function
[0] - Command “lot <number>” string <number> - any alphanumeric characters
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if the Lot Number was set successfully
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean Not used; but input should still be initialized to FALSE
[3] - Margin 0.0# double float Not used; input value should be zero
[4] - Table NULL string Table – One row for each step in the sequence. Four
columns, as follows:
 Output channel
 Input channel
 Step category (3-letter abbreviation)
 Step name
Example: lot SC200108
3. Serial - Action: Sets the Serial Number in SoundCheck. This Serial Number will remain in force until it
is changed (the sequence may be configured to change it as well).
Parameter /
Function
[0] - Command “serial <sn>” string <sn> - serial number (any alphanumeric characters)
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if the Serial Number was set successfully.
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean Not used; but input should still be initialized to FALSE
[3] - Margin 0.0# double float Not used; input value should be zero.
[4] - Table NULL Not used
Example: serial LSX00844

Instruction Manual
4. Run - Action: Runs the test sequence currently loaded in SoundCheck.
Parameter /
Function
[0] - Command “run” string
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if the sequence ran to completion, regardless of whether or not it
passed.
FALSE if running a sequence not currently permitted, or Sequence aborted

at some point.
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean TRUE if sequence passes
[3] - Margin 0.0# double float Overall margin
[4] - Table NULL string One row for each step in the sequence. Three columns, as follows:
- Pass or FAIL
- Margin
- Limit-Max/Min info
5. Names - Action: Returns a list of curve names generated by the last test sequence run. If no
sequence was run or if the sequence did not generate any curves, the list is empty.
Parameter /
Function
[0] - Command “names” string
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if a list of curve names was returned, even if it was empty.
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean TRUE if sequence passes
[3] - Margin 0.0# double Not used

float
[4] - Table NULL string One column: the curve names
Command string: names

Instruction Manual
6. Curve - Action: Returns a binary representation of the data from the requested curve, and other curve
info.
Parameter /
Function
[0] - Command “curve <cn>” string <cn> - curve name obtained from “names” command
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if the requested data was returned.
FALSE if the requested curve was not found among the curves generated by
the last sequence run.
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean Not used

float
[4] - Table NULL string 17 rows, 2 columns. A table of information about the data values including
units and log scaling. The first column contains the item names, the second
column the item values:
N points - number of data points in the curve

X data - "dB" or "lin"
Y data - "dB" or "lin"
Z data - "dB" or "lin"
X axis - "log" or "lin"
Y axis - "log" or "lin"
Z axis - "log" or "lin"
X unit - such as "Hz"
Y unit - such as "Pa", "V" (floating point numbers are used so prefixes
such as mV are not used)
Z unit - such as "deg"
X dB ref - dB reference, in floating point or scientific notation
Y dB ref - dB reference, in floating point or scientific notation
Z dB ref - dB reference, in floating point or scientific notation
Single val? - "True" or "False", True meaning that only the Y value of
only the first data point is of interest.
[5] - Xdatapoints NULL double Xdatapoints

float array
[6] - Ydatapoints NULL double Ydatapoints

float array
[7] - Zdatapoints NULL double Zdatapoints

float array
Example: “curve Fundamental [L]”

Instruction Manual
7. Exit - Action: Exit SoundCheck. SoundCheck and LabVIEW Run-Time will quit and close.
Parameter /
Function
[0] - Command “exit” string
[1] - Success? FALSE boolean TRUE if SoundCheck started exiting.
[2] - Pass? FALSE boolean Not used

float
[4] - Table NULL Not used

Instruction Manual
34 Database Setup
Important! As of SoundCheck 17, the procedure for setting up a database has changed.
The following instructions should be reviewed even if you already have a
database working with SoundCheck.
34.1 Requirements
 Database V2 requires SoundCheck 17 or later
 Database V2 and Database Schema 1 both require optional module 2010 - Save to Database
 SoundCheck 20 is only available as a 64-bit application. It requires a 64-bit version of Windows. It
cannot be installed on a 32-bit version of Windows. This also requires 64-bit database applications and
drivers.
34.2 Database V2 Features

Using Autosave Steps with databases has been improved. As of SoundCheck 17, a new database schema is
available with the following features:
 Fewer tables
 More efficient use of data types and the use of BLOBs (Binary Large OBjects)
 More space efficient
 Faster transfer of data
34.2.1 All Database Users

Regardless of the database schema used, all users should review:
 Supported Databases on page 568
 Creating a UDL Definition for SQL Server on page 575
34.2.2 New Database Users

 Database V2 Setup on page 571
 SoundCheck DB v2 Schema on page 572
34.2.3 Existing Access Database Users

While Database V2 offers significant improvements, Database Schema 1 is available for users with existing
databases.
If you are using Microsoft Access please refer to the sections below.
 Database Schema 1 for Access on page 580
 Creating an ODBC Connection for MS Access on page 581
SoundCheck® 20.0 Database Setup 567

Instruction Manual
34.3 Supported Databases
As of SoundCheck 17, all database applications must be 64-bit. SoundCheck’s Autosave feature currently
supports the following databases:
 Microsoft SQL Server 64-bit - 2005, 2008, 2014 and 2016
 Microsoft Access 64-bit - 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 (*.MDB files)
34.4 Database Setup

You need to perform the following steps in order to make a successful database connection.
34.4.1 Determine the Data Store

The database schema, storage method and storage location must be considered first.
Please review the information in the following sections before setting up your schema.
The Database Store on page 569
Creating the Database Connection on page 570
34.4.2 Ensure that the data store contains the correct schema
The schema for your database must be generated before you can connect and save to it.
 When using Database V2 follow the instructions in Database V2 Setup on page 571
 When using MS Access follow the instructions in Database Schema 1 for Access on page 580
34.4.3 Create the appropriate Connect Descriptor

Database clients use a connect descriptor to define the location of the database and the name of the database
service. It’s the key to connecting SoundCheck to the database.
Database V2
 Creating a UDL Definition for SQL Server on page 575
 Creating an ODBC Connection for SQL Server on page 576
Database Schema 1
 Creating a UDL Definition for MS Access on page 583
34.4.4 Configure SoundCheck to use the Connect Descriptor

The SoundCheck Autosave step must be configured to use the appropriate Connect Descriptor for the
database.
Database V2
 SoundCheck Autosave Database V2 on page 579
Database Schema 1
 SoundCheck Autosave for Access DB on page 584
568 Database Setup SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
34.5 The Database Store
The following data storage scenarios are supported:
 Local data storage
 Remote data storage
Local storage means that data is stored on a hard disk of the computer running SoundCheck. SoundCheck
can write to a local database such as SQL Server Express or to an Access database file (mdb).
If you plan on integrating this data into your enterprise, then SQL Server would be more appropriate. This may
require System Administrators’ assistance in setting up the database.
If you want to set up a quick way of saving data for your own use and are familiar with MS Access, then use a
.MDB file.
SQL Server for Local Storage

If you choose SQL Server Express, the database engine must be installed. SQL Server Express is freely
distributed by Microsoft at no cost. Download SQL Server Express 64-bit.
SQL Server for Remote Storage

Remote storage means that the data will be stored outside the computer, which must be connected to a
network. If this scenario matches your environment, you need to know the following information:
 The name of the database server
 The name of the database table
 The authentication parameters (account name and password)
No database software is required for remote storage, but drivers are required.
Since SQL Server is an enterprise class database, its installation should be performed by a qualified Database
Administrator (DBA), and is beyond the scope of this document.
It is recommended that the SQL script, C:\SoundCheck 20\Database\createSchema.sql, be forwarded to
the DBA for installation of Database V2.
MS Access for Local Storage

Installation of MS Access drivers are required for interfacing to .MDB files.
Previous databases using the Jet 4.0 Database Engine must upgrade to Microsoft Access Database
Engine for 64-bit compatibility.
This can be downloaded separately:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=54920
The MS Access application is not required to be installed for writing to a .MDB file, but you do need it to create
a new .MDB file.
Rather than set up your own database, please use the one included with SoundCheck.
See Database Schema 1 for Access on page 580.
Make sure that the file is on a local disk, not a shared network disk, as this will significantly affect performance.

Instruction Manual
34.6 Creating the Database Connection
Regardless of data store, SoundCheck relies upon Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) or Universal Data
Links (UDL) to describe how database connections are to be established. The descriptor specifies where the
storage is, and which driver SoundCheck will use to communicate with the database.
34.6.1 Rules - ODBC Connection

SoundCheck 20 is only available as a 64-bit application. It requires a 64-bit version of Windows. It cannot
be installed on a 32-bit version of Windows.
Windows includes ODBC Data Source apps for both 64 and 32-bit. SoundCheck 20 requires ODBC Data
Sources 64-bit.
You must use a 64-bit version of MS Access along with the 64-bit ODBC tool.
 The 64-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %systemdrive%\Windows\System32
folder
 Both 32-bit and 64-bit files are named Odbcad32.exe but they are not the same
 The 64-bit file is required for SoundCheck 20
 NOTE: The default installation of MS Office is 32-bit. You will need to install MS Office 64-bit
instead.
34.6.2 DSN vs. UDL

SoundCheck can use either set of drivers to connect to a database. Which set you will use most likely comes
from other software requirements, if any. For example, there may be a 3rd party application that requires one or
the other. In either case, SoundCheck can use the same drivers to make setup easier.
Important: When using a database that requires SQL Server authentication with a Login ID and
Password, you must use a "UDL" file. A DSN does not store the login ID and password.
34.6.3 DSN
A Data Source Name (DSN) descriptor is required for database connections using ODBC drivers. A DSN can
be of System, User or File types. Choose System DSN if you are not sure which one to use. A DSN does not
store the login ID and password.
34.6.4 UDL
A UDL descriptor is required for database connections using OLE DB drivers, as well as ODBC drivers. Like a
File DSN, UDL connection parameters are stored as a connection string in a text file. UDL files also allow you
to store the Login ID and Password for the database.
The most straightforward method is to create a UDL file.

Instruction Manual
34.7 Database V2 Setup
34.7.1 Creating a Schema

1. An SQL Server must be installed before creating the schema.
2. Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
3. Open C:\SoundCheck 20\Database and double :

Create Schema.SQL.
SQL Server Management Studio will open.
4. You are prompted to select the SQL Server installed on

the system.
5. In SQL Server Management Studio, click on

the SQL code in the right hand side of the
window. This makes the Execute button
active.
6. Click Execute to run the SQL code.
7. This creates the SoundCheck DB v2

schema, e.g., files and tables, as shown in
Figure 34-1.
(Note that the schema does not show up in

Management Studio until it is refreshed.)
Figure 34-1: SQL Server Management Studio

34.7.2 Database Name
To change the name of the database edit the createSchema.sql file and click Execute to generate a new
schema, e.g.,
Change: CREATE DATABASE [SoundCheck DB v2]
to: CREATE DATABASE [Enter Custom Name DB]

Instruction Manual
34.8 SoundCheck DB v2 Schema
The tables of the database are related as per the schema shown in Figure 34-2.
 Datarun table joins to Station table on the “Station_ID”
 Datarun table joins to Curve table on the “Curve_ID”
Figure 34-2: Database Schema

Instruction Manual
34.8.1 SQL Server Management
Studio
This application shows the tables, their
columns and the size of the tables,
e.g., [INT], [SMALLINT], [VARCHAR], etc.
See Figure 34-3.
Figure 34-3: SQL Server Management Studio
Note: All string columns are declared as VARCHAR where each character takes up 1 byte.
This implies that the string will only be capable of containing ASCII characters.
If you require that these strings hold Unicode characters, which take up 2 bytes,
change VARCHAR to NVARCHAR, IN ALL TABLES. This may be required for non-english
language support.

Instruction Manual
34.9 Table Examples
34.9.1 The Curve_Table:

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Curve_Table] (
[Curve_ID] [INT] NOT NULL IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY,
[Curve_Type_ID][SMALLINT] NULL,
[Datarun_ID] [INT] NULL,
[Channel_Type_ID] [SMALLINT] NULL,
[Verdict_ID] [TINYINT] NULL,
[X_Values_ID] [INT] NULL, (XYZ)_Values_ID - The IDs for the tables that contain
[Y_Values_ID] [INT] NULL, the Binary Large Objects (BLOBs)
[Z_Values_ID] [INT] NULL,
[X_Units_ID] [SMALLINT] NULL,
[Y_Units_ID] [SMALLINT] NULL,
[Z_Units_ID] [SMALLINT] NULL
Some tables are pre-populated, e.g., the Curve_Type_Table is pre-poplulated with the “Fundamental” curve
and the Channel_Type_Table is pre-populated with left and right channels, “L” and “R”.
34.9.2 The Values_Table:

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Values_Table] (
[Values_ID] [INT] NOT NULL - Identifies the row of data in the table
IDENTITY(0,1) PRIMARY KEY,
[No_Points] [INT] NULL, - Number of points in the x, y or z values for the curve
[Values_Hash] [BINARY](16) NULL, - Calculated identifier used internally to prevent duplicate data
and speed up data identification
[Values] [VARBINARY](MAX) NULL - Varbinary is the type of data used for storing BLOBs

Instruction Manual
34.9.3 Creating a UDL Definition for SQL Server
Follow these directions to create an UDL file that connects to SQL Server (any edition).
1. Make sure that a database that contains SoundCheck’s schema has
been created and available on the network.
See Creating a Schema on page 571.

If you are using local storage, make sure that SQL Server Express is
installed and the schema has been created.
2. Create a new Microsoft Data Link file from Windows Explorer. If this
choice is not available, you can create an empty text file and rename
it with a .udl extension, e.g., SoundCheck_Data.udl. The file will
then be displayed as Microsoft Data Link document.
3. Double-click the SoundCheck_Data.udl file. The Data Link

Properties dialog is displayed as in Figure 34-4. Figure 34-4: Provider Tab
4. Click on the Provider tab.
5. Select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server.
6. Select Next > to go to the Connection tab.
 Select a server from the drop-down list or enter a server name

 Select the Use Windows NT Integrated security radio button,
unless specified otherwise
 Select the database that contains the SoundCheck schema,
e.g., SoundCheck_Data, from the drop-down list
Figure 34-5: Connection

Tab
7. Select the Test Connection button. A success dialog is displayed.

Instruction Manual
34.9.4 Creating an ODBC Connection for SQL Server
Follow these directions to create a DSN that connects to SQL Server (any edition).
Important: When using a database that requires SQL Server authentication with a Login ID and
Password, you must use a "UDL" file. A DSN does not store the login ID and password.
1. Make sure that a database that contains SoundCheck’s schema has been
created and is available on the network. If you are using local storage,
make sure that SQL Server Express is installed and the schema is created.
(See Creating a Schema on page 571)
2. Open OBDC Data Source Administrator from the Control Panel.

Administrative Tools > Setup ODBC Data Sources (64-bit) or search
Program Files for “Data Sources (ODBC) 64 Bit”
Figure 34-6: ODBC

Data Sources
3. Select System DSN tab
Select Add… button. The Create New Data

Source dialog is displayed:
4. Select SQL Server from the list.
5. Select Finish. The Create a New Data Source to

SQL Server dialog is displayed as in Figure 34-7.
Figure 34-7: New Data Source
6. Enter a name and description for the selected data

source as shown in Figure 34-8.
7. In the Server drop-down list, select (local) for local

storage, or select the database server on the network.
This can be found through the drop-down list or by
manually entering the location.
8. Do not click Finish. Select Next > to open Login

verification.
Figure 34-8: Name Data Source

Instruction Manual
9. The wizard prompts to determine how the SQL Server
should verify the network login as shown in Figure 34-9.
Select Next > to accept the defaults, or consult your IT
administrator.
Important: When using a database that requires SQL

Server authentication with a Login ID and
Password, you must use a "UDL" file. A DSN
does not store the login ID and password.
Figure 34-9: Verify Login
10. Check “Change the default database to:” and select the
database that contains the SoundCheck schema,
SoundCheck DB v2, from the drop-down list as in Figure
34-10.
Figure 34-10: Select Database
11. Select Next. The next dialog in the wizard appears

Figure 34-11.
12. Unless specified by your IT administrator, use the

defaults.
Figure 34-11: Use Defaults

Instruction Manual
13. Select Finish.
A summary of the new ODBC data source is displayed as in Figure

34-12.
14. Select Test Data Source to make sure the configuration works.
Figure 34-12: ODBC Data

Source Summary
15. A confirmation dialog is displayed as in Figure 34-13.
16. Select OK to close the windows. The new data source will be listed in
the System DSN tab.
Figure 34-13: Test
Confirmation
17. Select OK to close the OBDC Data Source Administrator.
Figure 34-14: New System DSN

Instruction Manual
34.9.5 SoundCheck Autosave Database V2
Using DSN
 In the Autosave Step UDL or DSN field, Type In the
System DSN name from the ODBC Data Source
Administrator > System DNS tab as shown in Figure
34-15.
Figure 34-15: Type the DSN Name
Using UDL
 If using a password protected database, a UDL file must
be used instead of a DSN. Click the Browse button to
select the file, e.g., SoundCheck_Data.udl as shown in
Figure 34-16.
Figure 34-16: Browse to UDL File

Instruction Manual
34.10 Database Schema 1 for Access
Database V2 is not compatible with Microsoft Access.
An Access example database is included in C:\SoundCheck 20\Database\. Note that data saved in Database
Schema 1 is not compatible with Database V2.
If you are creating a new database, we recommend that you use Database V2 and follow the instructions in
Database Setup on page 567.
Figure 34-17: Database Schema 1 Access Table Relationships
Database Schema 1 Access table relationships are shown in Figure 34-15. This provides for storage of
information using MS Access but does not take advantage of optimizations offered in Database V2.

Instruction Manual
34.10.1 Creating an ODBC Connection for MS Access
Example Database
Rather than set up your own database, please use the one included with SoundCheck.
 Copy "C:\SoundCheck 20\Database\Blank SoundCheck Database.mdb" and paste it in the desired
location.
 Rename it so it is relevant to your application, e.g., SoundCheck_Data.mdb
 Point your ODBC driver to it. The file must not be set to Read Only.
If you start from our blank database, you will not need to open Access to start writing to the database.
 The database schema can be stored on the local hard drive or on a server.
 If you are using local storage, make sure SQL Server Express is installed.
 Use SoundCheck 20 with 64-bit MS Office 2010 (or later) installed
 Open OBDC Data Source Administrator from the Control Panel.
Administrative Tools > Setup ODBC Data Sources (64-bit) or search
Program Files for “Data Sources (ODBC) 64 Bit”.
Figure 34-18: ODBC

Data Sources
 Click the System DSN tab. See Figure 34-19.

 Click Add to create a new DSN
 Select the Microsoft Access Driver from the list and click
Finish
Figure 34-19: Create DSN

Instruction Manual
 In the Data Source Name field enter "SoundCheck DSN"
 In the Database section click Select
 Navigate to the location of your .MDB file:
"C:\SoundCheck 20\Database\SoundCheck_Data.mdb"
 Click OK to exit out of the open windows
Figure 34-20: Select MDB

Instruction Manual
34.10.2 Creating a UDL Definition for MS Access
1. Create a new Microsoft Data Link file from Windows Explorer. If this choice is not available, you can
create an empty text file and rename it with a .udl extension. The file will then be displayed as Microsoft
Data Link document.
2. The Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE Database Provider is not available in the 64-bit Windows operating system.
See MS Access for Local Storage on page 569.
3. Navigate to Start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt
4. Type the following command:
C:\Windows\syswow64\rundll32.exe "C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Ole

DB\oledb32.dll",OpenDSLFile C:\SoundCheck 20\Database\SoundCheck_Data.udl
 C:\SoundCheck 20\Database\SoundCheck_Data.udl is the file path
to the UDL file you have created. This will open the UDL file.
 Click the Provider tab, the 64-bit database providers should now
show up.
5. Double-click the file. The Data Link Properties dialog is displayed.
6. Click on the Provider tab as in Figure 34-21.
7. Select a Provider that is compatible with Access.
Figure 34-21: Provider Tab
8. Select Next > to go to the Connection tab.
For Item 1, specify the Access .MDB file as in Figure 34-22.
Figure 34-22: Connection

Tab
9. Select Test Connection button. A success dialog is displayed:
Figure 34-23: Success

Instruction Manual
34.10.3 SoundCheck Autosave for Access DB
Using DSN
 Open the default sequence,
"C:\SoundCheck 20\Sequences\How To
examples\Autosave.sqc"
 Edit the Autosave to Database step and manually enter
"SoundCheck DSN" as the DSN name.
Do not browse to the .MDB file.
 Run the sequence and store data to the Access
database. Use Access to look at the Datarun_Table to
confirm that data was written.
34.10.4
Figure 34-24: Autosave to Database
Using UDL
 If using a password protected database, a UDL file must
be used instead of a DSN. Click the Browse button to
select the file, e.g., SoundCheck_Data.udl as shown in
Figure 34-16.
Figure 34-25: Browse to UDL File

Instruction Manual
35 Data File Format
SoundCheck® *.DAT and *.WFM file binary formats for most commonly used
versions
35.1 DAT Binary Data File Format – SoundCheck 4.13 (DAT v2)
Key:
B=bytes, b=bits, uint=unsigned integer, float=floating point number in IEEE standard format
Note: Strings do not have a termination character
ONCE AT BEGINNING OF FILE

4B 32b uint number of curves (curve structures) in file
BEGINNING OF FIRST CURVE STRUCTURE
4B 32b uint number of bytes in curve structure: header, data, and descriptors
64-BYTE HEADER USED TO GET INFO Prior TO LabVIEW CLUSTER UNFLATTEN
16B string SoundCheck flattened cluster type, "Data", right padded with spaces
2B 16b uint SoundCheck version number for this cluster type
1B 8b uint number of dimensions in data array (obsolete in SoundCheck, now set to 0)
42B string curve name, right padded with spaces
3B reserved for SoundCheck, binary 0 for now
FLATTENED LabVIEW CLUSTER
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in curve name
NB string curve name
4B 32b uint number of X-Y-Z data points (N) in curve
N*3*8B 64b float data points in X-Y-Z X-Y-Z X-Y-Z order
2B 16b uint Xdata (0=dB, 1=linear)
2B 16b uint Ydata (0=dB, 1=linear)
2B 16b uint Zdata (0=dB, 1=linear)
2B 16b uint Xaxis (0=log, 1=linear)
2B 16b uint Yaxis (0=log, 1=linear)
2B 16b uint Zaxis (0=log, 1=linear)
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Xprefix
NB string Xprefix SI prefix for unit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Yprefix
NB string Yprefix SI prefix for unit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Zprefix
SoundCheck® 20.0 Data File Format 585

Instruction Manual
NB string Zprefix SI prefix for unit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Xunit
NB string Xunit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Yunit
NB string Yunit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Zunit
NB string Zunit
8B 64b float X dB ref
8B 64b float Y dB ref
8B 64b float Z dB ref
1B boolean single-value flag (0=normal curve, 1=single value)
BEGINNING OF SECOND CURVE STRUCTURE
35.2 DAT Binary Data File Format – SoundCheck 5.54 (DAT v3)
Key:

586 Data File Format SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Xprefix
NB string Xprefix SI prefix for unit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Yprefix
NB string Yprefix SI prefix for unit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Zprefix
NB string Zprefix SI prefix for unit
NB string Xunit
NB string Yunit
NB string Zunit
1B boolean protected flag (0=unprotected, 1=protected)
1B boolean display X flag (0=do not display, 1=display)
1B boolean display Y flag (0=do not display, 1=display)
1B boolean display Z flag (0=do not display, 1=display)
4B 32b uint Plot Color (RGBa)

Instruction Manual
35.3 DAT Binary Data File Format SoundCheck 6.01-7.01 (DAT v6
Key:

NB string Xunit
NB string Yunit
NB string Zunit

Instruction Manual
1B boolean display Z flag (0=do not display, 1=display)
1B 8b uint Plot Interpolation (0-5)
1B 8b uint Plot Point Style (0-16)
1B 8b uint Plot Line Style (0-4)
4B 32b uint Plot Point Color (RGBa)
1B 8b uint Plot Line Width (0-5)
1B 8b uint Plot Bar Plot Style (0-10)
2B 16b int Fill Baseline (-1 – 32767)
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Test Info
NB string Test Info
35.4 4 WFM Binary File Format – SoundCheck 6.01-7.01 (WFM v3)
Key:
B=bytes, b=bits, uint=unsigned integer, int = signed integer, float=floating point number in IEEE standard
format

4B 32b uint number of waveforms (waveform structures) in file
BEGINNING OF FIRST WAVEFORM STRUCTURE
4B 32b uint number of bytes in waveform structure: header, data, and descriptors
16B string SoundCheck flattened cluster type, "Waveform", right padded with spaces
1B 8b uint number of dimensions in waveform array (obsolete in SoundCheck, now set to 0)
42B string waveform name, right padded with spaces
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in waveform name

Instruction Manual
NB string waveform name
8B 64b float X0 Waveform start value
8B 64b float dX Waveform increment
4B 32b uint number of points (N) in waveform
N*4B 32b float waveform points
NB string Xunit
NB string Yunit
1B boolean overload flag (0=no overload, 1=overload)
4B 32b uint number of flattened steps (N) in sequence history (for SoundCheck use)
N*(4B 32b uint number of chars (M) in flattened step string, MB string) (for SoundCheck use)
4B 32b int Waveform Channel Number (-1 – N Channels)
1B 8b uint Plot Interpolation (0-5)
1B 8b uint Plot Point Style (0-16)
1B 8b uint Plot Line Style (0-4)
4B 32b uint Plot Point Color (RGBa)
1B 8b uint Plot Line Width (0-5)
1B 8b uint Plot Bar Plot Style (0-10)
2B 16b int Fill Baseline (-1 – 32767)
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Test Info
NB string Test Info
BEGINNING OF SECOND WAVEFORM STRUCTURE
4B 32b uint number of bytes in waveform structure: header, data, and descriptors

