In article 49fc4d2c.6513015@localhost, Don Pearce
wrote:
On 02 May 2009 13:17:54 GMT, John Phillips
wrote:


I have recently been thinking about the factors that lead to good depth
perception in stereo systems. I suspect there are depth cues which
can come from mono systems:

- amplitude (relative: quieter = further away) - timbre (absolute: less
HF = further away)

And stereo cues:

- image width (absolute: narrower = further away)

I am wondering if reflections matter, either "original" ones from the
recording venue or introduced ones from the listening room (which may
blur the originals).

Don mentioned 'speaker toe-in earlier. Since the frequency response of
'speakers off-axis tends to fall off at HF faster than at LF I suspect
toe-in matters somewhat in achieving good timbral depth perception.

The big depth cue in recordings, and which can be adjusted fairly
realistically even in close-miked multitrack, is the ratio of direct to
reverberant sound.

That is also my understanding/experience. It is the relationship between
the 'direct' sound of the instruments and the reflections from their
surroundings that give a sense of distance and location in a surrounding
space. For a successful result the impression this gives should agree with
the effect of relative amplitudes and timings of the sounds arriving from
the pair of speakers.

Changes in amplitude aa such don't have much effect in my experience unless
*very* quiet or deafeningly loud!

Slainte,

Jim

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