Diffuse Field Modeling using physically-inspired decorrelation filters and B-format microphones: Part II evaluation

Diffuse Field Modeling (DFM) is a systematic means for simulating and reproducing a diffuse field for arbitrary loudspeaker configurations. DFM is presented in two publications: Part I [1] presents the algorithm and this Part II reports the perceptual evaluation. Two experiments were conducted: in Experiment 1 sound recording professionals were to rate different treatments of DFM presented on a 20-channel array. The treatments under evaluation included the geometric modeling of reflections, strategies involving the early portion of the B-Format Room Impulse Response, and a comparison between 0^th and 1^st-order RIR. Results indicate that it is necessary to model the earliest reflections and to use all four channels of the B-Format room impulse response. In Experiment 2 musicians and sound recording professionals were asked to rate DFM and common microphone techniques presented on 3/2 stereophonic setup. DFM was found to be perceptually comparable with the Hamasaki Square technique.