Speaker
Description
Room acoustic properties are typically assessed using omnidirectional microphones, from which room impulse responses are derived and used to calculate scalar acoustic parameters. However, spatial measurement techniques are essential for assessing sound fields in spaces equipped with active acoustics systems, since they generate direction-dependent and dynamically changing acoustic responses that cannot be fully characterized by single-point, omnidirectional measurements. In recent years, three-dimensional microphone arrays have become increasingly accessible and are widely applied in other areas of audio processing. However, their use in standardized room acoustic measurements remains limited, as existing standards (e.g., ISO 3382) are primarily based on conventional measurement approaches.In this study, a third-order Ambisonics microphone array is employed to capture spatial room impulse responses (SRIRs) under varying acoustic conditions in a space equipped with an active acoustics system.First, the omnidirectional component of the SRIRs is compared with conventional omnidirectional measurements under identical conditions. Initial results suggest that the resulting acoustic parameters are largely consistent, with only minor deviations observed under specific conditions.Subsequently, the potential of the spatial information contained in the SRIRs is examined for extended analysis. This includes the direction-dependent evaluation of established ISO 3382 parameters, such as reverberation time and clarity, enabling their representation as function of direction. The study discusses the potential role of 3D microphone arrays in future room acoustic measurement practices, and highlights the necessity of establishing three-dimensional measurement techniques to adequately assess the properties of active acoustics systems and spatially complex sound fields.