ABSTRACT
The most valuable tool for the assessment of the reproduced sound is the hearing. The final judge of any sound production or any piece of audio gear is our ears. This chapter provides an introduction to simple listening tests related to reproduced sound. In the field of audio, there are various needs for testing. Electric/electroacoustical measurements provide nice repeatable results if performed correctly. However, the results of these measurements do not necessarily closely relate to the perceived sound. So measurements based on human perception are practical. The Sound Wheel provides a rather detailed set of descriptors that may apply to the reproduced sound. In general, the assessors must be trained to have the same understanding of the descriptors. The sound samples chosen as stimuli for listening tests must have quality so high that it is possible to determine differences when reproducing the signals reproduced by the equipment under test.
