When performing binaural spatialisation, it is widely accepted that the choice of the head related transfer functions (HRTFs), and in particular the use of individually measured ones, can have an impact on localisation accuracy, externalization, and overall realism. Yet the impact of HRTF choices on speech-in-noise performances in cocktail party-like scenarios has not been investigated in depth. This paper introduces a study where 22 participants were presented with a frontal speech target and two lateral maskers, spatialised using a set of non-individual HRTFs. Speech reception threshold (SRT) was measured for each HRTF. Furthermore, using the SRT predicted by an existing speech perception model, the measured values were compensated in the attempt to remove overall HRTF-specific benefits. Results show significant overall differences among the SRTs measured using different HRTFs, consistently with the results predicted by the model. Individual differences between participants related to their SRT performances using different HRTFs could also be found, but their significance was reduced after the compensation. The implications of these findings are relevant to several research areas related to spatial hearing and speech perception, suggesting that when testing speech-in-noise performances within binaurally rendered virtual environments, the choice of the HRTF for each individual should be carefully considered.

中文翻译：

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非个性化头部相关传递函数对合成虚拟环境中的语音噪声性能的影响

当执行双耳空间化时，广泛接受的是，与头部相关的传递函数（HRTF）的选择，尤其是使用单独测量的传递函数，可能会对定位精度，外在化和整体真实感产生影响。然而，尚未深入研究HRTF选择对类似鸡尾酒会的情景中的噪声中语音表现的影响。本文介绍了一项研究，其中使用一组非个人HRTF对22位参与者进行了正面语音目标和两个侧面掩蔽者的演示。对每个HRTF测量语音接收阈值（SRT）。此外，使用现有语音感知模型预测的SRT，对测量值进行补偿，以消除总体HRTF的特定优势。结果显示，使用不同的HRTF测量的SRT之间存在显着的总体差异，与模型预测的结果一致。参与者之间的个体差异也与使用不同HRTF的SRT表现有关，但在补偿后其重要性降低了。这些发现的含义与与空间听觉和语音感知有关的几个研究领域有关，这表明在测试双耳渲染的虚拟环境中的噪声中语音表现时，应仔细考虑每个人的HRTF选择。但是补偿后它们的意义降低了。这些发现的含义与与空间听觉和语音感知有关的几个研究领域有关，这表明在测试双耳渲染的虚拟环境中的噪声中语音表现时，应仔细考虑每个人的HRTF选择。但是补偿后它们的意义降低了。这些发现的含义与与空间听觉和语音感知有关的几个研究领域有关，这表明在测试双耳渲染的虚拟环境中的噪声中语音表现时，应仔细考虑每个人的HRTF选择。