The accuracy and precision of localisation of instruments and vocals found in a typical pop or rock band in an Ambisonics-based virtual environment

Marko Horvat (1) , Frane Anzulovic , Dominik Kisic , Kristian Jambrosic

1 University of Zagreb

This paper aims to explore the degree of accuracy and precision of the localization of instruments and vocals that are typically found in contemporary pop or rock bands, when the mix of a recording of such a band is to be made for an Ambisonics-based virtual environment, rather than for the usual two-channel stereo reproduction. For this purpose, a dry recording of a single song was acquired, containing the tracks with drums, bass guitar, lead guitar, keyboards and vocal. A short excerpt of the recording and, consequently, of the corresponding tracks was cut out from the original recording. A virtual environment was created based on Ambisonics encoding. Within this environment, seven positions in the front horizontal half-plane were determined for the placement of the source. Each of the shortened tracks was used as a source signal on all seven positions and the encoding was made in first-, second- and third-order Ambisonics. A series of listening tests was made, in which the subjects were asked to localize the source with its content reproduced to them through a loudspeaker system capable of reproducing Ambisonics signal up to the third order. The results of the tests were analysed in the context of how accurately and precisely the listeners could localize the sources, with regard to source position, the content of the source, and the order of the encoded signal.

Domaines: Acoustique [physics.class-ph]; Vibrations [physics.class-ph]

Marko Horvat, Frane Anzulovic, Dominik Kisic, Kristian Jambrosic. The accuracy and precision of localisation of instruments and vocals found in a typical pop or rock band in an Ambisonics-based virtual environment. Forum Acusticum, Dec 2020, Lyon, France. pp.2841-2847, ⟨10.48465/fa.2020.1136⟩. ⟨hal-03242482⟩