Provided are an electronic device and method for managing the perceived loudness of an input audio signal. The electronic device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with internal units and external devices and receive an audio source signal; a loudness adjustment unit configured to receive the audio source signal from the communication unit and obtain an input audio source signal from the audio source signal; a noise separator configured to separate noise from the input audio source signal; a voice booster configured to boost an output audio signal received from the loudness adjustment unit; a storage unit storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to communicate with the communication unit, the loudness adjustment unit, the noise separator, the voice booster, and the storage unit and control operations thereof by executing the stored instructions.

Embodiments described herein provide for smart configuration of audio settings for a playback device. According to an embodiment, while a playback device is a part of a first zone group that includes the playback device and at least one first playback device, the playback device applies a first audio setting. The embodiment also includes the playback device joining a second zone group that includes the playback device and at least one second playback device. The embodiment further includes the playback device applying a second audio setting based on an audio content profile corresponding to the second zone group.

A method or apparatus for delivering audio programming such as music to listeners may include identifying, capturing and applying a listener's audiometric profile to transform audio content so that the listener hears the content similarly to how the content was originally heard by a creative producer of the content. An audio testing tool may be implemented as software application to identify and capture the listener's audiometric profile. A signal processor may operate an algorithm used for processing source audio content, obtaining an identity and an audiometric reference profile of the creative producer from metadata associated with the content. The signal processor may then provide audio output based on a difference between the listener's and creative producer's audiometric profiles.

Example techniques involve a calibration state variable. An example implementation receives, via a network interface, an indication that the first playback device is calibrated. Based on receiving the indication that the first playback device is calibrated, the example implementation updates a calibration state variable to indicate that the first playback device is calibrated, wherein the calibration state variable is stored in the data storage. The example implementation sends, via the network interface, an indication of the updated calibration state variable to a second device.

Example techniques facilitate calibration of a playback device. An example implementation involves a computing device capturing, via a microphone, data representing multiple iterations of a calibration sound as played by a playback device. The computing device identifies multiple sections within the captured data. Two or more sections represent respective iterations of the calibration sound as played by the playback device. Based on the multiple identified sections, the computing device determines a frequency response of the playback device, the frequency response of the playback device representing audio output by the playback device and acoustic characteristics of an environment around the playback device. Based on the frequency response of the playback device and a target frequency response, the computing device determines one or more parameters of an audio processing algorithm and sends, to the playback device, the one or more parameters of the audio processing algorithm.

A variable-resolution graphic equalizer providing an improved interface for controlling gain values across the entire audio spectrum using many narrow-band filters (e.g., 120). It allows user selection of a frequency range for graphic equalization and automatically maps a reduced and fixed number of sliders to the selected range based on the number of filter bands falling within the selected range. In an audio processing system, specific user interface regions are highlighted to display selected frequency ranges and corresponding selected sliders to allow for rapid and precise equalization of the full audio spectrum using the many narrow-band filters.

Some embodiments of the invention are directed to enabling a user to easily identify the frequency range(s) at which sound masking occurs, and addressing the masking, if desired. In this respect, the extent to which a first stem is masked by one or more second stems in a frequency range may depend not only on the absolute value of the energy of the second stem(s) in the frequency range, but also on the relative energy of the first stem with respect to the second stem(s) in the frequency range. Accordingly, some embodiments are directed to modeling sound masking as a function of the energy of the stem being masked and of the relative energy of the masked stem with respect to the masking stem(s) in the frequency range, such as by modeling sound masking as loudness loss, a value indicative of the reduction in loudness of a stem of interest caused by the presence of one or more other stems in a frequency range.

Sensor apparatus and methods for operating the same for measuring acceleration are disclosed. In some embodiments, circuitry inside a sensor digitizes a measured acceleration signal from an accelerometer into a digitized acceleration signal, which is processed by a digital equalization filter within the sensor to provide an equalized acceleration signal. The equalized acceleration signal may have a frequency response that is substantially flat over a frequency range that extends beyond the resonant frequency of a MEMs sensor within the accelerometer of the sensor.

An integrated system for hearing protection and enhancement having earpieces including microphones and receivers to provide for user control of ambience level (mic gain), monitor input, control over limiting of excessive levels, and frequency equalization, all with very wide input dynamic range capability and controlled output dynamic range. The user control comprises a wired or wireless smartphone app. Also, the wide input dynamic range is achieved by placement of limiter circuitry capable of handling the entire input dynamic range prior to the most dynamic range limited circuit blocks: digital EQ block, output amplifier, earpiece receiver, and the users' ears. Switches allow combining left and right signals to be directed to a user's favored ear, if necessary.

The present invention provides for methods and systems for digitally processing an audio signal to reproduce high quality sounds on various materials. In various embodiments, a method comprises filtering the signal with a low shelf filter and/or high shelf filter, passing the signal through a first compressor that, filtering the signal again with a low shelf filter and/or high shelf filter, processing the signal with a graphic equalizer based on a selected material profile, passing the signal through a second compressor, and outputting the signal to a transducer.