Hearing is a fundamental channel through which humans perceive and interact with the external environment, with spatial auditory perception playing a key role in this process. Binaural audio systems, enabled by Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs), allow virtual sound sources to be reproduced with spatial attributes, forming a core component of immersive virtual reality (VR) audio experiences.
This study investigates a simplified approach to HRTF-based binaural rendering, focusing on two aspects: perceptual evaluation of generalized HRTFs using a MUSHRA-based listening test, and the generation of personalised HRTFs through Interaural Time Difference (ITD) simplification based on anthropometric parameters.
Results from the subjective listening test indicate that certain generalized HRTFs can achieve competitive perceptual performance in terms of timbral quality and listener preference. In the VR-based localisation test, the proposed ITD-simplified approach demonstrated horizontal localisation accuracy and confusion rates comparable to a standard KU100 reference, although it did not consistently outperform fully personalised HRTFs across all spatial conditions.
These findings suggest that simplified HRTF manipulation can provide a computationally efficient and perceptually acceptable alternative for spatial audio rendering in VR applications, while highlighting the continued importance of spectral and individualised cues for precise localisation.
