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Topic: Headphones and LEDR test (Read 7595 times) previous topic - next topic
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Headphones and LEDR test

When I'm listening to the behind test found in the linked page, I hear the sound is moving in front of me instead of behind. I let my girlfriend hear the same file using the same headphones (HD600) and she could hear it correctly, ie. sound is moving from behind her head.

What could I do to correct my experience? Does this mean that the HD600 is not for me? I had my ears checked in case there was a buildup of earwax but the doctor said that everything looks normal.

Headphones and LEDR test

Reply #1 –
If the sound starts off to the right, then you put your headphones on the wrong way

Headphones and LEDR test

Reply #2 –
It starts off from my left ear and moves in a way that I find hard to describe. It is moving clockwise but I can't pin point how slow or fast or where it is at a given time for a few seconds until it suddenly veers in front of me (12 o'clock position) and then continues moving "normally" to my right ear. The trip back to my left ear (counterclockwise) sounds "normal".

Headphones and LEDR test

Reply #3 –
Don't expect the illusion to be perfect...  I woudn't balme the headphones, I'd
"blame" your brain! 

When the sound source is directly ahead, behind, below, or above, the same-exact sound is hitting both ears (until you move your head).    That makes it very difficult to locate the sound source in 3 dimensions, although the filtering tricks may give your brain some "hints" and you may be fooled.   

In the real world, we move our head to trangulate and get several different "readings".    With headphones, the "source" moves when your move your head.  That makes it impossible to triangulate properly.

Even with speakers, you need at least 4 channels to get a good surround-sound effect.

Headphones and LEDR test

Reply #4 –
Quote from: DVDdoug on
When the sound source is directly ahead, behind, below, or above, the same-exact sound is hitting both ears (until you move your head).

Is it? I would expect the earlobes to somewhat "filter" the sound in such scenarios, a bit differently depending on the direction; so it's not exactly the same sound? (but yeah, still harder; still, isn't that what such headphone technologies try to simulate?)

On a related note, I miss Aureal, and their A3D 2.0 - playing Unreal Tournament 99 was sort of distressing, when you heard quite clearly the disk weapon projectiles zapping right by your head (on headphones!).

Headphones and LEDR test

Reply #5 –
Quote from: DVDdoug on
Don't expect the illusion to be perfect...  I woudn't balme the headphones, I'd
"blame" your brain! 

When the sound source is directly ahead, behind, below, or above, the same-exact sound is hitting both ears (until you move your head).    That makes it very difficult to locate the sound source in 3 dimensions, although the filtering tricks may give your brain some "hints" and you may be fooled.   

In the real world, we move our head to trangulate and get several different "readings".    With headphones, the "source" moves when your move your head.  That makes it impossible to triangulate properly.

Even with speakers, you need at least 4 channels to get a good surround-sound effect.


Does that mean that I was not fooled by the filters done to the sound? But, in this case, I want to be fooled. 
 

Headphones and LEDR test

Reply #6 –
You can get Head tracking headphones.

Quote from: zima on
Quote from: DVDdoug on
When the sound source is directly ahead, behind, below, or above, the same-exact sound is hitting both ears (until you move your head).

Is it? I would expect the earlobes to somewhat "filter" the sound in such scenarios, a bit differently depending on the direction; so it's not exactly the same sound? (but yeah, still harder; still, isn't that what such headphone technologies try to simulate?)
Maybe I didn't word that very clearly...  The sound hitting your ear drum is different (acoustically filtered differenly), depending on the location.  But with the sound source located directly in front, behind, etc., both ears always hear the same sound with the same filtering in both ears.  With headphones, you can't move your head around to make one ear louder, or to get different "filtering" in each ear, or to get a slight delay in one ear.  With speakers, you are probably more likely to move your head and find the "true" direction, rather than getting the disired illusion.

The same is true if it's somewhat off to the left or right.  You should be able to tell if it's toward the left or right, and there may be some "filtering cues", (and loudness and delay) in each ear, but it's hard to tell if the sound is in front, behind, or above without moving your head to get a 2nd reading (or more-likely, many different readings).

Quote
Does that mean that I was not fooled by the filters done to the sound? But, in this case, I want to be fooled.
  We all want to be fooled!    Regular 2-speaker stereo is an illusion too...    The singer or lead instrument should sound like it's coming from the center, even though there's no center speaker.      When it works well, you are supposed get an audio "image" of the soundstage with all of the instruments and vocals located in their proper position across the stage.  Audiophiles talk about some speakers having better imaging thatn others.    (I never that kind of detailed image/illusion.)

Maybe you can "learn" to be fooled...    Maybe if you play certain games (or watch movies) and you know certain sounds are coming from behind, maybe you can learn to "tune-in" to the filtering cues?