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"Dennis Moore" wrote:

Okay, Mr. Nousaine, pink noise is a good test signal.

So I have a question. Why does masking not limit its effectiveness
versus some other type signals? Seems every sound possible
all at once would also come close to masking everything possible
all at once until differences were pretty large.

Dennis

There is no masking mechanism present in pink noise that is not also present in
musical programs. Indeed part of its beauty is that IF you cannot hear a
response error with pink noise you surely will not hear it with music.

Also it's wonderful for predicting staging and imaging. Playing uncorrelated
pink noise simultanously in all driven channels will tell you nearly instantly
where holes and alleys (poor image/ambience coverage) will occur with regular
programs.

For example if you play pink noise into a 2-channel system and you don't get
sound 'fuzz' in the center you'll have a weak, unstable and vague center
vocalist with ordinary music programs. Likewise 'blank spots' in the frontal
stage will tell you exactly where images 'won't' form.

With multichannel systems a blank spot, lacking acoustic fuzz, between the
listener and the frontal stage tells you that moving sound that travels from
the screen into the room will tend to "jump" to either the surround speaker
locations or to the rear of the listener.

To avoid the inevitable flames I've never said it's the ONLY signal one will
EVER need; but simply its the MOST useful of any given signal for revealing
subjective sonic qualities

"Nousaine" wrote in message
news:1UP6b.383524$YN5.254602@sccrnsc01...
(Mr 645) wrote:

Okay, what are the best test signals to use in listening
tests other than music? For the purpose of differentiating
between components.

Pink noise?

In my opinion Not sure what use pink noise, or other non musical sound
would
be
for other then balancing volumes or comparing other volume or power
related
things. The bottom line is to listen to real music, well recorded and
base
decisions on that.

Actually full band uncorrelated pink noise is possibly the single most
revealing source for uncovering differences of any magnitude and
practically
every sound quality (some transient areas may be hard to test with pink
noise.)

It's main flaw is that it's overly sensitive to many sound quality
differences
because, as I like to say: It contains every sound ever made and every
note of
music ever played and heard by humans all at once.

Conversely no human has ever really 'heard' pink noise played over
loudspeakers
or headphones because none of them are perfect. Rushing water might be as
close
to a natural pink noise as one may find.

But in general its the single most useful recorded sound available for
evaluating audio playback equipment.