AES Rome 2013
Engineering Brief EB3
EB3 - E-Brief Papers—Part 2
Tuesday, May 7, 11:15 — 13:00 (Sala Foscolo)
Chair:
Brett Leonard, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada; The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
EB3-1 Spatial Sound Reinforcement Using Wave Field Synthesis—Etienne Corteel, Sonic Emotion Labs - Paris, France; Hubert Westkemper, Independent Tonmeister - Naples, Italy; Cornelius Ihssen, Sonic Emotion Labs - Oberglatt, Switzerland; Khoa-Van Nguyen, Sonic Emotion Labs - Paris, France
Spatial audio in sound reinforcement remains an open topic, requiring good level coverage and at the same time good localization accuracy over a very large listening area, typically the entire audience. Wave Field Synthesis offers high localization accuracy over an extended listening area but the number of required loudspeakers, their placement on stage, and the level coverage that results from it can be problematic. The paper addresses these issues, presenting a case study of a sound reinforcement system based on Wave Field Synthesis for sound reinforcement for the play "The Panic" written by Rafael Spregelburd and directed by Luca Ronconi. The paper describes an improved Wave Field Synthesis rendering for sound reinforcement involving two arrays of loudspeakers at different heights. The paper addresses the practical implementation of the system in a theater and the overall installation: miking, real time tracking of actors, and loudspeakers used.
Engineering Brief 91 (Download now)
EB3-2 Sync-AV–Workflow Tool for File-Based Video Shootings—Andreas Fitza, University of Applied Science Mainz - Mainz, Germany
The Sync-AV workflow tool eases the sorting and synchronization of video and audio footage without the need of expensive special hardware. It supports the preproduction, shooting, and postproduction. It consists of three elements: a script-information and metadata-gathering iOS app that is synchronized with a server-back-end and that can be used to exchange information on-set; a server database with a web-front-end that can sort files by their metadata and show dailies and that can be used to distribute and manage information during the pre-production; and a local import client that manages the footage ingest and sorts the files together. The client also takes care of the synchronization of the video that contains audio and separately recorded audio files and it renames the files and implements the metadata.
Engineering Brief 92 (Download now)
EB3-3 On the Optimum Microphone Array Configuration for Height Channels—Hyunkook Lee, University of Huddersfield - Huddersfield, UK; Christopher Gribben, University of Huddersfield - Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
To date no experimental data have been presented on the optimum microphone array configuration for new surround formats employing height channels. A series of subjective listening tests were conducted to investigate how the spacing between base and height microphones affects perceived spatial impression and overall preference. Four different spacings of 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 m were compared for various sound sources using a 9-channel loudspeaker setup. For sources with more continuous temporal characteristics, the spacing between the layers did not have any significant effect on spatial impression, whereas for more transient sources the 0 m layer appeared to produce a greater spatial impression than more spaced layers. Furthermore, the 0 m layer was more or similarly preferred to the spaced layers depending on source type.
Engineering Brief 93 (Download now)
EB3-4 Free Improv—The Hard Way—Justin Paterson, London College of Music, University of West London - London, UK
As a fringe genre, “Free Improvisation” does not normally attract large production budgets. Often time-constrained, the subsequent technological approach to the production tends to emphasize the naturalistic and neglects many of the tools and techniques that are commonplace in contemporary popular music. The author produced the album, The Making of Quiet Things by The Number (featuring Keith Tippett). This album consciously employed a range of contemporary approaches such as creative and corrective automation, reverberation-matching, audio editing, and extreme compression, while maintaining an overall impression of minimal mediation. This paper considers and contextualizes such an approach, reflecting on the practice and its implications for the genre.
Engineering Brief 94 (Download now)
EB3-5 International Experiences from a New Sound System Approach—Thomas Lagö, QirraSound Technologies LLC - Las Vegas, NV, USA; Alan Boyer, QirraSound Technologies LLC - Las Vegas, NV, USA
QirraSound's new sound system approach benefits from a high level of intelligibility and substantially lower feedback. These properties help in placing loudspeakers behind the performers and thus minimizing the need for monitor speakers. Substantial empiric testing has been done in applications in multiple countries and applications and results from these tests will be presented. Listeners and performers report increased feel and intelligibility and even people with hearing loss and/or sensitivity to high sound levels can enjoy the sound. It has also been noticed that the ability to talk while music is playing is much better than with classical systems. An overall outline of these test results and feedback will be reported.
Engineering Brief 95 (Download now)
EB3-6 Nonlinear Guitar Loudspeaker Simulation—Thomas Schmitz, University of Liege - Liege, Belgium; Jean J. Embrechts, University of Liege - Liege, Belgium
In this study we simulated in real time the sound of a guitar amplifier loudspeaker, including its non-linear behavior. The simulation method is based on a non-linear convolution of the signal emitted by the instrument with the Volterra kernels, which were measured in anechoic conditions with a sine-sweep technique. The model has been implemented in a "VST" (Virtual Studio Technology) audio plugin. The loudspeaker simulation can be performed in real time with the Volterra kernels up to the third order and offers a good accuracy. Informal tests revealed that the simulated and the real sound were very close, although approximately 50 percent of the tested musicians were still able to hear a small difference.
Engineering Brief 96 (Download now)
EB3-7 Using Low-Latency Net-Based Solutions to Extend the Audio and Video Capabilities of a Studio Complex—Paul Ferguson, Edinburgh Napier University - Edinburgh, UK
Two low-latency IP-based systems, RedNet and LOLA, were selected by Edinburgh Napier University to link a new music building with existing broadcast and drama facilities and to allow low-latency audio and video collaboration with other institutions/organizations around the world. First to be examined will be their use of Focusrite RedNet and Audinate Dante to expand existing AES10 (MADI) point to point links. Second, an overview will be provided of the University's ongoing research with JANET and GARR (the UK and Italy National Research and Education Networks) into the use of the Italian LOLA system (LOw LAtency audio visual streaming system) to provide long-distance audio and video links for rehearsal and performance involving musicians in different countries.
Engineering Brief 97 (Download now)
