AES Europe 2026

There are many types of different distortions that can be
measured from linear to non-linear distortion. Often the
two are convoluted together and the linear distortion
influences the non-linear distortion. Distortion is also
very signal and level dependent and it is hard to compare
one type of distortion measurement to another. There are
many type of non-linear distortion metrics, e.g. THD, THD+N
and IMD being the most classic ones using sine tones as the
test signal. But how can we measure distortion with real
signals such as speech and music or even noise and compare
the results to audibility? This tutorial discusses a wide
range of distortion measurements, discusses what is audible
and what distortion sounds like.

Multichannel audio formats require an attention to
channels' correlations and sometimes special approach. In
this workshop, we would like to continue the discussion
started at AES Show 2025 in LA and show how you can use
different measurement tools to avoid certain problems in
the final mix. For example, the mutual influence between
the upper and main beds in immersive layout or problems in
the LFE channel and how to check the mix for the
correlation issues outside the sweet spot.

Loudspeaker monitoring is the reference when audio
professionals evaluate content. Headphones are also
important quality-checking tools; and many consumers enjoy
music using “close-fitting listening devices”, as all
different flavours of headphones are known in recent
standards writing.

We discuss the two reproduction methods from perceptual,
recording and mastering perspectives; especially
differences in timbre, imaging and auditory envelopment
when listening to stereo. Applications of headphones in
recording, when setting up and trimming stereo or 3D
microphone arrays, are also practically detailed.

In the last part of the workshop, attendees are invited to
personally compare the two domains on the qualities and
applications discussed; with guided listening to audio
examples between a pair of precision nearfield monitors,
Genelec 8351B, and a pair of excellent headphones, Audeze
CRBN2.

Speech intelligibility is a key factor in successful
communication across various domains, including research,
post-production for film and television, live sound
reinforcement, and audio production. Traditional assessment
methods often lack objectivity or fail to capture the
listener’s experience in real-world scenarios. In this
workshop, we introduce an innovative approach to measuring
speech intelligibility based on the concept of “Listening
Effort.” We will present the underlying technology, share
practical examples from different application areas, and
demonstrate how this method can be integrated into
workflows to optimize intelligibility. Attendees will have
the opportunity to participate in a hands-on demonstration
and discuss potential use cases relevant to their own work.
This session is designed for professionals and researchers
seeking reliable and actionable tools for evaluating and
improving speech intelligibility in diverse environments.
In this workshop, we present a new technology for measuring
speech intelligibility (“Listening Effort”). The method is
used in research, post-production (film/TV), live sound,
and audio production. The session is aimed at professionals
from both academia and industry who are interested in
objectively assessing and optimizing speech intelligibility.

Participants will be able to join a short demo/exercise and
ask questions.

Introduction & Relevance: Overview of the importance of
speech intelligibility across different fields
Technology & Methodology: Presentation of the measurement
method and underlying concepts
Practical Examples: Case studies from research,
post-production (film/TV), live sound, and production
Live Demo / Interactive Exercise: Practical demonstration
and opportunity for active participation
Discussion & Outlook: Q&A, exchange of ideas, and future
perspectives

With the omnipresence of immersive audio the loudness
agenda has been pushed out of the spotlight. While there
are important areas (like TV) where the introduction has
been a resounding success with a complete paradigm shift,
others have not yet fully embraced the "auditory cease
fire" (Radio) or even searched for ways to counteract
loudness normalisation or still gain a loudness advantage
(pop music). In this workshop, two veterans of the EBU
loudness group PLOUD will elaborate on potential
meta-reasons for the resistance in the latter areas as well
as survey recent developments and challenges.

Most contemporary immersive audio production workflows are
centered on discrete channel-based loudspeaker formats such
as 7.1.4. These formats are rarely experienced by most
consumers and listeners, particularly in music playback. In
practice, spatial audio is predominantly delivered via
binaural reproduction. Beyond headphones, head-tracked
loudspeaker array systems now enable convincing binaural
reproduction in a practical, listener-centric manner,
unlocking spatial audio over loudspeakers for ordinary
listeners. This positions binaural reproduction not as a
secondary translation, but as the core delivery format for
immersive audio consumption.

Creating primarily for fixed speaker layouts can impose
creative and technical constraints often resulting in
restrained spatial design when content is later rendered
binaurally. This workshop advocates a binaural-centric
approach to spatial audio creation, treating binaural as
the main deliverable, while preserving compatibility with
discrete channel-based systems. Through discussion and
practical examples, we will explore how designing with
binaural in mind enables more expressive, perceptually
robust, and immersive experiences across both headphone and
loudspeaker-based binaural playback, without relying on
traditional 7.1.4-centric production models.

Imagine that you just finished designing and are now
managing your dream immersive audio mix room for a client
with an array of 64 speakers and it functions beautifully -
then CoVid19 wreaks global havoc. You find yourself
suddenly isolated in a new country, forced into retirement
with its budgetary restrictions, and your dream studio has
become an early victim to the pandemic. What would be your
next move?

In this real-life story, follow the adventures of an
intrepid audio engineer and his quest to build a personal
version of that immersive studio that was lost – all within
a fixed-income retiree’s budget.

In this tutorial, an immersive studio design and
construction will be described including:

Inspiration from prior work by the author and colleagues
Room design goals
Equipment choices
Custom electronics design
Speaker design considerations
Speaker support and position alignment
Construction steps
VBAP, Ambisonics, and WFS approaches
Test mixes

Immersive mix examples will be demonstrated.