Instruction Manual
36 Res Binary Data File Format
Key:
B = bytes, b = bits, uint = unsigned integer, float = floating point number in IEEE standard format

4B 32b uint number of results (results structures) in file
BEGINNING OF FIRST RESULTS STRUCTURE

4B 32b uint number of bytes in results cluster: header, data, and descriptors
64 BYTE HEADER
16B string SoundCheck flattened cluster type, “Result”, right padded with spaces
3B 16b uint version number for this cluster type
42B string result name, right padded with spaces
3B uint, all zeroes

4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in the result name
NB string result name
8B 64b float Margin
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in unit
NB string unit
1B boolean Verdict flag
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Limit
NB string Limit
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Max/Min
NB string Max/Min
1B boolean protected flag
4B 32b uint number of chars (N) in Test info
NB string Test info
2B 16b uint Unit type (db=0, Lin=1, Pwr=2)
SoundCheck® 20.0 Res Binary Data File Format 591

Instruction Manual
36.1 Python Reader (Appendix)
import struct
from pathlib import Path
class Result:
def __init__(self, name:str, margin: float, units: str, verdict: bool,
limit: str, max_min: str, protected: bool, test_info: str,
unit_type: int):
self.name = name
self.margin = margin
self.units = units
self.verdict = verdict
self.limit = limit
self.max_min = max_min
self.protected = protected
self.test_info = test_info
self.unit_type = unit_type
def __str__(self):
unit_type_strings = ['dB', 'Lin', 'Pow']
return f"Name: {self.name}\n" \

f"Margin: {self.margin}\n" \
f"Unit: {self.units}\n" \
f"Verdict: {self.verdict}\n" \
f"Limit: {self.limit}\n" \
f"Max/Min: {self.max_min}\n" \
f"Protected: {self.protected}\n" \
f"Test Info: {self.test_info}\n" \
f"Unit Type: {unit_type_strings[self.unit_type]}\n"
RES_FILE_TEST = Path('C:\\', 'SoundCheck 19', 'data', 'Res File Test.res')
def read_header(res_file):
cluster_type_b = res_file.read(16)
592 Res Binary Data File Format SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
cluster_type = str(cluster_type_b, 'utf-8')
version_b = res_file.read(3)
version = int.from_bytes(version_b, 'big')
result_name_b = res_file.read(42)
result_name = str(result_name_b, 'utf-8')
padding_b = res_file.read(3)
print(f"Result class: {cluster_type}")

print(f"Version: {version}")
print(f"Result name: {result_name}")
def read_one_result(res_file):
cluster_size_b = res_file.read(4)
cluster_size = int.from_bytes(cluster_size_b, 'big')
print(f"Cluster size: {cluster_size}")
read_header(res_file)
name_len_b = res_file.read(4)
name_len = int.from_bytes(name_len_b, 'big')
name_b = res_file.read(name_len)
name = str(name_b, 'utf-8')
margin_b = res_file.read(8)
margin = struct.unpack('>d', margin_b)[0]
units_len_b = res_file.read(4)
units_len = int.from_bytes(units_len_b, 'big')
units_b = res_file.read(units_len)
units = str(units_b, 'utf-8')
SoundCheck® 20.0 Res Binary Data File Format 593

Instruction Manual
verdict_b = res_file.read(1)
verdict = struct.unpack('?', verdict_b)[0]
limit_len_b = res_file.read(4)
limit_len = int.from_bytes(limit_len_b, 'big')
limit_b = res_file.read(limit_len)
limit = str(limit_b, 'utf-8')
max_min_len_b = res_file.read(4)
max_min_len = int.from_bytes(max_min_len_b, 'big')
max_min_b = res_file.read(max_min_len)
max_min = str(max_min_b, 'utf-8')
protected_b = res_file.read(1)
protected = struct.unpack('?', protected_b)[0]
test_info_len_b = res_file.read(4)
test_info_len = int.from_bytes(test_info_len_b, 'big')
test_info_b = res_file.read(test_info_len)
test_info = str(test_info_b, 'utf-8')
unit_type_b = res_file.read(2)
unit_type = int.from_bytes(unit_type_b, 'big')
return Result(name=name, margin=margin, units=units, verdict=verdict,

limit=limit,
max_min=max_min, protected=protected, test_info=test_info,
unit_type=unit_type)
if __name__ == '__main__':
with open(RES_FILE_TEST, 'rb') as res_file:
num_results_b = res_file.read(4)
num_results = int.from_bytes(num_results_b, 'big')
print(f"Num results: {num_results}\n")
for i in range(num_results):
print(read_one_result(res_file))
594 Res Binary Data File Format SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Appendix 1: Hardware Compatibility List
The devices in the following list are approved for use with SoundCheck. Other devices may be compatible but
have not been verified for use with SoundCheck and are not supported.
SoundCheck is validated using Windows® 10 - 64-bit. No other versions of Windows are supported.
These audio interfaces allow for repeatable delay, therefore they can be used for measurement of absolute
phase.
Audio Interface Windows 10-64 Audio Interface Windows 10-64
Current Driver Type Discontinued Driver Type
AmpConnect 621 ASIO / WASAPI Fireface 800 ASIO
Lynx E44/E22 ASIO / WASAPI Multiface II ASIO
Lynx Aurora (n) 8/32 LT-USB & LT-TB ASIO / WASAPI Lynx Aurora 8/16 LT-USB & LT-TB ASIO / WASAPI
Fireface UCX II USB ASIO / WASAPI Fireface UCX USB & FW ASIO / WASAPI
Fireface 802 USB & Firewire ASIO / WASAPI Fireface UC ASIO / WASAPI
NI 4461 PCI & PXI DAQmx
The following audio interfaces require the use of Auto Delay in SoundCheck Analysis Steps to compensate for
large and changing latencies. This is normal when using devices with WDM and in some cases WASAPI
drivers. These devices should not be used when measuring absolute phase.
Audio Interface Windows 10-64 Audio Interface Windows 10-64
Current Driver Type Discontinued Driver Type
AudioConnect 4x4 ASIO / WASAPI LynxTwo WDM 3,4
AudioConnect & AmpConnect ISC WDM 1,6 MultiFace II WDM 3
DCC-1448 WDM 2 CardDeluxe ASIO Win 10 3
PQC-3048 WDM 2
PIO-9216 WDM 2
BTC-4148/4149 + BQC-4148/4149 WDM5
Lynx E44/E22 & Aurora series WDM 3,4
Fireface 802 USB WDM
NI cDAQ, NI 9260 & NI 9234 modules DAQmx
1. Can only be used at 44.1 kHz sampling rate for all operating systems.
2. Can only be used at 48 kHz sampling rate for all operating systems.
3. Sampling rate must be changed in the audio interface mixer/control panel program AND in the
SoundCheck Hardware configuration.
4. MME drivers are not supported.
5. Can only be used at 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sampling rates for all operating systems.
6. Not compatible with the WASAPI driver.
For additional information on drivers see Approved Drivers - Windows on page 597.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Appendix 1: Hardware Compatibility List 595

Instruction Manual
A1.1 macOS®
These audio interfaces allow for repeatable delay which can be used for measurement of absolute phase.
Audio Interface macOS - High Sierra 10.13.6 thru Catalina 10.15
AmpConnect 621 Core Audio

Lynx Aurora (n) 8-16 LT-USB Core Audio
Lynx Aurora (n) 8-32 LT-TB Lynx Core Audio Thunderbolt
Fireface UCX II RME Intel Driver
Fireface UCX and UC (discontinued) RME Intel Driver
Fireface 802 USB RME Intel Driver
Lynx Aurora 8-16 LT-USB (discontinued) Core Audio
Lynx Aurora 8-16 LT-TB (discontinued) Lynx Core Audio Thunderbolt
Fireface 800 (discontinued) RME Intel Driver
The following audio interfaces require the use of Auto Delay in SoundCheck Analysis Steps to compensate for
large and changing latencies. These devices should not be used when measuring absolute phase.
Audio Interface macOS - High Sierra 10.13.6 thru Catalina 10.15
AudioConnect 4x4 Core Audio

AudioConnect Core Audio 1
AmpConnect ISC Core Audio 1
DCC-1448 Core Audio 2
PQC-3048 Core Audio 2
PIO-9216 Core Audio 2
BTC-4148/4149 + BQC-4148/4149 Core Audio 3
1. Can only be used at 44.1 kHz sampling rate for all operating systems.
2. Can only be used at 48 kHz sampling rate for all operating systems.
3. Can only be used at 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sampling rates for all operating systems.
For additional information on drivers see Approved Drivers - Mac on page 598.
596 Appendix 1: Hardware Compatibility List SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
A1.2 Approved Drivers - Windows
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
Default ASIO / 44.1 kHz Default Chan Trim Sample Rate

MFG Device Connection Driver Type Driver Ver Firmware
USB Buffers Default Latency – In/Out Auto Update
Listen AmpConnect USB ASIO (6) SC20 Installed 0.68 Automatic per 1364 NA Yes
621 sample rate
Listen AmpConnect USB WDM Only Native Win 3.3.0.1 (3) NA 250 NA 44.1 kHz only
ISC (3) AUAB: 1.17
Listen AudioConnect USB WDM Only Native Win 1.61 NA 250 NA 44.1 kHz only
Listen AudioConnect USB ASIO (6) 3.34 28, LTusb 10 2048 / Safe 5145 NA Yes
4x4 Set In ASIO (1)
Lynx Studio Aurora (n) 8-32 Thunderbolt ASIO (6) 2.24E 1.7, 5.5 256 547 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
LT-TB
Lynx Studio Aurora (n) 8-16 USB ASIO (6) 3.34 28, LTusb 10 1024 / Standard 2565 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
LT-USB Set In ASIO (1)

Lynx Studio E44, E22 PCI ASIO (6) 2.24E 2.6 256 538 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
NI NI 4461 PCI/PXI DAQmx DAQmx 20.1 NA NA 108 NA Yes
NI cDAQ 9260 & USB DAQmx DAQmx 20.1 NA NA 71 NA Yes
9234 modules
Portland Tool DCC 1448 USB WDM Native Win 1.28 NA 250 NA 48 kHz only
& Die (PTD)
PTD PIO-9216 USB WDM Native Win 1.07 NA NA NA 48 kHz only
PTD PQC-3048 USB WDM Native Win 1.27 NA NA NA 48 kHz only
PTD BTC-4148/49, USB WDM Native Win 1.32 NA NA NA 44.1 kHz &
BQC-4148 1.8 48 kHz
RME Audio Fireface 802 Firewire ASIO (6) 3.125 15/9/7/8 256 610 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
RME Audio Fireface 802 USB ASIO (6) 1.212 15/9/7/10 1024 2116 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
RME Audio Fireface UCX II USB ASIO (6) 1.212 39/24/19 1024 2107 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
See Footnotes on page 598.

597
A1.3 Approved Drivers - Mac
598
Default Chan Sample Rate

MFG Device Connection Driver Type Driver Firmware Default Latency
Trim – In/Out Auto Update
Listen AmpConnect 621 USB Core Audio Native Mac 0.68 Automatic NA Yes
Listen AudioConnect (4) USB Core Audio Native Mac 1.61 0 NA 44.1 kHz only
Listen AudioConnect 4x4 (4) USB Core Audio Native Mac 28, LTusb 10 1208 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
Listen AmpConnect ISC (3, 4) USB Core Audio Native Mac 3.3.0.1 (3) 0 NA 44.1 kHz only
AUAB: 1.17
Portland Tool DCC 1448 (4) USB Core Audio Native Mac 1.28 0 NA 48 kHz only
& Die (PTD)
PTD PIO-9216 (4) USB Core Audio Native Mac 1.07 0 NA 48 kHz only
PTD PQC-3048 (4) USB Core Audio Native Mac 1.27 0 NA 48 kHz only
PTD BTC-4148/49, USB Core Audio Native Mac 1.32, 0 NA 44.1 kHz &
BQC-4148 (4) 1.8 48 kHz
RME Audio Fireface 802 (5) (7) USB RME USB 3.27 15/9/7/10 1273 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
RME Audio Fireface UCX II (7) USB RME USB 3.27 39/24/19 1291 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
Lynx Studio Aurora (n) 8-32 LT-TB Thunderbolt Lynx TB 58k 1.7, 5.5 1218 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
Lynx Studio Aurora (n) 8-16 LT-USB USB Core Audio Native Mac 10 1207 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
Footnotes
See Hardware Configurations on page 602 for individual audio interface settings.
(1)
Requires change to audio interface defaults for proper operation. Follow setup guide provided with approved driver from www.listeninc.com.
(3)
For SoundCheck 10.11 and above, AmpConnect ISC requires firmware version 3.2.4.6 or later. See AmpConnect ISC PN: 4042 on page 602.
(4) Auto Delay MUST be used in SoundCheck Analysis Steps.
(5) Requires changes to default mixer settings.
(6)
Also compatible with WASAPI.
(7)Compatible with macOS 10.12 to 10.15. M1 user please download macOS 11 and up USB Series Driver. USB 2/3 driver for macOS 11 and up.
Driver version 3.27 and later supports Intel and M1.USB 2/3 driver for macOS 11 and up. Version 3.27 and later supports Intel and M1.
SoundCheck® 20.0
Instruction Manual
A1.4 Discontinued Hardware
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
The following hardware has been discontinued by the manufacturer.

Approved Drivers - Windows
Driver Default ASIO / USB Default Default Chan Trim Sample Rate
MFG Device Connection Driver Ver Firmware
Type Buffers Latency – In/Out Auto Update
DAL CardDeluxe W10/64 PCI ASIO 5.10.3523 NA 30mSec 2697 Set Jumpers: No
DAL CardDeluxe W7/64 PCI WDM 5.10.3523 NA NA 250 +4dBu In /-10dBV No
Out
Lynx Studio Aurora 8-16 LT-USB USB ASIO (6) 3.34 28, LTusb 10 1024 / Standard (1) 1232 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
Lynx Studio Aurora 8-16 LT-TB Thunderbolt ASIO (6) 2.24B 28, 6.2 256 1207 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
Lynx Studio LynxTwo, A, C PCI ASIO (6) 2.0.23J Build 24 256 (1) 618 +4 dBu/+4 dBu Yes
RME Audio Fireface 800 Firewire ASIO 3.114 2.77 256 653 (5)
RME Audio Multiface All ASIO 4.06 55 256 623 Front panel switch Yes
RME Audio Fireface UC USB ASIO (6) 1.212 126/138 1024 2167 2114 -10/+4 (5)
RME Audio Fireface UCX Firewire ASIO (6) 3.125 48/260/27/12 256 612 +4 dBu/+4 dBu (5)
RME Audio Fireface UCX USB ASIO (6) 1.212 48/260/27/13 1024 2118 +4 dBu/+4 dBu (5)
Approved Drivers - Mac

Default Default Chan Sample Rate
MFG Device Connection Driver Type Driver Firmware
Latency Trim – In/Out Auto Update
RME Audio Fireface 800 Firewire RME FW 3.27 33 1265 No
Lynx Aurora 8-16 LT-TB Thunderbolt Lynx TB Build 58i 2016.05.18 1207 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
Lynx Aurora 8-16 LT-USB USB Core Audio Native Mac 2015.07.23 1232 +4 dBu/+4 dBu No
RME Audio Fireface UC USB (5) USB RME USB 3.2 136/124 1265 1234 +4 dBu/+4 dBu
RME Audio Fireface UCX USB USB RME USB 3.2 46 1269 +4 dBu/+4 dBu
Footnotes - See Hardware Configurations on page 602 for individual audio interface settings.
(1) Requires change to ASIO defaults for proper operation. Follow setup guide provided with approved driver from www.listeninc.com.
(3)
For SoundCheck 10.11 and above, AmpConnect ISC requires firmware version 3.2.4.6 or later. See AmpConnect ISC PN: 4042 on page 602.
(4)
Auto Delay MUST be used in SoundCheck Analysis Steps.
(5)
Requires changes to default mixer settings.
(6)
Also compatible with WASAPI.
(7)
599
Fireface UC SN differences. See RME (Multiface II, Fireface UC/UCX, UCX II, Fireface 800) on page 605.
A1.5 Minimum Computer Requirements - Windows
Before buying a series of new computers for use with SoundCheck, we recommend that you purchase a single
computer so it can be tested with all the related hardware, including the audio interface. Test the audio
interface using the SoundCheck Self Test sequence to ensure that it is compatible with the computer. We
recommend that you purchase a high quality computer according to the guidelines below.
Note that some computers may not be compatible with all audio interfaces.
 Supported operating systems:
 Validated in Windows® 10 - 64-bit. No other versions of Windows are supported. SoundCheck may
work in Windows® 7 - 64-bit but it is no longer validated.
 Celeron processors are not recommended
 To take advantage of using multiple virtual instruments, a multi-threaded processor is recommended,
e.g., Intel multicore processor / AMD multicore processor.
 AMD Processor: With some newer AMD processors on
Windows, the Math Kernel Library (MKL) uses a default setting
that is incompatible with LabVIEW runtime. When opening
SoundCheck a LabVIEW error will occur as shown to the right.
This can be fixed in the Windows Control Panel by adding a
System Variable.
 Navigate to Windows Control Panel > System > Advanced
System Settings > Environmental Variables.
 The Variable name MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE must be added with a Variable value of 4.
 8 GB of RAM minimum (16 GB or more recommended for large WAV files or high resolution
measurements below 50 Hz).
 2 GB of free hard-disk space required for complete software installation
 Listen only supports Thunderbolt audio interfaces on Windows® 10. Windows® 10 has superior support
for Thunderbolt devices, hot-plugging is possible and no 3rd party software is required.
 Dante support is only available for Windows® 10
A1.6 macOS
 Validated in macOS® Catalina 10.15. Versions of macOS prior to 10.13.6 are not supported.
 SoundCheck is not yet compatible with Apple computers with the M1 chip.
macOS Big Sur
macOS Big Sur 11.x is not supported

Instruction Manual
A1.7 Windows Computer Setup Recommendations
BIOS Settings: Hyper-threading, SpeedStep (Cool n Quiet) and C-States:
Problems may occur with audio and system performance on computers with Intel processors and
motherboards using chipsets that employ Hyper-threading, SpeedStep (EIST) and/or C-State functions.
While these functions work to improve power management and energy saving, they can have detrimental
effects on the performance of a computer used for SoundCheck.
If your system experiences performance issues, please follow the instructions below.
Speedstep – Allows the system to dynamically increase/decrease its clock speed between its minimum clock
and its normal operating frequency, as well as voltage, in order to optimize for power consumption. While this
helps save energy, it can unfortunately result in audio dropouts.
C-states – In order to save power, this reduces clock speed by adjusting the multiplier and to some extent, the
processor voltage. With multicore processors this can result in a single core partially shutting down to multiple
cores completely shutting down. This can cause large jumps in CPU usage as the processor adjusts to these
changes while processing audio.
In BIOS, turn off SpeedStep and all C-States (C1E; C3; C6). This may require a BIOS update.
Dell computers do not always allow control of these functions in BIOS. Please contact Dell support for
information on disabling Hyper-threading, SpeedStep and C-States.
Hyper-threading – This can cause problems with system performance when SoundCheck is running. It can
interfere with real-time audio processes on some motherboards.
If the system is experiencing problems with performance we recommend that you shut off hyper-threading.
AMD Processors - Cool and Quiet is the equivalent to Speed Step and should be shut off along with C1E.
Windows Settings
Set Windows power management scheme to high-performance. When Windows tells the processor to go into
low power mode, it can cause glitches in the audio stream. Please refer to: Installing SoundCheck >
Computer Setup, in the SoundCheck Instruction Manual for more recommendations.

Instruction Manual
A1.8 Hardware Configurations
Most audio interfaces cannot record and play simultaneously. There is almost always a delay between the two
and the delay should not vary from measurement to measurement. The audio interfaces that Listen provides
are certified to have high performance in making audio-related measurements. If you are using an audio
interface that Listen, Inc has not certified, the measurement performance of SoundCheck may be severely
compromised!
Important: Do not connect audio interfaces through USB hubs. Connect directly to computer USB port.
Listen Hardware
AmpConnect 621 PN: 4046

 Driver: Included in SoundCheck installer. Firmware: 0.68
AudioConnect PN: 4050
 Driver: Uses native USB audio driver in Windows. Large and changing latencies are to be expected.
You must use Auto Delay in Analysis Steps. Firmware: 1.58 and later required.
 Prior to S/N 40501270108, the headphone output polarity is inverted for both channels. Polarity tests
using the headphone out will need to be adjusted accordingly. Updating firmware to 1.61 corrects the
polarity to match the audio outputs.
 AudioConnect only uses WDM drivers. It is not compatible with WASAPI.
AmpConnect ISC PN: 4042

1. SoundCheck (or SoundCheck ONE) 10.11 as a minimum is required in order to control AmpConnect
ISC™ via USB. AmpConnect ISC requires firmware version 3.2.4.6 or later to work with SoundCheck
10.11 and higher. AmpConnect units with S/N 367 and above have this firmware pre-installed. Units
with S/N 366 and prior may require a firmware update. Please contact [email protected] for
instructions on determining the firmware version.
2. Units with S/N AC432 and after (AUAB audio board firmware: 1.14), operate at 44.1 kHz and 24 bit
depth in Windows 7 and above. (Prior to that S/N, 44.1 and 48 kHz are supported) [Windows XP:
AmpConnect can only be used at 44.1 kHz sampling rate AND 16-bit]
3. As of SoundCheck 13, a new driver for AmpConnect ISC has been included in the SoundCheck
installation process. The new driver will not work in versions prior to SoundCheck 13. To use
AmpConnect ISC with SoundCheck 12 (and previously supported versions), you will need to manually
rollback the device driver in Windows Device Manager.
4. As of S/N 1536, the “3 dB Down Point” default jumper position is 2 Hz (Jumper removed).
5. As of serial number AC2402, the default jumper position sets the XLR inputs to Single Ended by
putting a jumper across pins 2 & 3 of J20 and J28. This also makes the XLR input single ended since
the jumper connects pin 3 of the XLR to pin 1 (common).
6. SoundCheck 14 requirements: Default Windows WDM audio driver, minimum of SoundCheck 14

control driver, minimum of firmware 3.2.4.6.
7. After installing SC 14, SC 13 users will not have control over the Headphone Amp. Other controls will
work correctly. Additionally, the serial number of the AmpConnect ISC audio interface will not be read
properly, which changes the name of the device in the Hardware Editor.
8. Prior to S/N AC4277 (AUAB audio board firmware: 1.17), the headphone output polarity is inverted for
both channels. Polarity tests using the headphone out will need to be adjusted accordingly.
9. AmpConnect ISC only uses WDM drivers. It is not compatible with WASAPI.

Instruction Manual
AudioConnect 4 x 4 PN: 4051
 Driver: See Approved Drivers - Windows on page 597 and Approved Drivers - Mac on page 598
 Firmware: Board 29, LT-USB 11
 Default ASIO buffer is 2048 & USB Streaming Mode is Safe (Hardware Step > ASIO control panel)
 Prior to SoundCheck 14, large and changing latencies are to be expected. You must use Auto Delay in
Analysis Steps.
Portland Tool and Die

DCC-1448 PN: 5810 - MEMS Digital Microphone Measurement Interface Configuration
PQC-3048 PN: 5811 - Production Line MEMS Digital Microphone Measurement Interface
PIO-9216 PN: 5813 - Programmable Digital Serial Audio Data Interface
 Driver: Uses native USB audio driver in Windows and Core Audio in macOS
 Operates at 48 kHz and 24 bit depth (Select 16 bit depth if using Windows XP)
BTC-4148 PN: 5814 - Bluetooth Audio Measurement Interface
BTC-4149 PN: 5816 - Bluetooth Audio Measurement Interface
BQC-4148 PN: 5815 - Bluetooth Audio QC Interface
BQC-4149 PN: 5817 - Bluetooth Audio QC Interface
 Driver: Uses native USB audio driver in Windows and Core Audio in macOS
 Operates at 44.1 kHz & 48 kHz, and 24 bit depth (Select 16 bit depth if using Windows XP)
SoundCheck requires that input and output sample rates match.
You can either:
 Use 48 kHz for your output Hardware Configuration in SoundCheck
Or
 If the output configuration cannot be set to 48 kHz, for example because you are using an AmpConnect
ISC, you can use Re-sampling and Frequency Shift Post-Processing steps in your sequence to align
the stimulus and response waveforms.
 DCC-1448 can be used as a clock source by connecting its SPDIF Out to the SPDIF In of the
SoundCheck audio interface. Then set the audio interface to synchronize its clock to the SPDIF Input.
Doing so ensures that input and output are synchronous and will ensure that re-sample and frequency
shift steps are not required.
Do not connect audio interfaces through USB hubs. Connect directly to computer USB port.
NI 4461 PCI and PXI
 Tested with DAQmx 20.1 which can be found on the SoundCheck DVD
 Install full version of DAQmx including Measurement and Automation Explorer
NI cDAQ, NI 9260 & NI 9234 modules
 Tested with DAQmx 20.1 which can be found on the SoundCheck DVD
 Install full version of DAQmx with Measurement and Automation Explorer
 Requires that SoundCheck sequences use Auto Delay on the Delay Tab of all Analysis Steps
 Triggered record acquisition is supported as of SoundCheck 16.1

Instruction Manual
LynxTwo/E44/E22
 Windows 10 – 64-bit
 Driver and Firmware refer to Approved Drivers - Windows on page 597.
 Important! - Open the ASIO Control Panel from the SoundCheck Hardware Configuration Editor
and then Turn Off “Double Buffer Output”
 If you see periodic drop outs in SoundCheck Acquisition, increase the buffer size to the next highest
value. The latency value must be updated in the SoundCheck Hardware Editor.
 Maximum Channels - The default is “Unlimited”. We recommend changing this to 4 or 8 channels in
order to save system resources. This limits the virtual channels of the device and limits the number of
channels that can be selected in the SoundCheck Hardware Editor. When using a 192 kHz sample rate
in SoundCheck, this may be essential. Otherwise, severe dropouts may occur.
 203 kHz Maximum Sample Rate - The sample rate of 200 kHz is available in the Sample Rate field of
the Hardware Table but is not valid for the Lynx TWO. Instead, use the Input and Output Tabs of the
editor. There you can select “User” in the sample rate field of each channel and change the sample rate
to 203 kHz.
Lynx Aurora (n) 8-16 LT-USB or 8-32 LT-TB Interface
 Known issues installing in Windows 11. Driver update pending.
 USB: Windows 10 – 64-bit. Thunderbolt: Windows 10 64-bit only
 LT-USB - Currently you must set the ASIO control panel to a buffer of 1024 and Safe in order to match
the latency values provided in the default hardware (HAR) file. LT-TB does not use USB buffers.
Lynx Aurora 8-16 with LT-USB or LT-TB Interface - discontinued
 USB: Windows 10 – 64-bit. Thunderbolt: Windows 10 64-bit only
 LT-USB - Currently you must set the ASIO control panel to a buffer of 2048 and Safe in order to match
the latency values provided in the default hardware (HAR) file. LT-TB does not use USB buffers.
Lynx issues with Intel motherboards using SpeedStep and C-States:

Problems can occur with PCI audio interfaces on Intel motherboards using chipsets that employ SpeedStep
and C-State functions.
In BIOS, turn off SpeedStep and all C-States (C1E; C3; C6) – may require BIOS update.
 Dell computers do not always allow control of these functions in BIOS. Please contact Dell support for
information on disabling SpeedStep and C-States.
Set Windows power management scheme to high-performance. When Windows tells the processor to go into
low power mode, it can cause glitches in the audio stream.

