Mixing pop in 9.1: How do listeners perceive different delay/panning combinations, applied to solo pop guitar?

Sammanfattning: There is little information about mixing music for 9.1 surround, and the information available are mostly for classical music and the use of ambience in the height channels. The production methods for pop music differs from classical music and the productions does not have to sound realistic. In this study, a solo pop guitar was recorded and placed in the center channel. A 9.1 surround playback environment was created and two short delays were added to increase the perceived width of the guitar and shifted between the front L,R speakers, the back L,R, the front height L,R and back height L,R. A listening test was conducted where subjects compared how they perceived the different delay positions. The results showed that the positions were perceived very differently and depends on the listener, although some tendencies were found. The front position was perceived as broader and had were generally rated highest. The front height position was also described as broad but also bright and distinctive. The back position was generally rated lowest and perceived as thin and dull. The back-height position was perceived as dull and to have more bass.