Binaural model analysis of wave-field-synthesis auralization over extended listening areas

Abstract

This paper evaluates the performance of a recently proposed method to create auralizations with a 2D ray-tracing algorithm and publicly available floor plans. Using this method, acoustic landmarks were simulated for a 128-channel wave field synthesis (WFS) system. Late reverberation parameters are calculated using additional volumetric data. The approach allows the rapid sonic recreation of historical concert venues with adequate sound sources. The listeners can walk through these recreations over an extended user area (12 × 10 sqm), and the software suite can be used to calculate room acoustical parameters for various positions directly using a binaural rendering method or via the WFS simulation. To evaluate the performance of the auralization system binaural sound fields are rendered for various grid positions across the listening area and analyzed using a binaural model algorithm. The Binaurally Integrated Cross-correlation Auto-correlation Mechanism (BICAM) [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 140(1), EL143] was selected for this purpose because it can estimate binaural activity patterns from a running signal with a 2-layer cross-correlation algorithm. Using this algorithm, the reflection patterns of early reflections and traditional room acoustical parameters (ISO 3382) were compared between the WFS auralization and direct binaural rendering method. [Work support by NSF IIS-1909229.]