A/B Testing the TigerFox® Immerse 360®
Rated a best realism, sound positioning, and immersion experience by virtually everyone who has comparatively tried it
During product development and while beta testing the Immerse 360®, audio experts, video gamers, sound engineers and music lovers tested the TigerFox Immerse 360 in comparative audio performance A/B listening tests with spatial audio content and from a variety of sources.
They universally prefer its realism, pinpoint sound accuracy, and total hemispherical immersion over other audio technologies, products and systems for music, video game and movie audio
We encourage you to test and compare the acoustic performance of the TigerFox Immerse 360 for yourself.
Let us know your comparative immersive experience.
A sample of a comparative audio A/B listening test with tips for objectively evaluating its performance results, are included below for your convenience.
Audio Performance A/B Listening Test and Comparative Ranking
Comparative A/B performance tests try to repeat the same audio content while keeping as many of the important variables the same.
It’s a simple, fair, reliable and universal way to compare the audio performance of different audio products and systems against each other in a standardized way.
For example, to test and compare the audio performance of the TigerFox® Immerse 360® against:
- High-performance stand-alone stereo hi-fi loudspeaker systems.
- Headphones, headsets and other ear and head connected audio devices.
- Surround sound systems, including 5.1, 7.1, 9.1.4, sound bar arrays, and high speaker number movie theater systems.
- Stand-alone high performance
- Audiophile/professional listening rooms, etc.
Tips for Best Objectivity
The listener (preferably with a background in audio, without hearing problems, and blindfolded if possible), critically listens comparatively to the same audio variables on the two different audio systems being compared.
The test uses the exact same audio content (especially content the listener is very familiar with) from the same audio source and at the same approximate sound relative volume level.
The listener listens to both audio systems as close as possible in time to each other. The listener then describes the sound differences on a 1-10 number scale (10 = best).
A comparative checklist (some questions to ask the listener):
1. In your opinion, how well does the sound compare to hearing actual live sound that you may recall hearing (recently), for example, at a intimate jazz club or live concert?
- Perform both A and B tests independently, using a 1 – 10 rating (Later compare A vs. B).
2. How clearly do you hear individual sounds spatially positioned at different exact physical locations around you? (A vs B) For example:
- Can you hear sounds directly in front of you? (A vs. B)
- Side locations? (A vs. B)
- Over your head? (A vs. B)
- Directly in back of you? (A vs. B)
- Can you hear sounds moving around you? (A vs. B)
3. How comparatively realistic do the sounds appear to you? Do they appear coming from an actual physically-real space? Can you point out the individual location around you that you hear them coming? (A vs. B)
- For example, do they appear at a realistic direction and distance from you? Do they appear coming from above or below you?
- How three-dimensional or holographic do they appear? (A vs. B)
- How well can you physically point to where they are? (A vs. B)
- Do moving sounds have an appropriately smooth and continuous movement around you with an equal volume level? (A vs. B)
4. Do you hear any off-sound artifacts or acoustic inaccuracies? (A vs. B)
5. How comparatively immersive is your overall acoustic experience? (A vs. B)
6. How do you comparatively rate the overall qualities of the sound (mentioning the specific sound qualities or asking the listener to name the qualities they are thinking of) on a 1 to 10 point scale? (A vs. B)
7. If you have had prior audio experiences listening to or hearing that particular sound or audio track, how would you rate the overall quality of the sound or recording you’re hearing now compared to your best remembered prior hearing of that sound or recording? (A vs. B)
8. Which overall experience do you like best on a 1 to 10 point scale? (A vs. B)?
Add up the numbers for each.
Ensure that the total count of numbers for both A and B are included for all questions (don’t leave any A or B questions blank).
After adding up the total numbers for each A and B, compare their A vs. B results.
For the most objective results, finish both A and B performance tests first before putting a final comparative number on either A or B.
If you were just asking for the results of one test by itself (without a comparison); that is, if you were Independently rating an audio system, an “absolute” 1 to 10 point scale helps determine its individual acoustic performance.
However, when doing an A/B comparative performance ranking of sound qualities between two similar or different audio systems, it greatly helps objectivity to finish both performance tests first BEFORE giving either of them their comparative A/B performance number.
This is because any 1 to 10 number that’s given for an individual performance rating alone (without comparing it to something else) may need to be comparatively adjusted up or down after both audio technologies or systems have been tested to evaluate them objectively and properly.
That is, some people will rate A a 10 when it’s tested first. But if they think B is better on the second test, they then have no number higher than 10 for B. They then need to reduce A below 10 to provide a fair and objective comparative answer to “B”.
This experience has happened over and over again when they first evaluate another product first and then give a number for the Immerse 360 second. They weren’t prepared for what they were going to hear and they end up having to lower their first rating.
What represents a 50% overall comparative performance improvement?
Using the above 1 to 10 point scale, if the listener gave A = 6 and B = 3
This represents a 50% performance improvement by B over A.
Explained: 50% of 6 is 3. A rating of 6 for B therefore represents a 50% improvement by B over the 3 rating for A.
While doing these comparative performance tests, don’t forget to enjoy the experience and have fun!
That’s what it’s really all about!