Subjective evaluation of the Optimal Source Distribution system for virtual acoustic imaging.

When binaural sound signals are presented with loudspeakers, the system inversion involved gives rise to a number of problems such as, for example, loss of dynamic range and a lack of robustness to small errors of control performance. These problems for such systems are investigated and this has resulted in the proposal of a new system, the Optimal Source Distribution ("OSD") system, which overcomes these problems by means of variable transducer span. A practical solution to realize a variable transducer span by discretization is also described. Several examples of the "OSD" system are demonstrated which in practice produce a very robust system over the whole audible frequency range. The relationship to the "Stereo Dipole" system is also described.