Instruction Manual
RME (Multiface II, Fireface UC/UCX, UCX II, Fireface 800)
Driver versions tested (firmware update may be required).
Driver and Firmware refer to Approved Drivers - Windows on page 597.
Configuration Details
 The Fireface UC has two different pc board revisions. Units with a serial number before 23682170 will
have a default latency of 2167. Units with serial number 23682170 and after will have a default latency
of 2114. The default HAR file provided with SoundCheck is for S/N 23682170 and later. See
Discontinued Hardware on page 599. If you need to verify the Latency value, run the Self Test
sequence as indicated in the Fireface UC setup instructions included with the driver from the Listen
Website, https://support.listeninc.com/hc/en-us.
 The Multiface II does not use Firewire. It requires an RME PCI, PCI Express, ExpressCard or
CardBus interface card. Do not connect it to a Firewire port! It will damage the Multiface II box
beyond repair.
 Fireface UCX and Fireface 800/802 are not compatible with all firewire chipsets: Texas Instruments
and VIA chipsets are generally known to work.
 Fireface UC and UCX are both compatible with USB 3 (USB 2 transfer rate)
 Fireface 802 USB will produce small changes in latency. Auto Delay should be used in SoundCheck
Analysis Steps.
 Do not connect audio interfaces through USB hubs. Connect directly to computer USB port.
 Windows 7 & 10: ASIO driver supported, WDM driver not recommended
PCI Express Interface Card for Laptop
 BIOS settings, "PCI Express Power Management" should be disabled
ASIO Configuration
 The sample rate of the RME interfaces automatically updates to the rate set in the SoundCheck
Hardware Editor.
 In Windows 7, if using Fireface UCX or 800/802, you must Rollback the system’s 1394 OHCI
Compliant (firewire) device driver to the legacy version in Device Manager as shown below.
CardDeluxe - discontinued
Please install SoundCheck BEFORE installing the CardDeluxe drivers. The SoundCheck installation process
sets the customized configuration of the CardDeluxe for use with SoundCheck.
If the CardDeluxe driver is already installed, you will need to configure the driver manually. Refer to the
CardDeluxe instructions in the driver folder on the SoundCheck install DVD or on the Listen, Inc. website.
Windows 7-64 & 10-64 bit:
 Driver: Windows 7 Must use WDM Driver - Version 5.10.3523. Windows 10 Must use ASIO Driver -
Version 5.10.3523.Note issues from chart on page 1 of this document
 Must also set the sample rate and the bit depth to 24-bit mode via the CardDeluxe control panel
AudioFire 12 - discontinued
 Driver: Version 5.8 (Firmware update may be required. Requires internet connection.)
 In Windows 7, you must Rollback the system’s 1394 OHCI Compliant (firewire) device driver to the
legacy version in Device Manager as shown under IEEE 1394 Legacy Driver (below).
 The sample rate must be set in the AudioFire mixer, settings tab. The sample rate selection in the
SoundCheck Hardware Editor must agree with this setting.

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
Appendix 2: PXI/PCI 4461 Installation
Always use the latest NI DAQmx driver that has been approved for use with SoundCheck.
See “Hardware Compatibility List” on page 595.
 When SoundCheck is off or not running, the default state of the NI 4461 is “Open
Outputs”. This means that noise will be present on the outputs of the card.
As a safety precaution we recommend that you shut off any amplifier connected to the output
of the NI 4461 before starting SoundCheck. The amplifier should be shut off before exiting
SoundCheck as well.
 Please be advised that phase measurements are inconsistent from one system restart
to the next. This is a known issue to National Instruments.
 Output signal path calibration is recommended after every computer restart to account for
phase changes in the NI 4461
 Apply Correction Out must be selected in any Analysis Step that involves phase
A2.1 PXI 1031 Chassis Identification

The following is for installation of the PXI 4461 card in
a PXI 1031 Chassis.
Figure 2-1 shows the Chassis Identification process
when using the PXI 1031 chassis and a PXI 4461
card.
 Click on the “Chassis Unidentified” device
 Select Identify As
 Select PXI-1031 from the list
This is not required when installing the PCI 4461 in a
computer.
Figure 2-1: Chassis Identification for PXI 1031
Note: Some NI interface cards may

require the PXI platform services
driver. Please refer to the NI
documentation.
Figure 2-2: PXI 4461 recognized in NI Explorer
SoundCheck® 20.0 PXI/PCI 4461 Installation 607

Instruction Manual
A2.2 NI 4461 Install and Setup
Follow the instructions provided by NI for installing the NI 4461 card. The following screen shots are a step by
walk-through of the NI 4461 install process. Instructions are included on each screen of the install process.
Open NI Max, Measurement and

Automation Explorer to verify that the
4461 has been installed correctly.
Figure 2-3: PCI 4461 DAQ-MX Properties
A2.2.1 Self Calibration

Select the 4461 from the NI-
DAQmx device list as shown in
Figure 2-4. Click on the Self-
Calibrate button at the right hand
side of the window.
When the process is finished you

should get a response indicating the
device was calibrated successfully.
Figure 2-4: Self-Calibrate

A2.2.2 Self Test
Self Test can be run by clicking on Self Test in the
NI Max screen or by Right-clicking on the NI 4461 in
the Device list and selecting Self Test from the
drop-down list.
When the process is finished you should get a response
indicating that Self Test was successful.
Figure 2-5: Self Test
608 PXI/PCI 4461 Installation SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
A2.3 SoundCheck® Hardware Configuration
The System Hardware configuration should be setup according to the following examples.
Setting the Vp values for the NI 4461 in the Hardware Editor actually sets the hardware input range and
sends the Gain or Attenuation levels to the NI 4461 card. See Input and Output Vp settings on page 610
In the SoundCheck Hardware Editor, click the Import Button and select “NI PCI-4461.Har” from the
appropriate operating system folder. Use the same file for the PXI-4461. This automatically sets up the
Hardware Editor with the basic settings for the 4461 interface.
Depending on the number of
DAQmx devices available, you may
need to click on the Device Fields
and select the appropriate Device
Number from the list.
This should be the same Device ID
as shown in the NI Explorer in
Figure 2-3.
Select the proper Input and Output
channels from the Select Ch Fields.
A2.3.1 Vp Values
Figure 2-6: NI 4461 Hardware Editor
The In (Vp) and Out (Vp) values in
the System Hardware configuration
sets the resolution of the NI 4461.
If the signal level of the Device Under Test is low, select a low value from the list, e.g., 1.
If the levels are high, select a larger value, such as 10. This is the default value in the NI PCI-4461.Har file.
Input Vp values can be different from Output Vp values. Refer to the table in Figure 2-7 for a list of allowable
Vp settings. Using values other than what are listed in the table will produce unreliable results.
A2.3.2 Max FSD
Note: As you increase the input gain, the maximum input signal limit decreases proportionally. Check the
Max FSD value in the Memory List to make sure the input of the NI 4461 is not clipping or under-
loaded (signal too low which increases the noise floor). In general, if you are measuring distortion,
Max FSD should be greater than -30 dB FSD. If Max FSD reaches 0 dB FSD the signal is being
clipped.
A2.3.3 Hardware Defaults

 Sampling Rate: 44100 Hz (Only one rate can be selected for all Input and Output channels)
 Bit Depth: 24 Bit
 Latency: 109 (This will change if the Sampling Rate is changed. See “Sample Rate / Latency” on
page 610.)
 Term Config: Default
 Coupling: AC
 IEPE: Disable - Enable only if connecting an IEPE powered transducer to the input of the 4461.
SoundCheck® 20.0 PXI/PCI 4461 Installation 609

Instruction Manual
A2.3.4 Input and Output Vp settings
In the Hardware Configuration Editor you must enter the Vp value from the chart in Figure 2-7 that corresponds
to the Gain or Attenuation required on the NI 4461. These settings are sent to the NI 4461 after saving the
Hardware Configuration.
A2.3.5 Input Range
NI 4461 SoundCheck Hardware Setting
Gain (dB) Vp Value 1
30 0.316
20 1.00
10 3.16
0 10.0
-10 31.6
-20 42.4
A2.3.6 Output Range

NI 4461 SoundCheck Hardware Setting
Attenuation (dB) Vp Value 2
0 10.00
-20 1.0
-40 0.1
Figure 2-7: Input and Output Vp
1, 2
The input gain and output attenuation is set independently for each channel in System Hardware.
A2.3.7 Latency and Sample Rate

The Latency of the 4461 will change as the sample rate of the System Hardware configuration changes. The
following chart shows recommended Latency values for the sample rates supported in SoundCheck.
Sample Rate (Hz) Latency (Samples)
200k 100
192,000 100
176,400 100
96,000 114
88,200 114
48,000 109
44,100 109
32,000 109
16,000 90
8,000 80
Figure 2-7: Sample Rate / Latency
Note: Output and Input sample rates must match in the Hardware Editor. The NI 4461 clock defaults to
the output sample rate.
610 PXI/PCI 4461 Installation SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Appendix 3: Connection Procedures
A3.1 Amp Calibration - Single Ended Connections

1. Make sure amplifier is OFF.
Input
Amplifier Output Step 1 - Amp Off
+ -
2. to 3. Connect Output 1 of the audio interface to the Step 6 - Amp On

input of the amplifier. (amp channel 1)
Step 3 Step 4
4. to 5. Connect the output of the amplifier (amp Amp Output

Balanced or Single-
channel 1) to Input 1 of the audio interface. ended amp input
(Connector may be
Binding Post or Screw
(Connector may be
Terminal)
RCA phono as well)
Adapters:
Banana to BNC +
Note: The ground of the banana adapter must BNC to RCA +
be connected to the amplifier minus (-) RCA to ¼" Phone Plug
connection or a "loop" condition will occur
that could result in damage to the amp
and audio interface. Step 2 Step 5
6. Turn the amplifier ON.

Audio Interface
(Right)
Output 2
(Left)
Output 1
(Left)
Input 1
(Right)
Input 2
Follow the procedure outlined in Amplifier
Calibration Procedure on page 106.
Figure 3-1: Amplifier Calibration
Connections
SoundCheck® 20.0 Connection Procedures 611

Instruction Manual
A3.2 Amp Calibration - XLR Balanced Connections
1. , 6.
Single-ended amp input Amp Output
(Connector may be Amp (Connector may be
RCA phono as well) different than Banana)
Banana to BNC + BNC to RCA +
+ + RCA to ¼" Phone Plug
3. - -
4.
XLR male to RCA

phono male cable
Input 1
Audio Interface
with XLR In/Out
5.
XLR female to Output 1

¼" male cable 2.
Figure 3-2: Amplifier Calibration Connections - Balanced

 1. Make sure amplifier is OFF.
 2. to 3. Connect Output 1 of the audio interface to the input of the amplifier. (amp channel 1)
(Connection may be balanced or single ended.)
 4. to 5. Connect the output of the amplifier (amp channel 1) to the Input 1 of the audio interface.
Note: The ground of the banana adapter (4) must be connected to the amplifier minus (-) connection
or a "loop" condition will occur that could result in damage to the amp and audio interface.
 6. Turn the amplifier ON.

 Follow the amplifier calibration procedure outlined in the Calibration chapter: Amplifier Calibration
Procedure on page 106.
 In SoundCheck®, open the Calibration Configuration Editor. Do not open the Amplifier Calibration
sequence. The Calibration Operation is run from the Calibration Editor.
 Select the Amplifier Output channel to calibrate. Make sure the Input Signal Path is set the proper
Direct In as used in Step 4/5. It must be an Input Signal Path that is set for Unity Gain.
 Click the Calibrate button in the Calibration Editor to calibrate the amplifier.
 After receiving a PASS notification from the calibration sequence, click Save As to save the new
amplifier gain settings to disk with a new name or close the Calibration Editor and click File > Save to
save the entire sequence using the existing step name.
612 Connection Procedures SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
Tip
(TRS Ring
Sleeve
Connector)
Amplifier set to
Bridged Mode. Sound Card Input
Balanced using ONLY Tip
Amplifier and Ring, sleeve is not
(Single-ended
connected
amp input) Amp Output Tip
+ + Input 1
(Left)
- - Amp output must be wired Ring
according to manufacturer’s Input 2
instructions (Right)
A3.3 Amp Calibration - Bridged Connections
Connection Procedures
Output 1
(Left)
Output 2
Figure 3-3: Bridged Amp Calibration Connections

Audio Interface Output (Right)
Single ended - Tip and
Sleeve
613
A3.4 Mic Calibration - SoundConnect™ Connections
Single-ended mic power supply * Based on using Listen

output (Connector may be SoundConnectTM
different than RCA phono if a Microphone Power Supply
different supply is used)
Audio Interface
2.
Input 1
(Left)
3.
Input 2
(Right)
Output 1
(Left)
Output 2
(Right)
Digital
Input
4.
1. Digital
Microphone Output
Calibrator
Figure 3-4: Microphone Calibration Connections

1. Plug microphone into front of SoundConnect. Make sure appropriate polarization voltage is selected.
2. Plug RCA phono (or other connector type appropriate for your power supply) to output connector on
back of SoundConnect.
3. Plug 1/4-inch jack into Input 1 of audio interface. This should be an input with a Unity Gain Signal Path
in the Calibration Configuration of SoundCheck.
4. Insert microphone into calibrator and turn the calibrator on.
5. Click Calibrate in the Input section of the SoundCheck® Calibration Editor to calibrate the microphone.
Make sure units are V/Pa and dB re 20 µ.
6. After calibration is successful, click OK to close the Microphone Calibration window, then click Save to
close the editor and save the new microphone gain settings to disk.

Instruction Manual
A3.5 Loudspeaker Test Connections
6.
Audio Interface
Single-ended mic power
supply output (Connector 7.
may be different than Input 1
RCA phono if another (Left)
supply is used)
Input 2
(Right)
2.
Output 1
(Left)
Output 2
(Right)
5.
Digital
Input
1. , 8.
(-) (+) 4. Digital
+ 3. Output
+
- -
Figure 3-5: Loudspeaker Test Connections
 1. Make sure amplifier is OFF before connecting any cables.

 2. to 3. Connect Output 1 of the audio interface to the amp input.
 4. Connect the amp output to the DUT (loudspeaker). This example uses a banana connector.
 5. Plug the measurement microphone into the front of SoundConnect. Make sure the appropriate
polarization voltage is selected and mic has been calibrated. (See Calibration Configuration on page
85.)
 6. to 7. Connect the output of the mic power supply to Input 1 of the audio interface. Make sure the mic
power supply is ON.
 8. Turn the amplifier ON. You are now ready to run your loudspeaker test sequence. Turn the amplifier
OFF before shutting down the PC.
Note: If an external footswitch has been supplied, plug it into the computer's COM port (DB 9
connector on back of PC). Make sure the footswitch is enabled in the system Hardware
Configuration. See Hardware Configuration on page 63. Make sure that Hardware Type >
External Interface is chosen and the selected interface is Footswitch. NI VISA is required
and is installed during the SoundCheck installation. This is required for the footswitch to
operate properly.

Instruction Manual
A3.6 Loudspeaker Test Connections with Impedance Box
Single-ended mic power supply output
(Connector may be different than RCA Audio Interface
phono if another supply is used)
6.
Input 1
7. (Left)
Input 2
9. (Right)
Output 1
2. (Left)
Output 2
5. (Right)
Digital
Input
8.
Digital
Output
(-) 1. ,10.
(+)
4.
Speaker Amp
+ + 3.
Side Side
(long lead) (short lead)
- -
Impedance Box Amp
Figure 3-6: Loudspeaker Test Connections with Impedance Box
Note: The Impedance Measurement Interface shown in Figure 3-6: is available from Listen. Part number:
4009 with 1/4" connector cable and 4010 with XLR connector cable.
 1. Make sure the amplifier is OFF before connecting any cables.
Note: The amplifier should be calibrated before making any measurements. Refer to theCalibration
Configuration on page 85 chapter for details.
 2. to 3. Connect Output 1 of the audio interface to the amplifier input.

 4. Connect the short Impedance Box leads to the amplifier output channel and then connect the long
Impedance Box leads to the loudspeaker.
 5. Plug the microphone into the mic input of SoundConnect. Make sure the appropriate polarization
voltage is selected and that the mic has been calibrated.
 6. to 7. Connect the RCA output on the back of SoundConnect to Input 1 of the audio interface. (The
BNC output on the front of SoundConnect can be used as an alternative.) Make sure the mic power
supply is ON.
 8. to 9. Use a TRS cable (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) to connect the Impedance Box output to Input 2 of the
audio interface. (XLR audio interfaces will use a 1/4” TRS to XLR Male cable.)
 10. Turn the amplifier ON. You are now ready to run your loudspeaker test sequence. Turn the
amplifier OFF before shutting down the PC to avoid unwanted transients from potentially damaging the
loudspeaker.

Instruction Manual
A3.7 Detailed Drawing of Impedance Box
Amplifier
(Single-ended Test Speaker
amp input) Amp Output
+ + +
Load Resistor
- - -
(The shield of the TRS

cable is not connected at
Input 1
the resistor) (Left)
Connect the amp

Tip (XLR pin 2)
chassis to the Input 2
(TRS Connector)
chassis of the (Right)
computer Ring (XLR pin 3)
Sleeve Output 1
(Single-ended output) (Left)
Tip
Output 2
(Right)
(TRS Connector) Tip
Sleeve Ring
Digital
Input
View of Male XLR connector
when looking at the pins 1 2
Pin 2 = High (+)
Pin 3 = Low (-) 3 Digital
Pin 1 = not connected Output Computer
at the resistor Chassis
Ground
Audio Interface
Figure 3-7: Impedance Box Layout
Note: In order to maintain a good signal to noise ratio, the Load Resistor value should not be more than
100 times different than the load being measured. Please refer to Impedance Setup on page 202

Instruction Manual
A3.8 Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connections
When calibrating an audio interface with Balanced inputs and outputs it is important to follow the wiring
procedure noted in Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connection on page 618.
Audio Bandwidth Multimeter

set to Volts AC
+ -
0.00
Audio Interface Audio Interface
Balanced Output (to Meter) Balanced Input
+ +
- -
Shield is not connected to meter.
To Meter
Tip Ring
To Meter
XLR Pin 2 XLR Pin 3
Figure 3-8: Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connection

 For the purpose of calibration it is not necessary to connect the ground of the XLR connectors. Leave
them “Floating”. (NC = Not Connected)
 Do not short the Low (-) of a balanced output to ground. With some Active Output devices this will
result in distortion on the High (+) signal.
The low (-) of the balanced input can be tied to ground if there are noise problems. Shorting the low
input ensures that it is not a source of noise and usually causes no problem.
 Note that many commonly available XLR to BNC adapters short
pin 1 (Gnd) to pin 3 (-) internally. This can cause problems in the
calibration process.
Note: When an audio interface is calibrated for Balanced mode but used in Single Ended mode, there
may be a 6 dB drop in the output level if the output is not “self compensating”. Only one line of the
balanced output is being used. See Balanced Output to Single Ended Input on page 619.
When calibrating and/or using a Balanced Audio Interface in Single Ended mode it is important to follow the
guidelines outlined in the following section.

Instruction Manual
A3.9 Balanced vs. Single Ended Connections
Single Ended or Unbalanced outputs can typically be connected to Balanced inputs in either of the two
methods shown in Figure 3-9 and Figure 3-10.
Single-Ended output to Balanced input
With the output + RCA or cable

XLR +
¼" Phone 0 dB is measured
level of the Single - at the Balanced
Ended Output Input
device set to 0 dB,
Figure 3-9: Single Ended Output to Balanced Input 1
Single-Ended output to Balanced input
+ RCA or cable
XLR +
With the output ¼" Phone
level of the Single - 0 dB is measured
Ended Output at the Balanced
device set to 0 dB, NC Input
Figure 3-10: Single Ended Output to Balanced Input 2
Balanced output to Single Ended input wiring is a different matter. It is important to not short the Low (-) of a
balanced output to ground. For some devices with Active Balanced Outputs this will result in distortion on the
High (+) signal. (Transformer balanced outputs can have the low connected to ground.)
Figure 3-11 shows the suggested wiring for connecting a Balanced output to a Single Ended input. The
measured level at the Single Ended input is down by 6 dB since only one line of the Balanced output it used.
Balanced output to Single-Ended input
cable +
+ RCA or
With the output XLR
- ¼" Phone -6 dB is measured
level of the at the Single Ended
Balanced Output NC
input
device set to 0 dB,
Figure 3-11: Balanced Output to Single Ended Input
Note: (NC = Not Connected)

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
Appendix 4: Serial Port Control
Note that many computers no longer have 9 Pin Serial Ports. You can also use a USB to Serial Adapter to take
advantage of the functions in this chapter. At the time of this publication, the recommended adapters would be:
 Trendnet TU-S9 USB to Serial Adapter
 Dynex DX-UBDB9 USB to Serial Adapter
 USB to Serial Adapter using the PL2303 Prolific chip set and driver
 Windows 11 requires PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v1.12.0 for the RS232 footswitch to be
recognized in the Device Manager > COM ports as well as in the SoundCheck Hardware Editor >
External Hardware Tab. The driver can be downloaded from http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/
ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=223&pcid=126. Later drivers are not currently recommended as this older
driver is the only one verified as working in Windows 11.
A4.1 Footswitch and Buzzer Control Via Serial Port
Note: Use of the footswitch and buzzer with SoundCheck® requires that NI Visa is installed on the
system. This can be found on the SoundCheck installation CD under Additional Software.
(Footswitch and Buzzer control cannot be used with Windows NT.)
A4.2 Serial Port Pin Out Definition
Figure 4-1: Serial Port Pin Out
A4.3 Buzzer On/Off Message

The output of the serial ports of the computer can be used to control
remote devices such as a Piezo Buzzer. The voltages are generally
11.2 VDC when the Line is high and -11.2 VDC when the line is low.
The standard wiring for a Piezoelectric Buzzer is to connect the
Positive lead to the DTR Line and the Negative lead to Ground.
Similarly, a second device can be connected across the RTS Line and
Ground to receive completely separate On/Off messages.
Footswitches or other types of external devices cannot be used with a
second buzzer on the same COM port, e.g., Buzzer A and Buzzer B
can be on COM Port 1 and Footswitch 1 and Footswitch 2 can be on Figure 4-2: Buzzer A and B Wiring
COM Port 2.
Note: USB serial port adapters can be used but not all adapters are compatible with NI Visa.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Serial Port Control 621

Instruction Manual
Insert a Message Step into a sequence and rename it Select "Wait for confir-
“Buzzer ON”. mation" only if the
buzzer is to remain on
Right-click the step and select Configure Step.
until the operator
Check Display step when run and set the time to 0.0 selects "Continue" on
seconds. the Main Screen
Check-off "Display
step when run" and
set the time to 0.0
seconds
Figure 4-3: Configure Message Step
Open the SoundCheck Hardware Editor from

the SoundCheck Main Screen.
 Select the External page
 Enter the COM Port number for the
Serial Port that is used. This can be
Under Type select Buzzer
found in the Windows Device
and set the COM Port
Manager.
 In this case the Serial port is 9
 Under Type select Buzzer
 Click Save to close the editor
The Interface settings are simply added to the
System Hardware Configuration.
Figure 4-4: Hardware Config - Interfaces
622 Serial Port Control SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
A4.3.1 Setting the Message steps in the Sequence
Double click on the Buzzer On step on the right of the Sequence Editor. Function should be set to Set Control
Lines. Interface, Number 2 and DTR high are selected. Under Setup the following should be selected: Pass/
Fail and Wait. The wait time can then be set for the length of time the buzzer should sound. This will also be
the amount of time before the next step of the sequence is executed.
 Select Interface
 Select Interface number (must be setup in Hardware Editor -
External page)
 Select Pass/Fail - this is the state that the message will report
when the step runs
 Select Wait time - this is the amount of time in mSec that the
step will wait before moving to the next step in the sequence.
This is the length of time the buzzer will sound.
 Function - Select “Set Control Lines”
 Select DTR high
Figure 4-5: Message Step -

