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Hello Dingding,
Here are my two cents on the matter; it is known that the spectral cues used by our hearing system to determine whether the source is in front or on the back are mainly between 4 and 8kHz, meaning that sources on the back might have 3-5dB less energy in that
range (there usually are other bands that are affected in a similar way, for example around 12 and 14/15kHz, albeit the difference in dB between front and back is smaller). Similarly, elevated sources are likely to have a ~5-7dB boost around 7-9kHz, together
with attenuation between 12-14kHz.
I remember seeing some conference papers on improving front-back confusion (e.g. Balan, O., Moldoveanu, A., & Moldoveanu, F. (2018). A Systematic Review of the Methods and Experiments Aimed to Reduce Front-Back Confusions in the Free-Field and Virtual Auditory
Environments. RoCHI, 24-29, for example) but I'm not particularly convinced such methods would work without training. The latter is a relevant point in my opinion, as if you for example enhance the front-back and up-down spectral differences and create
a "superhuman HRTF", you can surely train someone to use those enhanced cues and significantly improve their discrimination performances. I'd though consider this approach as being more a form of "sonification" rather than spatialisation, and I don't know
whether this would work consistently and repeatedly with untrained individuals.
Best
Lorenzo
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Lorenzo Picinali Professor in Spatial Acoustics and Immersive Audio Dyson School of Design Engineering Imperial College London Dyson Building Imperial College Road South Kensington, SW7 2DB, London E: l.picinali@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/l.picinali https://www.axdesign.co.uk/ From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception <AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Dingding Yao <simon.ydd@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 07 August 2025 7:41 AM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [AUDITORY] Seeking advice on improving localization clarity in static binaural playback with non-individualized HRTFs Dear list,
I hope this message finds you well.
I am reaching out to seek your advice on a question related to binaural reproduction. As we all know, localization ambiguities—especially front-back and up-down confusions—are a common challenge when using HRTF-based binaural playback. Previous literature
has pointed out several influencing factors, such as dynamic cues (e.g., head rotation), individualized HRTFs, and headphone equalization.
However, I am particularly interested in whether it is still possible to achieve a
clear sense of directional perception under static listening conditions with
non-individualized HRTFs. Specifically, even if precise localization is not attained, might there be techniques or strategies that allow listeners to
clearly and reliably distinguish between front and back, as well as between above and below?
Any insights, relevant experiences, or useful references would be greatly appreciated. I would also welcome any discussion or perspectives on this topic. Best regards, Dingding Yao |