Quantifying listener preference of flat-panel loudspeakers

We present a perceptual evaluation of flat-panel loudspeakers derived from anechoic amplitude response measurements. Seventy measurements were used to formulate frequency response curves for each loudspeaker characterizing the effects of listener position and in-room reflections. A model developed by Olive [1] was applied to the response curves to predict a preference rating for each loudspeaker. A commercial flat-panel speaker, and a flat-panel speaker with a modal crossover network enabled/disabled were measured along with a conventional speaker. The modal crossover speaker scored over ten points higher than the other flat-panel speakers, and displayed a smooth low-frequency response. For flat-panel loudspeakers to produce preference ratings comparable with conventional speakers, structural improvements must be made to reduce the narrow band deviation at high-frequencies.