Vertical Direction Control Using Difference-Spectrum Filters in Stereophonic Loudspeaker Reproduction

Kim T, Pöntynen H, Pulkki V. Vertical Direction Control Using Difference-Spectrum Filters in Stereophonic Loudspeaker Reproduction. J Audio Eng Soc. 2022;70(3):128-139. doi:10.17743/jaes.2021.0055

@article{Kim2022_21555,
  author = {Kim, Taeho and Pöntynen, Henri and Pulkki, Ville},
  title = {{Vertical Direction Control Using Difference-Spectrum Filters in Stereophonic Loudspeaker Reproduction}},
  journal = {Journal of the Audio Engineering Society},
  volume = {70},
  number = {3},
  pages = {128--139},
  year = {2022},
  month = mar,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  doi = {10.17743/jaes.2021.0055},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2021.0055}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Vertical Direction Control Using Difference-Spectrum Filters in Stereophonic Loudspeaker Reproduction
AU  - Kim, Taeho
AU  - Pöntynen, Henri
AU  - Pulkki, Ville
T2  - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
J2  - J. Audio Eng. Soc.
VL  - 70
IS  - 3
SP  - 128
EP  - 139
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/03/06
DO  - 10.17743/jaes.2021.0055
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2021.0055
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - This paper introduces difference-spectrum filters that can be used to control the perceived vertical direction of a sound source presented from ear-level loudspeakers. The difference-spectrum filter was designed to mimic the macroscopic changes in the spectral envelope of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) between a target elevation angle and the ear-level elevation (0?), where the HRTF envelopes were obtained from averaging an extensive collection of individual HRTFs in a database. Localization tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of difference-spectrum filters on elevation perception, which showed a promising result in the two-channel stereophonic condition for the virtual sound source. The perceived elevation correlated well with the target elevation angle of difference-spectrum filters in the stereophonic condition, although a weak correlation was observed in the monophonic condition. Thus, the test results show that difference-spectrum filters can create robust illusory elevation perception and enable vertical direction control over a wide range of elevation angles in stereophonic loudspeaker reproduction.
ER  -