Subjective diffuseness of music signals convolved with binaural impulse responses

Abstract

The spatial impression of sound in a hall can be quantified using sound field factors such as the interaural cross-correlation coefficient (IACC) calculated from binaural impulse response (BIR), henceforth denoted by IACC IR. The subjective diffuseness for the listener is a spatial attribute which depends on factors associated both with the source signal and with the actual sound field, and is quantified using the IACC of the signal received by the listener, henceforth denoted by IACC SR. Therefore, the subjective diffuseness in a given hall may change with the music. The aims of this study are to estimate the IACC SR from the IACC IR and the factors, which is obtained from autocorrelation function (ACF) of music signal, and to evaluate the subjective diffuseness by these factors. First, the relationship between the IACC IR and IACC SR was investigated. Second, subjective diffuseness was measured by a psycho-acoustical experiment. As a result, the IACC SR could be estimated from the IACC IR of the BIR and the effective duration ( τ e ) from the ACF of music signal. It was found that the effects of BIRs on subjective diffuseness could be evaluated by IACC IR for almost all subjects, while the effects of music signals could be evaluated by the τ e and the width of the peak at τ=0 ( W ϕ(0) ) of the ACF.