Evaluation device, evaluation method, and program

Abstract

An evaluation device 100 according to the present invention evaluates sound outputted by an acoustic system 9 comprising a reproduction unit 91 that reproduces audio as an electric signal, and an output unit 92 that outputs the electric signal reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 as sound. The evaluation device 100 comprises: a sound collection unit 1 that collects sound outputted by the output unit 92; and an evaluation unit 2 that evaluates the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1. The evaluation unit 2 has: a comparison means 42 for comparing output sound information generated on the basis of the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1 with audio information related to the audio reproduced by the reproduction unit 91; and an evaluation means 43 for generating evaluation information on the basis of the result of the comparison by the comparison means 42. The evaluation device 100 is capable of evaluating whether or not sound outputted by an acoustic system is outputted as sound having desired characteristics.

Description

Evaluation device, evaluation method, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to an evaluation device, an evaluation method, and a program for evaluating a sound output from an audio system based on a sound source.

[0002] It is known that vestibular function can be improved by providing sound stimulation to the vestibular system to reduce dizziness. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which sound stimulation of a specific frequency (50 to 140 Hz) at a specific volume level (70 to 85 decibels) is generated as sound stimulation, and the sound stimulation stimulates the otoliths of a patient suffering from dizziness, thereby improving the patient's dizziness. In addition to improving dizziness, there are also therapies that involve playing specific sounds to improve cognitive function or alleviate insomnia. Recently, research has been progressing on a treatment that slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease by providing patients with specific sound and light stimulation.

[0003] In this way, when a specific sound is played to a subject in order to achieve a certain effect, an audio system is required to output that sound. Such an audio system may be realized as a dedicated device developed for that purpose, or may be realized by combining a general playback device (such as a portable music player or smartphone) and an output device (such as speakers, headphones, or earphones) that the subject or other person has prepared themselves.

[0004] International Publication No. 2019 / 230941

[0005] When an audio system is a combination of a general playback device and an output device, the playback characteristics of the playback device and the output characteristics of the output device may differ depending on the type (model) of the playback device and the individual device, so even if the sound source of the playback device is appropriate, the audio system may not be able to output appropriate sound with a recognizable effect.Even if the audio system is a dedicated device developed for a specific purpose, there is a risk that the audio system may not be able to output appropriate sound with a recognizable effect due to deterioration over time, malfunctions, defects, etc.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an evaluation device, an evaluation method, and a program that are capable of evaluating whether the sound output by an acoustic system is being output as sound having desired characteristics.

[0007] First, the present invention provides an evaluation device for evaluating sound output from an acoustic system that includes a playback unit that plays back a sound source as an electrical signal and an output unit that outputs the electrical signal played back by the playback unit as sound, the evaluation device including a sound collection unit that collects the sound output by the output unit and an evaluation unit that evaluates the sound collected by the sound collection unit, wherein the evaluation unit has a comparison means that compares output sound information generated based on the sound collected by the sound collection unit with sound source information related to the sound source played back by the playback unit, and an evaluation means that generates evaluation information based on the result of the comparison by the comparison means (Invention 1).

[0008] According to the above invention (Invention 1), the sound output by the output unit of the acoustic system is collected by the sound collection unit, and in the evaluation unit, the comparison means compares the output sound information with the sound source information, and the evaluation means generates evaluation information based on the comparison result.By checking the evaluation information, it is possible to evaluate whether the sound output by the acoustic system is being output as sound having the desired characteristics.

[0009] In the above invention (Invention 1), it is preferable that the sound collection unit has a sound transmission space that mimics the structure of the human ear canal, and includes an ear canal model in which the output unit is placed at the entrance of the sound transmission space, and a sound collection device that is placed at the exit of the sound transmission space of the ear canal model (Invention 2).

[0010] In the above invention (invention 1), it is preferable that the system further comprises a presentation unit that presents the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means to an outside of the system (invention 3).

[0011] In the above invention (Invention 3), the presentation unit may include a display unit that displays the evaluation information (Invention 4). Also, in the above invention (Invention 3), the presentation unit may include a communication unit that transmits the evaluation information to an outside of the system (Invention 5).

