LOUDSPEAKER-ROOM EQUALIZATION WITH PERCEPTUAL CORRECTION OF SPECTRAL DIPS

• US 20170373656A1
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: BHARITKAR, Sunil, ROBINSON, Charles Q.
• Application Number:
  US15/543,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20170373656A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

A method for generating a perceptual equalization (EQ) filter applicable to an audio signal to equalize the audio signal, including: generating a full EQ filter for use in performing full equalization on the signal; and modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with a dip detection threshold function, thereby generating the perceptual EQ filter, where the dip detection threshold function is indicative of minimum perceivable amplitude of each of at least a number of different dips in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an acoustic signal. Also, a method for equalizing an audio signal, including: generating a full EQ filter for use in performing full equalization on the signal, modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with at least one dip detection threshold value, thereby generating a perceptual EQ filter, and applying the perceptual EQ filter to perceptually equalize the signal.

Claims

1. A method for generating a perceptual equalization (EQ) filter which is applicable to an audio signal to equalize the audio signal, said method including steps of:

generating data indicative of a full equalization (EQ) filter for use in performing full equalization on the audio signal; and

modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with a dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), thereby determining the perceptual EQ filter in response to the full EQ filter, and generating data indicative of the perceptual EQ filter, where the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), is indicative of minimum perceivable amplitude of each of at least a number of different dips in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an acoustic signal as perceived by at least one listener, where each of the dips has center frequency, fc, and quality factor, Q.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter is performed such that the perceptual EQ filter and the full EQ filter are corresponding filters in the sense that each of the perceptual EQ filter and the full EQ filter is designed to equalize the audio signal to generate an equalized audio signal whose frequency-amplitude spectrum, at least in at least one frequency subrange, at least substantially matches a target frequency-amplitude spectrum, but the perceptual EQ filter would apply less correction than would the full EQ filter to at least a low frequency subrange of the frequency-amplitude of the audio signal in which full equalization would have relatively low audibility as determined by the dip detection threshold function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), indicates that notches in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the acoustic signal, having typical values of Q and having center frequencies below a critical frequency, have low audibility, and wherein the perceptual EQ filter is determined such that gain values of an upper frequency range, above the critical frequency of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are at least substantially identical to corresponding gain values in the upper frequency range of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter, and gain values of a lower frequency range, below the critical frequency, of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are set so that the perceptual EQ filter performs no significant correction to frequency components of the audio signal below the critical frequency.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the critical frequency is at least substantially equal to 100 Hz.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, said method including steps of:

(a) modeling the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

7. The method of claim 5, also including a step of:

determining the dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k), for each pair of f_k and Q_k values, by interpolation from a set of predetermined dip detection threshold values.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, said method including steps of:

(a) modeling the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=A_k.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, and wherein the dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) for each center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, is determined with a confidence interval having an upper bound and a lower bound, the upper bound is the value D_k(f_k,Q_k)+C/2, the lower bound is the value D_k(f_k,Q_k)−

C/2, C is the width of the confidence interval, and D_k(f_k,Q_k) and C are determined such that there is X % confidence that the true value of D_k(f_k,Q_k) is within the confidence interval, where X is a number, said method including steps of;

(a) modeling the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k)+C/2, setting to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

[D_k(Q_k,f_k)−

C/2], setting the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)+C/2).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

12. The method of claim 1, also including a step of:

applying the perceptual EQ filter to the audio signal to generate an equalized audio signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the audio signal is a speaker feed for a loudspeaker, the equalized audio signal is an equalized speaker feed for the loudspeaker, and application of the perceptual EQ filter to the speaker feed applies less correction for at least one dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the speaker feed than would the full EQ filter.

14. The method of claim 1, also including a step of:

before modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), providing a stimulus signal and notched versions of the stimulus signal to at least one human listener, and determining the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), to be indicative of minimum perceived amplitude of each of a number of different notches of the notched versions of the stimulus signal as perceived by the at least one human listener, where the notched versions of the stimulus signal include N sets of notched signals, wherein each of the notched signals in the “

i”

th one of the sets has a frequency-amplitude spectrum with a dip at center frequency, fc_i, and quality factor, Q_i, where N is an integer greater than one and i is an index in the range from 1 through N.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, said method including steps of:

(a) modeling the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=20 log 10(α

_k)+(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)), where each value α

_k is chosen so that 20 log 10(α

_k)≦

−

D_k(Q_k,f_k).

