Headphones are the most common device for experiencing spatial audio content

Evidence

So far, this chapter has only considered headphone reproduction for stereo content. However, spatial audio content intended for binaural reproduction through headphones is available for games, movies and music and augmented and virtual reality applications. Headphones are the most common device through which spatial audio is experienced with 39% (Bull and Duval, 2023) of the content from gaming, AR/VR applications, music, film, television and podcasts rendered through headphones. In automobiles, binaural audio reproduction of content through near-field loudspeakers mounted in the headrest is expected to grow as manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce the weight, cost and complexity of audio systems, while providing individual sound zones that allow occupants to enjoy different content at the same time. The key enablers for wider adoption are (1) the content has become easily accessible from streaming services like Netflix, Apple Music, Amazon HD and Tidal; and (2) the content is scalable to the playback system and can be rendered to headphones or whatever number of speakers are available. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1860

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the streaming-era content accessibility theme; spatial audio’s adoption hinges on streaming delivery rather than hardware.