User experience of stereo and spatial audio in 360° live music videos

Abstract

<p>360° music videos are becoming prevalent in music entertainment. Still, academic studies of the 360° live music experience covering both audio and visual experience are scarce. In this paper, we present a study of user experience of stereo and spatial audio in a 360° live music video setting with two different display types. The research was conducted in the form of a laboratory experiment, in which 20 participants watched and evaluated stereo and spatial audio versions of the same music video using a flat computer display and a head-mounted display (HMD). Based on the results, spatial audio combined with HMD scored highest in the quantitative metrics of perceived audio quality, presence, and overall listening experience. However, qualitative findings reveal that this combination does not fit well with users' listening habits. While nine participants preferred to use headphones to listen to music, thirteen participants viewed music listening as a secondary task-making the use of HMDs less suitable.</p>