BINAQUAL: A Full-Reference Objective Localization Similarity Metric for Binaural Audio

Shariat Panah D, Barry D, Ragano A, Skoglund J, Hines A. BINAQUAL: A Full-Reference Objective Localization Similarity Metric for Binaural Audio. J Audio Eng Soc. 2026;74(1/2):20-34. doi:10.17743/jaes.2022.0243

@article{ShariatPanah2026_23119,
  author = {Shariat Panah, Davoud and Barry, Dan and Ragano, Alessandro and Skoglund, Jan and Hines, Andrew},
  title = {{BINAQUAL: A Full-Reference Objective Localization Similarity Metric for Binaural Audio}},
  journal = {Journal of the Audio Engineering Society},
  volume = {74},
  number = {1/2},
  pages = {20--34},
  year = {2026},
  month = feb,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  doi = {10.17743/jaes.2022.0243},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0243}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - BINAQUAL: A Full-Reference Objective Localization Similarity Metric for Binaural Audio
AU  - Shariat Panah, Davoud
AU  - Barry, Dan
AU  - Ragano, Alessandro
AU  - Skoglund, Jan
AU  - Hines, Andrew
T2  - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
J2  - J. Audio Eng. Soc.
VL  - 74
IS  - 1/2
SP  - 20
EP  - 34
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/10
DO  - 10.17743/jaes.2022.0243
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0243
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - Spatial audio enhances immersion in applications such as virtual reality, augmented reality, gaming, and cinema by creating a three-dimensional auditory experience. Ensuring the spatial fidelity of binaural audio is crucial, given that processes such as compression, encoding, or transmission can alter localization cues. While subjective tests are used for evaluating spatial localization quality, they are costly and time-consuming. This paper introduces BINAQUAL, a full-reference objective metric designed to assess localization similarity in binaural audio recordings. BINAQUAL adapts the AMBIQUAL metric, originally developed for localization quality assessment in ambisonics audio format, to the binaural domain. BINAQUAL is evaluated across five key research questions, examining its sensitivity to variations in sound source locations, angle interpolations, surround loudspeaker layouts, audio degradations, and content diversity. Results demonstrate that BINAQUAL effectively differentiates between subtle spatial variations and correlates strongly with subjective listening tests, making it a reliable metric for binaural localization quality assessment. The proposed metric provides a robust benchmark for ensuring spatial accuracy in binaural audio processing, paving the way for improved objective evaluations in immersive audio applications.
ER  -