Listening room

The ITU-R BS.1116 critical listening room and audio laboratory (designed and built by Munro Associates) are used by students and researchers to undertake experimental work involving audio measurement and subjective listening tests.

The ITU-R standard is the most critical international standard for listening rooms, with strict criteria for low noise, controlled reflections, dimension ratios and reverberation time. The Surrey listening room is air conditioned to provide a comfortable working environment and is equipped with a flexible range of reproduction systems from stereo to multichannel including elevated loudspeakers. This enables listening tests on multichannel surround sound to be carried out effectively.

The room contains a loudspeaker mounting system that can be rigged with a large number of loudspeakers. It is usually configured for 22.2 reproduction, using 22 Genelec 8330A loudspeakers and 2 Genelec 7350A subwoofers. The system includes distributed bass management and built-in time alignment and equalisation of level and frequency response. The system is flexible enough to allow almost any multichannel loudspeaker arrangement, and additional loudspeakers can be added for any format (up to 72 Genelec 8020 loudspeakers).

There is also a pair of B&W 801 loudspeakers with a Chord amplifier for 2-channel stereo, and a set of 5 Genelec 1032A loudspeakers and a Genelec 1094A subwoofer for 5.1 surround sound.

The IoSR also has a wide range of test and measurement equipment that can be used in the listening room or around campus, including:

Enquiries

Enquiries from external bodies or individuals regarding use of the ITU listening room should be directed to the IoSR Director of Research.