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Development of Test Signals for the EIA-426-B Loudspeaker Power Rating Compact Disk

The EIA-426-B standard: "Loudspeakers, Optimum Amplifier Power" (April 1998) specifies a test CD that contains the calibration and test signals for all the tests defined in the standard. This CD is intended to improve the consistency and convenience of the standard and will be made available through the EIA and other sources. This paper describes the development process of the signals placed on the CD with emphasis on the spectral-shaped random noise signal used for life testing and the variable-rate sine-wave sweep test signal used for power compression tests. All signals were generated analytically using a signal processing and data analysis program. In the process of creating the signals, a couple of errors were detected in the standard in its description of the method for generating the variable-rate sweep signal. The paper also develops the math for generating variable-rate sweeps whose spectrums roll-off at an arbitrary given rate. Complete statistics and measurements are described for the signals as placed on the CD and for the signals as played back on a typical CD player. Also described are a series of 6.5-cycle shaped tone bursts that are included on the CD. These are intended for use as a test stimulus for short-term power assessment of loudspeakers and electronics, and for testing the frequency response, energy decay and narrow-band phase/polarity of systems.

Author: Keele, Jr., D. B. (Don)
Affiliation: Harman / Becker Automotive Systems, Martinsville, IN
AES Convention:111 (November 2001) Paper Number:5451 Import into BibTeX
Subject:Instrumentation and Measurement

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