The　influence　of　wavefront　quality　of　reference　beams　on　the　reconstruction　quality　of　holographic　recordings　is　investigated　by　numerical　simulation.　A　physical　model　of　recording　and　readout　of　Fourier　transform　holograms　is　built　up　to　study　reconstruction　quality　with　various　reference　waves　such　as　general　plane　wave,　Gaussian　wave　and　speckle　wave.　The　quality　is　quantitatively　evaluated　using　the　loss　of　signal　to　noise　ratio　(LSNR)　of　the　readout　images.　The　simulation　results　show　that　plane　and　Gaussian　reference　waves　could　successfully　record　and　readout　high-quality　holographic　images　with　LSNR　lower　than　0.　6　dB,　but　the　speckle　reference　led　to　quality　deterioration　of　reconstructed　images　with　LSNR　as　high　as　5　dB.　It　will　be　difficult　to　realize　effective　high-density　data　storage　by　speckle　reference　beam.　In　order　to　implement　high-quality　and　high-density　holographic　storage,　the　reference　beam　must　be　optimized.