Localization with artificial head recordings

Abstract

Twelve artificial heads, of which one was designed at the authors’ laboratory, were evaluated in a localization test. The localization performance was compared in two situations: First, the subjects localized sound sources in a real sound field, then the localization test was repeated with artificial head recordings of the same sound field. The sounds to be localized were loudspeaker reproductions of female speech at natural level, from 19 different positions in a standard listening room. The artificial head recordings were reproduced by carefully equalized headphones. Results from eight of the heads showed an increased number of localization errors compared to real-life performance. The directions in the median plane were most often confused, not only with nearby directions, but also with directions further away. The number of errors was significantly higher than what can be obtained with recordings from a carefully selected human head. Results from the last four heads, including the one from the authors’ laboratory, were not available at the time of abstract submission.