Introduction -- Analyses of Temporal Factors of a Source Signal -- Formulations and Simulation of the Sound Field -- Model of Auditory-Brain System -- Temporal- and Spatial-Primary Percepts of the Sound and the Sound Field -- Theory of Subjective Preference for the Sound Field -- Examination of Subjective Preference Theory in an Existing Opera House -- Reverberance of the Sound Field -- Improvements of Subjective Prefences for Listeners and Performers -- Optimizing Room-Form -- Visual Temporal Sensations on the Stage Blending with Opera and Music -- Design Theory of Opera House Stage Persisting Individual Creations -- Appendix Appendix Comparison between Measured Orthogonal Factors Using a Dummy Head and Four Human-Real Heads.

This book focuses on opera house acoustics based on subjective preference theory; it targets researchers in acoustics and vision who are working in physics, psychology, and brain physiology. This book helps readers to understand any subjective attributes in relation to objective parameters based on the powerful and workable model of the auditory system. It is reconfirmed here that the well-known Helmholtz theory, which was based on a peripheral model of the auditory system, may not well describe pitch, timbre, and duration as well as the spatial sensations described in this book, nor overall responses such as subjective preference of sound fields and the annoyance of environmental noise.