[0012] In the above invention (invention 1), it is preferable that the evaluation information includes sound source change information used to change the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit (invention 6).

[0013] The above inventions (Inventions 1-6) may further comprise a correction section that corrects the electrical signal reproduced by the reproduction section based on the evaluation information (Invention 7).

[0014] Secondly, the present invention provides an evaluation method for evaluating sound output from an acoustic system that includes a playback unit that plays back a sound source as an electrical signal and an output unit that outputs the electrical signal played back by the playback unit as sound, the evaluation method comprising: collecting the sound output by the output unit; comparing output sound information generated based on the collected sound with sound source information related to the sound source played back by the playback unit; and generating evaluation information based on the results of the comparison obtained by the comparison (Invention 8).

[0015] Thirdly, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to evaluate a sound output from an acoustic system that includes a playback unit that plays back a sound source as an electrical signal and an output unit that outputs the electrical signal played back by the playback unit as sound, the program causing the computer to realize the following functions: acquiring sound data obtained by collecting the sound output by the output unit; comparing output sound information generated based on the sound data with sound source information related to the sound source played back by the playback unit; and generating evaluation information based on the results of the comparison (Invention 9).

[0016] According to the evaluation device and evaluation method of the present invention, it is possible to evaluate whether the sound output by an acoustic system is being output as sound having desired characteristics.

[0017] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an evaluation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a sound collection unit of the evaluation device. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an evaluation unit of the evaluation device. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram for explaining functions that play a main role in the evaluation unit of the evaluation device. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in output when sound source information is reproduced. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of evaluation information generated by the evaluation device. FIG. 7 is a list showing the contents of a change sound source stored in a reproduction unit. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in output when a change sound source is reproduced. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the evaluation device is incorporated into an acoustic system.

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an evaluation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0019] The evaluation device 100 according to this embodiment evaluates a sound output by an acoustic system 9 that includes a playback unit 91 that plays back a sound source as an electric signal and an output unit 92 that outputs, as sound, the electric signal played back by the playback unit 91. As shown in Fig. 1, the evaluation device 100 includes a sound collection unit 1 that collects the sound output by the output unit 92, and an evaluation unit 2 that evaluates the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1.

[0020] The playback unit 91 and output unit 92 that make up the sound system 9 may be dedicated devices developed for the purpose of the system, or may be a combination of a general playback device (e.g., a smartphone, a portable audio player, a stationary digital audio player, etc.) and a general output device (e.g., a speaker, headphones, earphones, bone conduction earphones, etc.). The output unit 92 is electrically connected to the playback unit 91 by wire or wirelessly, and is configured to receive an electrical signal generated by the playback unit 91 and output sound based on the electrical signal. In this embodiment, the sound system 9 is assumed to have the playback unit 91 as a smartphone and the output unit 92 as earphones.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the sound collection unit 1 has a sound transmission space 111 that mimics the structure of the human ear canal, and includes an ear canal model 11 in which an output unit 92 is arranged at the entrance 112 of the sound transmission space 111, and a sound collector 12 that is arranged at the exit 113 of the sound transmission space 111 of the ear canal model 11.

[0022] The ear canal model 11 is a structure that mimics the shape and acoustics of the human ear canal. The human ear canal has a tubular shape with a substantially elliptical or circular cross section, and the eardrum is connected to its deepest part. The shape of the ear canal of an adult human varies from person to person and may also change with age, but its length is generally 35-40 mm, and its diameter is approximately 3-4 mm at its thickest part and 1-2 mm at its narrowest part. The ear canal model 11 of this embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape with a cavity therein that functions as a sound transmission space 111. The sound transmission space 111 is formed as a substantially cylindrical space with a diameter of approximately 5 mm and a length of approximately 30 mm. A hemispherical fitting space 112s is formed at the entrance 112 of the sound transmission space 111, into which the output unit 92 (assumed to be an earphone) is fitted. The fitting space 112s is formed appropriately according to the shape and size of the output unit 92, but may be formed, for example, as a hemispherical space with a diameter of approximately 9.5 mm and a depth of approximately 10 mm. The thickness of the wall surface of the ear canal model 11 is formed to be approximately 3.5 mm, and the thickness of the wall surface around the fitting space 112s located at the entrance 112 is formed to be slightly thicker, at approximately 5 mm.

