This paper presents some further experiments devised to assess the performance of an expanded number of commercially available Ambisonic microphones. The subjective timbral and spatial quality of five microphones (Soundfield MKV, Core Sound TetraMic, Sennheiser Ambeo, MH Acoustics Eigenmike, and Zoom H2N) is assessed using listening tests and a recording of an acoustic quartet. Localization accuracy is assessed using an objective directional analysis and recordings from a spherical loudspeaker array. Intensity vectors are extracted from 25 critical frequency bands of the Bark scale and used to compute the angle to the source location. Significant differences were found between microphones with the Soundfield MKV and Eigenmike producing the best results in terms of timbral quality and localization respectively.

Authors: Bates, Enda; Dooney, Sean; Gorzel, Marcin; O'Dwyer, Hugh; Ferguson, Luke; Boland, Francis M.
Affiliations: Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Google, Dublin, Ireland(See document for exact affiliation information.)
AES Convention: 142 (May 2017) Paper Number: 9730
Publication Date: May 11, 2017 Import into BibTeX
Subject: Spatial Audio—Ambisonics
Permalink: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=18607

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