WTF #1: Impulse Responses

by andrew j. horsburgh
www.ajhorsburgh.com

ajhorsburgh.com

2012

Introduction:
Understanding what an impulse response is, what it can (and can't) do and how to make one is covered in this document. This document is intended for those with some knowledge of audio systems and their components. Without this knowledge understanding this paper may prove to be difficult, but if there are any clarifications or questions please contact me.

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2012

What is an Impulse? Categorised by the resulting output in a dynamic system in relation to the input signal via an external change. Practically, the impulse can be any signal stimulus but as discussed later is commonly a sine-sweep, noise burst or mechanical burst. Theoretical representations of the same system under test will produce various degrees of success over the method described in this document, but the work is empirically derived and should be contextually placed as such. Using the shortest period of signal is the ideal when using non-convolved impulses as the longer the noise burst, the increased chance of noise and unwanted audible contaminations is increased. Sine-sweep methods allow for longer signals, providing stability in the frequency range but also increase the potential for ruinous results because of noise.

The above image shows an impulse response, with little information added post-transient. A pre-convolved sweep is system variant but typically resembles a traditionally viewed waveform.

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2012

Convolution & Deconvolution The process of creating the impulse response of a space can be divided into two main methodologies; Convolution (Transient) Deconvolution (Sine Sweep)

Convolution combined the acoustical impulse of the chosen space with an audio signal. This achieves the desired effect of placing your audio signal within the acoustical environment in which the impulse response measurement was taken. Recording any material 'dry', or without reverb, will give the best approximation when combined with the impulse response as the reflections of the reverb tails will not suffer from pre-recorded echos. As with many things audio, there is more than one way to create an impulse response. The two most common methods are described below, the transient and sine sweep methods. Transients: Understanding transients is often related to compression, specifically the 'attack' control. Transients are the rising edge of a signal, the very early stages of the wave. Snare drums generally have large transients therefore requiring compression to make them 'sit' in the mix. In context of creating impulses however, transients are often described by starter pistols and balloon explosions. In acoustically reverberant rooms the extremely short but harsh transient 'excites' the room, setting off the chain of acoustical events that results in reverb. It is this process of excitation that is measured and used for an impulse response. There are issues with this method, as well as positives. Issues & Positives One of the main issues relates to ensuring that the recording of the high SPL event such as a starter pistol or balloon explosion can cause pre-amp distortion that ruins the recording. The frequency response of the impulse response is also dependant on the source. With balloons and pistols, the frequency range is limited and suffers from poor low octave and high octave information. If the reverb is to be used as a predominant or minimal recording the transient method may not result in a full-range or 'high quality' impulse response. The positives of using the transient methodology is that it requires very little postprocessing (none if you are using Space Designer). As the process is very quick recordings can be made in busy environments without great disruption. Sine Sweep: The second method of creating impulse responses is based upon the use of sine sweeps. A sine sweep consists of a broadband audio sweep, beginning at 20Hz and slowly rising to 20kHz. The length of the sweep can be from 5 seconds, but a recommended length is 3060 seconds. As the file contains more than the instantaneous reflections but reflections based upon frequency excitation it requires a stage of processing, a deconvolution.

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2012

The deconvolution process takes the entire sine sweep (of a specified duration) and creates an instantaneous file similar to the transient response file. By time and amplitude aligning all of the reflections the frequency response is of a higher quality than that of the transient response. Issues & Positives Time and equipment required for the sine-sweep method is greater, and is therefore its biggest problem. Creating responses that require near-silence for 30 seconds can often mean that unique public spaces cannot be measured using the sine-sweep method. The equipment required to reproduce the broadband noise, compared with a large balloon or starting pistol, is often an issue in remote locations. Using the sine-sweep method does allow for an improved frequency response and life-like replication of the recorded space, however. Equipment and Process Having chosen the method by which the impulse response will be made dictates the equipment required. The quality of the resulting impulse is a culmination of the entire signal path and therefore using sub-quality equipment may colour or limit the replication of the acoustical space in convolution. A small. High quality 2-channel audio interface and a flat measurement microphone would suffice for any capture using the transient method. Adding in the flattest, and widest, frequency response speaker(s) will then allow for a true stereophonic impulse response to be made using the sine-swept methodology. Below are two scenarios using each of the two main methods. The first concentrates of the best possible scenario using multiple microphones, speakers and larger soundcards while the second concentrates on using one microphone / speaker and moving the instruments within the acoustical space.

