Perception of Audio Quality and Audio-on-Audio Interference in Sound Zones

Audio playback from multiple media devices simultaneously can cause chaotic soundscapes. Sound zones have the potential to minimize audio-on-audio interference by directing sound to intended users. Yet to create good audio experiences, sound zone systems should be adapted to fit different user scenarios and needs. Evaluation of Quality of Experience (QoE) can help to understand and meet user needs, but first requires knowledge of the key characteristics that are relevant to describe the perception of sound zones. Here, we evaluate potential perceptual attributes of a newly developed sound zone system in a listening test with naive assessors. In total, 8 out of 17 attributes were found to be significantly relevant to distinguish between presented stimuli. Seven of the attributes had a high understandability (score of 89-95/100), while one attribute was poorly understood by half the assessors, suggesting a need for an improved attribute definition. These findings deliver important knowledge on the perceptual attributes that are relevant for evaluating the QoE of sound zone systems, which will allow for optimization and adaptation of sound zones to improve future listening experiences.