Psychoacoustic Considerations in Surround Sound with Height (Psychoakustische Betrachtungen zu Surround Sound mit Höhenabbildung)

This paper presents recent research findings in the psychoacoustics of 3D multichannel sound recording and rendering. The addition of height channels in new reproduction formats such as Auro-3D, Dolby Atmos and 22.2, etc. enhances the perceived spatial impression in reproduction. To achieve optimal acoustic recording and signal processing for such formats, it is first important to understand the fundamental principles of how we perceive sounds reproduced from vertically oriented stereophonic loudspeakers. Recent studies by the authors in this field provide insights into how such principles can be applied for practical 3D recording and upmixing. Topics that are discussed in this paper include the interchannel level and time difference relationships in terms of vertically induced interchannel crosstalk, the effectiveness of the precedence effect in the vertical plane, the aspect of tonal coloration resulting from vertical stereophonic reproduction, the effect of vertical microphone spacing on envelopment, the effect of interchannel decorrelation, and the use of spectral cues for extending vertical image spread.