A graphical tool set for analyzing wave field synthesis algorithms

Current Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) rendering realizations consist of large structures of audio signal processing components (filters, delays, amplitude weighting) that are controlled by complex algorithms based on the virtual source's properties. It is proposed a set of tools that is used to analyze the underlying WFS coefficient calculation algorithms visually by mapping characteristic measures dependent on the source's and listener's position. These measures are derived from the reproduction system's idealized transfer function and parametric impulse response description. They reveal functional aspects of the algorithm's behavior. The measures aim at supporting an intuitive understanding of the perception of virtual sound events in a Wave Field Synthesis system, but also they facilitate the basic algorithm development process.