A virtual-reality device displays a virtual scene. The device generates audio data for an area source in the virtual scene. The area source is within a predefined near-field distance from the listener. The device selects sample points from the area source and determines, for each sample, energy contributions to two respective successive shells of spherical shells that extend from the listener to the predefined near-field distance. The two shells enclose the sample point source, and the determined energy contributions correspond to sound originating from the sample point source. For each shell, the device determines a head-related impulse response (HRIR) by combining the determined energy contributions for that shell. The device determines an overall HRIR for the virtual scene by combining the determined HRIRs for the shells and combines the audio data with the overall HRIR. The device transmits the combined audio data to sound-producing elements of the device.