Small form-factor and thin devices exhibit a high-pass frequency response due to loudspeaker-enclosure constraints. The low-frequency reproduction loss from these devices severely degrades the audio experience for music and cinematic content. This paper presents a new perceptual bass extension model using a side chain for music and cinematic content and leveraging the principle of the missing fundamental frequency. Optimizing the nonlinear function parameters enables the nonlinear function output to be invariant to input signal level changes. The model employs a unique input gain normalization scheme based on loudness metadata and level-matching between multiple side chains. A loudness compensation algorithm restores the perception of bass, particularly at low playback levels. Subjective testing and perceptually derived objective metrics using television (TV) loudspeakers validate the performance of the approach.

Authors: Bharitkar, Sunil G.; Souza Blanes, Ema; Kubota, Glenn, S.; Rawat, Ashish
Affiliations: Samsung Research America, DMS Audio, Valencia CA, USA; Samsung Research America, DMS Audio, Valencia CA, USA; Samsung Research America, DMS Audio, Valencia CA, USA; Samsung Research America, DMS Audio, Valencia CA, USA(See document for exact affiliation information.)
AES Convention: 154 (May 2023) Paper Number: 10648
Publication Date: May 13, 2023 Import into BibTeX
Subject: Audio DSP
Permalink: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=22055

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