Abstract
Amplitude panning produces interaural time difference (ITD) cues that help localize images in directions between loudspeakers. However, if the panning gains are static, then the ITD cues produced in this way vary inconsistently as the listener's head rotates, compared with a real source, and so the dynamic ITD cues are inaccurate. This effect destabilizes the perception of the image and overall scene, and is worse for loudspeakers that are more widely spaced relative to the listener. Based on a simple head model that is accurate in the low-frequency ITD regime, the ITD is calculated for a general field, including those produced by panning. A simple formula is derived relating head orientation, image direction, and a field description vector. Panning functions are then found that compensate for head orientation and are valid for any image direction. For the special case when the listener is facing the image, the functions are equivalent to vector base amplitude panning. The performance is first assessed objectively using measured binaural responses, rather than the simple head model. Subjective comparison is then made with pre-existing listening tests and new listening tests in which the listener's head is tracked to control the panning gains in real-time. These show that images can be stabilized as predicted, and, furthermore, that with the same panning functions, images can be produced in all directions using two loudspeakers placed in front.
Highlights
A MPLITUDE panning is a method of producing a spatial audio image in which two or more plane waves are combined coherently at the listener position, each carrying the same signal and with separate gain
This provides encouragement that the linear approximation is useful in deriving results that are valid for inter-aural Time Difference (ITD) cues, in particular producing panning laws
The target plane wave field itself is a trivial solution. Another solution is provided by matching pressure and velocity, since ITD and inter-aural Level Difference (ILD) depend only on pressure and velocity, and head orientation in the low frequency limit, from (6), (7)
Summary
Abstract—Amplitude panning produces interaural time difference (ITD) cues that help localize images in directions between loudspeakers. If the panning gains are static, the ITD cues produced in this way vary inconsistently as the listener’s head rotates, compared with a real source, and so the dynamic ITD cues are inaccurate This effect destabilizes the perception of the image and overall scene, and is worse for loudspeakers that are more widely spaced relative to the listener. Subjective comparison is made with pre-existing listening tests and new listening tests in which the listener’s head is tracked to control the panning gains in real-time These show that images can be stabilized as predicted, and, that with the same panning functions, images can be produced in all directions using two loudspeakers placed in front. Date of publication November 20, 2017; date of current version December 11, 2017. V : rV , N : nose, I : image 2θL is the stereo loudspeaker separation from the listener directed angle from the mid point between stereo loudspeakers to the direction the listener is facing in directed angle from the mid point between stereo loudspeakers to the image stereo panning gains direction vectors to the stereo loudspeakers from the listener head related impulse responses from each loudspeaker (1, 2) to each ear (L, R)
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