Impact of spatial audiovisual coherence on source unmasking

Abstract : The influence of the spatial audiovisual coherence is evaluated in the context of a video recording of live music. In this context, audio engineers currently balance the audio spectrum to unmask each music instrument making it intelligible inside the stereo mix. In contrast, sound engineers using spatial audio technologies have reported that sound source equalization is unnecessary in live music mixing when the sound sources are played at the same location of the physical instruments. The effects of spatial audiovisual coherence and sound spatialization have been assessed: expert subjects were asked to compare two mixes in audio only and in audiovisual mode. For this aim, music concerts were visually projected and audio rendered using Wave Field Synthesis (WFS). Three sound engineers did the audio mixing for all pieces of music in the same room where the tests were carried out.