Subjective Evaluation of Binaural Renderers in Music Composition and Mixing

This study explores listeners subjective evaluation of four binaural renderers that were used to mix experimental and popular electronic music, namely Technology 1 Binaural panner (T1B), Technology 2 Atmos panner (T2A), Technology 2 Binaural panner (T2B), and Technology 3 Atmos panner (T3A). We collaborated with seven performers and composers to produce six tracks. Subsequently, 32 participants completed an online survey that compared two binauralized versions of each track. We assessed their immersive experience and preferences, and asked them to describe the differences that they could perceive between the two versions. Findings indicate that participants can perceive differences between two versions of a binaural mix rendered through two different tools. However, significant differences in immersion ratings and preferences remain stimuli dependent.