🎧 IMMERSIVE AUDIO

spatializing audio in headphones and multichannel speaker systems

This document surveys a variety of immersive audio techniques highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. It is ideal for someone who is curious about using immersive audio in their work and also for those who are already using immersive audio and want to dig a little deeper into its possibilities. Carey Dodge draws from his more than 25 years of experience with immersive audio in order to give context and hopefully some inspiration for you to use spatial audio in your work.

🎧 BINAURAL (headphones)

Recording is based on using the human ear or artificial human ear. (3Dio is the most common microphone: https://3diosound.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooQ-ome3N8OoBjibYfHyDZReYk8N6hC_LMz6sI0E_B4QTq89XVP)

Lots of plugins for artificial binaural sound placement available: (DearVR is my favourite but google “binaural plugins” and you will find many)

PROS

The most accurate recording of immersive sound possible for playback in headphones.
Lots of great plugins available to do artificial immersive sound for headphones.

CONS

Fixed recording. i.e. if you move your head, the sound field moves with your head.
Only for headphones. Does not translate to multichannel speaker systems.

Examples:

Academic: https://youtu.be/S1SyaDbRqec?si=BcOUmxaQiBajej4g
Scottish: https://youtu.be/ART4TCZov44?si=-jWEu5TBKzY2pFrp

🌐 AMBISONIC (360 audio most commonly used in VR applications)