Abstract: An audio similarity evaluator obtains envelope signals for a plurality of frequency ranges on the basis of an input audio signal. The audio similarity evaluator is configured to obtain a modulation information associated with the envelope signals for a plurality of modulation frequency ranges, wherein the modulation information describes the modulation of the envelope signals. The audio similarity evaluator is configured to compare the obtained modulation information with a reference modulation information associated with a reference audio signal, in order to obtain an information about a similarity between the input audio signal and the reference audio signal. An audio encoder uses such an audio similarity evaluator. Another audio similarity evaluator uses a neural net trained using the audio similarity evaluator.

Abstract: Parameters being a measure for a characteristic of a channel or of a pair of channels, wherein the parameter is a measure for a characteristic of the channel or of the pair of channels with respect to another channel of a multi-channel signal can be quantized more efficiently using a quantization rule that is generated based on a relation of an energy measure of the channel or the pair of channels and an energy measure of the multi-channel signal. With generation of the quantization rule taking into account a psycho acoustic approach, the size of an encoded representation of the multi-channel signal can be decreased by coarser quantization without significantly disturbing the perceptual quality of the multi-channel signal when reconstructed from the encoded representation.

Abstract: The audio reproduction apparatus (100) for sports training purposes comprises a tempo derivation unit (103) for deriving a selected tempo (T) on the basis of a data signal (d1, d2, d3) e.g. from a sports measurement device such as a heart rate meter; and an audio conditioning unit (104) arranged to deliver based on the input audio signal the output audio signal, with a tempo within a predefined accepted deviation from the selected tempo (T), whereby the audio conditioning unit (104) comprises a tempo calculation unit (106) arranged to calculate an input tempo (TI) of the input audio signal, and the audio conditioning unit (104) is arranged to deliver the output signal in dependence of the input tempo (T).

Abstract: Parameters being a measure for a characteristic of a channel or of a pair of channels, wherein the parameter is a measure for a characteristic of the channel or of the pair of channels with respect to another channel of a multi-channel signal can be quantized more efficiently using a quantization rule that is generated based on a relation of an energy measure of the channel or the pair of channels and an energy measure of the multi-channel signal. With generation of the quantization rule taking into account a psycho acoustic approach, the size of an encoded representation of the multi-channel signal can be decreased by coarser quantization without significantly disturbing the perceptual quality of the multi-channel signal when reconstructed from the encoded representation.