[0023] The ear canal model 11 can be formed from an elastic material such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), silicone rubber, butyl rubber, or natural rubber, or a gel material. The ear canal model 11 may be produced using a 3D printer or a molding technique such as injection molding, blow molding, or extrusion molding.

[0024] The sound collector 12 is disposed at the outlet 113 of the sound transmission space 111 of the ear canal model 11, and collects the sound output from the output unit 92 that has propagated through the sound transmission space 111. For example, a known condenser microphone or dynamic microphone can be used as the sound collector 12, and either a sound field microphone or a sound pressure microphone may be employed. It is desirable that the frequency characteristics of the sound collector 12 be flat in the frequency band that includes the sound to be collected.

[0025] The evaluation unit 2 compares output sound information generated based on the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1 with sound source information related to the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit 91, and generates evaluation information based on the results of the comparison. The evaluation unit 2 can be realized using, for example, a general-purpose personal computer or a single-board computer, but is not limited to this, and may also be realized using a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, or may be realized as a dedicated terminal device or as a part of a dedicated terminal device.

[0026] 3, the evaluation unit 2 includes a CPU 21, a storage unit 22, a RAM 23, a display processing unit 24, an input unit 25, and a communication interface unit 26. The evaluation unit 2 is provided with a bus 27 for transmitting control signals or data signals between the various units.

[0027] When the evaluation unit 2 is powered on, the CPU 21 loads various programs stored in the storage unit 22 into the RAM 23 and executes them. In this embodiment, the CPU 21 reads and executes the programs stored in the storage unit 22, thereby realizing the functions of an acquisition unit 41, a comparison unit 42, an evaluation unit 43, and a correction unit 44 (shown in FIG. 4 ), which will be described later.

[0028] The display processing unit 24 displays the display data provided by the CPU 21 on the display unit 31, which will be described later.

[0029] The input unit 25 includes a group of buttons for receiving user operation inputs, and an interface circuit for recognizing press (operation) inputs of each button and outputting the inputs to the CPU 21. A touch panel input method may be adopted as the input unit 25.

[0030] The communication interface unit 26 is connected to the sound collection unit 1 that supplies sound data to the evaluation unit 2. The communication interface unit 26 is also connected to a communication unit 32, which will be described later.

[0031] The evaluation device 100 further includes a presentation unit 3 that presents the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43 to the outside of the system. The presentation unit 3 according to this embodiment includes a display unit 31 that displays the evaluation information or a part of it, and a communication unit 32 that transmits the evaluation information or a part of it to the outside of the system. The evaluation device 100 may include both the display unit 31 and the communication unit 32 as the presentation unit 3, or may include only one of them.

[0032] The display unit 31 displays the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43 or a part of the evaluation information, and may be configured, for example, as an LED display such as a 7-segment LED or dot matrix LED that uses LEDs to display numerical values, character strings, etc., or may be configured as a display device that displays numerical values, character strings, images, etc. using an LCD including thin-film transistors arranged in pixel units in a matrix.

[0033] The communication unit 32 transmits the evaluation information or a part of the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43 to the outside of the system. The communication unit 32 may be, for example, a communication interface configured to transmit the evaluation information or a part of the evaluation information to the playback unit 91 of the audio system 9 connected by wire or wirelessly, or may be a data recording mechanism that writes the evaluation information or a part of the evaluation information to a data recording medium such as a USB memory, various memory cards, optical media, etc.

[0034] The following describes the functions realized by the evaluation device 100 configured as described above. Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram for explaining the functions that play the main role in the evaluation unit 2 of the evaluation device 100 according to this embodiment, which is composed of an acquisition means 41, a comparison means 42, an evaluation means 43, and a correction means 44. Not all of these means are essential components of the evaluation unit 2, and the functions of the evaluation unit 2 can be changed as appropriate, such as by selectively providing the evaluation unit 2 with any of the functions.

