Psychoacoustic Principle, Methods, and Problems with Perceived Distance Control in Spatial Audio

Bosun Xie,Guangzheng Yu

doi:10.3390/app112311242

Abstract

One purpose of spatial audio is to create perceived virtual sources at various spatial positions in terms of direction and distance with respect to the listener. The psychoacoustic principle of spatial auditory perception is essential for creating perceived virtual sources. Currently, the technical means for recreating virtual sources in different directions of various spatial audio techniques are relatively mature. However, perceived distance control in spatial audio remains a challenging task. This article reviews the psychoacoustic principle, methods, and problems with perceived distance control and compares them with the principles and methods of directional localization control in spatial audio, showing that the validation of various methods for perceived distance control depends on the principle and method used for spatial audio. To improve perceived distance control, further research on the detailed psychoacoustic mechanisms of auditory distance perception is required.

Highlights

Acoustic Lab, School of Physics and Optoeletronics, South China University of Technology, Abstract: One purpose of spatial audio is to create perceived virtual sources at various spatial positions in terms of direction and distance with respect to the listener
Spatial audio techniques are increasingly serving as tools for scientific research on human hearing and engineering design
Various spatial audio techniques and systems based on different physical and auditory principles have been developed for different purposes

Summary

Cues for Auditory Distance Perception

Human auditory distance estimation ability is generally inferior to that of visual distance estimation, preliminary but biased auditory distance estimation can still be formed [3]. In addition to ILD, the distance-dependent head scattering and shadow change the spectra of binaural pressure and change the perceived timbre, which may provide information for distance perception Another physical effect involved in near-field HRTFs is the parallax effect [12,13]. The parallax effect may provide absolute but weak distance perception information for a proximal source, especially for a frontal source where the ILD cue is unavailable. Various cues may contribute to distance perception with different weights These weights vary with multiple factors, such as frequency, source distance and direction, anechoic or reflective environment, etc. Auditory distance perception cues in a room especially depend on the reflections and, are different from those in a free field. These psychoacoustic features of auditory distance perception create challenges for perceived distance control in spatial audio

Compared with Directional Localization Cues

General Consideration of Perceived Distance Control in Spatial

Perceived Distance Control in Spatial Audio with Sound-Field-Based Methods

Perceived Distance Control in Binaural-Based Methods

Conclusions