16. A method for equalizing an audio signal, including steps of:

(a) generating a full equalization (EQ) filter for use in performing full equalization on the audio signal, and modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with at least one dip detection threshold value, thereby generating a perceptual EQ filter in response to the full EQ filter, where each said dip detection threshold value is indicative of minimum perceivable amplitude of a different dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an acoustic signal as perceived by at least one listener, where each said dip has a center frequency, fc, and a quality factor, Q; and

(b) applying the perceptual EQ filter to the audio signal to perceptually equalize said audio signal, thereby generating an equalized audio signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein application of the perceptual EQ filter to the audio signal applies less correction for at least one dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal than would the full EQ filter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein step (a) includes a step of modifying the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with at least two dip detection threshold values, and each of the dip detection threshold values is a dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) for a different pair of f_k and Q_k values, determined by interpolation from a set of predetermined dip detection threshold values, where k is an index, and for each value of k, the value f_k is the center frequency of a dip and the value Q_k is the quality factor of the dip.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein each said dip detection threshold value is determined by a dip detection threshold function, the dip detection threshold function indicates that notches in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the acoustic signal, having typical values of quality factor Q and having center frequencies below a critical frequency, have low audibility, and wherein the perceptual EQ filter is determined such that gain values of an upper frequency range, above the critical frequency of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are at least substantially identical to corresponding gain values in the upper frequency range of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter, and gain values of a lower frequency range, below the critical frequency, of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are set so that the perceptual EQ filter performs no significant correction to frequency components of the audio signal below the critical frequency.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the critical frequency is at least substantially equal to 100 Hz.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, said method including steps of:

modeling the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), setting the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

23. A system for determining a perceptual equalization (EQ) filter which is applicable to an audio signal to equalize the audio signal, said system including:

a memory, which stores data indicative of a dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), where the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), is indicative of minimum perceivable amplitude of each of at least a number of different dips in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an acoustic signal as perceived by at least one listener, where each of the dips has center frequency, fc, and quality factor, Q; and

a processing subsystem coupled and configured to access data indicative of a full equalization (EQ) filter for use in performing full equalization on the audio signal, to access the data indicative of the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), to modify the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), thereby determining the perceptual EQ filter in response to the full EQ filter, and to generate data indicative of the perceptual EQ filter.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to modify the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter such that the perceptual EQ filter and the full EQ filter are corresponding filters in the sense that each of the perceptual EQ filter and the full EQ filter is designed to equalize the audio signal to generate an equalized audio signal whose frequency-amplitude spectrum, at least in at least one frequency subrange, at least substantially matches a target frequency-amplitude spectrum, but the perceptual EQ filter would apply less correction than would the full EQ filter to at least a low frequency subrange of the frequency-amplitude of the audio signal in which full equalization would have relatively low audibility as determined by the dip detection threshold function.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the dip detection threshold function, D(fc, Q), indicates that notches in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the acoustic signal, having typical values of Q and having center frequencies below a critical frequency, have low audibility, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to determine the perceptual EQ filter such that gain values of an upper frequency range, above the critical frequency of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are at least substantially identical to corresponding gain values in the upper frequency range of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter, and gain values of a lower frequency range, below the critical frequency, of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are set so that the perceptual EQ filter performs no significant correction to frequency components of the audio signal below the critical frequency.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to:

(a) model the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)).

27. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to:

(a) model the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=A_k.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, and wherein the dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) for each center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, is determined with a confidence interval having an upper bound and a lower bound, the upper bound is the value D_k(f_k,Q_k)+C/2, the lower bound is the value D_k(f_k,Q_k)−

C/2, C is the width of the confidence interval, and D_k(f_k,Q_k) and C are determined such that there is X % confidence that the true value of D_k(f_k,Q_k) is within the confidence interval, where X is a number, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to;

(a) model the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

(b) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k)+C/2, set to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an audio signal; and

(c) for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

[D_k(Q_k,f_k)−

C/2], set the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)+C/2).

