Spectral Analysis of WAV Files with MATLAB

Resource Overview

Performing spectral analysis on WAV files using MATLAB and generating spectrum plots with code implementation details

Detailed Documentation

Spectral analysis of WAV files using MATLAB is a common approach that provides deeper insights by computing frequency domain information of audio signals. Spectrum plots offer visual representations of frequency components, enabling analysis of different frequency contributions and their interrelationships. The implementation typically involves reading audio data using the audioread() function, applying Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms like fft() to convert time-domain signals to frequency domain, and visualizing results with plotting functions such as plot() or spectrogram(). Beyond basic frequency analysis, this technique can detect noise or distortion in signals, determine parameters like signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and dynamic range through power spectral density calculations. Mastering MATLAB's spectral analysis methods for WAV files enhances understanding of audio signal characteristics and finds applications in audio processing, signal processing, and related fields. Key considerations include proper windowing functions (e.g., Hamming window) to reduce spectral leakage and appropriate frequency scaling for accurate representation.