[0035] The acquisition means 41 has a function of acquiring the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1 as sound data and generating output sound information based on the sound data, and this function is realized, for example, as follows: When a data import instruction is input via the input unit 25, the CPU 21 of the evaluation unit 2 imports sound data from the sound collector 12 of the sound collection unit 1 connected to the communication interface unit 26, and generates output sound information based on the imported sound data. The generated output sound information may be stored in the memory unit 22 by the CPU 21.

[0036] The comparison means 42 has a function of comparing output sound information generated based on the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1 with sound source information related to the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit 91, and this function is realized, for example, as follows: When an instruction to compare data is input via the input unit 25, the CPU 21 of the evaluation unit 2 compares the output sound information generated by the acquisition means 41 with sound source information previously stored in the storage unit 22. Note that if the output sound information generated by the acquisition means 41 is stored in the storage unit 22, the CPU 21 selects the output sound information to be compared from the storage unit 22.

[0037] The comparison between the output sound information and the sound source information by the comparison means 42 is performed as follows. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the processing by the evaluation device 100, showing how the sound source information Ds related to the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 changes after being reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 and output by the output unit 92. The graph on the left side of FIG. 5 shows the frequency characteristics of the sound source information Ds related to the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit 91, and the graph on the right side shows the frequency characteristics of the output sound information Do generated based on the sound output by the output unit 92 (i.e., the sound data of the sound collected by the sound collection unit 1). Note that the frequency characteristics of the sound source information Ds and the output sound information Do described here are merely examples. The sound sources of the sounds actually reproduced by the acoustic system 9 may be diverse. However, similar processing can be performed for such diverse sound sources by grasping the frequency characteristics of the sound source information of the sound reproduced by the acoustic system 9 and the frequency characteristics of the output sound information of the sound collected by the evaluation device 100 in the same manner as in this example.

[0038] The sound source information Ds of the sound output by the acoustic system 9 has a sound pressure level of about 60 dB in the 10 Hz frequency band, about 60 dB in the 100 Hz frequency band, about 45 dB in the 1000 Hz frequency band, and about 10 dB in the 10,000 Hz frequency band. In contrast, the output sound information Do obtained by the acquisition means 41 of the evaluation device 100 has a sound pressure level of about 70 dB in the 10 Hz frequency band, about 50 dB in the 100 Hz frequency band, about 15 dB in the 1000 Hz frequency band, and about 5 dB in the 10,000 Hz frequency band.

[0039] By comparing the output sound information Do with the sound source information Ds using the comparison means 42, the following comparison results are obtained: the sound pressure level of the output sound information Do is about 10 dB higher in the 10 Hz frequency band, about 10 dB lower in the 100 Hz frequency band, about 30 dB lower in the 1000 Hz frequency band, and about 5 dB lower in the 10,000 Hz frequency band, compared to the sound source information Ds. The obtained comparison results may be stored in the memory unit 22 by the CPU 21.

[0040] The evaluation means 43 has a function of generating evaluation information based on the results of the comparison by the comparison means 42, and this function is realized, for example, as follows: When an instruction to evaluate data is input via the input unit 25, the CPU 21 of the evaluation unit 2 generates evaluation information based on the results of the comparison by the comparison means 42. The generated evaluation information may be stored in the storage unit 22 by the CPU 21, or may be presented to the outside of the system by the presentation unit 3, which will be described later.

[0041] The evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43 may be a written representation of the results of the above comparison (evaluation information A), a numerical representation of the excess or deficiency of sound pressure level in each evaluated frequency band (evaluation information B), or a predetermined range of allowable excess or deficiency of sound pressure level in each evaluated frequency band, indicating whether the excess or deficiency of sound pressure level in each evaluated frequency band is within that range (evaluation information C). Specific examples of evaluation information A, evaluation information B, and evaluation information C are shown in Figure 6.

