Evaluating Localization Accuracy of Dynamic Binaural Synthesis: Differences Between Individual, Estimated, and Generic HRTFs

Frankenbach C, Herzog C, Seitz J, Fels J. Evaluating Localization Accuracy of Dynamic Binaural Synthesis: Differences Between Individual, Estimated, and Generic HRTFs. J Audio Eng Soc. 2025;73(1/2):05-23. doi:10.17743/jaes.2022.0190

@article{Frankenbach2025_22790,
  author = {Frankenbach, Cornelius and Herzog, Carsten and Seitz, Julia and Fels, Janina},
  title = {{Evaluating Localization Accuracy of Dynamic Binaural Synthesis: Differences Between Individual, Estimated, and Generic HRTFs}},
  journal = {Journal of the Audio Engineering Society},
  volume = {73},
  number = {1/2},
  pages = {05--23},
  year = {2025},
  month = jan,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  doi = {10.17743/jaes.2022.0190},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0190}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Evaluating Localization Accuracy of Dynamic Binaural Synthesis: Differences Between Individual, Estimated, and Generic HRTFs
AU  - Frankenbach, Cornelius
AU  - Herzog, Carsten
AU  - Seitz, Julia
AU  - Fels, Janina
T2  - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
J2  - J. Audio Eng. Soc.
VL  - 73
IS  - 1/2
SP  - 05
EP  - 23
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/01/07
DO  - 10.17743/jaes.2022.0190
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0190
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - In a listening experiment with 24 participants, the localization accuracy of dynamic binaural synthesis employing individual and estimated head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) was compared to the localization accuracy with generic HRTFs in vertical and horizontal direction. The experiment featured five different HRTF estimation methods, high-frequency audiometry, proximal pointing, and individual headphone equalization. While generic Knowles Electronics Mannikin for Acoustic Research (KEMAR) HRTFs served as a baseline, individually measured ones provided a reference. Estimated HRTFs were acquired based on anthropometric data and 3D head models by means of an interaural time difference adaptation, a selection from an HRTF database, a principal component-based synthesis, and a numerical HRTF simulation. Compared to the KEMAR, measured and estimated HRTFs produced significantly smaller vertical errors, while differences in terms of the horizontal error were not significant. The HRTF synthesis qualified as the preferred estimation method by significantly reducing the vertical error for virtual sources on and below the horizontal plane, compared to the generic HRTFs.
ER  -