Using binaural audio means dealing with HRTFs. In the HRTF section in the Spat Revolution preferences menu, you can access and manage HRTFs. The HRTF used by default is Kemar, which can of course be changed and another HRTF can be set up as default instead.

In the Manage HRTF section you have access to a database listing locally available and downloadable HRTFs. When an HRTF is downloaded, or locally available on your computer, you can set up, with Include or Exclude, which HRTFs are displayed as available in the Spat Revolution Binaural Room or Binaural Monitoring modules.

As an example, the KU100 Neumann HRTF, commonly used in 360/VR pipelines and in VR SDKs (Google, YouTube, etc.), is available in the database and can be downloaded and included in your workflow.

Choosing the KU100 Neumann as the default HRTF will assure it is selected automatically every time you use a Binaural Room or Binaural Monitor module.

If you are fortunate enough to have your own HRTF, you can simply import your file to Spat Revolution in a few simple steps. First, verify that your HRTF is using a SOFA file format and that it’s Diffuse Field Equalized – this means that the direction-independent component in the HRTF is removed. This direction-dependent component is referred to as a DTF (Direct Transfer Function) version. Supported are SimpleFreeFieldHRIR or SimpleFreeFieldSOS IIR.  HRTF Modeled as IIR filters are preferred.

Ideally, your file name ends with SampleRate.SOFA. With this file name structure, Spat Revolution will import all your HRTFs as one single entity, with various sample rates available. (Without this file name structure, each sample rate will be imported as a separate HRTF, which is not as convenient. File example “My HRTF name”_44100.sofa “My HRTF name”_48000.sofa :My HRTF name”_96000.sofa)

Importing your HRTF to Spat Revolution will require four simple steps:

1. Locate your files and open Spat Revolution.

2. Go to Preferences, HRTF section, Manage HRTFs.

3. Press the import button and select your .SOFA files (You can select all sample rates).

4. Make sure to choose the DTF version of your HRTF.

Success!

When your HRTFs are imported, you will see them as available files, which from now on will automatically be included in your Spat Revolution software preferences. Your last step is to simply choose your HRTF as the default in the HRTF section in the Spat Revolution preferences.

Using the generic Kemar HRTF provided as a default for binaural in Spat Revolution, or downloading any of the popular HRTFs used in 360/VR pipelines such as the Neumann KU 100, is where binaural starts. Achieving a more accurate and reliable monitoring experience, with a far more natural sense of space and direction, can be achieved with your own individual HRTF.

Unfortunately, a personalized HRTF is not easy to come by. Some laboratories do offer them, but the expense makes them largely impractical for most engineers. 

Rest assured, the Genelec Aural ID and a simple import of your HRTF file into FLUX: IRCAM Spat Revolution will have you covered here.

Some background. Our head, outer ear shapes, and head movements provide us with a wonderful ability to localize sound sources, which is why monitoring over loudspeakers works so effectively. Headphones, however, break the link to these natural mechanisms we have acquired over our lifetime, making it harder to localize sounds, since sounds from headphones seem to reside ‘inside’ our heads rather than all around us.

The Aural ID computes how your head, external ear, and upper body affect and color audio arriving from any given direction. This effect is called Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF), and is unique to each user. The Aural ID calculates your individual HRTF by modeling your personal head and upper torso features, and creates a file that can be integrated into your Spat Revolution audio workstation. All thanks to the SOFA file format supported by Genelec and FLUX:: IRCAM.

For more information on managing and importing HRTFs read the Managing and Importing HRTF article.

Using the generic Kemar HRTF provided as a default for binaural in Spat Revolution, or downloading any of the popular HRTFs used in 360/VR pipelines such as the Neumann KU 100, is where binaural starts. Achieving a more accurate and reliable monitoring experience, with a far more natural sense of space and direction, can be achieved with your own individual HRTF.

Unfortunately, a personalized HRTF is not easy to come by. Some laboratories do offer them, but the expense makes them largely impractical for most engineers. 

Rest assured, the Genelec Aural ID and a simple import of your HRTF file into FLUX: IRCAM Spat Revolution will have you covered here.

Some background. Our head, outer ear shapes, and head movements provide us with a wonderful ability to localize sound sources, which is why monitoring over loudspeakers works so effectively. Headphones, however, break the link to these natural mechanisms we have acquired over our lifetime, making it harder to localize sounds, since sounds from headphones seem to reside ‘inside’ our heads rather than all around us.

The Aural ID computes how your head, external ear, and upper body affect and color audio arriving from any given direction. This effect is called Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF), and is unique to each user. The Aural ID calculates your individual HRTF by modeling your personal head and upper torso features, and creates a file that can be integrated into your Spat Revolution audio workstation. All thanks to the SOFA file format supported by Genelec and FLUX:: IRCAM.

Want to know more about Aural ID?

Go to Acquiring and Importing your Genelec Aural ID to Spat Revolution