LisTEN

Despite the availability of objective measures of audio quality, listening tests are still indispensible for a thorough evaluation of new speech and audio signal processing algorithms. Compared to objective measures, they offer great flexibility and can be applied for a multitude of questions at the price of an increased demand in time and effort. Many of the commercially available systems rely on specialized hardware and are far from being platform independent.

The LIStening Test ENvironment (LisTEn) for the subjective assessment of speech and audio signal processing algorithms allows to conveniently set up different types of listening tests (e.g., absolute category rating (ACR), comparison category rating (CCR), and degradation category rating (DCR)) in accordance with the procedures that are, e.g., standardized by the ITU. Other types of listening tests that are readily available in LisTEn include ABX, rhyme and multiple stimuli with hidden reference and anchor (MUSHRA) tests.