ABSTRACT
The visuals representing high-frequency sounds are smaller and placed higher than the low-frequency instruments, which will be represented by larger images and placed lower between the speakers. Technically, it is very difficult to tell exactly where low frequencies, below 400 Hz, are coming from. Panning, the left/right placement of sounds between the speakers is naturally shown as a left to right placement visually. A more realistic visualization would have the low-frequency spheres less defined–they would spread out to cover the entire lower portion of the visual–creating even more masking. In order to explain different styles of mixes, let’s map out how each piece of equipment affects imaging, the apparent placement of sounds between the speakers. There is an interesting illusion that occurs with high and low frequencies in the world of imaging–highs are higher and lows are lower. Speaker size affects the perception of the boundaries of imaging.
