Contribution
Experimental study on sharpness and roughness sensations with varying source positions in the horizontal plane
* Presenting author
Abstract:
The importance of understanding binaural signal processing for hearing research is undisputed. Binaural perceptions are easily formed by human listeners under dichotic listening conditions. However, the modeling of this process for basic auditory impressions is not well understood so far. How are differences between the ear signals combined into a stable binaural percept? Are general binaural signal processing strategies used or does the process of combining ear signals in dichotic listening conditions vary over different auditory sensations?In a laboratory study, the effect of simulated sound source positions in the horizontal plane on perceptions of loudness, sharpness and roughness was investigated with the help of paired comparison and rating scale methods. A total of 33 participants took part in the experiment, which was carried out in an audiometry booth with headphone playback. For the perception of sharpness, it was observed that the impression of sharpness systematically decreased from front to back. A different behavior was observed for roughness sensations. The experimental results are presented and discussed in connection with available calculation models such as ISO 532-1, ISO 532-3 or ECMA 418-2. Finally, the derivation of single values that reflect the binaural impression based on separate ear signal values is discussed.