[0042] The evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43 may be used to determine whether the frequency characteristics of the output sound information Do are within a correctable range. The discrepancy (difference in frequency characteristics) between the output sound information Do and the sound source information Ds may not be caused by differences in the types (models) or individuals of the playback unit 91 or the output unit 92, but may be caused by aging, malfunction, or other problems of the playback unit 91 or the output unit 92. For example, as with the above-mentioned evaluation information C, the evaluation means 43 may be configured to determine whether the excess or deficiency of the sound pressure level in each evaluated frequency band is within a predetermined range, and if it is outside the range, to determine that there is a malfunction of the playback unit 91 or the output unit 92.

[0043] The evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43 may include sound source modification information used to modify the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit 91. The modification sound source may be stored in advance in the reproduction unit 91, or may be stored in an external server connected to the reproduction unit 91 by wire or wirelessly, or may be stored in the storage unit 22 of the evaluation unit 2 of the evaluation device 100. In this embodiment, 20 modification sound sources Dci (i = 1 to 20) in which the sound pressure level in each frequency band is modified to be different from the sound source information Ds are stored in advance in the reproduction unit 91 so as to deal with situations in which the sound pressure level in each frequency band is excessive or insufficient. The contents of the modification sound sources Dci (i = 1 to 20) are shown in a list in FIG. 7.

[0044] As described above, when the comparison result obtained by the comparison means 42 is that "the sound pressure level of the output sound information Do is approximately 10 dB higher than that of the sound source information Ds in the 10 Hz frequency band, approximately 10 dB lower in the 100 Hz frequency band, approximately 30 dB lower in the 1000 Hz frequency band, and approximately 5 dB lower in the 10,000 Hz frequency band," the evaluation means 43 determines that, when the change sound source Dc8 from among the change sound sources Dci (i = 1 to 20) stored in advance in the playback unit 91 is played back and output in the acoustic system 9, it will produce a sound having frequency characteristics equivalent to that of the sound source information Ds, and generates evaluation information D including sound source change information indicating that the change sound source Dc8 should be selected. The sound source change information included in the evaluation information D may indicate which is the most suitable sound source for change by using the number of each sound source for change (as exemplified in FIG. 6 ), or may indicate the surplus or deficiency of each frequency band together with the amount of surplus or deficiency by using a code of several digits.

[0045] 8 shows how the change sound source Dc8 changes when the playback unit 91 plays back the change sound source Dc8 after it has been played back by the playback unit 91 and output by the output unit 92. The graph on the left side of Fig. 8 shows the frequency characteristics of the change sound source Dc8 played back by the playback unit 91, and the graph on the right side shows the frequency characteristics of the output change sound source Dc8 generated based on the sound output by the output unit 92 (i.e., sound data of the sound picked up by the sound pickup unit 1). The frequency characteristics of the change sound source Dc8 are significantly different from the frequency characteristics of the sound source information Ds, but because the change sound source Dc8 is selected based on the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43, the frequency characteristics of the output change sound source Dc8 are approximately equivalent to the frequency characteristics of the sound source information Ds.

[0046] If the evaluation device 100 has a display unit 31, the display unit 31 may be configured to display the sound source change information as a number, code, character string, etc., so that the user can select the most suitable change sound source Dc by viewing the information, or the display unit 31 may be configured to display a readable image such as a barcode or QR code (registered trademark), so that the user can read the image using the playback unit 91 or a mobile terminal, etc., so that the most suitable change sound source Dc can be selected from a plurality of change sound sources that have been stored in advance in the playback unit 91, an external server, the memory unit 22 of the evaluation unit 2 of the evaluation device 100, etc.

[0047] If the evaluation device 100 has a communication unit 32, the communication unit 32 may be configured to transmit the sound source change information to the playback unit 91, an external server, etc., or may be configured to record the sound source change information on a recording medium via the communication unit 32 and transmit the sound source change information to the playback unit 91 using the recording medium.

[0048] The correction means 44 has a function of correcting the electrical signal reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 based on the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means 43, and this function is realized, for example, as follows: When a data correction instruction is input via the input unit 25, the CPU 21 of the evaluation unit 2 corrects in real time the electrical signal reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 connected to the communication interface unit 26 based on the evaluation information stored in the storage unit 22. The CPU 21 transmits the corrected electrical signal (corrected electrical signal) to the output unit 92 connected to the communication interface unit 26. The correction means 44 identifies frequency bands in which excess or deficiency occurs, and calculates correction values ​​so that each frequency band has the required sound pressure level.

