Ventriloquist effect


I'm curious if any of the members have noticed or specifically accounted for how visual queues impact auditory perception. In my favorite listening position with the normal lights on I experience a perfectly healthy soundstage and imaging. However purely by accident I noticed that with the lights out and just the glow from the gear, the soundstage is considerably wider and the instruments more localized.

It's not the same as listening eyes closed. With no visual queues at all I notice the soundstage start to collapse towards the center. However with enough light to see that the sound is coming from in front, but not enough to get a good lock on speaker position it feels more lifelike.

I'm guessing that my brain is arguing with itself and trying to pin the sound to the speakers even though my ears can't pinpoint the source. When that visual queue is gone the visual center gives up and let's the audio perception take precedence.

It's real to me so I go with it, but wondering if I should see a psych or if others have noticed this as well.
bgoeller

Showing 1 response by nonoise

It's amazing just how much our eyes work with our ears. To say it's second nature is an extreme understatement. When deprived of decent lighting, our brains go the extra distance to sort things out.

However, I find the opposite to be true when I close my eyes: the soundstage stays about the same. Sometimes, even wider.

It's all in the fun.

All the best,
Nonoise