Multi-channel loudspeaker reproduction and virtual acoustic environments in the context of hearing aid evaluation

Abstract

Virtual acoustic environments reproduced via multiple loudspeakers are increasingly used for evaluating hearing aids in complex acoustic conditions. To further establish the feasibility of this approach, this study investigated the interaction between spatial resolution of different reproduction methods and technical and perceptual hearing aid performance measures using computer simulations. Three spatial audio reproduction methods—discrete speakers, vector base amplitude panning and higher order ambisonics—were compared in regular circular loudspeaker arrays with 4 to 72 channels. The influence of reproduction method and array size on performance measures of multi-microphone hearing aid algorithm classes with spatially distributed microphones and a representative single channel noise-reduction algorithm was analyzed. In addition to the analysis of reproduction methods, algorithm performance was tested in a number of different virtual acoustic environments in order to assess the underlying factors of decr...