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2012

Best Case Scenario Transient Any channel format using the transient method requires only the number of microphones (or channels), e.g: monophonic requires 1 input, stereophonic requires 2 inputs. Choice of the acoustical stimulus, as previously described, can expand or contract the resulting frequency response. Using the largest balloon possible will extend the frequency response lower, while a small balloon extends the frequency information higher. The process of 'where and how' is covered in the next section. Sine Sweep As the 'equipment and process' heading discussed, using the highest quality equipment possible will result in the most accurate representation of the acoustical space. A monophonic recording will require one input channel, one measurement microphone and one speaker. Moving to stereophonic requires a doubling of all these aspects, so 2 microphones 2 input channels and 2 identical speakers. Using surround for impulses is possible, but there are various ways to achieve this and it outside the scope of this document so far. Traditional 5.1 ITU layouts can be used for a 5.1 impulse response and the rest of the process should remain similar, but software dependant. Simple Scenario Transient Discrete, or individual, impulse responses can be made using a reduced version of the systems described in 'Best Case Scenario'. By moving the microphone to the required position(s) a multichannel impulse response can be made in several parts, and then convolved together. Sine Sweep As above with the transient response measurements using one speaker and one microphone can replicate a stereophonic or higher impulse response by moving the relative positions. This can prove to be difficult in achieving the identical response, even with post processing but can still yield a good quality multichannel impulse response. If equipment limitations are in place, problems can be over come by moving equipment to the place it needs to be over numerous impulse responses.

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2012

Placement: Listener or Stage? The space in which the impulse response will represent can be characterised by the position relative in the room. Placing the microphones and speakers in the middle using a surround scenario can allow for rotation of the soundfield (as in Ambisonics). Moving the receiver (microphone) away from the centre of the room requires an understanding of where the 'listener' is to be placed. The two most common placements are under generic names, Stage and Listener positions. The stage position is where the source (in this case the impulse) is placed within the environment where a musician would typically place themselves. If there is a stage then the obvious place would be centre stage, giving hard reflections from the back wall of the stage and perhaps side reflections from the stage edge. Reflections from the front-facing wall from stage position will be extremely long, and give a much larger reverberant feel. Moving from the stage to the listener position the reflections will also shift to a move evenly distributed balance from the back and front walls of the environment. The relationship between the direct and reverberant signal will also have merged due to the length of travel to the listener position so the listener position will have increased sonic foot print of the environment when compared to the unique sound of the stage position.

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2012

Guide Using Impulse Response Utility (Mac OSX) Open the Impulse Response Utility, and create new project.

First, we have to choose the layout for the recording. If you are unsure which to choose, or which represents the equipment you have available please see section 2 (Best Case Scenario). In this example a monophonic configuration has been chosen.

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2012

A new project should appear, and the button marked 'Sweep' is not available to click yet. In order to conduct the sweep we need to arm the program to record the sweep.

By arming the record button, and selecting the correct speaker and mic positions, the sweep button can then be used to start the test. WARNING: The test sweep may be loud so it is advised you familiarise yourself with the software gain structure. (changed via the sweep level, as shown above)

Post-test, the above screen shot should resemble the results. The time-discrete impulse ajhorsburgh.com 2012

measurement is shown in seconds with amplitude showing that this system measurement has very little low octave information. The deconvolve button (under the 'sweep' button) is now available to turn the sweep into an impulse response measurement with the result showing below.

The impulse response is now created, and available to export to Sound Designer or any other Impulse loading software. Simply click on Create Sound Designer Setting and the software asks you for a description of the impulse response and automatically creates it in the correct directory.

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2012

One final view of the impulse response is a more traditionally viewed waveform response, showing the rising edge of the early reflections with the later information occurring 0.1 seconds after the impulse transient.

ajhorsburgh.com

2012