Peter Stitt

SSA Plugins

The head-related transfer function (HRTF) defines the acoustic path from a source to the two ears of a listener in a manner that is highly dependent on direction. This directional dependence arises from the highly individual morphology of the pinna, which results in complex reflections and resonances. While this notion is generally accepted, there...

accompanying webpage: http://www.socasites.qub.ac.uk/mvanwalstijn/jaes16/ This paper presents an extension to the energy vector, well known in the Ambisonics literature, to improve its predictions of localization at off-center listening positions. In determining the source direction, a perceptual weight is assigned to each loudspeaker gain, taking...

In multichannel reproduction, listening at off-centre positions involves differences in loudspeaker signal arrival times, meaning that the precedence effect is an important factor in localisation. Given that the type of signal is known to affect elements of the precedence effect, there is a need to understand the implications regarding the perceive...

Through a review of the current literature, this chapter defines a methodology for the analysis of HRTF localisation performance, as applied to assess the quality of an HRTF selection or learning program. A case study is subsequently proposed, applying this methodology to a cross-comparison on the results of five contemporary experiments on HRTF le...

This study examines the effect of adaptation to non-ideal auditory localization cues represented by the Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) and the retention of training for up to three months after the last session. Continuing from a previous study on rapid non-individual HRTF learning, subjects using non-individual HRTFs were tested alongside c...

Several studies have reported a collapse of externalization (source location is perceived as being inside the head) when listening to binaural content with nonindividualized HRTFs. A previous experiment conducted with experienced subjects revealed that large head movements coupled with a head-tracking device could substantially improve the external...

This presentation will provide an overview of recent and ongoing studies regarding evaluations of sound fields using virtual loudspeaker binaural synthesis. Of specific interest is an identification of perceptual attributes affected by Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) choice beyond basic localization error and the sensitivity of listeners to h...

Binaural reproduction aims at recreating a realistic audio scene at the ears of the listener using headphones. In the real acoustic world, sound sources tend to be externalized (that is perceived to be emanating from a source out in the world) rather than internalized (that is perceived to be emanating from inside the head). Unfortunately, several...

Binaural rendering can integrate, through the use of a head-tracker, the movements of the listener. This means the rendering can be updated as a function of listener’s head rotation and position, allowing for the virtual sound source to be perceived as being fixed relative to the real world, as well as enhancing the externalisation of the sources....

Head tracking has been shown to improve the quality of multiple aspects of binaural rendering for single sound sources, such as reduced front-back confusions. This paper presents the results of an AB experiment to investigate the influence of tracker latency on the perceived stability of virtual sounds. The stimuli used are a single frontal sound s...

Higher Order Ambisonics is a spatial audio technique that aims to recreate a sound image over as large a listening area as possible. Only limited investigation has taken place into localisation with Ambisonics and Higher Order Ambisonics at off-centre listening positions. This thesis presents the results of three psychoacoustic localisation experim...

Ambisonics and Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) are scalable spatial audio techniques that attempt to present a sound scene to listeners over as large an area as possible. A localisation experiment was carried out to investigate the performance of a first and third order system at three listening positions - one in the centre and two off-centre - usin...

To investigate the performance of ambisonics systems reproduced over headphones, a pairwise comparison test was carried out. Binaurally reproduced sound scenes for 2D ambisonic orders 1 to 4 decoded on 2M + 2 virtual loudspeakers using two decoder options, basic and mixed basic and max rE were used. Similarity ratings are obtained from pairwise com...

Ambisonics is a scalable spatial audio technique that attempts to present a sound scene to listeners over as large an area as possi-ble. A localisation experiment was carried out to investigate the performance of a first and third order system at three listening positions -one in the centre and two off-centre. The test used a reverse target-pointer...

Gerzon [1] first proposed the theory behind Ambisonics in the 1970s as an alternative to the then prevalent quadraphonic systems. It is a multichannel reproduction technique that attempts to recreate a physical sound field over as large a listening area as possible. It is a scalable technique where higher orders allow a larger listening area, but a...