Facing forward corrupts center-image timbre due to head-related transfer function errors

Evidence

Now, reproduce the pink noise through only the right or left channel—the balance control can do this. Face forward as you would normally and listen to the timbre of the noise change as you turn slowly to face the loudspeaker and return to facing forward. The difference you hear is the error in the HRTF encoding. The correct timbre for a center image is when you face the loudspeaker. The erroneous timbre is when you face forward: for many people it is brighter, but it all depends on your individual HRTFs—your ear, head and torso shapes. But the fact that it is audibly different is a problem. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 421

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clearly attributes the audible timbre difference to HRTF encoding error, a core psychoacoustic mechanism.