Auralization of Signal Distortion in Audio Systems, Part 1: Generic Modeling

Auralization techniques are developed for generating a virtual output signal of an audio system where the different kinds of signal distortion are separately enhanced or attenuated to evaluate the impact on sound quality by systematic listening or perceptive modeling. The generation of linear, regular nonlinear and irregular nonlinear distortion components is discussed to select suitable models and measurements for the auralization of each component. New methods are presented for the auralization of irregular distortion generated by defects (e.g. rub & buzz) where no physical models are available. The auralization of signal distortion is a powerful tool for defining the target performance of an audio product in marketing, developing products at optimal performance-cost ratio and for ensuring sufficient quality in manufacturing.