Valve has explored the design process of the ear speakers and microphone for its Index VR headset. Valve's goal was to create an immersive audio experience that would enhance the sense of presence in VR. They found that traditional headphones and speakers did not meet their requirements, so they designed their own ear speakers optimized for VR. The design process involved balancing various factors such as speaker position, driver weight, driver diaphragm shape, and frequency response. Valve also emphasized the importance of both hardware and software in achieving convincing audio immersion. They found that using software and hardware together was crucial in creating an immersive audio experience. The article also discusses the reasons why headphones and speakers were not suitable for their design goals and describes the development of their prototype ear speakers. Overall, Valve believes that the ear speaker design for the Valve Index VR headset strikes a good balance and provides a satisfying audio experience, but they acknowledge that there is still room for improvement.
