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Journal Article

Diffuse Field Modeling Using Physically-Inspired Decorrelation Filters and B-Format Microphones: Part I Algorithm

Authors: Romblom, David; Depalle, Philippe; Guastavino, Catherine; King, Richard

Journal of the Audio Engineering Society · Volume 64 · Issue 4 · pp. 177–193 · April 2016

Abstract

A reverberant diffuse sound field is characterized by incoherent energy arriving from all directions and is perceptually described as an auditory event that is heard everywhere. It is common practice for sound recording engineers to use differing microphone strategies for the direct and diffuse fields. While there are a variety of techniques to record and reproduce point sources, a systematic tool for diffuse sound fields does not exist. Diffuse Field Modeling (DFM) is a physically-inspired method for approximating a diffuse field in order to create a natural-sounding room effect for arbitrary loudspeaker configurations. It is intended to function in parallel with point source techniques. Using a statistical description of reverberation, the decorrelation filters in DFM are based on physical acoustics, and the resulting diffuse fields are validated with simulations incorporating the Kirchhoff/Helmholtz Integral. The resulting diffuse fields have the expected spatial autocorrelation, and the channels of the array have the expected frequency-dependent correlation. The filters can be tuned to introduce random variation that has physically-plausible frequency autocorrelation, which strongly influences the spatial impression.

Details

Publication
Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
Volume
64
Issue
4
Pages
177–193
Publication date
April 6, 2016
Affiliation
McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT), Montréal, Québec, Canada (See document for exact affiliation information.)
Type
Journal Article