At a time when truly wireless speakers (TWS) are flooding the market, a Paris-based independent benchmarking company has announced a new standard for devices have become a sought-after accessory for smartphones. DXOMark, which already has a scientific rating for cameras, has now announced one for sound quality.
The DXOMark testing would use a scientific rating that aggregates hundreds of test results for each speaker tested. The independent agency began audio testing in 2018 with their own dedicated team of sound engineers who use state-of-the-art lab systems and proprietary test protocols designed from an end-user perspective.
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DxOMark Sound: Details
DxOMark evaluates wireless speakers by testing audio quality attributes across representative use case scenarios. It recreates similar conditions to how a consumer uses a speaker within and outside their homes. It factors in the placement of the speaker in the room, different types of rooms, ambient noise, the type of content played, the playback volume and the position of the listener(s) relative to the speaker.
The DxOMark Speaker score is based on numerous objective measurements and 20 hours of perceptual assessment for each speaker. Objective testing takes place in DxOMark’s new semi-anechoic chamber, which absorbs sound reflections. In this laboratory condition designed for repeatability of tests, speaker output is recorded using specialized equipment, such as sound-level meters and calibrated microphones.
Perceptual testing takes place in simulated real-life environments, which has been set up in a purpose-designed apartment. The Speaker score combines scores of five attributes: Timbre, Spatial, Dynamics, Volume, and Artifacts.
The primary function of any speaker is to play music. In order to test the quality of music produced by the device being tested, DxOMark has apparently collaborated with professional musicians and studios to create customized music clips of various genres including jazz, hip-hop, classical, pop, rock, Latin, electronic and alternative for its tests. These clips condense many audio cues in short tracks.
At the time of its release, the DxOMark Speaker benchmark will test and rank wireless speakers from two price segments – the “Essentials” that are priced up to €200 and “Advanced” products priced between €200-500. The Company plans to introduce a ranking based on the same test protocol for premium models that are priced above €500 in the upcoming months.
