Apparent source width (original) (raw)

Apparent source width (ASW) is the audible impression of a spatially extended sound source. This psychoacoustic impression results from sound radiation characteristics and properties of an acoustic space. Wide sources are desired by listeners of music because these are associated with sound of acoustic music, opera, classical music, historically informed performance. Research concerning ASW comes from the field of room acoustics, architectural acoustics and auralization as well as musical acoustics, psychoacoustics and systematic musicology.