CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING IMMERSIVE AUDIO IN MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS

Abstract

The article addresses the problem of evaluating immersive audio in musical compositions within the framework of contemporary psychoacoustic and art-oriented approaches. Immersion is interpreted as a complex artistic and perceptual
phenomenon shaped by the interaction of spatial, timbral, dynamic, and psychological factors of auditory perception.
Research methodology. The study is based on the analysis of scholarly publications devoted to immersion, spatial audio, and
subjective sound quality assessment, as well as on the interpretation of international standards for listening tests.
Methodologically, the research combines theoretical generalization, comparative analysis, and systematization of criteria
applicable to expert evaluation of immersive musical content. Results. The study proposes a structured system of criteria for
evaluating immersive audio in musical compositions, including psychological engagement, spatial envelopment, sound-stage
architectonics, externalization, timbral and mix coherence, reverberational plausibility, dynamic stability, cross-platform
adaptability, and artistic-dramaturgical appropriateness. It is demonstrated that immersive audio should be assessed as an
integral artistic and perceptual category rather than as a mere property of a playback format or technical system. Novelty. The
scientific novelty of the article lies in the development of a comprehensive analytical model for the evaluation of immersive
audio specifically in musical compositions as artistic objects. Unlike fragmentary approaches focused on isolated
psychoacoustic or technical parameters, the proposed model integrates perceptual, acoustic, technological, and artistic criteria
into a unified evaluative framework.
The practical significance. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying the proposed
criteria in sound engineering, sound production, expert listening practice, and research on immersive music perception.
The developed approach may be used for the assessment of finished immersive mixes, the design of listening tests, and
the improvement of production strategies in contemporary spatial music projects.