Preferred EQ-setting for highest comfort when listening to one's own voice through headphones while speaking
Oscar Lindholm · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) · 2014
When hearing ourself through headphones, as we speak, we hear the frequency response of the audio equipment, the room and even the frequency response of our body. Sound that travels inside us in form of vibrations is called bone conducted sound (BC). This type of sound is more apparent to us when we cover our ears, or put on headphones. Our knowledge of BC is a factor that may help us understand how to equalize a speakers voice to their headphones for optimal comfort. The aim of this study is to find an EQ-setting that is preferred in terms of comfort. A listening test was conducted, with four different EQ-settings (one of them being flat) being presented to twenty one subjects. There appeared to be no statistical significance to the results. Most subjects are consistent in what they think sounds “sharp” and “dull”. But there is a large grey-zone for the most comfortable setting. Further research in the area is recommended, we need to gain more knowledge about how people experience their own voice through headphones. As we aquire that knowledge, we have the possibility to greatly enhance the level of comfort for inexperienced radio speakers.