Scene-based audio represents the entire sound field around a point as a single mathematical whole, independent of any speaker layout — in practice, almost always Ambisonics. Instead of channels or objects, it stores the directional components of the field, and a decoder renders that field to whatever output exists: a speaker array, or binaural headphones via HRTFs. Its defining strength is rotation: because the whole field is described coherently, it can be turned cheaply and accurately in response to head tracking, which is exactly what VR, AR, and 360-degree video need so the soundscape stays fixed as the viewer looks around. Scene-based, object-based, and channel-based are the three audio paradigms, and formats like MPEG-H carry all three at once.
The book · Volume 5 of 7
Audio for Video: A Complete Guide to Sound in Video Products: From Jitter Buffers and Lip Sync to Atmos, Quality Metrics, and Neural Codecs
Scene-based audio captures a whole sound field that can be rotated with the listener's head, which is why VR and 360-degree video rely on it. This volume covers scene-based audio in depth with Ambisonics, HRTF, head tracking and binaural rendering, so you can build immersive sound that follows the viewer. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
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