Training of Listeners for the Evaluation of Spatial Sound Reproduction

This paper presents some preliminary results from an ongoing study into methods for the training of listeners in subjective evaluation of spatial sound reproduction. Exemplary stimuli were created illustrating two spatial attributes: individual source width and source distance. Changes in each of the two attributes were highly controlled in an attempt to allow uni-dimensional variation of their perceptual effects. The stimuli were validated with the help of an experienced listening panel and then used to instruct naive listeners. By comparing the listeners' performances at ranking a number of stimuli before and after the training sessions the effectiveness of the adopted method was quantified.

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