Evaluation of ambisonic microphone techniques in conjunction with spot-microphones for 360-degree video within an acoustic environment

Abstract: In recent years, the popularity of 360-degree video paired with 1st order ambisonic audio has seen a rise on different social media platforms online. Due to this increase in popularity, many new ambisonic microphones have been developed and are now available on the market. However, most of the research into this field has almost exclusively been in the form of case studies where microphone manufacturers showcase practical applications of their equipment, and no real comparisons between ambisonic recording methods have been made. This study aims to fill that gap by conducting a listening test that compares four common methods of recording ambisonic audio and to evaluate listeners’ preferences regarding spatial attributes. Due to a relatively small sample size of 15 no definitive conclusions can be made, but the study did find a clear preference towards a combined method of an ambisonic microphone paired with spot microphones.