The Effect of Various Source Signal Properties on Measurements of The
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Acoust. Sci. & Tech. 26, 2 (2005) PAPER The effect of various source signal properties on measurements of the interaural crosscorrelation coefficient Russell Mason, Tim Brookes and Francis Rumsey Institute of Sound Recording, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK ( Received 29 June 2004, Accepted for publication 7 December 2004 ) Abstract: Measurements that attempt to predict the perceived spatial impression of musical signals in concert halls typically are conducted by calculating the interaural cross-correlation coefficient (IACC) of an impulse response. The causes of interaural decorrelation are investigated and it is found that this is affected by frequency dependent interaural time and level differences and variations in these over time. It is found that the IACC of impulsive and of narrowband tonal signals can be very different from each other in a wide range of acoustical environments, due to the differences in the spectral content and the duration of the signals. From this, it is concluded that measurements made of impulsive signals are unsuitable for attempting to predict the perceived spatial impression of musical signals. It is suggested that further work is required to develop a set of test signals that is representative of a wide range of musical stimuli. Keywords: Spatial impression, Concert hall acoustics, Objective measurement techniques PACS number: 43.55.Hy, 43.55.Mc [DOI: 10.1250/ast.26.102] which the correlation is calculated and is an offset 1. INTRODUCTION between the two signals under measurement. R Research into the perception of auditorium acoustics t 2 xðtÞyðt þ Þdt has indicated that spatial impression is an important hit1 NCCðÞ¼ R R 1=2 ð1Þ component that contributes to the perceived quality or t2 x2ðtÞdt t2 y2ðtÞdt t1 t1 preference ratings of concert halls [1]. Consequently, a large amount of research has been conducted into both the The NCC is a measure of the similarity of any two perception of spatial impression in concert halls [2–4] and signals, though for the purpose of the IACC it is employed objective measurement techniques that attempt to predict it to analyse a pair of binaural signals (the signals that reach [5–7]. This research has included much discussion about the ears of a listener or a head and torso simulator). In this the separate attributes that make up spatial impression, and case, is usually measured over a range that is large it appears that a consensus has been reached that there are enough to encompass the maximum interaural time differ- two major factors: apparent source width (ASW) and ence (ITD) that is caused by the physical separation of listener envelopment (LEV) [3]. Objective measurements human ears, typically Æ1 ms. The final IACC value is then that have been developed to attempt to predict these factors taken to be the maximum absolute value across the range of can be divided into two types: those based on lateral energy , as shown in Eq. (2). [8,9] and those based on the interaural cross-correlation IACC ¼jNCCðÞjmax; for À 1ms<<þ1ms ð2Þ coefficient (IACC) [5,7]. This paper focuses on the latter, as it is closer to the human perceptual process due to the fact Previous research indicates that a simple stimulus with that it quantifies the properties of the signals that arrive at an IACC close to 1 will be perceived to be relatively the ears of the binaural receiver as opposed to using a more narrow. As the IACC of the signal is reduced, the sound artificial technique for capturing the soundfield. will be perceived to increase in size or width, until a point The basis of the IACC is the normalized cross- at which it may separate into two spatially distinct correlation function (NCC), which is calculated as shown components, one positioned at each ear [10,11]. in Eq. (1), where x and y are the two signals whose The most common method used for measuring the correlation is to be calculated, t1 to t2 is the period over IACC of concert hall acoustics is to calculate the IACC of 102 R. MASON et al.: EFFECT OF SOURCE SIGNAL PROPERTIES ON THE IACC an impulse response [12]. The impulse response is the 2. CAUSES OF INTERAURAL equivalent of exciting the acoustical environment with a DECORRELATION IN A SIMPLE wideband impulse from a source (usually positioned on the ACOUSTICAL ENVIRONMENT stage) and recording the resulting sound field at one or more receiver positions (usually in the audience). This Two major factors that can affect the interaural impulse response is first divided at a point 80 ms after the correlation of a signal in a simple acoustical environment direct sound; the measurements made of the early part are are variations in interaural time difference (ITD) and related to the perceived properties of the source and the interaural level difference (ILD) over time. Blauert and measurements made of the later part are related to the Lindemann found that these affect the perceived spatial perceived properties of the acoustical environment or impression of a sound [17], and it may be considered as reverberation [5]. This is a logical method of making such follows. If a continuous signal is presented to both ears and measurements, as a large number of factors can be derived either the ITD or ILD is varied slowly over time, then a from such an impulse response. listener will perceive this as movement. However, if the However, there are a number of problems with this rate of change is faster than a few Hz, then the subject may method of conducting IACC-based measurements. Firstly, not perceive the change of location, due to the perceptual it has been shown that the two time segments of the process of ‘localisation lag’ or ‘binaural sluggishness’ [18]. impulse response do not affect the perceived properties of Grantham and Wightman found that for rates of temporal the source or the environment in an orthogonal manner fluctuation in ITD of greater than 20 Hz or so, the [9,13]. In fact, the authors found that the properties of the perception of movement was replaced by the perception reflections that arrive after 80 ms can affect the perceived that the stimulus was ‘wide’ or ‘diffuse’ [19]. source width more than the reflections that arrive before 80 ms [13]. Secondly, it is known that variations in IACC 2.1. Acoustical Cause of Fluctuations in ITD and ILD over time can be perceived as a change in width [14], and It is useful to consider how these fluctuations are therefore ideally this should be quantified using a ‘running’ created in natural acoustical environments, starting with the measurement [15]. Finally, objective results calculated by simple case of a direct sound and a single lateral reflection. analysing the reverberant decay from an impulse may not If a sine wave arrives from a source in the median plane, necessarily be relevant to the perception of musical signals. and is followed by a reflection from the lateral plane, then The reason for this is the dissimilarity between an these two components will interfere at the ears. The result impulsive signal and the majority of the types of of this is summation or cancellation of the signals that programme material that are produced in a concert hall reach the ears, and this interaction may be different at each during performances. This difference means that the results ear due to the fact that the direct sound and the reflection of measurements made of impulses can be different from arrive from different directions. The direct sound will reach measurements made of corresponding musical signals, as both ears at the same time and at the same level, whereas found by Griesinger [16]. the reflection will reach the ear that is nearest to the This paper considers this last factor. By analysing a reflecting surface before and possibly at a higher level than number of different signal types that have been passed the ear that is furthest from the reflecting surface. The through a number of acoustical systems, the causes of resulting interaction depends strongly on the relationship interaural decorrelation are explored, and the likely effects between the wavelength of the source signal and the of these on measurements that relate to spatial impression relative delay and level of the direct sound and reflection. are estimated. From this, recommendations are made This means that there will be a frequency dependent regarding the most suitable source signals for use when interaction, which is likely to be different at the two ears, making IACC-based measurements that relate to certain and this will result in interaural level and phase differences aspects of spatial impression. that are dependent on frequency. The paper contains three main sections. The first If the source signal is more complex than a single section examines the causes of interaural decorrelation in a sinusoid, the frequency-dependent summation or cancella- simple acoustical environment consisting of a direct sound tion may lead to interaural differences in level and phase from the median plane followed by a single lateral that are different for each frequency component. When reflection. The second section develops this by investigat- these components are summed, the resulting signal at each ing the effect of two different source signal types on the ear can have differences in level and phase that vary over resulting IACC. The third section then involves analysis of time. these two source signals in more complex acoustical This can be demonstrated using a simulation of a sound environments. source located 15 m in front of a binaural receiver, with a single reflection from a surface 5 m to the right of and 103 Acoust.