Evaluation of Three Auditory-Sculptural Qualities Created by an Icosahedral Loudspeaker

Abstract

The icosahedral loudspeaker (IKO) was previously established as an electroacoustic instrument enabling the musical creation and orchestration of sculptural sound phenomena in the room. This is technically achieved by manipulating the strengths of the available acoustic reflection paths by using the IKO’s acoustic beamforming capabilities. In its use, listeners perceive auditory sculptures whose characterization needs investigation. We present a proposed set of sculptural quality attributes directionality, contour, and plasticity and a series of listening experiments investigating them. The experiments employ documented beam layouts using a selected set of sounds as conditions, and they evaluate the recognizability, perceivable grading, and discernibility of the proposed sculptural qualities.

Keywords

• sound sculptures
• icosahedral loudspeaker
• auditory objects