Externalise binaural decoders

[joslloand]

Add externalisation to binaural decoders.

Question: Should the current HRTFs be replaced with the externalised versions? Or, should these be added as a new set.

[joslloand]

Adding as a new set will double the Kernel foot-print size.

The advantage of the current binaural decoders is they've been designed to be critical and unflattering.

For users looking for a "pleasing" result, however, other suppliers solutions have been preferred in the past. With the opening up of a wider VR userbase, there is an argument that targeting a more externalised decode is preferable.

[lossius]

Sounds like we"ll have a lot to discuss next week, I'm looking foreward to it.

[ghost]

Providing externalised versions could help users of VR applications, because there's (for now) more attention to the visual than the sound; a more "pleasing" or spectacular audio rendering would put an emphasis on the spatial quality of the sound, a bit like ping-pong stereo did in the early years of stereo. Educated and experienced users could still choose the original HRTFs, for a critical and unflattering listening experience.

[mtmccrea]

My initial thought is an additional "externalized" set would be useful to include. The difference could be illustrated in atk-sc3 through the Help docs and a "Guide" to HRTF decoding, as well as on the website. If the externalized set duplicates the critical set, it could possibly be implemented as flag when instantiating it in atk-sc3, and as an A/B switch in atk-reaper in the decoder plugin.

I can foresee objections to the kernel library size...which might take some creative workarounds. One approach would be to have all sets available in the repo and users choose the sets they'd like to download. After all it would be a shame to remove Jo's diffuse EQ'd set! SC and Reaper could look at the kernel directory to see what users have chosen to install and make only those available. If it's important to have a common "core" set, we could promote one set, while the rest could be supplemental. Generally, I'm in favor of ATK supporting more use cases rather than less!

Jo – would the modeled set be for HOA only or are you considering extending or replacing the current FOA set?

[joslloand]

The "externalized" set would also be diffuse field EQ'd, so we wouldn't be losing that. What we would be "losing" with the "externalized" set is a "critical" view of the soundfield.

After having had a thought over the weekend and a conversation with @pampin, I'm thinking that for now, let's consider including both sets. The "externalized" set can include a "+" in the name.

For the atk-reaper installation, the "externalized" set could be the default via the GUI. Whereas for atk-sc3, users are expected to RTFM and make the appropriate use choice.