---
title: "A psychophysical evaluation of near-field head-related transfer functions synthesized using a distance variation function"
authors: ["Alan Kan", "Craig Jin", "André van Schaik"]
year: 2009
venue: "The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America"
arxiv: null
doi: "10.1121/1.3081395"
source: "https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3081395"
topics: [hrtf, measurement, near-field, itd-ild]
seed_rank: 1705
seed_batch: "audio-harvest-2026-09-09"
reviewed: "2026-09-09"
pool: "realtime"
relevance_score: 10
lineage: hrtf-spatial-audio
cites:
  - title: "Auditory localization of nearby sources. Head-related transfer functions"
    url: "https://doi.org/10.1121/1.427180"
    year: 1999
    arxiv: null
    doi: "10.1121/1.427180"
  - title: "The CIPIC HRTF database"
    url: "https://doi.org/10.1109/aspaa.2001.969552"
    year: 2001
    arxiv: null
    doi: "10.1109/aspaa.2001.969552"
  - title: "HRTF measurements of a KEMAR"
    url: "https://doi.org/10.1121/1.412407"
    year: 1995
    arxiv: null
    doi: "10.1121/1.412407"
see:
  - "1699-auditory-localization-of-nearby-sources-head-related-transfer-functions"
  - "1684-the-cipic-hrtf-database"
  - "1675-hrtf-measurements-of-a-kemar"
---

# A psychophysical evaluation of near-field head-related transfer functions synthesized using a distance variation function

## One-sentence takeaway

Distance Variation Function (DVF): synthesize near-field HRTFs from a far-field measurement by a distance-dependent filter, then psychophysically test it.

## Why it matters here

You will not measure every distance. Kan/Jin/van Schaik 2009 JASA take far-field HRTFs, apply a DVF, and ask listeners if nearby sources work. Anoptic cheap near-field: DVF on CIPIC/SADIE, validate against Brungart, don't pretend it's a measured 0.2 m grid.

## Key ideas

- **DVF model.** Analytic-ish distance filter on top of far-field HRTF.
- **Psychophysics.** Not only spectral plots — localization/distance ratings.
- **JASA 2009.** Harvest near-field / ITD-ILD.
- **Modeled, not measured near-field.** Contrast Brungart 1999 measurements.

## Caveats

Spherical-head-ish assumptions; pinna near-field is messier. ~35 cites — useful method, not a database. Forced model vs unforced measurement.

## Links

- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3081395