Audio test signal quality evaluation method - has audio test signal and audio reference signal each divided into frequency components by respective filter bank simulating hearing characteristics before comparison.

Abstract
The quality evaluation method for an audio test signal (14) obtained by coding and decoding an audio reference signal (12) uses comparison of the audio test signal with the audio reference signal, with simulation of the hearing characteristics of the human ear. Each of the signals is fed through a respective filter bank (16,20) with filters of overlapping frequency for simulating the hearing characteristics, with determination of a level difference between the compared partial signals for each spectral range, for detection of coding errors. USE - For audio signal quality evaluation using perceptual criteria. ADVANTAGE - Allows quality evaluation of audio signal as heard behind cochlea of human ear.