31. The system of claim 30, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

32. The system of claim 23, also including an equalization subsystem coupled and configured to apply the perceptual EQ filter to the audio signal to generate an equalized audio signal.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio signal is a speaker feed for a loudspeaker, the equalized audio signal is an equalized speaker feed for the loudspeaker, and application of the perceptual EQ filter to the speaker feed applies less correction for at least one dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the speaker feed than would the full EQ filter.

34. A system for equalizing an audio signal, including:

a processing subsystem coupled and configured to access data indicative of a full equalization (EQ) filter for use in performing full equalization on the audio signal, to access data indicative of at least one dip detection threshold value, and to modify the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with said at least one dip detection threshold value, thereby generating a perceptual EQ filter in response to the full EQ filter, where each said dip detection threshold value is indicative of minimum perceivable amplitude of a different dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of an acoustic signal as perceived by at least one listener, where each said dip has a center frequency, fc, and a quality factor, Q; and

an equalization subsystem coupled and configured to apply the perceptual EQ filter to the audio signal to perceptually equalize said audio signal, thereby generating an equalized audio signal.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to generate the perceptual EQ filter such that application of said perceptual EQ filter to the audio signal applies less correction for at least one dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal than would the full EQ filter.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to modify the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter in accordance with at least two dip detection threshold values, and each of the dip detection threshold values is a dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) for a different pair of f_k and Q_k values, determined by interpolation from a set of predetermined dip detection threshold values, where k is an index, and for each value of k, the value f_k is the center frequency of a dip and the value Q_k is the quality factor of the dip.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein each said dip detection threshold value is determined by a dip detection threshold function, the dip detection threshold function indicates that notches in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the acoustic signal, having typical values of quality factor Q and having center frequencies below a critical frequency, have low audibility, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to determine the perceptual EQ filter such that gain values of an upper frequency range, above the critical frequency of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are at least substantially identical to corresponding gain values in the upper frequency range of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the full EQ filter, and gain values of a lower frequency range, below the critical frequency, of the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the perceptual EQ filter are set so that the perceptual EQ filter performs no significant correction to frequency components of the audio signal below the critical frequency.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to:

model the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)).

39. The system of claim 38, wherein each of the full EQ component filters is a parametric biquad filter.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the audio signal is a speaker feed for a loudspeaker, the equalized audio signal is an equalized speaker feed for the loudspeaker, and application of the perceptual EQ filter to the speaker feed applies less correction for at least one dip in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the speaker feed than would the full EQ filter.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein gain values of an upper frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter are identical to gain values of the full EQ filter in said upper frequency range, and a low frequency range of the full EQ filter is determined by a combination of R full EQ component filters, where R is an integer, each of the full EQ component filters having a peak having a different center frequency, f_k, in the low frequency range, a quality factor, Q_k, and a maximum gain value A_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the full EQ component filters, and wherein for each said center frequency, f_k, and quality factor, Q_k, a corresponding dip detection threshold, D_k(f_k,Q_k) has been determined, and wherein the processing subsystem is configured to:

model the low frequency range of the perceptual EQ filter as a combination of R perceptual EQ component filters, each corresponding to one of the full EQ component filters, where each of the perceptual EQ component filters has a peak at the center frequency, f_k of the corresponding full EQ component filter, the same quality factor, Q_k, as the corresponding full EQ component filter, and a maximum gain value N_k(f_k,Q_k), where k is an index identifying each of the perceptual EQ component filters;

for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k>

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set to zero the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter, so that the perceptual EQ filter will not correct a dip centered at the corresponding frequency f_k in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the audio signal; and

for each of the full EQ component filters, if −

A_k≦

D_k(Q_k,f_k), set the gain, N_k(Q_k,f_k), of the corresponding perceptual EQ component filter to the value N_k(Q_k,f_k)=20 log 10(α

_k)+(A_k+D_k(Q_k,f_k)), where each value α

_k is chosen so that 20 log 10(α

_k)≦

−

D_k(Q_k,f_k).