Nonetheless, it captures the crucial features that are most shared.
Moreover, there is an observer effect: attempts to measure this variance would not be accurate in situ, because the act of measuring introduces its own variance. Headphone Placement VarianceĪnother big issue is the variance with each headphone placement, which can be very narrowband effects at high frequencies, where the variance in positioning is significant relative to the wavelength of sound. After all, HRTF can vary as much as 20dB in some areas between individuals.
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Thus, it stops well short of full spatial and tonal fidelity and still needs individualization. Nonetheless, it is a tonal correction that is broadly optimal by accounting for key components of the human HRTF in coarse detail (through the dummy head). However, the authors concede that there can be room for variance based on the tonal balance of the recording and listener preference. The broad features of Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) of a smooth, well-engineered speaker (in a room rather than anechoic chamber) rated highly in blind tests were captured. Moreover, bass and treble balance can still vary on a case-to-case basis, depending on recording, age, gender and listening experience. Within the baseline curve, room for adjustment was allowed, and these adjustments were significant. These were the results for circumaural headphones and IEMs: The resulting curve was tested with listeners for preference as well. The Harman headphone curve(s) was a derivation of their speaker work. Thus, industry-standard dummy head measurements were made of their reference loudspeaker setup. This is consistent with how human hearing functions in listening rooms.įrom there, attempts were made to replicate the results for headphones.
A broad preference toward speakers that measure flat with smooth dispersion across all frequencies was observed, regardless of listener background in a well-treated listening room under rigorous blind testing.
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“A Deep Dive Into Harman Curves” Series Navigation:īut where does Harman come into all this?Īs Tyll’s brilliant coverage indicates, Harman made waves with a seminal series of papers on loudspeaker preference. This is the third and last article in a three-part series that aims to situate the Harman curve in context, as the latest installment of a curious tradition that has largely existed on the fringes of audiophilia.