The impact of individual head-related transfer function augmentation on spatial release from masking
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Marggraf-Turley, Nils
Pontoppidan, Niels H
Picinali, Lorenzo
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Binaural hearing underpins effective communication in complex acoustic environments by increasing listeners’ abilities to segregate concurrent sound sources. In certain conditions, interaural magnification of binaural cues has been shown to improve speech intelligibility in competing target masker scenarios, yet existing methods primarily comprise hearing aid algorithms, which, due to processing constraints, cause unwanted artefacts. Moreover, the perceptual effects of applying interaural magnification directly to a person’s own head-related transfer function (HRTF) remain unclear.
We revisit a previous method for magnifying interaural cues, apply it to individual HRTFs, and propose a modified version designed to reduce spatial distortions. We evaluate both approaches using auditory models and listening tests involving speech-on-speech masking with a midline target and symmetrical maskers. Behavioural results show that although magnifying interaural phase and level differences improves overall speech intelligibility compared to unmodified HRTFs, it does not significantly enhance spatial release from masking (SRM). Meanwhile, auditory model predictions suggest greater SRM gains than those observed behaviourally, suggesting an influence of listener familiarity with their individual spatial cues. Finally, interaural magnification benefits diminish for listeners who already exhibit strong SRM with their own HRTFs.
We revisit a previous method for magnifying interaural cues, apply it to individual HRTFs, and propose a modified version designed to reduce spatial distortions. We evaluate both approaches using auditory models and listening tests involving speech-on-speech masking with a midline target and symmetrical maskers. Behavioural results show that although magnifying interaural phase and level differences improves overall speech intelligibility compared to unmodified HRTFs, it does not significantly enhance spatial release from masking (SRM). Meanwhile, auditory model predictions suggest greater SRM gains than those observed behaviourally, suggesting an influence of listener familiarity with their individual spatial cues. Finally, interaural magnification benefits diminish for listeners who already exhibit strong SRM with their own HRTFs.
Date Issued
2025-10-01
Date Acceptance
2025-08-11
Citation
Hearing Research, 2025, 466
ISSN
0378-5955
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Hearing Research
Volume
466
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40865249
PII: S0378-5955(25)00219-9
Subjects
Binaural hearing
Head-related transfer function
Interaural cue magnification
Spatial release from masking
Humans
Perceptual Masking
Cues
Acoustic Stimulation
Speech Perception
Speech Intelligibility
Adult
Noise
Male
Female
Young Adult
Sound Localization
Head
Auditory Threshold
Hearing Aids
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Netherlands
Article Number
109402
Date Publish Online
2025-08-20