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A Consideration on Sound Localization

This paper describes the process of sound localization on the basis of interaural intensity ratios and interaural phase differences. These ratios and differences result form the assumption that the human head is equivalent to an elastic sphere having two receiving points; the two receiving points in turn stem from the concept of an acoustic center. Computations of interaural intensity ratios and interaural phase differences were made with a digital computer for three kinds of sound reproductions: 1) Reproduction of a real sound source, 2) intensity stereophony, and 3) the 2-channel reproduction of various 4-channel matrix encoded signals. A close analysis of the computed results has revealed several interesting points. First, some of the sound localization patterns for case #3 are more similar to those for case #1 than those those for #2. Secondly, and more interestingly, the localization of sound images by two speakers can be extended beyond the space between them. These findings seem to indicate that a careful reevaluation of the signals for conventional intensity stereophony could improve the localization of reproduced sound images.

Authors: Koshigoe, Shozo; Takahashi, Susumu
Affiliation: Sansui Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
AES Convention:54 (May 1976) Paper Number:1132 Import into BibTeX

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