NTI Newsletter

2nd October 2007

TalkBox extended with Reference Speech Signals

Talkbox Microphones on stages or meeting rooms are commonly adjusted with a human speaker. He is repeating the familiar "one, two, test" or "check - check" phrases to stimulate the system and check for level or sibilance problems, etc. But human voices vary, and this is an inexact method at best.

The NTI TalkBox simplifies and improves this process. New additional reference speech signals have been added to the TalkBox, simulating a human speaker continuously talking into the microphone at a calibrated level. This allows the engineer to set the microphone level without asking someone to repeat the same phrase over and over.

Using the NTI TalkBox, the equalization for microphones can be completed by one person alone. The reference test signals are available in English and German language. TalkBox customers may download the new speech signals at http://support.nti-audio.com/tb1.

NTI TalkBox at 3454 meters for Euro 08 Kick Off!

The European soccer championships 2008 will be held in Switzerland and Austria. A unique soccer game was scheduled on the glacier of the Jungfraujoch at 3454 meters above sea level to kick off the countdown to the series.

For this purpose the company Siemton installed a PA-system onsite, selecting the Acoustilyzer AL1 and NTI TalkBox for audio testing. The microphones were equalized to the special conditions at this high altitude using the NTI TalkBox and a pink noise signal. Furthermore the system speech intelligibility was measured using the Acoustilyzer AL1 (with STI-PA option) and was determined to be OK for the match.

The Minstruments proved to be reliable partners at the high altitude and in the icy conditions of the Swiss Alps. The invited VIP-crowd cheered the teams Switzerland - Austria to a 5:5 draw.