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A low frequency panning method with compensation for head rotation

A low frequency panning method with compensation for head rotation
A low frequency panning method with compensation for head rotation
Amplitude panning produces Inter-aural Time Difference (ITD) cues that help localise images in directions between loudspeakers. However, if the panning gains are static the ITD cues produced in this way vary inconsistently as the listener's head rotates, compared with a real source, and so the dynamic ITD cues are inaccurate. This effect destabilises the perception of the image and overall scene, and is worse for loudspeakers that are more widely spaced relative to the listener. Based on a simple head model that is accurate in the low frequency ITD regime, the ITD is calculated for a general field, including those produced by panning. A simple formula is derived relating head orientation, image direction, and a field description vector. Panning functions are then found that compensate for head orientation, and are valid for any image direction. For the special case when the listener is facing the image, the functions are equivalent to Vector Base Amplitude Panning (VBAP). The performance is first assessed objectively using measured binaural responses, rather than the simple head model. Subjective comparison is then made with pre-existing listening tests, and new listening tests in which the listener's head is tracked to control the panning gains in real-time. These show that images can be stabilised as predicted, and, furthermore, that with the same panning functions images can be produced in all directions using two loudspeakers placed in front.
spatial audio, panning, ambisonics, listener tracking
Menzies, Dylan
0cc76abc-8a10-4b7f-96e5-56eceb0b2c5c
Simon Galvez, Marcos Felipe
777da25f-86fc-4a22-8ff1-ac2cbbfe27ae
Fazi, Filippo Maria
e5aefc08-ab45-47c1-ad69-c3f12d07d807
Menzies, Dylan
0cc76abc-8a10-4b7f-96e5-56eceb0b2c5c
Simon Galvez, Marcos Felipe
777da25f-86fc-4a22-8ff1-ac2cbbfe27ae
Fazi, Filippo Maria
e5aefc08-ab45-47c1-ad69-c3f12d07d807

Menzies, Dylan, Simon Galvez, Marcos Felipe and Fazi, Filippo Maria (2017) A low frequency panning method with compensation for head rotation. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing. (doi:10.1109/TASLP.2017.2775860).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Amplitude panning produces Inter-aural Time Difference (ITD) cues that help localise images in directions between loudspeakers. However, if the panning gains are static the ITD cues produced in this way vary inconsistently as the listener's head rotates, compared with a real source, and so the dynamic ITD cues are inaccurate. This effect destabilises the perception of the image and overall scene, and is worse for loudspeakers that are more widely spaced relative to the listener. Based on a simple head model that is accurate in the low frequency ITD regime, the ITD is calculated for a general field, including those produced by panning. A simple formula is derived relating head orientation, image direction, and a field description vector. Panning functions are then found that compensate for head orientation, and are valid for any image direction. For the special case when the listener is facing the image, the functions are equivalent to Vector Base Amplitude Panning (VBAP). The performance is first assessed objectively using measured binaural responses, rather than the simple head model. Subjective comparison is then made with pre-existing listening tests, and new listening tests in which the listener's head is tracked to control the panning gains in real-time. These show that images can be stabilised as predicted, and, furthermore, that with the same panning functions images can be produced in all directions using two loudspeakers placed in front.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 13 November 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 20 November 2017
Keywords: spatial audio, panning, ambisonics, listener tracking

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 415939
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/415939
PURE UUID: 42db3c44-2d9d-4080-a7be-ddf5754f7791
ORCID for Dylan Menzies: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1475-8798
ORCID for Filippo Maria Fazi: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4129-1433

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 28 Nov 2017 17:31
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:59

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