Using Semi-personalized Loudness Difference for Improved Surround Sound Rendered by Headphones

Abstract

The objective of this study is to improve the distance localization in surround sound rendered by headphones. By using the binaural room impulse response (BRIR), the surround sound rendered by headphones is acceptable for directional cue, but not for distance cue. To improve the distance cue, we propose to measure the loudness difference between the headphones and loudspeakers as a means of post-processing equalizer (EQ). To reduce the prolonged measurement time, only a portion of the EQ response is individually, whereas the rest response is a generic one. The experimental results show that the high-frequency bands are more important in distance cue, and thus this portion of response should be individually measured.