SQAT: a MATLAB-based toolbox for quantitative sound quality analysis

Abstract

Literature suggests that psychoacoustic metrics, which are established by models firmly based on the human auditory system, are able to better approximate perceptual attributes of sounds in a quantitative manner than conventional metrics based on the sound pressure level. Therefore, psychoacoustic metrics are commonly used as sound quality indicators in practical applications, such as product design or environmental noise assessment, in which human perception plays an important role. However, their calculation is not straightforward and the non-availability of verified, well-documented, open-source implementations in a single environment poses a challenge to reproducible research. In this contribution, we introduce the sound quality analysis toolbox (SQAT), an open-source compilation of MATLAB codes containing the implementation of the following key psychoacoustic metrics: loudness (ISO 532-1:2017), sharpness (DIN 45692:2009), roughness (Daniel & Weber's model), fluctuation strength (Osses et al. model), and tonality (Aures' model). A comprehensive description of the implemented psychoacoustic metrics is provided. Furthermore, a verification study is presented in order to demonstrate the reliability of the implementations, supporting the use of SQAT as a reliable tool for future works in the field of sound quality assessment based on psychoacoustic metrics.