Possibilities and limitations of a game engine and middleware for auralizing virtual acoustic laboratories in VR

The possibilities and limitations of realtime-auralizations of an acoustic laboratory with the WWISE Spatial Audio are discussed by 3D-modelling and auralizing a test rig designed for sound reduction index measurements in VR. The simulated results were compared to real measurements with the acoustic parameters: Reverberation Time [T30] and Sound Reduction Index [SRI], each with three binauralization methods used and further optimizations done with Dolby Atmos for headphones. The results showed a deviation and partly a correlation within the Just Noticeable Differences [JND] and a precise reproduction of the sound reduction index within WWISE was possible for test components with the lowest real SRI-values. The frequency dependent SRI-values were subtracted from the audio file using bandpass filters - before using WWISE for sound playback in VR. The results of this work can be a seen as a technical analysis and fundament for future research regarding realtime-auralization capabilities of audio middlewares.