Interface Settings
Insert the Buzzer Off message below (after) the Buzzer On Step in the Sequences section. Double click on it to
edit the step. The message section needs to be set to match the settings in the Buzzer On step. DTR low
should be selected to shut the buzzer off. Under Setup, Pass or Fail must be selected. Select Wait only if the
Buzzer Off message is to be displayed for a selected amount of time.
 Select Interface
 Select Interface number (must be setup in Hardware Editor -
External page)
 Select Pass/Fail - this is the state that the message will report
when the step runs
 Select Wait time - Off messages do not necessarily need any
Wait time
 Function - Select “Set Control Lines”
 Select DTR low
Figure 4-6: Message Step -

Interface Settings
Note: Footswitches and a Buzzer can be connected to the same Serial Port connector but there is
usually limited room for wiring in standard connector housings.
Note: Two Buzzers can be connected to the same Serial Port at the same time with no footswitches.
Only one Buzzer can be connected to a Serial Port when two Footswitches are in use on the same
port.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Serial Port Control 623

Instruction Manual
A4.4 Remote Control Switch
The serial port connections can also be used as a Remote Control Switch. A foot switch, PLC, test box closure
switch, or similar can be wired across pins 7 and 8 of the serial port to act as a Start and Continue switch. This
replicates pressing the F2 key on the keyboard.
A second switch can be added across pins 6 and 7 for the Stop and REDO function (F4 key).
 These switch functions are pre-set in the SoundCheck system and cannot be changed
 These functions do not require the use of a Message Step in a sequence
Note: When two switches are used on a single serial port, a

buzzer cannot be used on the same serial port. Use a
second serial port if needed.
Figure 4-7: Serial Port Switch

Wiring
1. To enable the Remote Control Switch function
 Click Setup on the SoundCheck Main Screen

Open Hardware
 Open the Hardware Editor and select External Hardware Editor
Figure 4-8: Open Hardware

Configuration
2. Right-click an empty line in the

Interface section and click Add
Interface.
 Under Type select Footswitch

 Under COM Port enter the COM
Select Enter COM
Port number for the Serial Port Footswitch port
(Found in Windows Device
Manager)
3. Save to close the Hardware Figure 4-9: Hardware Setting For Footswitch
Configuration
624 Serial Port Control SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Appendix 5: System Verification Using SoundCheck
This section will enable users of SoundCheck to verify that their PC-based electroacoustic test system is
working properly.
Open the Self Test sequence from the Calibration folder in
SoundCheck. Figure 5-1
This sequence requires that at least two channels of input and
output are setup in your System Hardware configuration.
(See Hardware Configuration on page 626.)
The Self Test sequence checks to see if your SoundCheck

installation is working properly and verifies the performance of
your audio interface. By looping back the audio interface output
directly into the audio interface input, the audio interface’s
Frequency Response, Sensitivity, THD, Play/Record Delay, and
Self Noise are measured.
The sequence is setup to test two channels of the selected
audio interface as shown in Figure 5-2.
Figure: 5-1 Open Self Test
Note that audio interfaces using WDM (and in some cases
WASAPI) drivers will not have a consistent play/record delay.
This means that the Delay Results will be displayed as a failure. This is normal for these devices. Auto Delay
must be used in Analysis Steps when using devices with inconsistent delay.
Figure: 5-2 Completed Sequence Showing Passing Results
SoundCheck® 20.0 System Verification Using SoundCheck 625

Instruction Manual
A5.1 Hardware Configuration
Make sure that the correct System
Hardware settings are entered for your
audio interface.
The default settings shown are for the
AudioConnect.
To run Self Test on AudioConnect both
input channels must be set to Line In by
opening an AudioConnect Message Step
or by changing the Input Selection in the
Figure: 5-3 Default Hardware Settings
Startup Configuration of AudioConnect in
the Listen Hardware Tab.
See AudioConnect on page 77.
Figure: 5-3 Default Hardware Settings
Audio Interface
Connect Output 1 to Input 1 and Output 2 to Input 2 of the audio 2. Input 1

interface. Figure 5-4 (Left)
4.
WARNING! Do not connect the amplifier. The test level could damage Input 2
(Right)
the amplifier/loudspeaker if connected while running Self Test.
1. Output 1
(Left)
A5.2 Sequence Parameters 3. Output 2

(Right)
The sequence will test the audio interface using a Frequency Stepped
Sweep with the following settings: Digital
Input
 Frequency Stepped Sweep

Digital
Output
 Amplitude 1 V. (This level will provide a good signal-to-noise
ratio for most audio interfaces. For the LynxTwo, try increasing Figure: 5-4 Loop Back Wiring
the level to 5 V.)
 20 kHz-20 Hz (To measure to higher frequencies, remember to
increase the sampling rate for the audio interface in the Hardware Configuration)
 1/3 Oct Steps - This gives you 31 frequency points
 24 Cycles/Step (if you change the number of cycles, you should stay above an effective 15 cycles/step
to ensure proper THD+N measurement)
The results as shown in Figure 5-2 cover the following parameters:
 Frequency Response: 20 to 20 kHz, +/- 0.5 dB
 Sensitivity @ 1 kHz: +/- 1 dB
 THD (%) & THD+N (%): 20 to 20 kHz, 0.03%
 Audio interface delay: +/- 0.05 ms
 Overall Noise Level Limits: [0 Hz, -70 dB], [30 Hz, -90 dB], [22 kHz, -90 dB]
626 System Verification Using SoundCheck SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Appendix 6: Verifying SoundConnect™ Performance
Checking the performance of the SoundConnect™ using the Amplifier THD+N sequence (Electronics folder).
The Generator and FFT instruments will be used as well.
Connect the audio interface to SoundConnect™ as shown in Figure 6-1.
AUDIO INTERFACE
Chan 1
Input
4. (Left)
3.
Chan 2
Input
5.
(Right)
Chan 1
Output
(Left)
1.
Chan 2
Output
(Right)
Digital
Input
2.
Digital
Output
Figure 6-1: SoundConnect Performance Test Connections
 1 to 2 Connect the Chan 1 Out of the audio interface to the BNC input on the SoundConnect front
panel. In this example a 1/4 inch-to-RCA cable and a BNC male to RCA female adapter is used.
 3 to 4 Connect the RCA output connector on the back of SoundConnect to the Chan 1 In of the audio
interface. A 1/4 inch-to-RCA cable is used in the example. The BNC out on the front of SoundConnect
can also be used. The two jacks are connected in parallel and should not be used simultaneously.
 5 Set A1, A2, and A3 switches to 0 dB.
Run the Amplifier THD+N sequence to check the frequency response and sensitivity of the SoundConnect.
The SoundConnect™ frequency should be very flat (less than 1.0 dB variation).
Even though the audio interface frequency and phase response may be within spec, ground loops may occur.
A more detailed analysis can be done using the built-in signal generator and FFT functions within
SoundCheck®.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Verifying SoundConnect™ Performance 627

Instruction Manual
A6.1 SoundConnect 2 Connections
SoundConnect 2™ can be tested using the Amplifier THD+N sequence as noted on the previous page. The
wiring requirements are different. Since the sequence is only setup to test a single channel, the test can be run
on SoundConnect 2, channel 2 as well.
Connect the audio interface to SoundConnect 2 as shown in Figure 6-2.
AUDIO INTERFACE
Chan 1
Input
(Left)
Chan 2
Input
(Right)
Chan 1
Output
(Left)
Chan 2
Output
(Right)
Digital
Input
Front Panel Settings Digital

Output
Line In Line In
0dB 0dB
Figure 6-2: SoundConnect 2 Test Connections
 Connect SoundConnect 2 Output 1 to Audio Interface Input 1. We recommend using a balanced 1/4”
TRS cable.
 Connect Output 1 of the audio interface to Input 1 of SoundConnect 2, again using a balance 1/4” TRS
cable.
 The SoundConnect 2 Front Panel should be set to Line In and 0 dB of gain for both channels.
Run the Amplifier THD+N sequence to check the frequency response and sensitivity of the SoundConnect 2.
The SoundConnect 2 frequency should be very flat (less than 1.0 dB variation).
Repeat the process to test Channel 2.
Even though the audio interface frequency and phase response may be within spec, ground loops may occur.
A more detailed analysis can be done using the built-in signal generator and FFT functions within
SoundCheck®.
628 Verifying SoundConnect™ Performance SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
A6.2 Noise Floor and Ground Loop Detection
1. Open the Signal Generator and FFT instruments by clicking Instruments and click on Signal
Generator and Spectrum Analyzer. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts (Crtl + F4 and Ctrl +
F7).
2. Set the Generator Output Level to 1.000 V, Frequency to 1000, and Channel to Direct Out 1.
Figure 6-3: Noise Floor
3. Set FFT controls as shown in Figure 6-3. The Input Signal Path should be set to Direct In 1.
4. Mute in Signal Generator so it no longer is blinking red. A 1.0 Volt, 1 kHz sine wave will be sent to the
SoundConnect. Click Start on the FFT screen and the frequency spectrum will appear. If the
SoundConnect and interconnecting cables are in good working condition, the FFT spectrum should
look like the one above. The FFT spectrum should only have a 1 kHz signal. If any harmonics are
present, they should be at least 60 dB below the 1 kHz level. Use the Snap to Max button to set
Cursor 1 to the peak of the signal and then click on the Harmonic Cursor to show the THD.

Instruction Manual
To check for any ground loops or electrical line frequency interference (50 Hz or 60 Hz), reduce the frequency
range of the FFT display from 20 kHz to 1 kHz. To do this, place the mouse cursor over the 20000 number and
highlight it by double-clicking using the left mouse button. Enter 1k and the press then press the Enter key on
the computer keyboard. The display will look like Figure 6-4.
If there is any electrical interference, there will be significant spikes at 60 Hz (or 50 Hz) and associated
harmonics.
Figure 6-4: Check for Ground Loop

Instruction Manual
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
EDIT (Alt+E) Shortcut Recall Ctrl+Shift+R Request a New Fea- None

ture
Main Screen Login None Post-Processing Ctrl+Shift+O
Shortcut Report a Bug None
Buttons Limits Ctrl+Shift+L
Preferences None
Optional Modules… None
Start Sequence F2 Display Ctrl+Shift+D
About SoundCheck… None
Continuous F3 Serial Number Ctrl+Shift+E
Instruments
Redo F4 Shortcut Statistics Ctrl+Shift+T
(Alt+I)
Cursor to Lot # Field F7 Autosave Ctrl+Shift+U OFFLINE (Alt+N) Shortcut
Signal Generator Ctrl+F4
Cursor to Serial # Field F8 Printing Ctrl+Shift+P None None
Multimeter Ctrl+F5
Continue Enter Custom Ctrl+Shift+X
Oscilloscope Ctrl+F6
Stop Esc Memory List Ctrl+Shift+Y
Spectrum Analyzer Ctrl+F7
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Display > Load Display Ctrl+L

FILE (Alt+F) Shortcut RTA Ctrl+F8
Distortion Analyzer Ctrl+F9 Data > Protect Data Ctrl+M

New Ctrl+N
Frequency Counter Ctrl+F10 Data > Search Ctrl+F

Open Ctrl+O
Data > Select All Ctrl+A
Close Ctrl+W Signal Generator (Ctrl+F4)
Report > Print Report Ctrl+P

Save Ctrl+S Mute F5
Window > Full Size Ctrl+/
Save As None Toggle between Fre- F8
quency and Output
Level Sequence Editor Ctrl+Q
Revert Ctrl+R
Increase Level 1dB Page Up New… Ctrl+N

Rename None
Decrease Level 1dB Page Dn Save Ctrl+S

Delete Ctrl+D
Delete Ctrl+D
Setup Wizard None
Quick Launch Menu… Ctrl+G

SETUP (Alt+S) Shortcut
Diagnostic Window None HELP (Alt+H) Shortcut
Hardware Ctrl+Shift+H
Examples... None
Calibration Ctrl+Shift+C Show Context Help Ctrl+H
Recently Opened None
Messages Ctrl+Shift+M User Manual None
Exit None
Stimulus Ctrl+Shift+S Additional None
Documentation
Acquisition Ctrl+Shift+A
Listen, Inc Website None
Analysis Ctrl+Shift+N
Request Support None
631
632
Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
Instruments Statistics CMD+Shift+T
Shortcut
(Alt+I)
Main Screen Autosave CMD+Shift+U
Shortcut OFFLINE (Alt+N) Shortcut
Buttons Signal Generator CMD+4
Printing CMD+Shift+P
None None
Start Sequence F2 Multimeter CMD+5
Custom None
Continuous F3 Oscilloscope CMD+6

Memory List
Redo F4 Spectrum Analyzer CMD+7
Display > Load Display CMD+L
Cursor to Lot # Field F7 RTA CMD+8

Data > Protect Data CMD+M
Cursor to Serial # Field F8 Distortion Meter None

Data > Search CMD+F
Continue Enter Frequency Counter None

Data > Select All CMD+A
Stop Esc Signal Generator

Window > Full Size CMD+/ (toggles)
Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
Mute F5
FILE (Alt+F) Shortcut Sequence Editor CMD+E
Toggle between Fre- None
quency and Output New… CMD+N
New CMD+N
Level
Save CMD+S
Open CMD+O
Increase Fn+up arrow
Delete CMD+D
Close CMD+W
Decrease Fn+down arrow
Save CMD+S
Save As None HELP (Alt+H) Shortcut

Revert CMD+R SETUP (Alt+S) Shortcut
Show Context Help None
Rename None Hardware CMD+Shift+H
User Manual None
Delete CMD+D Calibration CMD+Shift+C
Additional None
Messages CMD+Shift+M Documentation
Export Seq None
Stimulus CMD+Shift+S Quick Launch Menu… CMD+G

Setup Wizard None
Acquisition CMD+Shift+A Listen, Inc Website None

Exit None
Analysis CMD+Shift+N Request Support None

SoundCheck® 20.0
Instruction Manual
Recall CMD+Shift+R Request a New Fea- None

ture
EDIT (Alt+E) Shortcut
Post-Processing CMD+Shift+O
Report a Bug None
Login None
Limits CMD+Shift+L
Optional Modules… None
Preferences None
Display CMD+Shift+D
About SoundCheck… None
Serial Number CMD+Shift+E
StweepTM Table - ISO Stepped-sine Frequencies
R10 R20 R40 R80 R10 R20 R40 R80 R10 R20 R40 R80 R10 R20 R40 R80 R10 R20 R40 R80 R10 R20 R40 R80 R10 R20 R40 R80
Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20.0
10 10 10 10 31.5 31.5 31.5 31.5 125 125 125 125 500 500 500 500 2000 2000 2000 2000 8000 8000 8000 8000 31500 31500 31500 31500
10.3 32.5 128 515 2060 8250 32500
10.6 10.6 33.5 33.5 132 132 530 530 2120 2120 8500 8500 33500 33500
10.9 34.5 136 545 2180 8750 34500
11.2 11.2 11.2 35.5 35.5 35.5 140 140 140 560 560 560 2240 2240 2240 9000 9000 9000 35500 35500 35500
11.5 36.5 145 580 2300 9250 36500
11.8 11.8 37.5 37.5 150 150 600 600 2360 2360 9500 9500 37500 37500
12.2 38.7 155 615 2430 9750 38700
12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 40 40 40 40 160 160 160 160 630 630 630 630 2500 2500 2500 2500 10000 10000 10000 10000 40000 40000 40000 40000
12.8 41.2 165 650 2580 10300 41200
13.2 13.2 42.5 42.5 170 170 670 670 2650 2650 10600 10600 42500 42500
13.6 43.7 175 690 2720 10900 43700
14 14 14 45 45 45 180 180 180 710 710 710 2800 2800 2800 11200 11200 11200 45000 45000 45000
14.5 46.2 185 730 2900 11500 46200
15 15 47.5 47.5 190 190 750 750 3000 3000 11800 11800 47500 47500
15.5 48.7 195 775 3070 12200 48700
16 16 16 16 50 50 50 50 200 200 200 200 800 800 800 800 3150 3150 3150 12500 12500 12500 12500 50000 50000 50000 50000
16.5 51.5 206 825 3250 12800 51500
17 17 53 53 212 212 850 850 3350 3350 13200 13200 53000 53000
17.5 54.5 218 875 3450 13600 54500
18 18 18 56 56 56 224 224 224 900 900 900 3550 3550 3550 14000 14000 14000 56000 56000 56000
18.5 58 230 925 3650 14500 58000
Stweep Chart
19 19 60 60 236 236 950 950 3750 3750 15000 15000 60000 60000
19.5 61.5 243 975 3870 15500 61500
20 20 20 20 63 63 63 63 250 250 250 250 1000 1000 1000 1000 4000 4000 4000 4000 16000 16000 16000 16000 63000 63000 63000 63000
20.6 65 258 1030 4120 16500 65000
21.2 21.2 67 67 265 265 1060 1060 4250 4250 17000 17000 67000 67000
21.8 69 272 1090 4370 17500 69000
22.4 22.4 22.4 71 71 71 280 280 280 1120 1120 1120 4500 4500 4500 18000 18000 18000 71000 71000 71000
23 73 290 1150 4620 18500 73000
23.6 23.6 75 75 300 300 1180 1180 4750 4750 19000 19000 75000 75000
24.3 77.5 307 1220 4870 19500 77500
25 25 25 25 80 80 80 80 315 315 315 315 1250 1250 1250 1250 5000 5000 5000 5000 20000 20000 20000 20000 80000 80000 80000 80000
25.8 82.5 325 1280 5150 20600 82500
26.5 26.5 85 85 335 335 1320 1320 5300 5300 21200 21200 85000 85000
27.2 87.5 345 1360 5450 21800 87500
28 28 28 90 90 90 355 355 355 1400 1400 1400 5600 5600 5600 22400 22400 22400 90000 90000 90000
29 92.5 365 1450 5800 23000 92500
30 30 95 95 375 375 1500 1500 6000 6000 23600 23600 95000 95000
30.7 97.5 387 1550 6150 24300 97500
31.5 31.5 31.5 31.5 100 100 100 100 400 400 400 400 1600 1600 1600 1600 6300 6300 6300 6300 25000 25000 25000 25000 100000 100000 100000 100000
32.5 103 412 1650 6500 25800
33.5 33.5 106 106 425 425 1700 1700 6700 6700 26500 26500
34.5 109 437 1750 6900 27200
35.5 35.5 35.5 112 112 112 450 450 450 1800 1800 1800 7100 7100 7100 28000 28000 28000
36.5 115 462 1850 7300 29000
37.5 37.5 118 118 475 475 1900 1900 7500 7500 30000 30000
38.7 122 487 1950 7750 30700
633
SoundCheck® 20.0 Stweep Chart 634
Instruction Manual
Appendix 9: Equation Editor Functions
+ and - addition and subtraction
* and / multiplication and division
^ Exponentiation
User Equation Syntax
Corresponding LabVIEW
Function Description
Function
abs(x) Absolute Value Returns the absolute value of x.
acos(x) Inverse Cosine Computes the inverse cosine of x in

radians.
acosh(x) Inverse Hyperbolic Cosine Computes the inverse hyperbolic

cosine of x.
asin(x) Inverse Sine Computes the inverse sine of x in

radians.
asinh(x) Inverse Hyperbolic Sine Computes the inverse hyperbolic sine

of x.
atan(x) Inverse Tangent Computes the inverse tangent of x in

radians.
atanh(x) Inverse Hyperbolic Tangent Computes the inverse hyperbolic tan-

gent of x.
ci(x) Cosine Integral Computes the cosine integral of x

where x is any real number.
cos(x) Cosine Computes the cosine of x, where x is

in radians.
cosh(x) Hyperbolic Cosine Computes the hyperbolic cosine of x.
cot(x) Cotangent Computes the cotangent of x (1/

tan(x)), where x is in radians.
csc(x) Cosecant Computes the cosecant of x (1/

sin(x)), where x is in radians.
exp(x) Exponential Computes the value of e raised to the

x power.
expm1(x) Exponential (Arg) - 1 Computes one less than the value of

e raised to the x power ((e^x) - 1).
floor(x) Round To -Infinity Truncates x to the next lower integer

(largest integer £x).
gamma(x) Gamma Function G (n + 1) = n! for all natural numbers

n.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Equation Editor Functions 635

Instruction Manual
int(x) Round To Nearest Rounds x to the nearest integer.
intrz(x) - Rounds x to the nearest integer

between x and zero.
ln(x) Natural Logarithm Computes the natural logarithm of x

(to the base of e).
lnp1(x) Natural Logarithm (Arg +1) Computes the natural logarithm of (x

+ 1).
log(x) Logarithm Base 10 Computes the logarithm of x (to the

base of 10).
log2(x) Logarithm Base 2 Computes the logarithm of x (to the

base of 2).
pi(x) Represents the value = 3.14159... pi(x) = x * ppi(1) = ppi(2.4) = 2.4 * p
rand( ) Random Number (0 - 1) Produces a floating point number

between 0 and 1 exclusively.
sec(x) Secant Computes the secant of x, where x is

in radians (1/cos(x)).
si(x) Sine Integral Computes the sine integral of x where

x is any real number.
sign(x) Sign Returns 1 if x is greater than 0,

returns 0 if x is equal to 0, and returns
-1 if x is less than 0.
sin(x) Sine Computes the sine of x, where x is in

radians.
sinc(x) Sinc Computes the sine of x divided by x

(sin(x)/x), where x is in radians.
sinh(x) Hyperbolic Sine Computes the hyperbolic sine of x.
spike(x) Spike Function spike(x) returns: 1 if 0£ x £10 for any

other value of x.
sqrt(x) Square Root Computes the square root of x.
square(x) Square Function square (x) returns: 1 if 2n£ x£ (2n +

1)0 if 2n + 1£ x £(2n + 2)where x is
any real number and n is any integer.
step(x) Step Function step(x) returns: 0 if x < 01 if any other

condition obtains.
tan(x) Tangent Computes the tangent of x, where x is

in radians.
tanh(x) Hyperbolic Tangent Computes the hyperbolic tangent of x.
636 Equation Editor Functions SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Appendix 10: Weighting and Window Types
A10.1 TSR Window Type

As of SoundCheck 8, the TSR window waveform is output in the Memory List and can be displayed on top of
the impulse response or the deconvolved response to check the time alignment. The Start and Stop times of
the window are set in the Analysis Step. See Time Selective Response (TSR) on page 174 for more
information. The window is used to select the portion of the Deconvolved Response that contains the
fundamental impulse response (linear impulse response). This impulse response contains the frequency
response of the device under test.
The following examples use the same impulse response as a means of comparison.
A10.1.1 None
Also referred to as Rectangular. No windowing is
applied to the measurement. This works well with
transients that are shorter in length than the
measurement time. Due to the flat characteristic
in the time domain, all parts of the signal are
equally weighted.
Figure 10-1: None
A10.1.2 Cosine Tapered

The Cosine Taper window used by the Time
Selective Response algorithm, has a 10% taper
at each end. The Fundamental Impulse
Response must be inside these tapers. In the
example, the taper of the window disregards the
first and last 1 mSec of the impulse. In versions
of SoundCheck prior to version 8, this was the
fixed window type for TSR.
Figure 10-2: Cosine Tapered

A10.1.3 Half-Cosine Tapered
This window has only a trailing Cosine taper. It is
well suited for impulses which have no content
before zero time. The taper removes any slight
discontinuity at the very end.
Figure 10-3: Half-Cosine Tapered
SoundCheck® 20.0 Weighting and Window Types 637

Instruction Manual
A10.1.4 Exponential
This window is useful for impulses with a long
decay rate which exceeds the duration of the
time window. The exponential curve applies an
additional damping that forces a smoothing of the
impulse in the time window. The start value of the
exponential weighting is 100% and the final value
is 10%.”
Figure 10-4: Exponential

