LAUSR

Abstract A series of virtual source localisation experiments was conducted to examine the effects of dynamic and spectral cue on auditory vertical localisation. Binaural signals were synthesised and rendered via a virtual auditory display under various combinations of conditions, including dynamic/static binaural synthesis, individualised/non-individualised/pinna-less HRTFs, and stimuli with different bandwidths. The statistics on experimental results indicate that dynamic cues alone in binaural signals enable vertical localisation moderately even when the spectral cue at high frequency is completely eliminated or incorrect. A coordination of dynamic and spectral cues further improves vertical localisation, reducing front-back and up-down confusion and polar elevation error. Therefore, in addition to high-frequency spectral cue, dynamic cue caused by head turning contributes to vertical auditory localisation. The information providing by dynamic and spectral cues is somewhat redundant. When one cue is eliminated, another cue alone still enables vertical localisation to some extent. The experiment in the present study can be regarded as an alternative examination or validation of the classical hypothesis on vertical localisation by Wallach.