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Binaural Assessment of Parametrically Coded Spatial Audio Signals

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The Technology of Binaural Listening

Part of the book series: Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing ((MASP))

Abstract

In parametric time-frequency-domain spatial audio techniques, the sound field is encoded as a combination of a few audio channels with metadata. The metadata parametrizes the spatial properties of the sound field that are known to be perceivable to humans. The most well-known techniques are reviewed in this chapter. The spatial artifacts specific to such techniques are described, such as dynamically or statically biased directions, spatially too narrow auditory images, and effects of off-sweet-spot listening. Such cases are analyzed with a binaural auditory model, and it is shown that the artifacts are clearly visualized thereby.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank S. Verhulst from the Boston University for providing the cochlea model and assisting in its use, C. Faller from Illusonic GmbH for providing the samples processed with the Faller method, V. Sivonen from Cochlear Nordic for providing the head-related transfer functions, and J. Ahonen, M.-V. Laitinen, and T. Pihlajamäki from Aalto University for providing the DirAC-processed samples for the tests. Further, they are indebted to two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments. This work has been supported by The Academy of Finland and by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant agreement No. 240453.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

    M. Takanen, O. Santala & V. Pulkki

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  1. M. Takanen
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  2. O. Santala
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  3. V. Pulkki
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Correspondence to V. Pulkki .

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  1. Fak. Elektrotechnik, LS Allgm.Elektrotechn.+Akustik, Univ. Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Jens Blauert

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Takanen, M., Santala, O., Pulkki, V. (2013). Binaural Assessment of Parametrically Coded Spatial Audio Signals. In: Blauert, J. (eds) The Technology of Binaural Listening. Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37762-4_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37762-4_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-37761-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-37762-4

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