A10.1.5 Adrienne
This is an optimized window for time selective
response measurements. The leading and
trailing tapers are both half Blackman-Harris
functions. For optimal results the beginning of
the flat portion should be 0.2 mSec before the
impulse.
This window is specified in the British Standard,
"Road traffic noise reducing devices - test
method for determining the acoustic
performance - part 5: intrinsic characteristics - in Figure 10-5: Adrienne
situ values of sound reflection and airborne
sound insulation" BS CEN/TS 1793-5:2003.
A10.1.6 Half-Hanning
This applies a Half-cosine taper to the end of the
window. It is well suited for long impulses that
exceed the duration of the time window.
The damping applied is stronger than what is
found in the Exponential window, yielding
smoother results in the frequency domain.
Figure 10-6: Half-Hanning
A10.1.7 Half-BH4
This is a Half Blackman-Harris function (4 terms).
The application is the same as for exponential
and Half-Hanning. It has the strongest damping
and therefore yields the greatest smoothing in the
frequency domain.
Figure 10-7: Half Blackman-Harris 4 Term
638 Weighting and Window Types SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Appendix 11: Time Selective Measurements With Log Sweep
A time selective measurement of a frequency response is (directly or indirectly) based on a measurement of

the impulse response, where a well-defined time window is applied to the impulse response. The frequency
response is simply the Fourier transform of the impulse response. Time selective measurements are often
used in electroacoustics to make simulated free-field measurements of transducers. This is to isolate the
directly transmitted, free field sound from reflections due to the surroundings. By using a time window applied
to the impulse response, it is possible to obtain results similar to those obtained in a non-echoic environment.
The accuracy of such measurements depends on several factors. Some basic properties apply generally to all
implementations, while some others relate to the actual algorithm and specific implementation.
The most basic requirement for simulated free-field measurements is that the reflections must not arrive so
early that they overlap the impulse response of the direct sound. If the reflections arrive so early that they
overlap the direct sound, the time window will cut away some of the impulse response of the direct sound, and
the measurement will loose accuracy. This applies to all time selective methods.
If the system is perfectly linear then the impulse response can be obtained by a direct measurement, simply by
applying a short pulse and recording the resulting "impulse response". In practice, however, such
measurements will usually suffer from either a poor S/N ratio due to the low energy in the short pulse or suffer
from overloading if the pulse is increased to improve the S/N ratio. The crest factor of the excitation is simply
too high for practical use.
Various types of noise signals have a much lower crest factor and combined with cross-spectrum or cross-
correlation analysis, the response of the linear behavior can be measured. Most systems, however, are not
perfectly linear. The non-linearity not only sets limits for which test signals can be used, but also introduces the
need for characterizing this non-linearity, e.g., measuring the distortion.
The Time Delay Spectrometry (TDS) introduced by Heyser uses a linear swept sine for time-selective
measurements. Like most other swept sine algorithms, it is based on the assumption that the response at a
certain point in time represents the response to just one particular frequency. That is approximately correct if
the sweep rate is low enough. A delay in the system under test, however, will result in a frequency shift
(proportional to the delay) of the measured response. If the signal follows different paths with different delays
(e.g., direct and reflected sound from a loudspeaker), the signal measured will contain slightly different
frequencies. Tracking the response with a narrow bandpass filter therefore makes it possible to isolate one
path (e.g., just the direct sound from a loudspeaker) from the others. It is proven that such a tracking bandpass
filter is simply equivalent to applying a time window to the impulse response. In addition, a tracking bandpass
filter can also be used to track the harmonics of the swept signal, thereby measure harmonic distortion as well
(and still in a time selective way). However, the sweep rate must be limited in order to measure the fundamental
correctly, measuring harmonics at low frequencies put further constraints on the maximum sweep rate.
The Time Selective Response (TSR) introduced by Brüel & Kjær also uses a linear swept sine, but removes the
limitation on the sweep rate (by mathematical refinement of the algorithm) so the fundamental response is
measured correctly even with very fast sweeps. For measuring distortion at low frequencies, the same
constraints still applies to the maximum sweep rate for TSR, as for TDS.
Both TDS and TSR, with the tracking bandpass filter approach, are linked to using a linear sweep. The linear
sweep, however, is not very ideal, if the measurements shall cover a broad frequency range:
 Often the S/N ratio at low frequencies is critical, but the linear sweep has relatively little energy at low
frequencies: Half of the time (and thereby half of the energy) is used in the highest octave, only one
fourth of the time (and of the energy) is used in the second highest octave, etc. In order to achieve a
sufficient S/N ratio at low frequencies a very slow sweep has to be used, wasting time (and energy) at
high frequencies.
 The linear sweep also becomes very slow, if the sweep rate has to be kept very low in order to
measure distortion at low frequencies - eventually even slower than required for a sufficient S/N ratio.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Time Selective Measurements With Log Sweep 639

Instruction Manual
The log TSR implemented in SoundCheck® uses a logarithmically swept sine for fast time selective
measurements of both the fundamental response and of distortion. The logarithmically swept sine is much
more suitable for electroacoustic measurements:
 The logarithmic sweep uses the same time (and energy) for every octave, which is much more suitable
achieving a good S/N ration for all frequencies in typical electroacoustic measurements.
 The logarithmic sweep also provides a sweep rate, which is low at low frequencies but increases with
the frequency. That makes it possible to measure distortion also at low frequencies without making the
whole sweep very slow. As a logarithmically swept sine is used the "tracking bandpass filter" method is
not applicable for the analysis. Instead, Cross-Correlation analysis is used. By doing the Cross-
Correlation of the response signal with a special energy weighted version of the excitation signal, the
impulse response is found directly, and from that the frequency response is easily calculated as well.
It is thereby possible to obtain a unique combination of features:
 Time selectivity.
 The very suitable energy distribution of the logarithmic sweep (increased energy at low frequencies).
 The capability of measuring distortion due to the sine based nature of the signal.
 An effective way measure distortion even at low frequencies due to the sweep rate of the logarithmic
sweep being low only at low frequencies just where it is needed.
Note: The time windows used by the Time Selective Response algorithm are defined in Weighting and
Window Types on page 637.
Please refer to the following AES paper for more information on this measurement technique:
“Simulated Free Field Measurements”, found on the Listen website.
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Appendix 12: Excel Template Tutorial
Excel templates are a great way to keep your data organized when you are running the same sequence
repeatedly and want to save several pieces of data each time. They allow you to customize the layout of data
and even create additional worksheets with graphs, statistics, or summaries.
SoundCheck.
A12.1 Step 1 – Write Sequence

 Before you can begin developing a template your sequence should be able to collect all the data that
should be saved to Excel
 SoundCheck relies on the data names that are visible in the Memory List to create the worksheets in
Excel
 When saving to an Excel file, a new worksheet is created for each data item
 The names for all Curves, Values and Results should be finalized before they are saved to Excel
 If the data names are changed after you’ve created the Excel template, the Excel template will have to
be re-created
A12.2 Step 2 – Create Autosave Step(s)

 Insert an Autosave Step in the sequence, and configure
it to Save Data to Excel.
Note: If you are saving Data and Results, you will need at
least 2 Autosave Steps set to Append.
In this case, the steps are set to Append Data so that all
the information is added to one Excel file.
 Choose settings for all of the parameters, but select
‘None’ for the Header
 If saving curves you may wish to only select the ‘Y’ axis.
This will result in the X axis being printed once at the Figure 12-1: Autosave Steps
beginning of the Excel file, and only the Y axis data will
append after that.
Depending on the sequence, there may be multiple Autosave Steps appending to the same file. The benefit of
this is that you can save different data types with unique formats but keep the data confined to a single file.
Data and Results are autosaved via different steps. Figure 12-1 shows 3 separate Autosave Steps in the
Sequence Editor.
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The Autosave Step in Figure 12-2 is saving the bulk of the data to
Excel.
 The Y axis is always saved on the first save to Excel
In this example, only the Y axis is saved since the Z axis values
are not needed.
Other settings used for all three Autosave Steps:
Autosave Folder Path: C:\SoundCheck\Data (or other folder on
your local drive)
Format: Excel
Header: None
Layout: Rows
Notation: Floating point, 2 Decimal places
Test Information: Serial No.
Filename: Append and Automatic
Figure 12-2: Save Y Axis
Filename Template: <Seq> (Sequence Name)
The step in Figure 12-3 is nearly identical to the previous step

except for the axis choice. Only the Z axis is saved since the data
is phase information.
These two steps are set to append to the same file. This is done
by selecting Excel as the data format, and choosing the same
data folder and filename settings. In this particular example the
first Autosave Step will open Excel, save the data, and then close
Excel. The second step will repeat this procedure, appending to
the file that was just created.
Figure 12-3: Save Z Axis
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The third Autosave Step in Figure 12-4 is set to save the Results
of the selected limit steps. Otherwise the settings are identical to
the first two steps, and the data will again be saved to the single
Excel file.
Note: Saving Data and Results requires two separate

Autosave steps.
Figure 12-4: Save Results
A12.3 Step 3 – Create Initial Excel

File
Now that the autosave step(s) have been created, it
is time to run the sequence so that an Excel file is
created. This initial file is used to create the
template.
Using an Excel file with real data saves a lot of
time in Step 4 since this initial file has the correct
Figure 12-5: Initial Excel File Example
structure for data including worksheet names
and data headers.
Figure 12-5 shows the “Fundamental Tab“ of the initial saved file from the example sequence.
A12.4 Step 4 – Create Template

Open the Initial Excel File and save it as a new file, adding the word “Template” to the end of name. This
identifies it for use in the next step and to prevent it from accidentally being overwritten. For example:
Sequence Name Template.xls
 This must be an .XLS or .XLSX file, not an .XLT Excel template. XLSM files are supported as of
SC14.01.

Instruction Manual
A12.4.1 Create New Summary Worksheet
Excel allows you to link data from several worksheets to cells on a Master Page. This allows you to condense
and format data to suit your needs.
In the example template file, a ‘Summary’ worksheet has been added. It has been moved so it is the first
worksheet in the Excel file. All the required data from each worksheet can be presented on a single page
instead of having to scan through each of the tabs. This is especially useful for individual product reports or
creating an overall pass/fail report for a production run.
A12.4.2 Summary for Production Run

 Copy the entire Column of data from a worksheet for each
item you want on the Summary Page. This ensures that the
data from all sequence runs will be shown on the Summary
Page.
 Go to the Summary Page and click on the Column Letter
where you would like that data to appear
 Select Edit > Paste Special > Paste Link
 Do this for each Data Column that should appear on the
Summary
 See example in Figure 12-8
A12.4.3 Summary for Single DUT

 Copy individual cells of data from a worksheet for each item needed and paste in the desired cell on
the Summary Page using “Edit > Paste Special > Paste Link” as noted above
 You can also use the graph function in Excel, e.g., Response or Distortion graphs
A12.4.4 Prepare Template for New Data

 Go through each Tab or Worksheet of the Excel Template that generated
by SoundCheck. Do not include the Summary Page. Perform the following
operation
 Select all the Initial Data Cells by clicking on box in the upper left
corner of the first data worksheet
 Select multiple worksheet by holding the Shift Key and clicking on all
of the Worksheets along the bottom.
DO NOT INCLUDE THE SUMMARY PAGE!
 Right-click the selected region(s) and select Clear Contents. (Do not use the Delete key. It is not
the same function.) You can also go to the Excel Edit menu, select Clear and then select
Contents.
 This Clears the data from the cells but retains the formating and data pointers required by Excel
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 Figure 12-6 shows the all the
worksheets are present in the
template but the data lines are
empty. This must be done for every
worksheet in the template.
Figure 12-6: Clear Contents to Create Template
A12.5 Step 5 – Use the

Template in the Sequence
In SoundCheck open the Sequence Editor and set each of the
Autosave Steps to use the new Excel Template. When the
sequence is run, SoundCheck will enter the data into this template
but, save it as a new Excel file according to your Filename
settings. If the Autosave Step is set to Append, SoundCheck will
continue appending to an existing file.
Figure 12-7 shows the new Excel file after

saving date on four units in a production run.
Figure 12-7: New Production Run Excel File

Figure 12-8 shows the Summary Tab which
links to data from the other worksheets.
Figure 12-8: Summary Tab

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Instruction Manual
Appendix 13: Barcode Reader Integration
At its most basic functionality, a barcode reader can be used to input characters scanned from a barcode
directly into any available field in SoundCheck. This is useful for quickly entering long and/or complex serial
numbers or lot numbers in SoundCheck.
It is also possible to scan a barcode that performs an action in SoundCheck.
 Scan a barcode that starts a SoundCheck sequence
 Scan a barcode that opens the Signal Generator
This is possible because a barcode reader converts data read from the barcode into ASCII data that is sent to
your PC. Essentially, it’s emulating keyboard activity. This is great for production line systems where a
keyboard is not available to the operator and you want to simplify and minimize operator contact with the PC.
We can take advantage of this by creating barcodes which represent the keyboard shortcuts available in
SoundCheck. Referencing the first example, starting a sequence through the keyboard is done by pressing F2
on the keyboard. Therefore, by generating a barcode which contains the same ASCII data as F2, we are able
to mimic that function key being pressed by scanning that barcode. See on page 611.
A13.1 Programming
Most barcode readers need to be programmed to be able to read a barcode and emulate a key stroke. This is
done by scanning a series of barcodes in the bar code reader user manual. Sometimes an extended manual or
programming guide for the reader needs to be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.
Important! The barcode reader must be able to “Emulate Keyboard Functions” so that
SoundCheck receives keystrokes when a barcode is scanned.
Before you buy a barcode reader for SoundCheck control, contact the technical support department of the bar
code reader manufacturer and ask if it supports:
 Keyboard Emulation, Keyboard Wedge or Does it act as an HID (Human Interface Device)
 Code 39 Full ASCII and Code 39 Extended
 Function Key Mapping (See below)
 Does the reader come pre-programmed to read Function Key barcodes from their programming guide
(cut and paste F key barcodes from their PDF file)
A13.1.1 Symbology and Function Key Mapping

The first thing that needs to be activated is the symbology called “Code 39 Full ASCII” and Code 39 Extended.
Either of these may be required.
A13.1.2 Rules - Bar Code Keyboard Emulation

Some bar code readers allow you to create special rules allowing you to emulate key strokes. The
process usually involves scanning a list of bar codes in the bar code reader instruction manual.
Instructions will vary depending on the make and model of bar code reader. This is only a general
example.
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Example
Scan the bar codes in the order listed.
1. Begin New Rule
2. Specific String at Start
3. Capital letter F code
4. Number 2 code
5. End of Message
6. Send F2 Key
7. Save Rule
With barcode creation software, make a barcode for “F2” (the letter F and the number 2 in one bar code), label
it “Start Sequence” and print it out. Scanning this bar code will emulate hitting the F2 key on the keyboard.
Repeat the process for other function keys. See on page 611.
Check with the manufacturer regarding utilities that will assist with Function Key Mapping or programming the
reader.
A13.1.3 Advanced
Function Key Mapping creates a “preset” in the barcode reader for selected keys on the keyboard, such as the
function keys. The mapping uses ASCII values that are rarely used. This is what allows a barcode reader to
send key strokes to the computer, such as F2, which is used to start a sequence is SoundCheck.
Some barcode readers also have “Advanced Data Editing” functionality. This allows you to program the
barcode reader to manipulate the data read by the barcode reader. You can program prefix and suffix
commands, so that when a bar code is scanned, other commands can be “chained“ together to control
SoundCheck. For example:
 The barcode reader is programmed with the prefix F8 (which puts the cursor in the serial number field)
and the suffix F2 (which starts a SoundCheck sequence)
 Scanning a serial number barcode on your DUT automatically adds the number to the serial number
field and then starts the currently open sequence
A13.1.4 Barcode Software

You will also need a software application to create barcodes.
 The software must be able to create Code 39 barcodes
The example in Figure 13-1 shows a Code39 barcode for “capital F + 2”.
The barcode reader is programmed to read this code and send the “F2
Figure 13-1: Code39
key” to the computer.
of Capital F + 2
 You will need to create a separate barcode for each keyboard function
required (F2, F3, F4, etc.) See on page 611.
 These barcodes and instructions for use can be used to make to a ”Barcode Command Sheet” that is
printed out and posted with each SoundCheck system
There are a number of Barcode Software applications available that provide the basic functions required, such
as Code 39. There are also free barcode applications available.
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Appendix 14: Running Sequences from a Network Drive
As of SoundCheck 12, the sequence file (.SQC) contains all sequence parameters and steps. Individual Step
files are no longer required. See Single-file Sequence Format on page 466.
 Sequences can be shared with workstations on the network
 All systems must use the same version of SoundCheck as sequences are not backward compatible
 Each workstation will use its own System Hardware and System Calibration Configurations, which will
have unique values
 Once edited, sequences can be marked as ”Read-Only” to prevent unwanted changes on the
workstations (Right-click the sequence or folder of sequences, select Properties and check Read-Only)
Important! The only downside to this practice is that the Master and Workstation PCs can
only open sequences if the network is operational. The reliability of the
network should be considered before implementing this system.
 Server - A sub-server used solely for SoundCheck (preferred) or the main network server
 Master PC - Used to create and edit SoundCheck sequences, storing them on the network
 Workstation PC - A SoundCheck system that opens sequences stored on the server
A14.1 Master PC Configuration

The Master PC is the computer that
Sequences can be stored on
sequences are developed and/or edited on.
This requires the Sequence Editor (optional
Server the Master PC and then copied
S:\ to the Server or simply stored
module 2002). and edited on the Server.
1. Any exported sequences from
previous versions should be saved
with SoundCheck 20.0 on the
Master PC. Doing this saves all of
the steps within the sequence file
as specified in Single-file
Sequence Format on page 466.
Master PC
SoundCheck SoundCheck SoundCheck
Sequence Workstation Workstation
Development 1 2
USB USB USB USB

USB USB
Figure 14-1: SoundCheck Network Scheme
2. On the SoundCheck Main Screen, click on Edit and then select Folder Paths.
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3. Step Templates can remain on the local PC. They are
not linked to sequences.
4. Browse to the location for the Import/Export folder. In

this case it is on the network. Click on Select Cur Dir.
5. Browse to the location of the Logo for use in print-

outs. Click on Select Cur Dir.
6. Status.dat files can also be located on the network.
7. The Master PC can now open sequences from the

network. On the SoundCheck main window click on
File and then Open. Browse to the network sequence
location and open a sequence.
Note: Changes to the Master PC System Hardware and System Calibration Configurations will not be
replicated on the Workstation PCs.
A14.2 Workstation PC Configuration

8. For existing workstations: Make sure the
Each workstation opens
sequences unique to that workstation
Server sequences from the server.
have been exported and backed up. See Sequences can be made
S:\
“Exporting Sequences” on page 481. Read-Only.
9. The Hardware Configuration of the
Workstation PC should be set up for the
specific audio interface used on each
machine. Note that the physical hardware
can be different on each machine. See
“Hardware Configuration” on page 63.
Of course, multichannel sequences will Master PC

require multichannel hardware. SoundCheck SoundCheck SoundCheck
Sequence Workstation Workstation
10. Each workstation must have the same Development 1 2
Signal Path naming convention as the USB USB USB USB

USB USB
Master PC. See “Rules - Naming Best
Practices” on page 95. Figure 14-2: Workstation Configuration
As long as the “Signal Path naming convention” of the workstations matches the Master PC, the
sequence will access the hardware and work as expected.
Each workstation will have the same channel names and channel structure, but will have unique
calibration values for each input and Output Signal Path.
11. See Calibrating SoundCheck on page 98 for instructions on input and output calibration.
Set the folder paths in the same way the Master PC is setup. Generally, sequences are not edited on the
workstation computers. If this is the case, the Sequence Editor module is not needed for the workstations.
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15 Data Import Wizard Tutorial
A15.1 Importing text from a saved file

1. From the Memory List click Data
2. Select Open Data
3. Select a .TXT file to start wizard
The first Import Wizard screen (Figure 15-1)

will display the contents of the selected text
file. The default settings are:
 Delimited
 Column delimiter - tab
 Data is in - columns
 Data offset: 0 columns and 0 rows
The text file shown in Figure 15-1 is tab

delimited in a row format and includes a Figure 15-1: Data Import Wizard Screen 1
header row of frequency values.
To configure the import wizard, do the following:

1. Choose whether data is delimited or fixed width. If the data is delimited, choose the type of delimiter
(tab, comma, space, other).
2. Choose the data format (columns or rows).
3. Choose whether the data file includes a header. The row/col: box refers to how many rows (or
columns) the header is offset from the first row (or column). In Figure 15-1, the header information is in
the first row, therefore the offset value is 0. Check the Standard Header box if the data file was stored
using the SoundCheck Standard header format. (See Autosave Editor on page 227 for more details
regarding the standard header format.)
4. Increment the Data offset if the data

begins at a row (or column) other
than Row 1 (or Column 1). If the first
row or column contains the data (as
in Figure 15-1), then the offset
should be 0.
5. Click Next when finished. Figure 15-2: Configuring Import Wizard Screen 1
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The Import Wizard table in Figure 15-3
shows if the X-axis/Y-axis appears in
Columns or Rows.
X-axis
This is typically set to common
Y-axis
Typically set to increments.
If the X-axis is set to increments,
SoundCheck will interpret the first row (or Figure 15-3: Data Import Wizard Screen 2
column) to be the X-axis and the second
row (or column) to be the corresponding
data values.
For files containing multiple data sets:
The X and Y-axes are grouped in pairs (e.g., rows 1 and 2 are the X and Y data respectively for Data
Set #1
Rows 3 & 4 are the X and Y data respectively for Data Set #2, etc.)
The set individually option allows you to choose which rows or columns are X-axis values.
Click Next once the appropriate settings have been made.
Figure 15-4: Data Import Wizard Screen 3
Note: The import wizard keeps imported data in memory. Depending on the computer hardware, you
may not be able to import large data arrays such as an FFT spectrum or time waveform.
Note: The example in Figure 15-4 shows only X and Y data. For files with both Magnitude and Phase,
see Phase Data on page 653.
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The following is a breakdown of the settings in Figure 15-4.
A15.1.1 X axis settings

 Location of X-axis values
 X-axis data type and units. Typically the X-axis
values are linear (Hz) and displayed on a
logarithmic axis.
A15.1.2 Y axis settings

Location of Y-axis values. The Row/col: value is based on which curve is
highlighted in the Curves list. In this case, curve 1 (the highlighted curve) is
located in Row 2.
A15.1.3 Phase Data

When importing a curve with Magnitude and Phase
data, select “Phase row/col included”.
Note: When importing a reference curve with Magnitude and Phase you may need to remove extra
Curves created by the wizard. Then select “Phase row/col included”. This will enable the Phase
fields for editing and setup the proper Z-axis column for phase data.
Y-axis data type and units. Typically, the Y-axis values are in dB and
displayed on a linear axis. The decibel reference value can be entered.
Note: When importing correction or equalization curves, choose Units with no prefix or unit name and set
the dB reference to 1.00.
Curves
Data curves are available in the imported text file. Curves can be added or removed by clicking
Add and Remove. Click Apply Setting to All to apply the settings for a highlighted curve;
e.g., Units of dB re 20 µPa to all the curves in the list.
Name
Allows you to create a custom name for a curve. The highlighted curve(s) can be
individually named by typing in the Name field.
Save Settings
The import configuration should be saved using Save Settings… This allows
you to recall these settings in the future by using the Load Settings... button
shown in Figure 15-1. Once settings are loaded, click Finish and data is
immediately imported.
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Apply Settings to All
Apply data/axis type, magnitude, units to all curves for import
Add
Add new curve to import
Remove
Remove curve from import list
A15.1.4 Importing Correction Curves From Other Manufacturers

If an imported curve does not have a 0 dB value at 1 kHz you must change the calibration Reference
Frequency in the Calibration Editor to a point on the correction curve that is at 0 dB.
This may also have to be done when importing Diffuse Field or other such correction curves without data at
1 kHz.
See Importing Correction Curves on page 91.
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16 Default Sequence List
The following list of sequences is included with SoundCheck.
Sequence Description
Automation
Frequency Response Parametrized Stimulus Start and Stop values set with Memory List Values.
Spectrum Arbitrary Stimulus Used to measure external sound source.
Calibration
Accelerometer Calibration This is not to be used as a sequence. It is only a placeholder for Calibration Editor
functions.
AmpConnect 621 Self Test Used to test the functionality and connections of AmpConnect 621. Uses a Stweep
Stimulus.
AmpConnect ISC Self Test Used to test the functionality and connections of AmpConnect. Uses a Stweep
Stimulus.
Microphone Calibration This is not to be used as a sequence. It is only a placeholder for Calibration Editor
functions.
Self Test A diagnostic tool used to check the settings and performance of the audio interface
(sound card)
Electronics
Amplifier THD+N Tests the gain response and THD+N for an amplifier or other electronics
MP3 Player (Multitone) Uses a multitone stimulus to test various parameters of a portable music player
Headphones and Headsets
Bluetooth Headset - Receive Subsequence used in Bluetooth Headset sequence for testing the receive side
Bluetooth Headset - Send Subsequence used in the Bluetooth Headset sequence for testing the send side
Bluetooth Headset Uses a multitone stimulus to test a Bluetooth headset in both the send and receive
directions
Headphones An example headphone sequence that measures frequency response and distor-
tion
Hearing Aids
Frequency Response Basic frequency response measurement (gain versus frequency) for a hearing aid
Input vs. Output Uses amplitude sweeps at several frequencies to generate the input-output curves
for a hearing aid
OSPL 90 Performs the OSPL 90 test from the ANSI and IEC hearing aid standards
Release Time - 1996 Tests hearing aid release time according to ANSI S3-2003
How To Examples
ActiveX & Test Stand example Can be called by the ActiveX example code located at C:\SoundCheck x.x\External
Control Examples\_Legacy ActiveX Examples\VB2010\VB2010 Example.exe
Autosave Demonstrates several methods for using the autosave step
Average Sensitivity A very basic sequence that calculates the average sensitivity from a response
curve
Complex Averaging in Loop Calculates a complex average (magnitude and phase) over multiple measurements
Confidence & Noise Demonstrates the confidence feature in the analysis editor by using 3 stimuli of
varying lengths
Diff Distortion An example for testing difference frequency distortion
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Dual Channel Analysis Measures frequency response with three different methods: stepped sine, log
sweep + TSR, pink noise and transfer function
IM and Diff Distortion An example for testing intermodulation distortion
Limits in Reference to Standard Measures a reference standard and uses its response to automatically generate
limits for subsequent measurements
Loop Stimulus Level A complex example of sequence logic that searches for the stimulus level that will
generate 3% THD in the DUT
Multitone Analysis A basic example of the multitone stimulus and analysis
Power Averaging Uses the Real Time Analyzer (RTA) to measure sound power
Room Acoustics Shows basic settings for Room Acoustics RT60 measurements.
Statistics Demonstrates the various uses of the statistics step
THD at Actual Measured Frequency Plots the harmonics at their measured frequency and generates a normalized dis-
tortion curve
Virtual Instrument Acquisition Walks through each of the virtual instruments and demonstrates their uses in a
simple electrical loop back
Loudspeakers
Complete Test Using An example of a loudspeaker production test, with AmpConnect 621 controls, that
AmpConnect 621 measures frequency response, distortion, impedance, and sensitivity all in one
sweep. Requires AmpConnect 621.
Complete Test Using An example of a loudspeaker production test, with AmpConnect ISC controls, that
AmpConnect ISC measures frequency response, distortion, impedance, and sensitivity all in one
sweep. Requires AmpConnect ISC.
Complete test An example of a loudspeaker production test that measures frequency response,
distortion, impedance, and sensitivity all in one sweep
Impedance Measures impedance of a loudspeaker
Loose Particles Demonstrates the loose particle algorithm
Perceptual Rub & Buzz Demonstrates the Perceptual Rub & Buzz function which measures distortion
based on human hearing models and masking curves (Analysis Editor)
Polar Plot (LinearXLT360 turntable) Measures the polar response and directivity of a loudspeaker in the horizontal and
vertical axes by automatically controlling a Linear X turntable
Polar Plot (Outline ET250-3D) Measures the polar response and directivity of a loudspeaker in the horizontal and
vertical axes by automatically controlling an Outline ET250-3D turntable
Rub & Buzz An example of measuring rub & buzz
Time Selective Response An example of measuring frequency response using a log sweep and the TSR
algorithm
T-S Parameters – Added Mass Thiele-Small Parameters:
T-S Parameters – Known Mass Generates Thiele-Small parameters via the added mass or fixed volume methods
T-S Parameters – Known Volume
Triggered Record Using WAV File An example for testing devices without an analog input such as tablets, cellphones
and MP3 players
Microphones
Open Loop Microphone Demonstrates the two most common microphone measurements, frequency
response and
sensitivity, on a microphone embedded in a recording device
Mic substitution A basic example of the two most common microphone measurements: frequency
response and sensitivity
Microphone Self Noise Measures the self noise of a microphone
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Microphone Measures frequency response and sensitivity of a microphone with an equalized
stepped sine sweep
SC ONE
SC ONE - AmpConnect - Head- SoundCheck ONE template sequences serve as a starting point for making new
phones sequences. They contain all the necessary steps to perform the essential measure-
ments for their test application. The sequences in this group are for use with Amp-
SC ONE - AmpConnect - Loud-
Connect ISC.
speaker
SC ONE - AmpConnect - Microphone
(Measure Reference)
SC ONE - AmpConnect - Microphone
SC ONE - AmpConnect Self Test Used to test the functionality and connections of AmpConnect ISC
SC ONE - AudioConnect - Head- SoundCheck ONE template sequences serve as a starting point for making new
phones sequences. They contain all the necessary steps to perform the essential measure-
ments for their test application. The sequences in this group are for use with Audio-
SC ONE - AudioConnect - Loud-
Connect.
speaker
SC ONE - AudioConnect - Micro-
phone (Measure Reference)
SC ONE - AudioConnect - Micro-
phone
SC ONE - AudioConnect Self Test Used to test the functionality and connections of AudioConnect
Telephones
Receive Measures response, distortion, and loudness for the receive side of a telephone
Send Measures response, distortion, and loudness for the send side of a telephone

