3D Microphone Array Comparison Part 2: Elicitation of Salient Perceptual Attributes

Morinaga M, Lee H. 3D Microphone Array Comparison Part 2: Elicitation of Salient Perceptual Attributes. J Audio Eng Soc. 2026;74(3):151-163. doi:10.17743/jaes.2022.0254

@article{Morinaga2026_23131,
  author = {Morinaga, Miki and Lee, Hyunkook},
  title = {{3D Microphone Array Comparison Part 2: Elicitation of Salient Perceptual Attributes}},
  journal = {Journal of the Audio Engineering Society},
  volume = {74},
  number = {3},
  pages = {151--163},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0254},
  doi = {10.17743/jaes.2022.0254},
  year = {2026},
  month = mar,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - 3D Microphone Array Comparison Part 2: Elicitation of Salient Perceptual Attributes
AU  - Morinaga, Miki
AU  - Lee, Hyunkook
T2  - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
J2  - J. Audio Eng. Soc.
VL  - 74
IS  - 3
SP  - 151
EP  - 163
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/06
DO  - 10.17743/jaes.2022.0254
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0254
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - The growing adoption of 3D audio technologies has driven the development of a wide range of microphone array techniques; however, perceptual differences between them remain insufficiently understood and require systematic investigation. This study reports a subjective experiment comparing four 3D array configurations (OCT-3D, 2L-Cube, and PCMA-3D with 0-m and 1-m vertical spacings) using a 5.0.4 playback system. Excerpts of various musical recordings simultaneously made using the arrays were evaluated from three listening positions (center, left, back) through elicitation and audibility grading tests. Results identified perceptual differences in conventional spatial and tonal attributes but showed that their audibility varied considerably with sound source and listening position. Differences in spatial attributes such as listener envelopment and apparent source width were audible across most conditions, whereas attributes related to sound image location and stability, such as localizability, were more prominent for single sources and off-center positions. Vertical image spread was salient only for pipe organ and a five-voice a cappella ensemble. Tonal attributes such as clarity, fullness, and brightness were particularly salient off-center. These findings lay the foundation for future research on their relationship to listener preference and the development of 3D recording quality models.
ER  -