Sound quality evaluation in the VIP lounge of an EMU train based on psychoacoustic parameters

In modern product design, sound quality (SQ) indicators are increasingly used for noise evaluation and improvement. The evaluation and control of the interior noise of electric multiple unit (EMU) trains are currently based on the sound pressure level (SPL), the studies of which are currently in exploration stage. Further, this study aims to objectively evaluate the SQ in the VIP lounge of an EMU train. Noises in the VIP lounge of a Chinese-standard EMU train on the Beijing-Shengyang high-speed railway line are calculated. A comprehensive evaluation and analysis of SQ is conducted using six psychoacoustic parameters (loudness, roughness, sharpness, tonality, fluctuation strength, and the articulation index). Our findings suggest that the interior noise in the VIP lounge of the EMU train consists of mainly low and medium frequencies. The traditional A-weighted sound pressure level (A-W SPL) index cannot objectively describe human hearing perception; therefore, it should not be used alone for noise evaluations. Instead, A-W SPL should be used together with psychoacoustic parameters for a comprehensive noise evaluation. Psychoacoustic parameters have been considered to objectively describe the SQ of EMU trains, which provides a promising direction for SQoptimization designs in EMU trains.