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
SoundCheck® 20 Available Functionality
Industry Standard Sequences Spectrum Analyzer
(Please contact Listen for a complete list)  FFT with arbitrary number of spectral lines
• IEEE • ITU • ANSI • IEC • TIA •TBR • ISO • AES • ALMA (only limited by computer speed and
memory)
SoundCheck Virtual Audio Test Bench  Hanning, Hamming, Blackman-Harris, Exact

Blackman, Blackman, Flat top, 4 Term
 Run multiple instances of each virtual Blackman-Harris, and 7 Term Blackman-
instrument simultaneously Harris windows
 Save to Memory List available in all meters  Triggering
 Complex or power averaging
Manual Signal Generator
 Average, Maximum, Minimum level with
 Sine overload and real time indicators
 Pink and White Noise with user-defined  Selectable averaging time (Linear &
frequency range Exponential)
 Streaming WAV file from disk with RMS, Peak  A, B, C and user-defined weightings
level and active speech level calibration  Pure tone frequency and amplitude
 Equalization using calibration measurements extraction with “snap to max”
or any user-defined curve  Delta and Harmonic cursor with THD
readout
Multimeter  Selectable graphical zoom
 AC RMS, AC Peak and DC levels (Average,  View last waveform of current spectrum
Max Hold, Min Hold) with overload indication
 Save to memory of current spectrum
 Linear and Continuous-Moving averaging time
(fast, slow, and user-defined)
Real-Time Analyzer
 Linear and Exponential averaging time (Fast,
Slow, and user-defined)  1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/24 octave filters with
true digital recursive filters
 A, B, C and user-defined weightings
 Average, Maximum, Minimum level with
 Selectable Max/Min limits with Pass/Fail overload and real time indicators
indication
 A, B, C and user defined weighting filters
 Save and Recall specific multimeter settings
 Complies with ANSI S1.11 and IEC 1260
 Fixed or auto-tracking bandpass filter option
 Linear and Exponential averaging time
 ‘Linear Repeating’ averaging mode (Fast, Slow, and user-defined)
Oscilloscope Real Time Distortion Analyzer

 Triggering  continuous real time measurement of output
 Delta cursor distortion
 Selectable graphical zoom  Select THD / THD+N, THD / THD+N
Residual and SINAD
 View spectrum of current waveform
 A, B, and C weighting filters along with user-
defined arbitrary weighting functions
 Distortion over time using optional strip
chart recorder
SoundCheck® 20.0 Available Functionality 659

Instruction Manual
Frequency Counter  Calibration with external, absolute source
including acoustic, vibration, or voltage.
 High resolution frequency measurement
 User-defined physical units (e.g. Pa, V, G,
 Frequency value can be saved to the Memory etc.)
List for use in a sequence
 Complex Equalization (amplitude and phase)
of input and output devices (e.g. microphones
Strip Chart Recorder and amplifiers). If the output device is an
acoustic source, (e.g. loudspeaker, mouth
 Provides measurement over time capability for
simulator), SoundCheck can automatically
the multimeter, distortion analyzer and
equalize any test signal including arbitrary
frequency counter
signals.
 Plot continuously or for a predefined amount of
 Import of EQ/Correction curves for
time and plot instantaneous results or
transducers
repeating averages
 Curves and Values can be saved to the
Memory List for use in a sequence Messages
 Message steps initiated based on Pass/Fail
SoundCheck Step Editors conditions
 Display text message in local language, input
numeric values, Yes/No dialog
Hardware
 Digital I/O
 Windows Multimedia devices including sound
cards with ASIO drivers (PCI, PCMCIA, USB,  IEEE-488 and RS-232
Fire wire), Bluetooth, and VoIP.  Controls for AmpConnect 621™,
 Apple’s Core Audio devices (SoundCheck Mac AmpConnect ISC™ AudioConnect™,
version) AudioConnect 4×4™ , SoundConnect 2™ ,
DC Connect™, BTC-4148/4149 and BQC-
 NI DAQmx data acquisition cards including 4148/4149 setup
NI 4461
 Calibration and settings including sampling Stimulus
rate, bit depth, analog or digital audio,
maximum voltage, and alias free frequency  Log sweep (“Farina” sweep)
limit.  Sine (stepped – any linear or logarithmic
 I/O cards for TTL relay control resolution, and amplitude sweep)
 Computer interfaces control with RS-232,  Two-tone (two sweeping tones for Difference
GPIB (IEEE-488), footswitch and buzzer. Frequency Distortion or one fixed and one
sweeping tone for IM)
 Configuration for AmpConnect™,
AudioConnect™, AudioConnect 4×4™,  Multitone with linear or logarithmic spacing
SoundConnect 2™ , DC Connect™, BTC -  Noise (pink, white, MLS with user-defined
4148/4149 and BQC-4148/4149 bandpass range)
 Multichannel configuration with table view of  Arbitrary (any WAV file)
channels
 Equalization
Calibration  DC (requires Listen DC Connect or National

Instruments hardware)
 Measure Input and Output sensitivities for
 Sweep Equalization for Minimized Transients -
transducers, amplifiers, and signal conditioning
Selecting equalization enables a smooth
devices using built-in routines and store
transition between steps in stepped sine
calibration history
amplitude and frequency sweeps
660 Available Functionality SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Acquisition deconvolved time response and choice of
time windows.
 Play & Record, or any combination of Signal
Generator, Multimeter, RTA, and FFT  Heterodyne to measure frequency and
phase response with optimal accuracy
 Capture response time waveform as WAV file
 HarmonicTrak™ Algorithm tracks level and
 Simultaneous acquisition using up to 64 phase of any user-selected harmonics
channels including sub-harmonics or intermodulation
 Triggered record, Frequency Trigger, Level & products; no limit to number of harmonics
Freq Trigger and Level & Cross-Correlation  Loose particle detection
Trigger
 Multitone
 Record level monitoring
 RTA Spectrum & frequency response
Analysis  Transfer function between any two channels

Distortion
Time
 THD and Rub & Buzz
 Impulse Response
 Normalized THD and Rub & Buzz distortion
 Auto-Correlation (harmonics compared to amplitude of
 Cross-Correlation fundamental at measured frequency)
 Time Envelope  Perceptual Rub & Buzz in phons
 Loose particle detection  THD + Noise
 Automatic delay compensation  Intermodulation or Difference Frequency
Frequency  Difference Frequency
 FFT & DFT (any size), and Nth octave  Non-Coherent Distortion
resolution
 Hann, Blackman-Harris and Flat Top windows Autosave
 Auto-spectrum & Cross-spectrum
 Save to SoundCheck binary formats: .dat,
 Spectral Scaling: RMS or Power Density .res and .wfm
 Frequency and phase response including  WAV
harmonics
 SQL & MS Access databases
 Complex or power averaging
 MATLAB
 Relative or absolute response
 MS Excel
 Coherent Output Power
 ASCII text
 Coherence & Non-Coherence
 Signal-to-Noise Ratio Recall
 Measurement Confidence
 Automatically recall data or results
 Impedance
Algorithms Post-processing
 Broadband RMS to measure unfiltered level
of an AC or DC signal  Complex math: Addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, offset by constant (X,
 Average FFT Spectrum Y, or Z dimensions), change sign, reciprocal,
 Time Selective Response (‘Farina” method) to absolute value, square, square root,
measure free-field and impulse response of exponential, and logarithm
fundamental AND harmonics. This includes  Scalar (Ave, Power, Max, Min, Resonant
Frequency, Q, Notch, Loudness)

Instruction Manual
 Windowing (time and frequency)  Aligned to a pre-defined value (e.g. 0 dB at
1 kHz)
 User-defined Equations (e.g. Thiele-Small
parameters)  Dynamic, using live measurements
 Change resolution to Nth octave or user  Waveforms, single values, and curves
defined linear or logarithmic  Control of significant digits
 Nth Octave synthesis  Margin, Critical and Failed points
 Power Summation of any user-defined
frequency range
Display
 Group delay
 Multiple displays on separate tabs allow
 Unwrapped phase viewing of curves, single values, and test
 Search range to find intersection of two curves results with PASS/FAIL indicators
(e.g. -3dB points of crossover network)  Display windows can be saved to Word or as
 Curve smoothing with 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, and 1/24 HTML document
octave or user-defined linear or log resolution  Curves with different units (e.g. dBSPL and
 Loudness rating according to IEEE and ITU-T; Ohms) can be displayed in one graph with no
example sequences for TIA and other industry limit to number of curves displayed in a single
standards included graph
 Attack & Release time calculates the time for  Displays include XY graph, table, results, text,
the response signal to rise or decay, polar plots and embedded images
respectively, by a user-defined amplitude in dB  Default template and duplicate
or linear units
 Save to image file
 Directivity Index
 Lock Memory List and displays to protect
 Resampling and sampling rate correction display layout
 FFT / Inverse FFT  Memory List data search function
 Zwicker loudness (level and spectrum)
 Standard & arbitrary waveform filtering Printing
 Active speech level (ITU-T P.56)  Report generation to Excel, Word, HTML or
image files
 Average curve
 Use of templates (Excel, Word)
Statistics  Print preview
 Average  Direct print to file or printer
 Max, Min, Mean  Automatic file naming
 Standard Deviation with user-defined sigma

Custom Steps
 Process Control (Cp & Cpk)
Outline ET250-3D Turntable Control
 Best and Worst Fit to Average with ranking
 Ethernet control for the Outline ET250-3D
 Yield turntable
 Histogram and bell curve fit Instrument Open Close
 Template for creating a custom step
Limits combining your LabVIEW code with
SoundCheck virtual instruments
 Pass/Fail
System Custom Step
 Absolute
 Run Command Line operations as part of a
 Floating (x & y directions) sequence
662 Available Functionality SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
Mixer Volume
 Control input / output levels of a 2 channel WDM / WASAPI / Core Audio device
RS232 Read Integer
 Programming example that reads the integer value from an external RS232 device
Serial Number Write Read
 Programming example for creating a custom vi to read or write to the SoundCheck serial number field
Empty Memory List Item
 Creates place holder for data for use with LabVIEW
Open Before Converting Old Custom VIs
 Tool for updating your Custom VIs to latest version of SoundCheck / LabVIEW
Automation
 Pass test configuration to and from external programs
 TCP/IP commands
 Python command library

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
Glossary
Term Definition
A2DP A Bluetooth profile that allows for streaming stereo audio between, e.g., an MP3 player and
headphones or speakers. (aka: Bluetooth Audio Streaming)
Absolute Standard The standard deviation calculated at each point of the curve. See Statistics chapter for formula.
Deviation
algorithm A procedure for solving a mathematical problem in a finite number of steps that frequently
involves repetition of an operation. Algorithm here refers specifically to a procedure that
encodes audio information (so that it can be sent at high speed across data lines) and decodes
the transmitted information into audio at the receiving end.
Amplitude The instantaneous magnitude of an oscillating quantity such as sound pressure. The peak
amplitude is the maximum value.
Anechoic Without echo
Area of Audibility The area within which a specific sound or sounds are audible.
aptX Bluetooth codec offering better quality than SBC. Used in A2DP. See “A2DP” on page 665.
aptX HD Bluetooth codec supporting 24-bit/48 kHz audio with a bitrate of 576 kbps. aka: aptX Lossless.
See “A2DP” on page 665.
Best/Worst Fit to Determines which of the selected curves is the closest/furthest from the average of the curves.
See Statistics chapter for formula.
Average
Bluetooth Bluetooth® is a wireless standard for exchanging data between devices using UHF radio waves
Center Frequency See IEEE 269 and/or B&K Frequency Analysis Text Book definition
Conditional Branching Used in a sequence to Jump over steps in a sequence according to the Pass/Fail criteria of a
step.
Cp (statistics) A measure of process performance. The relationship of the +/- 6? value to the user specified
limits. See Statistics chapter for formula.
Cpk (statistics) The same as Cp except that it takes into consideration how centered the data is with respect to
the limits. See Statistics chapter for formula.
CPB Constant Percentage Bandwidth.
Crest Factor crest factor = absolute peak value / rms value = max[|x|]/rms(x)
CVSD Continuously variable slope delta modulation. Bluetooth codec. A compromise between
simplicity, low bitrate, and quality. Used in HFP. See “HFP” on page 667.
dB See decibel
dB (A) or dBA A sound-level meter reading with an A-weighting network simulating the human-ear response
at a loudness level of 40 phons.
dB (B) A sound-level meter reading with a B-weighting network simulating the human-ear response at
a loudness level of 70 phons. C34
dBm0 dBm0 is a digital level. 0 dBu = 775 mV = 1 mW@600 Ω. A reference voltage of 775 mV yields
1 mW with a load of 600 Ohm.
SoundCheck® 20.0 Glossary 665

Instruction Manual
dBSPL A sound-level meter reading with no weighting network in the circuit, i.e., flat. The reference
level is 20 μPa.
Decade Ten times any quantity or frequency range. The range of the human ear is about 3 decades.
Decibel A logarithmic form of any measured physical quantity and commonly used in the measurement
of sound. The decibel provides the possibility of representing a large span of signal levels in a
simple manner as opposed to using the basic unit Pascal. The difference between the sound
pressure for silence versus a loud sound is a factor of 1,000,000:1 or more, and it is not
practical to use these large numbers. Doubling of Sound Pressure = 6 dB. Doubling of Sound
Power = 3 dB. Doubling of Perceived Sound Level = 10 dB (approximately).
Decibel dB---the term used to identify ten times the common logarithm of the ratio of two like quantities
proportional to power or energy. (See Level, sound transmission loss.) One decibel
corresponds to a power ratio of 100.1.
Directivity index (DI) The difference between sound pressure level in any given direction in the acoustic far field and
the average sound pressure level in that field.
DUT Device Under Test
Equal loudness A contour representing a constant loudness for all audible frequencies. The contour having a
sound pressure level of 40 dB at 1,000 Hz is arbitrarily defined as the 40-phon contour.
contour
Equalization The process of adjusting the frequency response of a device or system to achieve a flat or
other desired response.
Far field That part of the sound field in which sound pressure decreases inversely with distance from
the source. This corresponds to a reduction of approximately 6 dB in level for each doubling
distance.
Feedback, acoustic Unwanted interaction between the output and input of an acoustical system, e.g., between the
loudspeaker and the microphone of a system.
FFT Efficient algorithm to calculate the Fourier Transform.
Filter, band pass A filter that passes all frequencies between a low-frequency cutoff point or a high-frequency
cutoff point.C55
Filter, high pass A filter that passes all frequencies above a cutoff frequency.
Filter, low pass A filter that passes all frequencies below a certain cutoff frequency.
Fletcher-Munson Our sensitivity to sound depends on its frequency and volume. Human ears are most sensitive
to sounds in the midrange. At lower volume levels humans are less sensitive to sounds away
Curve from the midrange, bass and treble sounds "Seem" reduced in intensity at lower listening
levels.
Fourier analysis Application of the Fourier transform to a signal to determine its spectrum.
Free field An environment in which a sound wave may propagate in all directions without obstructions or
reflections. Anechoic rooms can produce such an environment under controlled conditions.
Frequency The number of times per second that the sine wave of sound repeats itself. It can be expressed
in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). Frequency equals Speed of Sound / Wavelength.
Frequency Masking Principle where louder sounds render soft sounds inaudible in nearby frequency bands. This is
the principle behind perceptual encoding.
Frequency response The changes in the sensitivity of a circuit, device, or room with frequency.
FSD Full Scale Deflection
full duplex Telco communication that is bi-directional. ISDN is full duplex, so each end of the connection
can simultaneously transmit to the other.
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Instruction Manual
Fundamental The lowest frequency of a note in a complex wave form or chord.
G.711 Refers to the transmission of audio via a POTS (Plain Old Telephone) circuit. Frequency
response is limited to about 3.5 kHz.
Gain To increase in level. The function of a volume control.
GUI Graphical User Interface
Handshaking Protocols usually implemented in hardware that let one data device tell another that conditions
are right (or wrong) for communications. A simple example: a printer telling a computer that it is
OK to print.
Harmonics Also called overtones, these are vibrations at frequencies that are multiples of the
fundamentals. Harmonics extend without limit beyond the audible range. They are
characterized as even-order and odd-order harmonics. A second-order harmonic is two times
the frequency of the fundamental; a third order is three times the fundamental; a fourth order is
four times the fundamental; and so forth. Each even-order harmonic second, fourth, sixth, etc.-
is one octave or multiples of one octave higher than the fundamental; these even-order
overtones are therefore musically related to the fundamental. Odd-order harmonics, on the
other hand third, fifth, seventh, and up-create a series of notes that are not related to any
octave overtones and therefore may have an unpleasant sound. Audio systems that emphasize
odd-order harmonics tend to have a harsh, hard quality.
Hearing Range A healthy young person generally can hear frequencies from approximately 20 Hz to 20000 Hz,
and sound pressure levels from 0 dB to 130 dB or more (threshold of pain). The smallest
(human) perceptible change is 1 dB.
Hearing sensitivity The human ear is less sensitive at low frequencies than in the midrange. Turn your volume
knob down and notice how the bass seems to "disappear". To hear low bass requires an
adequate SPL level. To hear 25 Hz requires a much higher SPL level than to hear 250 Hz.
Hertz The unit of frequency, abbreviated Hz. The same as cycles per second.
HFP Hands Free Profile. Bluetooth profile that allows for voice transmission between, e.g., a mobile
phone and a wireless headset or a car kit.
High-pass filter See Filter, high pass.
Impedance The opposition to the flow of electric or acoustic energy measured in Ohms (Ω).
Impulse A very short, transient, electric or acoustic signal.
Impulse response Sound pressure versus time measurement showing how a device or room responds to an
impulse.
In phase Two periodic waves reaching peaks and going through zero at the same instant are said to be
"in phase."
Infrasound Frequencies below 20 Hz. Humans perceive frequencies below about 20 Hz as pressure rather
than sound.
Inverse-square law Under far field/free field conditions, sound intensity varies inversely with the square of the
distance from the source. In pure spherical divergence of sound from a point source in free
space, the sound pressure level decreases 6 dB for each doubling of the distance.
Loudness The subjective judgment of intensity of a sound by humans. Loudness depends upon the sound
pressure and frequency of the stimulus. Loudness was defined by Fletcher and Munson (1933)
as a physiological description of the magnitude of an auditory sensation. The definition of
loudness was later refined as a definition of the attribute of auditory sensation corresponding
most closely to the physical measurement of sound intensity, but is not always accurate.
Loudness is a subjective quantity and all measurement techniques are based on assumptions
and interpretation.

Instruction Manual
Masking The process by which the threshold of audibility for a sound is raised by the presence of
another (masking) sound. A masking noise is one that is intense enough to render inaudible or
unintelligible another sound that is also present.
Max (statistics) The maximum value at each point of the curves being compared.
Mean (statistics) The average value at each point of the curves being compared
Microphone An acoustical-to-electrical transducer by which sound waves in air are converted to electrical
signals.
Min (statistics) The minimum value at each point of the curves being compared.
mSBC A mono version of the SBC Bluetooth codec. aka: Wide Band Speech (WBS). Used in
Bluetooth HFP. See “HFP” on page 667.
NaN Not a Number
Near field Locations close to the sound source between the source and the far field. The near field is
typically characterized by large sound pressure level variations with small changes in
measurement position from the source. This is a physical region in space where the inverse
square law does not apply.
Noise Traditionally, noise has been defined as unwanted, undesired, or unpleasant sound. This
makes noise a subjective term. Sounds that may be unwanted and undesired by some may be
wanted and desirable by others. Noise is sound, as defined in this document: a pressure
variation, etc. In order to keep terms used in soundscape management as non-subjective as
possible, sounds should be classified as either appropriate or inappropriate, rather than as
"noise." or "sound." The appropriateness of any sound in a given area of a park will depend on
a variety of factors, including the management objectives of that area.
Noise Free Interval The length of the continuous period of time during which only natural sounds are audible.
Though little research has been conducted to relate how this measure correlates with visitor
(natural sounds only) judgments or with common experiences in park settings, it should provide a reasonable
measure of the existence and availability of periods with only natural sounds. It is also a metric
that requires no acoustics knowledge to be meaningful. Over the coming years of soundscape
data collection, the NPS will acquire such data and develop an understanding of how this
metric can best be used to aid in assessing and managing park soundscapes.
Octave An octave is a doubling or halving of frequency. 20 Hz-40 Hz is often considered the bottom
octave. For each octave lower in frequency that a speaker tries to reproduce, the speaker
needs to move four times as much air!
Octave Band The segment of the frequency spectrum separated by an octave.
Octave bands Frequency ranges in which the upper limit of each band is twice the lower limit. Octave bands
are identified by their geometric mean frequency, or center frequency.
One-third octave Frequency ranges where each octave is divided into one-third octaves with the upper
frequency limit being 2* (1.26) times the lower frequency. Identified by the geometric mean
bands frequency of each band.
Open Loop Test Stimulating and capturing responses from a device where you don’t have direct access to the
microphone or speaker.
OSPL 90 Output Sound Pressure Level 90: The output (saturation) sound pressure level with a 90dB
SPL input level, which is measured over a frequency range. See OSPL 90 example sequence.
Peak sound pressure LPK[nd] ----ten times the common logarithm of the square of the ratio of the largest absolute
value of the instantaneous sound pressure in a stated frequency band during a specified time
level interval to the reference sound pressure of 20 micro pascals.
Percent Time Above The amount of time that sound levels from human-caused sound(s) are greater than sound
levels of natural ambient sounds in a given area. This measure is not specific to the hearing
Natural Ambient ability of a given animal, but a measure of when and how long human-caused sound levels
exceed natural ambient sound levels.

