DXOMark Introduces Audio Testing Protocol for Smartphone Speakers

DXOMark, known for its camera quality score, has developed a test protocol to determine the quality of the internal speakers of smartphones. The company also tests the recording quality of smartphones.

DXOMark has hired audio engineers and set up an audio lab. This location includes an anechoic chamber or anechoic chamber with microphones and sensors to be able to receive the audio signals in complete silence. In that room, speakers can also be used as an audio source for recordings with the smartphones.

In addition, there is a listening room with a series of speakers and microphones to analyze the playback. For both playback and recording, DXOMark uses a series of rating categories, each with subcategories. There are the components timbre, spatiality, volume, artefacts and dynamics. As with the protocol for cameras, a total score is obtained from the various sub-scores in order to compare devices.

The company reports that it makes use of objective measurement results, but also of the ‘human ear and brain as a measuring instrument’. In this subjective assessment, sound experts analyze different aspects of audio, using unspecified protocols to ensure consistency.

DXOMark only tests the built-in speakers and makes no judgment about the audio quality when headphones are connected. The test also does not judge audio quality during calls.

The first results are that the Huawei Mate 20 X gets the highest score, followed by the iPhone XS Max, which ranks higher than the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which takes the third position. That top three is identical in both playback and recording, with the Samsung Galaxy S10+ in fourth place in both cases.