[0049] When the correction means 44 corrects the electrical signal reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 in real time, the evaluation device 100 is disposed between the reproduction unit 91 and the output unit 92 of the sound system 9, as shown in Fig. 8. When the correction means 44 corrects the electrical signal reproduced by the reproduction unit 91 in real time in this way, there is no need to prepare a modification sound source in advance as described above.

[0050] According to such an evaluation device 100, the sound output by the output unit 92 of the sound system 9 is collected by the sound collection unit 1, and in the evaluation unit 2, the comparison means 42 compares the output sound information with the sound source information, and the evaluation means 43 generates evaluation information based on the comparison result. Therefore, by checking the evaluation information, it is possible to evaluate whether the sound output by the sound system 9 is being output as a sound having the desired characteristics.

[0051] The evaluation device according to the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications are possible. For example, in this embodiment, the sound collection unit 1 is realized by combining the ear canal model 11 and the sound collector 12. However, the sound collection unit 1 is not limited to this, as long as it can collect the sound output from the output unit 92 while taking into account the echo characteristics of the human ear canal. As the sound collection unit of the evaluation device, an ear simulator, which is used to measure the sound pressure and frequency characteristics of earphones and headphones and is specified by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) or the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards), can also be used.

[0052] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Evaluation device 1 Sound collection unit 2 Evaluation unit 21 CPU 22 Storage unit 23 RAM 24 Display processing unit 25 Input unit 26 Communication interface unit 27 Bus 3 Presentation unit 31 Display unit 32 Communication unit 41 Acquisition means 42 Comparison means 43 Evaluation means 44 Correction means 9 Acoustic system 91 Reproduction unit 92 Output unit

Claims

1. An evaluation device for evaluating sound output from an acoustic system that includes a playback unit that plays back a sound source as an electrical signal and an output unit that outputs the electrical signal played back by the playback unit as sound, the evaluation device comprising: a sound collection unit that collects the sound output by the output unit; and an evaluation unit that evaluates the sound collected by the sound collection unit, wherein the evaluation unit has: a comparison means that compares output sound information generated based on the sound collected by the sound collection unit with sound source information related to the sound source played back by the playback unit; and an evaluation means that generates evaluation information based on the comparison result by the comparison means.

2. The evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the sound collection unit comprises: an ear canal model having a sound transmission space that mimics the structure of the human ear canal, with the output unit disposed at the entrance of the sound transmission space; and a sound collector disposed at the exit of the sound transmission space of the ear canal model.

3. The evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a presentation unit that presents the evaluation information generated by the evaluation means to an outside of the system.

4. The evaluation device according to claim 3, wherein the presentation unit includes a display unit that displays the evaluation information.

5. The evaluation device according to claim 3, wherein the presentation unit includes a communication unit that transmits the evaluation information to an external device.

6. The evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation information includes sound source change information used to change the sound source reproduced by the reproduction unit.

7. An evaluation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the evaluation section further comprises a correction means for correcting the electrical signal reproduced by the reproduction section based on the evaluation information.

8. A method for evaluating sound output from an acoustic system that includes a playback unit that plays back a sound source as an electrical signal and an output unit that outputs the electrical signal played back by the playback unit as sound, the method comprising: collecting the sound output by the output unit; comparing output sound information generated based on the collected sound with sound source information related to the sound source played back by the playback unit; and generating evaluation information based on the results of the comparison.

9. A program that causes a computer to evaluate a sound output from an acoustic system that has a playback unit that plays back a sound source as an electrical signal and an output unit that outputs the electrical signal played back by the playback unit as sound, the program causing the computer to realize the following functions: acquiring sound data obtained by collecting the sound output by the output unit; comparing output sound information generated based on the sound data with sound source information related to the sound source played back by the playback unit; and generating evaluation information based on the results of the comparison obtained by the comparison.

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