What differentiates myHRTF from similar solutions on the market?
From a sound point of view:
with myHRTF Personalized Filters you experience a wide and deep soundstage in front with proper distance to the sound sources, indistinguishable from real speakers. In multi-channel applications, you will hear the sound source behind, at the side and even above, just as intended and without front-back / up-down confusion and unnatural tonal colorations typically associated with other solutions.
From a technical point of view:
myHRTF Personalized Filters take into account various important aspects of your individual anatomy (your HRTF) and uses this information to simulate perfect speakers with flawless synthetic room acoustics.
Using myHRTF Personalized Filters you don't need to translate from headphone sound to speaker sound. It is speaker sound.
with myHRTF Personalized Filters you experience a wide and deep soundstage in front with proper distance to the sound sources, indistinguishable from real speakers. In multi-channel applications, you will hear the sound source behind, at the side and even above, just as intended and without front-back / up-down confusion and unnatural tonal colorations typically associated with other solutions.
From a technical point of view:
myHRTF Personalized Filters take into account various important aspects of your individual anatomy (your HRTF) and uses this information to simulate perfect speakers with flawless synthetic room acoustics.
Using myHRTF Personalized Filters you don't need to translate from headphone sound to speaker sound. It is speaker sound.
Which HRTF database is used?
myHRTF Personalized Filters use computed HRTF based on a novel method developed by myHRTF. They are free from unnatural tonal coloration typically associated with measured HRTF using head and torso simulators (HATS).
Which rooms were used for impulse response measurements?
myHRTF Personalized Filters are based on computed room acoustics that is free from unfavorable reflections and artefacts such as resonances and flutter echoes typically associated with real rooms.
How can the highly complex HRTF be reproduce by means of few simple measurements?
First of all, only parts of the HRTF are relevant to our individual perception of sound. For example, below 500 Hz HRTF differences are negligible since differences in anatomy are small compared to the wavelength of sound waves.
Above approx. 10 kHz HRTF differences are negligible due to the fact that the human auditory system averages sound accross frequency bands, referred to as critical bands of the Bark scale or Bark bands. Consequently, individual peaks and notches in this frequency range cancel each other out. For the same reason, it is not necessary to reproduce the HRTF with absolut precision; a sufficiently accurate approximation is enough since our ears wouldn't be able to perceive the difference anyway.
In addition, parts of the HRTF are reproduced automatically during headphone listening, such as the ear canal resonance. This is obvious for over-ear headphones but holds true for IEM to some extent, too.
Nevertheless, it still took more than ten years of research and develpment to reproduce the individual HRTF based on few simple measurements.
Above approx. 10 kHz HRTF differences are negligible due to the fact that the human auditory system averages sound accross frequency bands, referred to as critical bands of the Bark scale or Bark bands. Consequently, individual peaks and notches in this frequency range cancel each other out. For the same reason, it is not necessary to reproduce the HRTF with absolut precision; a sufficiently accurate approximation is enough since our ears wouldn't be able to perceive the difference anyway.
In addition, parts of the HRTF are reproduced automatically during headphone listening, such as the ear canal resonance. This is obvious for over-ear headphones but holds true for IEM to some extent, too.
Nevertheless, it still took more than ten years of research and develpment to reproduce the individual HRTF based on few simple measurements.
Why do the virtual speakers sound less bright compared to the uprocessed headphone sound?
In the upper treble frequency range above 5 kHz, our HRTF contains deep notches that tend to attenuate the sound by more than 20 dB in narrow frequency ranges. Typically, these notches do not occur or occur at a different frequency when using headphones.
With myHRTF Personalized Filters these notches are reproduced intentionally to preserve the individual timbre. Depending on the headphone model, this may be perceived as less bright compared to the unprocessed headphone sound.
With myHRTF Personalized Filters these notches are reproduced intentionally to preserve the individual timbre. Depending on the headphone model, this may be perceived as less bright compared to the unprocessed headphone sound.
Is there difference between over-ear headphones and IEM in terms of sound quality?
myHRTF Personalized Filters are available for both over-ear headphones and IEM, and both will give speaker-like sound with unprecedented fidelity. However, over-ear headphones tend to sound slightly more realistic since they stimulate the individual ear-canal more naturally than IEM.
Why isn't there a selection of different loudspeakers and rooms?
The objective of myHRTF Personalized Filters is the simulation of flawless speakers in flawless room acoustics in line with international standards. Real speakers and rooms tend to show flaws such as uneven directivity and artefacts such as resonances and flutter echos.
How much latency do the filters have?
myHRTF Personalized Filters for TV and Gaming have less than 2 ms latency, myHRTF Personalized Filters for music have approx. 100 ms latency since they make use of sophisticated digial filter design that requires latency.
Which sampling rates are supported?
myHRTF Personalized Filters come with all standard sampling rates as specified here.
Why is it required to set a preamp gain of -10 dB?
Most headphones require a significant level boost especially in the subwoofer frequency range. In order to allow for this boost, all other frequencies need to be reduced in level to avoid clipping and the volume appears to be lower. To avoid uncomfortably high and potentially harmful volume changes when switching filters on and off, all signals are attenuated by 10 dB.
Why is the required preamp gain of -10 dB not integrated into the filters?
The integration of the required preamp gain of -10 dB into myHRTF Personalized Filters would lead to uncomfortably high and potentially harmful volume changes when switching filters on and off, .
Is it required to use a headphone amplifier?
A dedicated headphone amplifier is not essential but strongly recommended in order to hear the full potential of myHRTF Personalized Filters. Highly capable products are available on the market from 130 €/$.