Lateral sounds drive spatial perception more than frontal or rear sounds

Evidence

A similar dependence of perceived lateral displacement can be obtained if, instead of level differences, differences in the phase of the signals presented to the earphones are used. If, at frequencies below 1500 Hz, the left earphone delivers sound impulses about Ims later than the right earphone, the image shows a lateral displacement totally to the right (R5). If the left earphone leads by 1 ms, the lateral displacement is completely to the left (L5). Between these extreme positions there is a smooth transition. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1714 (#expands, via linked claim)

The second factor that has been found to be important for the listener is the presence of dense diffuse reflections from the side walls of a concert hall, called lateral reflections, as shown in Figure 6.24. The effect of these is to envelop or bathe the listener in sound, and this has been found to be necessary for the listener to experience maximum enjoyment from the sound. It is important that these reflections be diffuse, as specular reflections will result in disturbing comb filter effects, as discussed in Chapter 1, and distracting images of the sound sources in unwanted and unusual directions. Providing diffuse reflections is thus important, and this has been recognized for some time. Traditionally, plaster mouldings, niches, and other decorative surface irregularities have been used to provide diffusion in an ad hoc manner. More recently, diffusion structures based on patterns of wells whose depths are formally defined by an appropriate mathematical sequence have been proposed and used. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1927 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Frontal space yields better auditory motion discrimination than lateral space; Amplitude panning produces equivalent spatial perception across headphones and loudspeakers.; Peripheral monaural coding efficiency partly predicts binaural lateralization ability — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 1026 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Frontal space yields better auditory motion discrimination than lateral space #contradicts (0.85)
• Interaural level differences of 1-2 dB produce just-audible lateral displacement #expands (0.80) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1714
• Amplitude panning produces equivalent spatial perception across headphones and loudspeakers. #expands (0.75)
• Lateral diffuse reflections are required for listener enjoyment #corroborates (0.75) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1927
• Peripheral monaural coding efficiency partly predicts binaural lateralization ability #expands (0.72) — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 1026