Validity of Acoustic Measures Obtained Using Various Recording Methods Including Smartphones With and Without Headset...

Area of Science:

• Speech science
• Acoustic analysis
• Voice disorders

Background:

• Accurate voice measurements are crucial for diagnosing and monitoring voice disorders.
• Traditional research-grade equipment can be expensive and inaccessible.
• Exploring cost-effective recording solutions is essential for broader clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of various recording methods for voice analysis.
• To compare high-cost versus low-cost microphone and interface combinations.
• To assess the performance of smartphones as recording devices for voice measurements.

Main Methods:

• Recorded diverse vowel samples from male and female speakers with varying voice qualities.
• Utilized a research-standard microphone and amplification system as a benchmark.
• Employed various headset microphones, audio interfaces, and smartphones (direct and with adapters).
• Analyzed recordings for fundamental frequency, perturbation, cepstral peak prominence, and spectral tilt.

Main Results:

• Multiple recording methods, including smartphones, effectively captured acoustic characteristics of typical and disordered voices.
• Strong correlations (r > .90) were found between different recording methods and the research standard.
• This indicates a linear relationship, allowing for prediction and adjustment of measurement differences.

Conclusions:

• Smartphones, particularly with a low-cost headset microphone, offer a viable and affordable alternative for voice recording.
• This combination ensures consistent mouth-to-microphone distance and positioning.
• It also allows for hands-free operation, facilitating clinical use.