Virtual Hemispherical Amplitude Panning (VHAP): A Method for 3D Panning without Elevated Loudspeakers

This paper proposes “virtual hemispherical amplitude panning (VHAP),” which is an efficient 3D panning method exploiting the phantom image elevation effect. Research found that a phantom center image produced by two laterally placed loudspeakers would be localized above the listener. Based on this principle, VHAP attempts to position a phantom image over a virtual upper-hemisphere using just four ear-level loudspeakers placed at the listener’s left side, right side, front center, and back center. A constant-power amplitude panning law is applied among the four loudspeakers. A listening test was conducted to evaluate the localization performance of VHAP. Results indicate that the proposed method can enable one to locate a phantom image at various spherical coordinates in the upper hemisphere with some limitations in accuracy and resolution.