Pole and zero modeling of room transfer functions

Abstract The feasibility of using all-pole and all-zero model approximations of room transfer functions was examined especially in respect to the degree that such approximations are suitable for removing room reverberation from signals. Two aspects of the above models were assessed: their success in reducing room transfer function order and their insensitivity to measurements taken for different source and receiver positions inside a room. Both these aspects are crucial to the success of practical dereverberation methods. The tests were carried out on simulated and measured data and it was found that all-pole models are most suitable than all-zero models when both of the above two aspects must be satisfied by the approximation model. It was also shown that, for a given room, an optimum all-pole model order exists which approximates the room transfer function.