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Bachelor-Vortrag: Investigations on Suction Perception with ANC Headphones
Pham Tuan Linh Nguyen
Montag, 13.5.2024
14:00 Uhr
IKS 4G | hybrid
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) headphones have become popular for their ability to reduce background noise and enhance the listening experience. However, some users have reported a sensation called "eardrum suck" when using these headphones. More specifically, this effect usually is described as a pressurised sensation similar to during an airplane’s ascent or descent. This study aims to explore the relationship between specific ANC headphone features and the occurrence of eardrum suck, as well as to suggest potential solutions for reducing this unpleasant sensation.
By analysing the insertion gain (IG) curves of ANC headphones, three key features were identified for further examination: the width of the frequency range with maximum active cancellation, its center frequency, and the transition slope from maximum active attenuation to no active attenuation. Recordings of ANC headphones on a test-fixture also produced eardum suck when played back on different headphones, indicating that the acoustical characteristics of the residual error resulting from passive noise reduction and ANC causes the eardrum suck sensation. Listening tests for perceptual evaluation using audio samples that simulate different ANC headphone listening experience in different acoustical environments were conducted. These audio samples are produced by isolating and manipulating different aspects of an ANC headphones. The results suggest that IG curves with a dominant low to very-low frequency range are highly likely to cause eardrum suck. Additionally, the sudden change between passive attenuation and ANC seems to act as a trigger for this effect, prompting our brain to register a pressurised sensation. A fast transition speeds resembling a startle-reflex when followed by the effect of ANC, which is similar to the effect from a contraction of the tensor tympani muscle (TTM) in the middle ear, might lead to the perception of eardrum suck. Furthermore, the use of added background noise was investigated and found to be a possible solution for reducing eardrum suck.
