This paper describes an experiment designed to study the differences between 5.1 audio played through loudspeakers and headphones in binaural, and between compressed, and uncompressed audio files. Differences in terms of spatial impression and of overall quality of the sound have been studied. This experiment was made in the context of `NouvOson`, a Radio France website launched in March 2013 (http://nouvoson.radiofrance.fr), where audio contents are available online both in native 5.1 and processed in binaural using SpherAudio software by Digital Media Solutions. It also concerned the BILI Project, dealing with BInaural LIstening, involving Radio France, France Televisions and DMS. Binaural processing theoretically allows the reproduction of 3D sound when listening through headphones; however, this technology still faces issues. These are not only due to the actual limits of research and development, but also to the way we listen to and localize sounds. This experiment has shown that spatial charasteristics, as well as timbre of the sound are modified. Besides, no real difference in the listener`s perception has been found between binaural uncompressed files and AAC 192 kbps as well as MP3 192 kbps files.
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https://aes2.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=17608
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