This paper presents Panningtable Synthesis (PTS) as an alternative approach to panning virtual sources in spatial audio that is both a generalization to and more efficient than Vector Base Amplitude Panning (VBAP). This new approach is inspired by a previous technique called Rapid Panning Modulation Synthesis (RPMS). RPMS however exhibits the limitation in that all secondary sources need to be regularly spaced across the circle and organized in equally spaced circles across the sphere. We demonstrate that PTS is not only able to overcome these restrictions, but that it is also fully compliant with VBAP, more computationally efficient and can be regarded as a generalization to the same. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PTS is also able to supersede RPMS both in its capacity to create and shape sound spectra, independently from the number of secondary sources used in the array. Considering creative spatial sound synthesis techniques, PTS can be compared to Wavetable or Wave-Terrain Synthesis, but with the added, inherent spatial characteristics. The flexibility of PTS allows any degree of trade-off between using perceptually correct panning curves and those that target specific sound spectra.

Authors: Schmele, Timothy; Reppel, Niklas
Affiliations: Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Multimedia Technologies Group, Barcelona, Spain; Toplab Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain(See document for exact affiliation information.)
Express Paper 119; AES Convention 155; October 2023
Publication Date: October 25, 2023 Import into BibTeX
Subject: Immersive & Spatial Audio
Permalink: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=22273

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