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4.5 Why head tracking?
1. Loudspeakers do not move!
Loudspeakers are installed at fixed positions within a room and provide a sound impression that is spatially stable. The loudspeaker
does not change its position with the listeners’ every movement, but will sometimes be in front of them, next to them or behind
them, depending on their movements/position. In contrast, headphones are attached to the user’s head, which means that a signal
coming from the right-hand earpiece of the headphones will always remain to the right of the user because the headphones also
turn when the listener turns his head. Since we are not used to „moving loudspeakers“, our brain is constantly reminded of the fact
that we are just wearing headphones.
Headzone solves this problem with the development of new, patented technology. With the help of an ultrasonic head tracker, the
system continuously tracks the head position of the listener and adjusts audio reproduction accordingly. For example, if the user pla-
ces a virtual loudspeaker in the front right-hand corner of the room, it will always remain in that position. The user can turn towards
or away from the loudspeaker… no matter how he moves, the loudspeaker does not move and remains at the same virtual location.
This allows for a striking degree of reality in surround reproduction, which could not be achieved until now, as at a certain point the
brain forgets that the person is wearing headphones. You feel as though your virtual listening control room is real, but even better,
as you can easily take it with you.
2. Perfect out-of head localisation
As already mentioned above (see chapter 4.2 “Surround on Stereo Headphones… how to trick your brain”), we unconsciously turn
our heads in order to localise a sound source. During this movement, headphones without head tracker will, of course, also turn the
sound image by the same degree, whilst headphones with head tracker ensure that the brain will once again receive the additionally
required space information – just as in real life.
Loudspeakers installed at fixed
positions
Surround simulation without
headtracking - loudspeakers
follow the head movements
Surround simulation with head-
tracking - Headzone head
tracker tracks the head position
and adjusts the audio
reproduction accordingly. The
loudspeakers remain at fixed
positions in the virtual room.