An optimized parametric model for the simulation of reverberant microphone signals

Abstract

In 2011, Borß introduced a parametric model for the design of virtual acoustics, which creates a natural sounding virtual environment for applications requiring virtualization e.g., in teleconferencing systems and computer games. In this work we refine this model to make it applicable for the simulation of room acoustics and reverberation to aid in the development of single- and multi-channel audio signal enhancement systems. The model takes early reflections with a frequency-dependent attenuation and the diffuse character of late reverberation with its coherence characteristics into account and provides predefined rooms and reverberation times according to a norm defined by the German Institute for Standardization, to ensure a high degree of realism and usability. Compared to the standard image source model for generating virtual acoustics, the proposed system generates a more realistic virtual acoustic environment.