Subjective preference for sound sources located on the stage and in the orchestra pit of an opera house

The present study investigates whether the subjective preference theory can be applied to the sound field in an opera house. Paired-comparison tests were conducted to obtain scale values of subjective preference. As the source locations of the music on the stage and in the orchestra pit were moved, listeners were asked to give their acoustical preference. The acoustical factors at each listening position were obtained from the interaural crosscorrelation function and binaural impulse responses measured at each listening position. The relationship between the scale values of subjective preference and orthogonal acoustical factors (LL, IACC, tIACC, Dt1 forthe pit source, Dt1 forthe stage, Tsub for the pit source, and Tsub for the stage source) was determined by using factor analysis, which shows that the preference theory is applicable. Total scores obtained from factor analysis and measured scale values are in good agreement.