Instruction Manual
Percent Time Audible The amount of time that various sound sources are audible to animals, including humans, with
normal hearing (hearing ability varies among animals). A sound may be above natural ambient
sound pressure levels, but still not audible to some animals. This information is essential for
measuring and monitoring human-caused noise in national parks. These data can be collected
by either a trained observer (attended logging) or by making high-quality digital recordings (for
later playback). Percent Time Audible is useful because it is a measure that is understandable
without any acoustics knowledge. It is a measure that can be specific to a given animal, and it
is a metric that correlates well with park visitor judgments of annoyance and with visitor reports
of interference from certain noise sources with natural quiet and the sounds of nature.
Phase Phase is the measure of progression of a periodic wave. Phase identifies the position at any
instant which a periodic wave occupies in its cycle. It can also be described as the time
relationship between two signals.
Phase shift The time or angular difference between two signals.
Phon The loudness level in phons of any sound is defined as being numerically equal to the dBSPL
of a 1000 Hz tone that is judged by the average observer to be equally loud.
Pink noise Noise with a continuous frequency spectrum and with equal power per constant percentage
bandwidth. For example, equal power is any one-third octave band.
Pitch A subjective term for the perceived frequency of a tone.
Polarity The positive or negative direction of an electrical, acoustical, or magnetic force. Two identical
signals in opposite polarity are 180 degrees apart at all frequencies. Polarity is not frequency
dependent.
POTS Plain Old Telephone Service. Standard analog phone lines used for voice and computer
modem operation.
Power Sum Calculates the square root of the sum of the squares of each Y value in a spectrum. See Power
Sum of Curve on page 257.
Pressure Microphone Used to measure the sound pressure on the microphone diaphragm. Typically used to measure
the sound pressure in a coupler or measure the sound pressure on a wall.
Pressure zone As sound waves strike a solid surface, the particle velocity is zero at the surface and the
pressure is high, which creates a high-pressure layer near the surface.
Pure tone A tone with no harmonics. All energy is concentrated at a single frequency.
Random noise A noise signal, commonly used in measurements, which has constantly shifting amplitude,
phase, and a uniform spectral distribution of energy.
Reflection For large surfaces compared to the wavelength of impinging sound, sound is reflected much as
light is reflected, with the angle of incidence equaling the angle of reflection.
Refraction The bending of sound waves traveling through layered media with different sound velocities.
Resistance The quality of electrical or acoustical circuits that results in dissipation of energy through heat.
Resonance A natural periodicity, or the reinforcement associated with this periodicity.
Resonant frequency Any system has a resonance at some particular frequency. At that frequency, even a slight
amount of energy can cause the system to vibrate. A stretched piano string, when plucked, will
vibrate for a while at a certain fundamental frequency. Plucked again, it will again vibrate at that
same frequency. This is its natural or resonant frequency. While this is the basis of musical
instruments, it is undesirable in music-reproducing instruments like audio equipment.
Response See frequency response.
Reverberant sound The sound in an enclosed or partially enclosed space that has been reflected repeatedly or
continuously from the boundaries.
field

Instruction Manual
Reverberation The persistence of sound in an enclosed or partially enclosed space after the source of sound
has stopped; by extension, in some contexts, the sound that so persists.
Reverberation room A room so designed that the reverberant sound field closely approximates a diffuse sound field,
both in the steady state when the sound source is on, and during the decay after the source of
sound has stopped.C125
Reverberation time The tailing off of a sound in an enclosure because of multiple reflections from the boundaries.
Root Mean Square Square root of the average of the squares of the signal. Measures the power of a signal.
(RMS)
RS232 electronic specification for serial data connections between digital terminal equipment (DTE)
and data communications equipment. (DCE) Signal is unbalanced. May be either synchronous
or asynchronous. Can reside on multiple connector sizes, but most commonly appear on DB9/
DB25 connectors. 50' transmission limit.
S/PDIF Sony/Philips Digital InterFace. Standard 2-channel digital audio interface found on many
consumer-oriented products.
sample rate The rate at which an analog signal is sampled, or digitized. For instance, when digitizing audio
for a CD, the audio is captured at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz, or 44,100 times per second,
creating a very close, but not perfect, digital representation of the analog waveform.
SBC Low-complexity subband codec. The only Bluetooth codec that must be supported for A2DP.
See “A2DP” on page 665.
SC SoundCheck®
Self-noise, n Extraneous non-acoustical signals, generated or induced in a measurement system.
Signal-to-noise (SN) The range or distance between the noise floor (the noise level of the equipment itself) and the
test signal or program material.
ratio
Sine wave A periodic wave related to simple harmonic motion.
Sone The unit of measurement for subjective loudness.
Sound A wave motion in air, water, or other media. It is the rapid oscillatory compressional changes in
a medium that propagate to distant points. It is characterized by changes in density, pressure,
motion, and temperature as well as other physical properties. Not all rapid changes in the
medium are sound (e.g., wind distortion on a microphone diaphragm).
Sound attenuation The reduction of the intensity of sound as it travels from the source to a receiving location.
Sound absorption is often involved as, for instance, in a lined duct. Spherical spreading and
scattering are other attenuation mechanisms.
Sound energy, E [ML2T-2]; J-energy added to an elastic medium by the presence of sound, consisting of
potential energy in the form of deviations from static pressure and of kinetic energy in the form
of particle velocity.
Sound insulation The capacity of a structure to prevent sound from reaching a receiving location. Sound energy
is not necessarily absorbed; impedance mismatch, or reflection back toward the source, is
often the principal mechanism.
Sound intensity, I [MT-3]; W/m2 the quotient obtained when the average rate of energy flow in a specified
direction and sense is divided by the area, perpendicular to that direction, through or toward
which it flows. The intensity at a point is the limit of that quotient as the area that includes the
point approaches zero.
Sound isolation The degree of acoustical separation between two locations, especially adjacent rooms.
Sound level Of airborne sound, a sound pressure level obtained using a signal to which a standard
frequency-weighting has been applied.

Instruction Manual
Sound Level The weighted sound pressure level obtained by frequency weighting, generally A- or C-
weighted. The weighting used must be clearly stated: For L Aeq, "A" denotes that A-weighting
was used, and "eq" indicates that an equivalent level has been calculated. Hence, L Aeq is the
A-weighted, energy-equivalent sound level.
Sound Level Floor The lowest amplitude measurable by sound monitoring equipment. Most commercially
available sound level meters and microphones can detect sound levels down to about 15 to
20 dBA; however, there are microphones capable of measuring sound levels below 0 dBA.
Sound power level, Lp Of airborne sound, ten times the common logarithm of the ratio of the sound power under
consideration of the standard reference power of 1 pW. The quantity so obtained is expressed
in decibels.
Sound power, W [ML2T-3]; W---in a specified frequency band, the rate at which acoustic energy is radiated from
a source. In general, the rate of flow of sound energy, whether from a source, through an area,
or into an absorber.
Sound Pressure Fluctuations in air pressure caused by the presence of sound waves. Sound pressure is the
instantaneous difference between the actual pressure produced by a sound wave and the
average barometric pressure at a given point in space. Not all pressure fluctuations detected by
a microphone are sound (e.g., wind over the microphone). Sound pressure is measured in
Pascals (Pa), Newtons per square meter, which is the metric equivalent of pounds per square
inch.
Sound Pressure Level The logarithmic form of sound pressure. In air, 20 times the logarithm (to the base 10) of the
ratio of the actual sound pressure to a reference sound pressure (which is 20 micropascals,
(LP or SPL) and by convention has been selected to be equal to the assumed threshold of human hearing).
It is also expressed by attachment of the word decibel to the number. A 10 dB increase in SPL
represents a perceived doubling in loudness sensation and a 3 dB increase is typically a "just
noticeable difference" to an average listener.
Sound Speed The speed of sound in air is about 344 m/sec (1,130 ft/sec or 770 mph) at 70° F at sea level.
Sound waves Sound waves can be thought of like the waves in water. Frequency determines the length of the
waves; amplitude or volume determines the height of the waves. At 20 Hz, the wavelength is 56
feet long! These long waves give bass its penetrating ability, (why you can hear car boomers
blocks away).
Spectrum the distribution of the energy of a signal versus frequency.
Spectrum (Frequency The amplitude of sound at various frequencies. It is given by a set of numbers that describe the
amplitude at each frequency or band of frequencies.
Spectrum)
Spectrum analyzer An instrument for measuring, and usually recording, the spectrum of a signal.
Speech intelligibility A measure of sound clarity that indicates the ease of understanding speech. It is a complex
function of psycho acoustics, signal-to-noise ratio of the sound source, and direct-to-
reverberant energy within the listening environment.
Standard Deviation The plus/minus sigma values evaluated on each point of the curves. See Statistics chapter for
formula.
(statistics)
STFT Short Term Fourier Transform
Stweep Stepped Sine Sweep stimulus signal
Timbre The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume.
The distinctive tone of an instrument or a singing voice.

Instruction Manual
Time Weighting The response speed of the detector in a sound level meter. For Slow response, the response
speed is 1 second. Slow time weighting is frequently used in environmental sound
measurements. Fast response time is 1/8 second (0.125). This is less frequently used, but will
detect changes in sound levels more rapidly. Fast and Slow time weightings were developed, in
part, to slow needle movement (called a "decay" factor) in analog meters so investigators could
read and record sound levels. New digital sound level meters, while changing numbers rapidly
on the screen, store sound level data in memory for later analysis. This means the ability to
read numbers on the screen is less important. Hence, the most accurate "weighting" is none.
Generally, 1-second Leq data are appropriate; however, when measuring sudden onset sound
events such as sonic booms, more frequent data (many readings per second) may be
appropriate.
Tone burst A short signal used in acoustical measurements to make possible differentiating desired
signals from spurious reflections.
Total harmonic Refers to a device adding harmonics that were not in the original signal. For example: a device
that is fed a 20 Hz sine wave that is also putting out 40 Hz, 80 Hz, etc. Not usually a factor in
distortion (THD) most modern electronics, but still a significant design problem in loudspeakers.
Transient response The ability of a component to respond quickly and accurately to transients. Transient response
affects reproduction of the attack and decay characteristics of a sound.
Transients Instantaneous changes in dynamics, producing steep wave fronts.
Ultrasound Sounds or a frequency higher than 20,000 Hz.
Watt The unit of electrical or acoustical power. 1 watt = 1 joule per second
Wattage Is the unit of power used to rate the output of audio amplifiers. For a wattage number to have
meaning the distortion level and impedance must also be specified.
Wave A particular type of disturbance that travels through a medium by virtue of the elastic properties
of that medium.
Wavelength Wavelength is the distance a wave travels in the time it takes to complete one cycle. A
wavelength can be measured between successive peaks or between any two corresponding
points on the cycle. Wavelength (ft) = Speed of Sound (ft) / Frequency (Hz). (speed of sound at
sea level is 331.4 meters/second or 1087.42 feet/second).
Weighting Adjustment of the unweighted frequency response to account for a given human psycho
acoustic
White noise (ANS) Noise with a continuous frequency spectrum and with equal power per unit bandwidth. For
example, equal power in any band of 100 Hz width.
These definitions were derived from several sources, including:

Listen, Inc.
Acoustic Alliance. 2001. Glossary of Terms, Acoustic Alliance Products and Services Catalog. Provo, UT.
American National Standards Institute. 1976. Standard Acoustical Terminology, S1.1. American National Standards Institute, NY, NY.
Bruel & Kjaer. 2002. Environmental Noise. Bruel & Kjaer Sound and Vibration Measurement. Naerum, Denmark.
Everest, F. A. 2001. Master Handbook of Acoustics. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Hirschorn, M. 2002. Noise Control Reference Handbook. Sound & Vibration, Bay Village, OH.
Kelso, D. and A. Perez. 1983. Noise Control Terms Made Somewhat Easier. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, MN.
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1976. About Sound. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D. C.

Instruction Manual
INDEX ASCII .....................................................................317, 318
ASIO ................................................................................ 69
ASIO Control Panel ........................................................ 70
A ASL (Active Speech Level) .......................................... 143
Attack and Release ...................................................... 262
absolute .................................................................136, 494
Attack Time ................................................................... 263
Absolute Analysis .......................................................... 116
Audio Engineering Society standard 17 (AES17) ...... 111
Absolute Comparison Precision ..........................323, 337
audio interface 36, 39, 43, 44, 69, 71, 98, 101, 106, 158, 160,
Absolute envelope ........................................................ 219 212, 512, 614, 627, 628
Absolute Limits .....................................................323, 333 Audio Interface Calibration Sequence ....................73, 74
Absolute Response ...................................................... 169 audio interface driver ...................................................... 39
Absolute SPL level ........................................................ 498 audio interface sampling frequency ............................ 506
Absolute Standard Deviation ....................................... 409 audio interface sampling rate ..............................160, 515
Absolute Units ............................................................... 115 Auto Correlation of Response ..................................... 189
Absolute Value ......................................................255, 635 Auto Correlation of Stimulus ........................................ 189
Access Level ................................................................... 61 Auto Delay ..................................................................... 174
Acquisition ............................150, 155, 217, 405, 471, 507 Auto Increment .....................................................276, 403
Acquisition Editor ..............................................65, 78, 135 Auto Read .............................................................102, 104
Acquisition modes ........................................................ 151 Autoprotect ............................................................350, 358
Acquisition Step ...........151, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 217 Autoprotect Rules ......................................................... 351
Active Speech Level (ASL) .......................................... 143 Autosave .......................................................227, 237, 471
Active Speech Level P56 ............................................. 268 Autosave Editor ............................................227, 238, 349
ActiveX Call method ..................................................... 558 Autosave sequence ...................................................... 239
ActiveX Control .....................................................557, 651 Autosave Step ............................. 227, 236, 239, 352, 403
ActiveX Interface ........................................................... 558 Average Curve .............................................................. 250
Add ................................................................195, 245, 653 Average Waveform ....................................................... 250
Add Input Data Name ................................................... 331 Averaging Time .....................................................506, 517
Add New Mic ................................................................. 103 Axis ................................................................................ 235
Add… and Clear buttons .............................................. 245 Axis response curves ................................................... 276
Additional Software ....................................................... 621 Axis Scaling, Zoom and Style Controls ....................... 504
Administrative Rights ........................................................ 2
A-law .............................................................................. 113
Algorithm Details ........................................................... 167
B
Alias free freq limit .......................................................... 71 Background ................................................................... 379
Aligned Limits ........................................................323, 336 Background noise ................ 124, 150, 160, 177, 182, 219
All Curves ...................................................................... 245 Backup .............................................................................. 2
Amp Calibration - Bridged Connection ........................ 613 Balanced Audio Interface Calibration Connections .... 618
Amp Calibration Diagram - Balanced .......................... 612 Balanced vs Single-ended Connections ..................... 619
AmpConnect ................................................................... 76 Band limits .............................................................123, 144
AmpConnect Driver .......................................................... 9 Bar Plots ........................................................................ 370
Amplifier Calibration .....................................105, 106, 612 Barcode Function Key Mapping .................................. 647
Amplifier Calibration Procedure ...........................105, 106 Barcode Reader ............................................................ 647
Amplitude Sweep Excitation ........................................ 134 Barcode Symbology ..................................................... 647
Analog/Digital Radio Buttons ......................................... 73 Batch Processing ..........................................171, 250, 331
Analysis 151, 405, 471, 503, 508, 510, 627, 628, 639, 640 Best Fit .......................................................................... 333
Analysis Editor ............................... 98, 100, 116, 117, 135 binary format ................................................................. 585
Analysis Setting ............................................................ 194 Bluetooth ............................................................... 112, 191
Analysis Step ....................................... 116, 151, 172, 217 Broadband or Spectrum Algorithms ............................ 135
Analysis Step Distortion tab ......................................... 197 Broadband RMS ........................................................... 177
Anti-Aliased ................................................................... 370 BT Product - SoundMap ............................................... 424
Appendix ...............................................................621, 627 Buttons ............................................................................ 60
Appendix 15 - PXI/PCI 4461 Installation .............607, 655 Buzzer On/Off Message ............................................... 621
Apply Correction In ....................................................... 170
Apply Correction Out .................................................... 170
Arithmetic ...................................................................... 251
SoundCheck® 20.0 INDEX 673

Instruction Manual
C Creating a sequence .................................................... 344
Creating an Equalized WAV File ................................. 495
Calculate Spectrum ...................................................... 511
Creating or editing very large equations ..................... 272
Calibrate ................................................................612, 614
Cross Correlation of Stimulus and Response ............ 189
Calibrate Device ...................................................101, 108
Cross-Correlation ......................................................... 189
Calibrating SoundCheck ................................................98
cross-spectrum ............................................................. 191
Calibration 33, 61, 94, 96, 98, 101, 103, 105, 110, 125, 213, 494,
510, 613 Cumulative Spectral Decay (CSD) - SoundMap 420, 423, 435
Calibration Basics ...........................................................87 Current Source level ..................................................... 163
Calibration Configuration ..................... 44, 85, 98, 99, 116 Cursor .......................49, 59, 134, 380, 381, 503, 509, 630
Calibration Editor ............................... 85, 98, 99, 105, 612 Cursor 1 ......................................................................... 503
Calibration folder .............................................................98 Curve 99, 116, 117, 168, 172, 173, 210, 245, 246, 250, 251, 252,
253, 259, 269, 270, 271, 273, 274, 276, 321, 323, 324, 325, 333,
Calibration procedure ...........................................108, 109 334, 336, 362, 379, 380, 386, 393, 408, 414, 464, 503, 507, 653
Calibration Sequence ................................ 94, 96, 98, 102 Curve Attributes ............................................................ 504
Calibration setup ...........................................................492 Curve Average .............................................................. 328
Calibration Setup menu ..................................................98 Curve menu .................................................................. 393
Call method of the VI object .........................................558 Curve Name ..................................................151, 161, 172
Change Sign .................................................................254 Curve Names to be Recalled ....................................... 245
Change the output level .................................................59 Curve Naming Best Practices ...................................... 173
Changing curve names ................................................172 Curve Resolution ..................................................185, 194
Channel .................................................................212, 217 Curves ........................................................................... 344
Channel assignment .............................................135, 137 Curves and Values .......................................271, 405, 408
Choose the interface type ............................................316 Curves Generated ........................................................ 464
CLEAR Distortion Measurement .................................202 Curves tab ..................................................................... 162
Code 39 .........................................................................647 Curves, Values, Results and WFM .... 344, 350, 362, 381
Color - Graph Line ........................................................369 Custom calibration sequence ........................................ 98
Column delimiter ...........................................................651 Custom Curve Name ....................................172, 173, 331
Command Input ............................................................562 Custom Group .............................................................. 355
Command line options ..................................................558 Custom header fields ................................................... 235
Comment - Memory List .......................................354, 358 Custom Step ................................................................. 461
Comment Step ..............................................................477 Custom Stimulus .......................................................... 127
Common Plots ..............................................................369 Custom VI .......................................................64, 461, 464
Communication Interface ...............................................80
Complex Averaging .......................................................191
Complex data curve ......................................................253 D
Complex Stweeps .........................................................131 DAQmx ..................................................... 64, 82, 494, 608
Computer Interface type .........................................80, 315 DAT file .........................233, 239, 241, 391, 585, 586, 588
Computer Setup ................................................................2 Data acquisition card ..............................................32, 217
Conditional Branching ................................. 469, 476, 478 Data curve ..................................................................... 561
Confidence and Noise ..................................................210 Data folder ..................................................................... 246
Confidence limits ..........................................................210 Data Import Wizard ...................................................... 348
Configure Steps ............................................................470 Data Import Wizard Tutorial ......................................... 651
Constant ............................................... 108, 252, 253, 271 Data Menu ............................................ 350, 352, 353, 356
Constant-Percentage Bandwidth .........................160, 512 Data Menu - Memory List .....................................353, 356
Context Sensitive Help .................................. 49, 272, 358 Data or Results ............................................................. 238
Controls ..........................47, 503, 504, 507, 509, 511, 515 Data Source Name (DSN) ........................................... 229
Controls for the Oscilloscope ....................................... 511 Database .......................................................229, 230, 239
ControlSC.vi ..................................................................561 dB level ..................................................................103, 104
Convert linear units .........................................................97 dB or linear units ........................................................... 125
Correction curve .....................................................99, 507 dBm0 ............................................................................. 112
Cp .................................................................................. 411 DC Connect ........................... 78, 122, 123, 137, 163, 217
Cpk .........................................................................411, 412 DC Connect Acquisition Step ...................................... 163
Creating a Custom Setup .............................................464 DC Connect Driver ........................................................... 9
Creating a Custom VI ...................................................461 DC Connect measurement .......................................... 217
Creating a New Sequence ...........................................479 DC Connect Mode - Acquisition .................................. 163
674 INDEX SoundCheck® 20.0

Instruction Manual
DC Current Waveform .................................................. 217 EQ curve ....................................................................... 494
DC voltage ......................................................78, 123, 217 Equalization and Correction Curve ............................... 99
DC Voltage Waveform .................................................. 217 Equalization curve ................................................100, 494
Decimal ASCII code ...................................................... 318 Equalize a WAV file ...................................................... 494
Deconvolved Response ............................................... 183 Equivalent Noise Bandwidth ........................................ 258
Default Action for new steps ........................................ 477 Est. Level ...................................................................... 503
Default calibration sequences ........................................ 98 Est. Notch ...................................................................... 259
Default sweep direction ................................................ 119 Est. Resonance ............................................................ 259
Define Linear Units ......................................................... 97 Excel file ........................................................231, 235, 386
Define Logarithmic Units ................................................ 97 Excel format .................................................................. 386
Defining the Input and Output Signals .......................... 96 Excel spreadsheet ........................................................ 386
Defining the Units - Calibration ...................................... 96 Excel Template .....................................................232, 235
Delay ......................................72, 124, 150, 155, 161, 639 Excel Template Tutorial ................................................ 641
Delimiter ................................................................235, 651 Excel workbook .....................................................231, 386
Delta ......................................................................504, 508 Exp ................................................................................. 255
Delta µs .................................................................158, 159 Exponent ....................................................................... 255
Dialog Message ............................................................ 310 Export sequence .............................................47, 245, 481
Difference Frequency Distortion ..........................140, 206 Export to Excel .............................................................. 376
Difference frequency stimulus ..................................... 140 Exporting to Excel ......................................................... 386
Digital I/O ........................................ 81, 295, 300, 313, 471 External buzzer .........................................................3, 621
Digital recursive filter .................................................... 160 External footswitch .................................... 3, 80, 615, 621
Direct Calibration .......................................................... 107 External Interface .........................................295, 315, 615
Directivity Index ............................................................ 276
Display 60, 116, 117, 160, 185, 235, 344, 386, 391, 471, 503,
622
F
Display A/B - Print Step ................................................ 391 Fail verdict ..................................................................... 337
Display Curve ................................................................ 375 FFT ................................................................................ 256
Display decibel values .................................................. 100 FFT analysis ................................................................. 510
Display Editing .............................................................. 362 FFT Controls .........................................................503, 629
Display Editor ........................................................ 117, 252 FFT display ................................................................... 630
Display layout ................................................................ 383 FFT Spectrum ...............................................177, 178, 277
Display menu .......................362, 377, 381, 383, 391, 408 File Menu ............................................. 362, 383, 391, 481
Display menu - Polar Plot ............................................ 377 File Path ................................................................227, 242
Display Step 172, 239, 270, 343, 375, 387, 388, 392, 408, 414, File path ......................................................................... 245
464 File path to Recall ......................................................... 244
Display Step on FAIL .................................................... 476 File Types ...................................................................... 244
Display step when run ..........................................476, 622 Filename ............................................... 227, 237, 238, 390
Display Tabs .................................................................. 361 Filename template ........................................................ 237
Display type ................................................................... 506 Fill Base Line ................................................................ 370
Display XY Plot - Polar Plot ......................................... 380 Filter ........................................ 32, 162, 177, 233, 512, 515
Displays ......................................................................... 361 Fitted curve ................................................................... 259
Distortion 123, 140, 141, 142, 149, 180, 194, 195, 196, 197, 206, Floating Data .........................................................323, 335
324, 639, 640
Floating Limits .......................................................323, 333
DSN .......................................................................229, 230
Floating Point Notation .........................................235, 386
Dual-Channel ................................................................ 188
Floating Point Number ................................................. 636
Dynamic Limits .............................................................. 327
Folder Path ...................................................................... 53
Footswitch and Buzzer Control .................................... 621
E Fourier transform .......................................................... 639
Editing Sequence ......................................................... 473 Free field ....................................................................... 639
Empty curve .................................................................. 245 Frequency Analysis ...................................................... 512
ENBW ............................................................................ 258 Frequency and Output Level ....................................... 156
Energy Time Curve ....................................................... 185 Frequency curve ...................................................252, 257
Energy Time Curve - SoundMap ................................. 445 Frequency or time analysis .......................................... 503
Engineer level ................................................................. 61 Frequency or time headers .......................................... 233
ePRB ............................................................................. 202 Frequency response curve ..................................324, 334

Instruction Manual
Frequency Shift ............................................ 278, 279, 347 Impedance ................... 101, 105, 211, 212, 295, 616, 617
Frequency stepped-sine sweep (Stweep™) .......119, 124 Impedance Measurement Details ................................ 213
Frequency Trigger .........................................................152 Impedance Measurement Interface Box .............212, 616
Frequency Window .......................................................273 Impedance of device under test .................................. 213
FS ..........................................................................136, 494 Impedance response .................................................... 212
Impedance .................................................................... 211
Impedance, Headphone ............................................... 216
G
Import Data Wizard Tutorial ......................................... 348
Generator & Multimeter ................................................161 Impulse Response ........................................................ 185
Generator & Oscilloscope ............................................162 Incrementation .............................................................. 276
Generator & Real Time Analyzer .................................162 Index ............................................. 121, 238, 320, 389, 477
Generator Output Level ................................................629 Individual ....................................................................... 413
Global Energy Spectrum - SoundMap ........................445 Input (Vp) and Output (Vp) ............................................ 72
Global Spectrum - SoundMap .....................................426 Input and output channels ............................................. 72
Graph properties ...........................................................375 Input Calibration ........................................................... 101
Graphs and Cursors .......................................................60 Input Channel .......................................................507, 508
Ground Loop .................................................................629 Input Monitor ................................................................. 296
Group .............................................................................256 Input range of the audio interface ................................ 101
Group Delay ......................................... 254, 256, 291, 426 Input Signal Path 87, 89, 93, 105, 108, 147, 217, 482, 506, 507,
Grouping ........................................................................354 515, 629
Insert .............................................................................. 470
H Instantaneous Frequency - SoundMap ....................... 426
Instantaneous Spectrum - SoundMap ........................ 426
Halt on FAIL ..................................................................476
Instruments ................................................................... 485
Halt on Pass ..................................................................476
instruments ................................................................... 627
Hardware ............................................ 32, 33, 43, 405, 485
Intensity Display - SoundMap ...................................... 425
Hardware Configuration ........43, 63, 71, 72, 80, 135, 622
Interface ................................... 29, 80, 295, 316, 317, 623
Hardware Editor ............................................... 82, 99, 624
Interface Message ........................................................ 317
Hardware Key (Dongle) ..................................................10
Interface settings .......................................................... 622
Hardware Key Installation .............................................. 11
Intermodulation distortion .....................................140, 206
Hardware Step ................................................................43
Intermodulation stimulus .............................................. 140
Hardware Type External Interface ...............................615
Interpolation 251, 252, 260, 323, 332, 339, 340, 371, 589, 590
Harmonic Distortion ..................... 140, 194, 197, 206, 639
Intersection ................................................................... 270
Harmonic N shifted curves ...........................................200
Inv FFT .......................................................................... 256
HarmonicTrak 165, 180, 182, 201, 202, 206, 274, 275, 277
Inverse Fourier Transform ............................................ 185
Header .......................................... 235, 317, 349, 386, 651
Invert Curve .................................................................... 92
Header row of frequency values ..................................651
ITU Wideband Weighting Curves ................................ 262
Header Separator .........................................................317
ITU-T SLR & RLR ......................................................... 261
Headphone Amp Calibration ........................................107
ITU-T STMR .................................................................. 261
Headphone Output Pad ................................................300
Help Menu ...................................................... 49, 272, 358
Heterodyne ....................................................................182 J
Histogram ..............................................................287, 409 Jump on FAIL ................................................................ 476
HTML formatting of Text Boxes ....................................359 Jump on PASS .............................................................. 476
HTML mode ...................................................................390
Hysteresis level .....................................................219, 220
K
Keep repeated data ...................................................... 477
I keyboard shortcuts .................................................46, 629
IEC .........................................................................200, 201 Knobs .............................................................................. 60
IEEE .......................................................................200, 201
IEEE interface card .........................................................80
L
IEEE-661 OLR ..............................................................260
IM and Difference distortion .........................................123 LabVIEW .................................. 64, 80, 448, 461, 558, 635
IM Distortion ..................................................................141 LabVIEW Test Stand .................................................... 525
LabVIEW version required ........................................... 461

