Sunday, April 3, 2011

Version 2.04 of Harman How to Listen Now Available For Download!

Version 2.04 of Harman How to Listen is now available for download here.

This update fixes the problem with the noise and hum attribute tests. We've also updated the user's manual to help navigate around some installation issues some users have reported.

12 comments:

  1. Wow, thank you for releasing this! This is groundbreaking work - I hope people in the audio community appreciate it.

    -Patrick Fleck

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  2. As with the beta, I'm still having trouble using my own program material. In the program selection window I can play the files, and I can select the files. Then I click 'Finished' and everything still seems to be fine, but once I click 'Start Practice Session' I get the notification: 'An exception of class NilObjectExpception was not handled. The application must shut down', and it does once I click okay.

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  3. This is a really nice program. Very nice for training judging skills.
    The only thing I miss is a kind of distortiontest. Different kinds, like uneven and even distortion products woud be very interesting signals. Especially if they would appear in different frequency-ranges, like the band-id-test.
    Do you think this is something which could appear in a further version.

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  4. Anonymous
    Thanks for the feedback. We are hoping to add some nonlinear distortion training tasks to the software. It's on the list.

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  5. Just want to say that I'm so happy you all are doing this work and providing it out. I happened to catch the podcast on HomeTheater Geeks and it was great and informative as usual. I've been a Revel owner for years and have always admired the science and research approach to the design and execution. Keep up the great work.

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  6. Really interesting... This should be required exercise for all "audiophiles" and reviewers (yeah, dream on...) :-)

    I think the EQ tests can become quite hard after level 8 or so because so little happens in the very lowest and highest octaves that it's diffitult to say if the peak is in the very low bass or the very high treble.

    (I've been using AKG K 280 and K 702 phones and the default music tracks so far).

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  7. CptKlotz,

    Level 8 is the minimum level our listeners are required to reach before considered trained. It's difficult for the reasons you say (much music has less energy content in the lowest octaves) but can be attained with practice. To hear the lowest frequency resonances, need headphones or loudspeakers capable of reproducing them. Sadly, manufacturers provide little or no useful data to tell you if their products are up to the task.

    Cheers
    Sean

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sean,

      Thanks for creating the programme, it's fantastic! When you say that level 8 is the minimum level required to be considered trained, is that the case with all of the tests, or just the Peak Band ID tests? Also, do you feel it is possible to become accurate at hearing 1dB boosts and dips?

      Thanks,
      Ben

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  8. Great program.
    It would be brilliant if you could create an iPhone app so I can drive it from my couch - unfortunately my laptop is next to the left speaker
    Mike

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  9. Thanks a lot for this!

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  10. This program is amazing. This is exactly what I've been looking for. I realize I'm late to the party but I just wanted to give kudos.

    Now my question - I'm starting out coming in at levels 8 and 9. So I guess through reading the comments that I'm considered "trained". I want to take this further though. How far do these tests go and is there a point where they are complete?

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  11. For anyone receiving an unhandled NilObjectExpception error when trying to use your own program material, I solved this by saving my files in the same folder as Harman's .wav files, "C:\Program Files (x86)\Harman International\How To Listen\programs". YMMV.

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