Understanding Graphs in ARIA Studio

Master the visual tools that help you optimize your hearing correction

ARIA Studio features a comprehensive set of graphs and data visualizations designed to help you understand your hearing profile and optimize your correction settings. This tutorial explains the key graphing views, their specific purposes, and how to interpret them effectively when fine-tuning your personalized sound experience.

ARIA Studio interface showing the FLT filter graph

The FLT graph provides real-time visualization of your hearing correction filter response

The Power of Visual Feedback

ARIA Studio's graphing capabilities provide crucial visual feedback that transforms abstract audio concepts into clear, actionable information. These visualizations allow you to see exactly how your hearing profile translates into correction filters, helping you make informed decisions when optimizing your listening experience.

While ARIA offers numerous data plots and visualizations, understanding the two primary graphing views—PROFILE and FILTER—will give you the foundation needed to interpret your hearing data and make precise adjustments to your correction settings.

Before You Begin

This tutorial assumes you've already completed the FullScale Hearing Test and imported your results into ARIA Studio. If you haven't done this yet, please complete those steps first to ensure you have data to visualize in the graphs discussed here.

The PROFILE View: Understanding Your Hearing Characteristics

The PROFILE view displays your hearing test results against a reference curve of typical hearing

The PROFILE view provides a comprehensive visualization of your hearing test results, displaying your left and right ear measurements against a reference curve that represents typical hearing patterns. This view is primarily educational and informative, helping you understand your unique hearing characteristics.

In this graph, you'll see three key elements: your raw test results for each ear, the reference curve, and the derived hearing change curve. The term 'hearing change' is more appropriate than 'hearing loss,' as we're simply measuring the difference between your results and the reference—which may not align with conventional definitions of hearing loss.

The FILTER View: Your Essential Tuning Tool

The FILTER view contains the most critical visualization for tuning ARIA: the FLT (Result Filter) graph. This streamlined view shows the actual frequency response of your hearing correction as it's being applied in real-time, reflecting all optimizations and parameter adjustments you make.

Think of the FLT graph as your 'EQ view'—it shows exactly how ARIA is reshaping the frequency spectrum based on your hearing profile and current settings. This is the graph you should actively monitor when adjusting parameters, as it provides immediate visual feedback about how your changes affect the correction filter.

Close-up of the FLT graph in ARIA Studio

The FLT graph shows the real-time frequency response of your hearing correction filter

Frequency-Warping Graph Techniques

One particularly valuable feature is the frequency warping function, accessible by hovering over the bottom left corner of the graph axis and scrolling with your mouse wheel.

This warping capability allows you to adjust the frequency scale's resolution, giving you more detailed visibility in either the low or high-frequency regions depending on which direction you scroll. This is especially useful when making fine adjustments to specific frequency bands that require greater precision.

Key Insights from the FLT Graph

When using the FLT graph for tuning, pay special attention to these critical aspects:

Total Correction Range: Calculate the difference between the highest peak and lowest valley in the FLT graph. For example, if the peak is at +2.5 dB and the lowest point is at -2.5 dB, your total correction range is 5 dB.
Relationship to DRIVE Parameter: The total correction range directly relates to the DRIVE value you'll want to use in the LOUD section. Generally, you should set the DRIVE parameter to generally match this range, possibly slightly higher.
Frequency-Specific Patterns: Look for regions with significant correction (peaks or valleys) and consider how these align with your subjective listening experience. These areas often benefit from targeted adjustments using the multiband editors.
Left-Right Balance: Compare the filter response between left and right channels, particularly in the low frequencies where imbalance can create unnatural spatial effects.

The DRIVE-Correction Relationship

Understanding the relationship between your FLT graph's correction range and the DRIVE parameter is crucial for optimal results. The DRIVE parameter essentially provides makeup gain to compensate for the attenuation created by your correction filter. If your FLT graph shows a total correction range of 5 dB, setting your DRIVE to at least 5 dB ensures that the overall energy of the signal is maintained or slightly enhanced after correction. This relationship is fundamental to achieving natural-sounding results with appropriate dynamics processing.

Summary

ARIA Studio's graphing capabilities provide essential visual feedback for understanding and optimizing your hearing correction. The PROFILE view offers educational insights into your hearing characteristics, while the FILTER view—particularly the FLT graph—serves as your primary tool for real-time tuning. Pay special attention to the total correction range in the FLT graph, as this directly relates to the optimal DRIVE setting. Use the frequency warping feature for detailed analysis of specific frequency regions, and always combine visual feedback with critical listening for the best results.

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