Instruction Manual
Last Curve Only ....................................................245, 246 Mean Instantaneous Frequency - SoundMap ............ 445
Latency ............................................................................ 72 Measurement curve ................................................60, 324
Layout ........................................... 231, 233, 235, 346, 388 Memory List 117, 121, 149, 150, 162, 165, 168, 169, 227, 238,
Legend ........................................................................... 364 251, 253, 271, 321, 325, 343, 344, 348, 350, 351, 353, 354, 356,
358, 361, 362, 375, 377, 380, 381, 392, 393, 408
Level 59, 60, 101, 102, 124, 125, 129, 134, 135, 137, 169, 180,
195, 200, 210, 219, 323, 328, 332, 380, 492, 498, 503, 504, 506, Message Step .............................. 295, 300, 318, 471, 623
509, 510 Message Step Editor ....................................118, 316, 318
Level knob .............................................................137, 139 Messages ...................................................................... 471
Level of distortion .......................................................... 196 Microphone Calibration ........................................102, 614
Level of noise ................................................................ 210 Microphone manufacturer’s specifications ................. 102
Level of the measurement ........................................... 210 Min - Stats ..................................................................... 408
Level recorder ................................................................. 32 Min Cycles ..................................................................... 124
Limit curve .............................................................324, 326 Min Cycles per Step ..................................................... 180
Limit Result ................................................................... 413 Min Duration .................................................................. 124
Limit Step ............................................. 239, 393, 414, 561 Min/Max Duration levels ............................................... 220
Limits 109, 210, 321, 323, 332, 333, 341, 376, 413, 464, 471, Minimum curve Y value ................................................ 259
639 Minimum duration ......................................................... 124
Limits Editor ..........................................................323, 324 MLS ............................................................................... 144
Limits Editor Summary Table ....................................... 323 MLSSA time file - SoundMap ....................................... 422
Limits Table ................................................................... 325 Mode field - Acquisition ................................................ 151
Line Style ....................................................................... 370 Mode Select and Cursor Readout Controls ................ 503
Line Width ..................................................................... 370 Modules ...................................................................47, 257
Line Width, Line Style ................................................... 375 Mouth Calibration and Correction ................................ 108
Linear averaging mode ................................................ 509 Mouth Simulator Calibration ........................................ 108
Linear Interpolation ....................................................... 339 MP3 player .................................................................... 191
Linear or dB units .......................................................... 134 mu-law ........................................................................... 112
Linear units ...................................................................... 97 Multimeter 101, 115, 151, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 323,
Ln - Natural Logarithm .................................................. 255 331, 485, 498, 499
Load Settings - Data Import Wizard ............................ 653 Multiple DAT files .......................................................... 348
Local Language Characters .........................309, 311, 383 Multiple Instances Virtual Instruments ........................ 488
Log Amplitude Sweep ................................................... 122 Multitone ................................................................123, 190
Log frequency scale ..................................................... 160
Log Interpolation ........................................................... 339
N
Logarithmic units ............................................................. 97
Login ..........................................................................61, 62 Naming - Best Practices ................................................ 95
Loop Index ....................................................238, 320, 477 National Instruments data acquisition card ................... 64
Loop Stimulus Level ..................................................... 477 Natural Logarithm ......................................................... 255
Loose Particle Analysis ................................................ 220 New amplifier gain settings .......................................... 612
Loudspeaker Test .................................................615, 616 Nexus output level ........................................................ 103
Loudspeaker Test Connections with Impedance Box 616 NI 4461 Analog Data Acquisition Card .......................... 82
Lower Limit curves ........................................................ 325 NI DAQmx ....................................................................... 82
Noise ........... 123, 124, 144, 150, 159, 210, 219, 485, 494
Noise curve ................................................................... 210
M Noise Floor .................................................................... 629
Main Screen .................................................................... 45 Noise signals ................................................................. 639
MAP file - SoundMap ................................................... 426 Normalize to 0 dB at 1k ................................................ 336
Margin Standard Deviation .......................................... 414 Normalized Rub and Buzz ........................................... 201
Mass Add Steps ............................................................ 470 Normalized THD ........................................................... 201
Mass Export .................................................................... 56 Notation .........................................................235, 381, 386
Master PC Configuration .............................................. 649 Nth octave .............................................................160, 162
Mathematical operator .................................................. 250 Nth octave analysis ...................................................... 485
Max - Stats .................................................................... 408 Nth Octave Synthesis ................................................... 277
Max FSD ....................................................................... 147 Numeric Fields ................................................................ 59
Maximum and Minimum frequency limits .................... 334
Maximum curve Y value ............................................... 259
Mean - Stats .................................................................. 408

Instruction Manual
O POLQA .......................................................................... 283
Post-Processing .......................... 117, 241, 249, 471, 494
Octave .......................................... 162, 269, 274, 512, 515
Post-Processing Editor ................................................. 117
Octave Band .................................................................514
Post-Processing Step ...........................................250, 328
Off Axis curves ..............................................................276
Power Averaging ........................................................... 191
Offline Tab ...............................................................46, 361
Power Sum ................................................................... 257
Operating Principles .......................................................32
Preferences .......................... 194, 235, 367, 377, 381, 386
Operation Control Buttons ............................................508
Preferences - Display 60, 366, 367, 373, 376, 378, 381, 384,
Operator ...............................295, 309, 312, 403, 414, 622 391, 395, 524
Operator level .................................................................61 Preferences - Main Screen ....... 47, 49, 57, 227, 395, 470
Operator name ........................................................61, 386 Preferences - Virtual Instrument ..............................59, 60
Optional Modules ....................................................12, 257 Preferences - Virtual Instruments ................................ 498
Oscilloscope ........ 149, 151, 158, 162, 185, 485, 503, 511 Print .................................................................61, 357, 385
Oscilloscope displays ...................................................162 Print command - Print Step .......................................... 391
Output Calibration .........................................100, 105, 116 Print Preview ................................................................. 391
Output calibration sensitivity ........................................125 Printing ..................................................................391, 471
Output correction curve ................................................100 Printing Editor ...................................... 387, 391, 392, 393
Output Level ................................................. 156, 489, 495 Printing Step ........................................ 387, 388, 392, 403
Output of audio interface ..............................................105 Process capability index .............................................. 412
Output or input levels ....................................................161 Process performance ................................................... 411
Output Signal Path 87, 88, 93, 100, 106, 108, 125, 126, 127, Process Performance Index ........................................ 411
136, 147, 150, 482, 489, 494, 650
Prompt Operator ...................................................237, 403
Overall Pass/Fail verdict ..............................................356
PROMPT TO OVERWRITE FILE ................................ 237
Overall weighted level ..................................................160
Prompt to remove pre-runs - SoundCheck.ini .............. 57
Overload Indicator ........................................................485
Protect Data ..........................................................350, 358
Overwrite - Memory List .......................................353, 358
Protect Measured ........................................................... 57
Overwrite data ...............................................................477
Protect Measured field - SoundCheck.ini ..................... 57
Protected D ................................................................... 351
P Protected Data ..............................................348, 350, 355
P56 Active Speech Level .............................................268 Protected Sequences ..................................................... 12
Pa rms ...................................................................135, 493 Pull down list ................................................................. 271
Partial Energy Time Curve - SoundMap .....................445 Python ........................................................................... 533
Partial Spectrum - SoundMap ......................................426
Partial Time Envelope - SoundMap .............................426 Q
Pass or Fail verdict ...............................................309, 376
Q .................................................................................... 259
Pass verdict ...................................................................337
Quick Start Menu ............................................................ 45
Pass/Fail limits ..............................................................326
PASS/FAIL result ..........................................................476
Pass/Fail Tolerance ..............................................327, 332 R
Password .........................................................................61 Read from DC Connect - Acquisition .......................... 163
Peak in a curve .............................................................259 Real Time Analyzer (RTA) ... 151, 160, 162, 471, 485, 512
Perceptual Rub & Buzz ................................................202 Recall Editor ..................................................241, 245, 471
Phase curve ..................................................................253 Recall Step ....................................................245, 471, 481
Physical Units .................................. 89, 96, 154, 492, 506 Reciprocal Value ........................................................... 254
Picture - Display ........................................... 343, 383, 481 Record Delay ................................................150, 155, 161
Pink and White Noise ...........................................123, 144 Record Level Monitoring .............................................. 147
Pink noise ..............................................................162, 512 Record Padding ............................................................ 150
Play & Record mode .....................................................150 Recorded Time Waveform ...................................149, 158
Play Waveform - Signal Generator ..............................493 Reference Codec .......................................................... 112
Plot Visible .....................................................................369 Reference Curve .......................................................... 276
Point Style .....................................................................371 Reference Frequency ................................................... 279
Polar Plot .............................................. 362, 377, 379, 380 Reference level ............................................................... 97
Polar Plot (Linear X turntable) .....................................477 Reference Standard calibration ................................... 246
Polar Plot display ......................................... 377, 379, 380 Relative ......................................................................... 116
Polar Plot Settings window ..........................................378

Instruction Manual
Relative Analysis ........................................................... 169 SCProcessPriority= ........................................................ 55
Relative File Path .......................................................... 242 Search ...........................................................257, 259, 270
Relative File Path Rules ............................................... 242 Search Down ................................................................ 270
Relative Response ....................................................... 169 Search Range ...............................................249, 270, 273
Release Time ................................................................ 264 Search Up ..................................................................... 270
Remote Control Switch ................................................ 624 Select multiple Signal Paths ........................................ 149
RES file ................................................ 233, 239, 241, 391 Select Print Type ........................................................... 387
Resampling ................................................................... 278 Send control message .........................................316, 317
Resampling and Frequency Shift Uses ....................... 280 Sequence .......... 2, 3, 33, 94, 98, 350, 467, 481, 557, 623
Resolution ....................123, 274, 323, 337, 503, 506, 508 Sequence Editor ....33, 227, 239, 464, 467, 469, 472, 623
Response limits ............................................................ 324 Sequence Menu ............................................................ 468
Result 165, 245, 250, 251, 271, 272, 386, 393, 413, 414, 476, Sequence Run Status .................................................... 33
507 Sequence-specific ........................................................ 470
Result margins .............................................................. 414 Serial Number ............................................................... 563
Result margins and verdicts ........................................ 392 Serial Number - Autosave ............................................ 238
Result name ..................................................250, 414, 464 Serial Number Editor ............................................403, 471
Results ........................................................................... 344 Serial Number Field ........................................................ 45
Results Display .................................... 356, 375, 376, 413 Serial Number Step ............................. 238, 239, 403, 471
Results tab ............................................................344, 375 Serial Port Control ............................... 621, 622, 623, 624
Return to Cursor button ................................................ 509 Set Breakpoint .............................................................. 477
Right .............................................................................. 373 Settings ......................................................................... 249
Right Click - Stimulus ................................................... 121 Settling ................................................. 123, 124, 181, 314
Right-click - Analysis .................................................... 184 Settling time .................................................................. 122
Right-click - Calibration .................................................. 95 Shift the curve ............................................................... 334
Right-click - Display .....255, 363, 366, 367, 369, 373, 375 Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) - SoundMap 420, 434,
Right-click - Hardware .................................................... 69 442
Right-click - Histogram ................................................. 410 Show Limits - Display ................................................... 376
Right-click - Memory List 345, 350, 353, 354, 356, 357, 358 Show Limits - Print Step ............................................... 393
Right-click - Sequence Editor 469, 470, 473, 475, 476, 479, 480 SI Units ........................... 59, 100, 115, 150, 155, 211, 521
Right-click - Stimulus .................................................... 121 Signal Flow ...................................................................... 88
Right-click - Virtual Instruments ...................155, 505, 516 Signal Generator 32, 100, 101, 115, 151, 155, 156, 161, 162,
Ring-down curve ........................................................... 185 485, 489, 627, 628
RMS Level .....................................................144, 210, 485 Signal Generator and Multimeter ................................ 161
RMS Multimeter .............................................................. 32 Signal Generator Mixing .............................................. 497
Row header ................................................................... 382 Signal Generator Synchronization ............................... 489
RS232 Interface Actions ............................................... 316 Signal level .................................................................... 157
RS232 Read Integer .............................................453, 462 Signal-to-noise ratio .............................................101, 507
RS232 Reading Messages .......................................... 319 Simplified Polarity Test ................................................. 176
RS232 Syntax ............................................................... 318 simulated free-field ...............................................183, 639
RTA .................................................................................. 82 Single Value .................................................................. 116
RTA Spectrum ............................................................... 192 Single value 117, 168, 245, 253, 254, 271, 328, 332, 393, 408
Rub & Buzz .......................................... 180, 195, 200, 201 Six types of Display windows .............................. 117, 344
Rub & Buzz Normalized ............................................... 200 Slow time constant ....................................................... 512
Running Step Display ..................................................... 46 Smoothing .............................................................249, 269
Software installation ......................................................... 3
Software-based instruments .......................................... 32
S Sorting and Grouping ................................................... 355
sample rate conversion .................................................. 70 Sound pressure level ............................................101, 102
Save As ......................................................................... 612 SoundCheck ONE .......................................................... 53
Save Data ..................................................................... 228 SoundCheck Standard header format ........................ 651
Save directly to database ............................................. 229 SoundCheck XX.ini .....2, 16, 57, 347, 369, 390, 403, 467
Save Results ................................................................. 228 SoundCheck’s ControlSC.vi ................................561, 651
Save Settings ................................................................ 653 SoundConnect 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 101, 614, 615, 616, 627, 628
Scalar ............................................................................ 257 SoundMap ..................................................................... 417
Scientific notation .......................................................... 235 Speaker Equalization ................................................... 108

Instruction Manual
Specifications ............................................... 102, 104, 326 T
Specified curve or waveform ........................................257
Table 59, 78, 270, 271, 324, 325, 326, 381, 382, 392, 408, 414,
Spectral Scaling ........................................... 179, 188, 190 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566
Spectrum Analyzer ............... 162, 503, 508, 511, 515, 629 Table display window ................................................... 381
Square - Unary Post-Processing .................................255 Table of abbreviations .................................................... 59
Square Root - Unary Post-Processing ........................255 Technician level .............................................................. 61
Standard Axis Ratio ......................................................367 Telephone ................................................................96, 323
Standard Deviation ..............210, 405, 406, 408, 409, 414 Telephone headset ....................................................... 324
Standard Header ..................................................386, 651 TELNET ......................................................................... 528
Standard Print report ....................................................392 Template Menu ............................................................. 472
Standard Print type .......................................................387 Test information ........................... 227, 236, 238, 245, 386
Start and Stop levels ....................................................139 Test Stand ..................................................................... 525
Start Level .....................................................................134 Text ........ 49, 233, 235, 238, 309, 348, 383, 471, 651, 653
statistical analysis .........................................................406 Text Box .................................................................362, 383
Statistical Process Control ...........................................407 Text display window ...................................................... 383
Statistics ....................................... 257, 405, 406, 408, 471 Text file ..................................................................228, 349
Statistics boxes .............................................................408 Text string ...................................................................... 238
Statistics calculations ...................................................405 THD Normalized ........................................................... 200
Statistics curves ............................................................405 THD plus Noise ............................................................. 198
Statistics Editor .....................................................408, 413 THD+N .......................................................................... 198
Statistics for Curves and Values ..................................408 Threshold level ............................................................. 219
Statistics for Results .....................................................416 Time Delay Spectrometry ............................................ 639
Statistics Step .............................................. 375, 405, 414 Time Domain Waveform Filter ..................................... 281
Statistics values ............................................................405 Time Envelope ..............................................185, 217, 219
Status.dat ........................................................... 3, 12, 650 Time Envelope - SoundMap ........................................ 426
Steady state background noise ...................................220 Time Envelope curve .................................................... 217
Step ......................... 33, 59, 103, 124, 134, 172, 173, 344 Time selective measurements .....................183, 639, 640
Step attribute ...................................................................33 Time Selective Response ... 165, 183, 185, 186, 202, 274
Step FFT analysis .................................................180, 206 Time Slice ...................................................................... 426
Step Size .......................................................................134 Time-Frequency Intensity Plot - SoundMap ............... 425
Steps 43, 239, 403, 405, 464, 467, 469, 470, 472, 476, 562 Time-Frequency Map - SoundMap .............................. 425
Steps # ..........................................................................134 Tolerance curves .......................................................... 327
Steps field ......................................................................134 Tolerance limits .....................................................333, 336
Steps Value ...................................................................134 Total Distortion ......................................................196, 201
Stimulus 65, 100, 110, 127, 129, 140, 141, 144, 149, 150, 151, Total Energy - SoundMap ............................................ 427
169, 177, 471
Total Harmonic Distortion ............................................. 197
Stimulus Editor .......................78, 100, 120, 125, 127, 135
Transfer Functions ........................................................ 188
Stimulus frequency .......................................................210
Transient background noise ........................................ 220
Stimulus level ................................................................169
Trigger Channel ............................................................ 506
Stimulus settings ...........................................................120
Trigger controls .....................................................506, 507
Stimulus Step ...............126, 135, 137, 163, 181, 183, 481
Trigger Level .........................................................506, 508
Stimulus Type ................................................................135
Triggered Record .......................................................... 152
Stop Level .....................................................................134
Triggering ...................................................................... 511
Strip Chart .....................................................................501
TSR ...................................................... 183, 186, 639, 640
Stweep ...................................................................124, 180
TSR Window ................................................................. 186
Sub-Total Spectrum - SoundMap ................................445
Two Tone .......................................................123, 141, 180
Summable spectrum .....................................................277
Two Tone Stimulus ....................................................... 140
Summary Table .............................................................323
TXT file .......................................................................... 391
Swept sine algorithms ..................................................639
Synchronization ............................................................496
System Calibration Structure .........................................87 U
System Hardware Configuration ..................................506 UDL or DSN .................................................................. 230
System Requirements ......................................................1 Unary ............................................................................. 253
System.cus Custom Step .....................................450, 451 Undo Autoprotect ..................................................350, 351
Undo Autoprotect Rules ............................................... 351

Instruction Manual
Units 85, 96, 98, 115, 117, 125, 139, 163, 185, 196, 210, 235, Waveforms .................................................................... 344
251, 253, 271, 327, 353, 358, 381, 393, 414, 492, 498, 503, 504, Wavelet - SoundMap ............................................421, 444
508, 511, 653
Weighting Controls ....................................................... 507
Units box ....................................................................... 117
Weighting curve ....................................................261, 276
Units button ........................................................... 116, 117
Weighting Types ........................................................... 510
Units dialog box ............................................................ 312
WFM ......................................................................344, 350
Units Overview .............................................................. 115
WFM file ............................... 233, 241, 471, 481, 585, 589
Units Setup window ...................................................... 117
WFM tab ................................................................162, 362
Units tab ................................................................ 116, 185
White Noise .......................................... 123, 144, 162, 258
Universal Data Link (UDL) ........................................... 229
Wigner-Ville - SoundMap .............................421, 436, 443
Unwrap Phase .............................................................. 255
Windowing .............................................................273, 510
Upgrading From an Earlier Version ................................. 2
Windows XP Audio Devices ........................................... 15
Upper and lower limits ..........................................324, 333
Work in mode ................................................................ 253
Upper and Lower Limits table ...................................... 325
Work in mode - Stats .................................................... 408
Upper Limit and/or Lower Limit curves ....................... 325
Workstation PC Configuration ..................................... 650
Use Custom Units ................................................. 116, 117
Wrong Status.dat Warning ............................................. 54
Use Path Name ............................................................ 150
User Defined Constants ............................................... 117
User Equation ...............................................117, 250, 271 X
User Equation Parameters window ............................. 271 X and Y axes ................................................................. 652
User Equation Syntax ...........................................272, 635 X Scale .......................................................................... 372
User name ....................................................................... 61 X, Y, and Z axis ............................................................. 233
User-defined units ........................................................ 117 XLR Balanced Connections ......................................... 612
Using the Graph Cursors ............................................. 509 XY Graph 172, 195, 252, 343, 344, 356, 375, 377, 378, 380,
392, 408, 409
V
V rms .....................................................................135, 493
Y
Values ....................................................................271, 344 your step name here Editor.vi ...................................... 463
Verdict ............................................................376, 413, 414 your step name here.vi ................................................. 461
Verdict of the Statistics Step ........................................ 414
VI object ........................................................................ 558 Z
View Table .............................................................129, 139
Zwicker Loudness ......................................................... 266
Virtual instruments ...32, 85, 101, 115, 151, 160, 485, 629
Visual Basic ................................................................... 558
Voltage level .................................................................. 211
Voltage Source level ..................................................... 163
W
Wait for Confirmation .................................................... 476
Warning! Do not loose the hardware key! ..................... 10
Waterfall Plot - SoundMap ........................................... 428
WAV ....................... 65, 122, 135, 234, 239, 471, 481, 495
WAV file ....... 136, 156, 162, 239, 349, 391, 485, 489, 495
WAV File Excitation ...................................................... 135
WAV file format .....................................................136, 494
WAV file playback ......................................................... 493
Wav File Scaling Options ............................................. 244
WAV Info ................................................................136, 493
Waveform 167, 169, 177, 217, 234, 253, 257, 270, 344, 485,
506, 511, 652
Waveform Batch Processing ................................171, 173
Waveform Filter ............................................................. 281
Waveform In .................................................................. 169
Waveform Limit Rules .................................................. 330

Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual
REV 031722
Contact Information
Contact the Listen office at 617-556-4104, Monday through Friday, between 9 AM and 5 PM EST.
or email:
Sales - [email protected]
Technical Support - [email protected]
Listen Website: www.listeninc.com
580 Harrison Ave, Suite 3W • Boston, MA 02118 • 617-556-4104 • Fax 617-556-4145 • www.listeninc.com
© Listen, Inc 2000 - 2022. All rights reserved.
SoundCheck®, HarmonicTrak™, STWEEP™, SoundCheck ONE™, SoundMap™, NoiseCheck™,

SoundConnect™, DC Connect™, AmpConnect™, AmpConnect 621™, AmpConnect ISC™, SC Amp™,
SoundConnect 2™, AudioConnect™ and AudioConnect 4x4™ are trademarks of Listen, Inc.
® Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT and ActiveX are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Mac®, macOS® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
Test Stand and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation.
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation.
ICP is a registered trademark of PCB Group.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG.
MATLAB® is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.
POLQA® is a registered trademark of OPTICOM GmbH. Used by permission.
SoundCheck® 20.0 683

Instruction Manual

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SoundCheck

Listen, Inc. 580 Harrison Ave, Suite 3W Boston, MA 02118

PN: 8010 REV 031722 SOUNDCHECK

SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents i

5 SoundCheck Main Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

6 Controls and Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

ii Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

11 Stimulus Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents iii

12 Acquisition Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

13 Analysis Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

14 Autosave Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

iv Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

15 Recall Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241

16 Post-Processing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents v

17 Post Processing Use Chart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

19 Limits Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

20 Display Editor and Memory List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

vi Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

21 Print Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387

22 Report Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395

23 Serial Number Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403

24 Statistics Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405

SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents vii

26 Custom Steps Included With SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447

27 Creating a Custom VI and Custom Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

28 Sequence Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465

viii Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

29 Virtual Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

30 SoundCheck ONE™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519

SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents ix

32 SoundCheck TCP/IP Python Library (soundcheck_tcpip). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

34 Database Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567

35 Data File Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585

36 Res Binary Data File Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591

Appendix 1: Hardware Compatibility List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595

Appendix 2: PXI/PCI 4461 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607

Appendix 3: Connection Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611

x Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

Appendix 4: Serial Port Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621

Appendix 5: System Verification Using SoundCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625

Appendix 6: Verifying SoundConnect™ Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627

Appendix 7: Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631

Appendix 8: Stweep Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633

Appendix 9: Equation Editor Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635

Appendix 10: Weighting and Window Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637

Appendix 11: Time Selective Measurements With Log Sweep . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639

Appendix 12: Excel Template Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641

SoundCheck® 20.0 Contents xi

Appendix 14: Running Sequences from a Network Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649

15 Data Import Wizard Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651

16 Default Sequence List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655

Available Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659

xii Contents SoundCheck® 20.0

SoundCheck® 20.0 Listen Software License Agreement i

ii Listen Software License Agreement SoundCheck® 20.0

SoundCheck® 20.0 Listen Software License Agreement iii

᠔䰘䕃ӊ⬅ LISTEN, Inc.( 䆌ৃᮍ ) ৥䕃ӊфᆊ˄᳔㒜⫼᠋˅ᦤկˈ᳔㒜⫼᠋乏ḍ᥂ᴀण䆂ᴵℒՓ

iv Listen Software License Agreement SoundCheck® 20.0