Contribution
Enhancing Sound Externalization in Binaural Loudspeaker Simulations through Loudspeaker Visualization
* Presenting author
Abstract:
Research suggests that visual information about the room can influence perceived sound externalization in binaural room and loudspeaker simulations, but the effect of visualizing simulated loudspeakers remains unclear. This study investigates whether visualizing loudspeakers through augmented reality (AR) can improve externalization in binaural loudspeaker simulations. Using a real-time room acoustic simulation of a 7.1.4 loudspeaker setup with six degrees of freedom tracking, we conducted listening experiments in which participants rated the externalization of noise bursts presented as single speakers, phantom sources, and moving sources, as well as music, under three visual conditions: AR visualization of the surrounding loudspeakers through a mixed reality headset, schematic 2D visualization of the loudspeaker setup on a conventional screen, and no visual information. Results show that the AR visualization can improve externalization for single speakers and music, suggesting that alignment between audio and visual cues is most effective when the perceived sound direction matches the visual source location. The effectiveness of AR visualization in music scenarios may be due to participants' familiarity with phantom sources in the context of music.