Your Own Personal Soundfield

In this article I would like to explain more why I have attempted to build an a panoramic audio player in html5 and how I am hoping such ideas can be used. The panoramic audio technique used in my player has been around since the early 1970’s. I believe html5 along with advances in mobile and home listening systems provide the perfect showcase for the usefulness of this panoramic audio aka. Ambisonics.

Here is a video describing some investigation the BBC undertook regarding the practical usage of Ambisonics in broadcast.

Notice the relative optimism of the first presenter, David Wood. That 1st order, 4 channel method of Ambisonics is elegant as he describes and it is what my player uses. 4 channels are certainly not a stretch to achieve above the current 2 channel stereo signals most commonly used for music and video.

In second contrast, the second presenter, Andrew Mason does a good job of explaining exactly why Ambisonics has languished in relative obscurity. He is absolutely right however I’m trying to demonstrate how a simple shift in paradigm might change that.

1. The ability to decode an ambisonic stream is on the cusp of being available in nearly all major web browsers thanks to HTML5 and the included Web Audio API.
2. The possibility to dynamically navigate a 1st order Ambisonic soundfield offers an immensely enjoyable and unique experience which defies comparison to traditional surround.  Resolution is not a large issue when the playback system is not the only means of locating sound events in the soundfield.  In short, being able to turn your head in a soundfield makes a huge difference.