Perceptual aspects in spatial audio processing. - In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, (2019), S. 3354-3360
Spatial audio processing includes recording, modification and rendering of multichannel audio. In all these fields there is the choice of either a physical representation or of perceptual approaches trying to achieve a target perceived audio quality. Classical microphone techniques on one hand and wave field synthesis, higher order ambisonics or certain methods of binaural rendering for headphone reproduction on the other hand target a good physical representation of sound. As it is known today, especially in the case of sound reproduction a faithful physical recreation of the sound wave forms ("correct signal at the ear drums") is neither necessary nor does it allow a fully authentic or even plausible reproduction of sound. 20 years ago, MPEG-4 standardized different modes for perception based versus physics based reproduction (called "Perceptual approach to modify natural source" and "Acoustic properties for physical based audio rendering"). In spatial rendering today, more and more the perceptual approach is used in state of the art systems. We give some examples of such rendering. The same distinction of physics based versus psychoacoustics (including cognitive effects) based rendering is used today for room simulation or artificial reverb systems. Perceptual aspects are at the heart of audio signal processing today.
https://edocs.tib.eu/files/e01mr19/1677542403.pdf