Investigation into consistency of subjective and objective perceptual selection of non-individual head-related transfer functions
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Published version
Author(s)
Kim, Chungeun
Lim, Veranika
Picinali, Lorenzo
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The binaural technique uses a set of direction-dependent filters known as Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) in order to create 3D soundscapes through a pair of headphones. Although each HRTF is unique to the person it ismeasured from, due to the cost and complexity of the measurement process pre-measured non-individual HRTFs are generally used. This study investigates whether it is possible for a listener to perceptually select the best-fitting non-individual HRTFs in a consistent manner, using both subjective and objective methods. 16 subjects participated in 3 repeated sessions of binaural listening tests. During each session, participants firstly listened tomoving sound sources spatialized using 7 different non-individual HRTFs and ranked them according to perceived plausibility and externalization (subjective selection). They then performed a localization task with sources spatialized using the same HRTFs (objective selection). In the subjective selection, 3 to 9 participants showed test-retest reliability levels that could be regarded as good or excellent depending on the attribute under question, the source type, and the trajectory. The reliability was better for participants with musical training and critical audio listening experience. In the objective selection, it was not possible to find significant differences between the tested HRTFs based on localization-related performances.
Date Issued
2020-11-01
Date Acceptance
2020-11-01
Citation
Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, 2020, 68 (11), pp.819-831
ISSN
1549-4950
Publisher
Audio Engineering Society
Start Page
819
End Page
831
Journal / Book Title
Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
Volume
68
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© 2020 AES. This paper is Open Access which means you can download it for free (https://www.aes.org/openaccess/policy/).
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Commission of the European Communities
Identifier
https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=20996
Grant Number
644051
644051
Subjects
0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
1005 Communications Technologies
Acoustics
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-12-21