Auralization of acoustic spaces based on spherical microphone array recordings

Microphone arrays can capture the physical structure of a sound field. They are therefore potentially suited to capture and preserve the sound of acoustic spaces within given physical limitations that are determined by the construction of the array. Especially spherical microphone arrays have received considerable attention in this context. Superposed onto the limitations of the microphone array are the limitations caused by the auralization system. We present results from user studies on the perceptual differences between spherical microphone array recordings that are auralized with headphones as well as with a circular 56-channel loudspeaker array and headphone auralization based on dummy head measurements of the same spaces. Head-tracking was applied in all cases in which headphones were used.