| For the following sections, a distinction is | | | | source: |
| made between the number of discrete channels | | | | |
| encoded in the original signal, and the | | | | Two channels for speakers at the front - left |
| number of channels that are reproduced for | | | | (LF) and right (RF). |
| playback; these can be added using matrix | | | | |
| decoding. A distinction is also made between | | | | One channel for speaker at the center - |
| the number of channels reproduced for | | | | center (C). |
| playback, and the number of speakers over | | | | |
| which these channels are played. Graphics to | | | | Two channels for surround speakers at the |
| the right of each section represent the | | | | sides - side left (L) and side right (R). |
| number of channels, not the number of | | | | |
| speakers used. | | | | One channel for both surround speakers at the |
| | | | rear - mono surround channel (S). |
| Additionally, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 formats | | | | |
| make use of bass management, which allows | | | | One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer |
| sound that is below the abilities of main | | | | (LFE). |
| channels (5.0 channels) to be redirected to | | | | |
| the subwoofer, which is designed to handle | | | | Describes the Dolby Digital EX discrete |
| that frequency range. There are notation | | | | matrixed hybrid Surround system. Source |
| differences between the pre-bass-managed | | | | media, usually DVD is often branded with |
| signal and once it has passed through bass | | | | "Dolby Digital EX" logo. |
| manager. For example, in 5.1, the channels | | | | |
| are referred to as L(eft), R(ight), C(enter), | | | | Surround Sound speaker placement: (8 speakers |
| L(ow )F(requency)E(effects), | | | | in total) Surround Sound speaker placement is |
| S(urround)L(eft), and S(urround)R(ight). | | | | different for both music and movie content. |
| However, once passing through the bass | | | | |
| manager, they are referred to as L(eft), | | | | For music speakers placement is unknown |
| R(ight), C(enter), Sub(woofer), | | | | |
| S(urround)L(eft), and S(urround)R(ight). | | | | For movie surround, the front speakers should |
| | | | be placed at the edges of the screen, toed in |
| 3.0 Channel Surround (analog matrixed: | | | | to face the central listening location, and |
| Surround) | | | | the tweeters should be ear height. The center |
| | | | speaker should be placed behind the screen |
| Extracts 3 audio channels from a stereo | | | | (when using projection) or over or under a |
| source: | | | | tv, and as close to ear high as possible. |
| | | | Side channel speakers should be placed high |
| Two channels for speakers at the front - left | | | | on side walls, to the left and right of the |
| (L) and right (R). | | | | listening position, equidistant from the |
| | | | front speakers and the rear speakers. Rear |
| One channel for surround speaker at the rear | | | | channel speakers should be placed high on |
| - surround (S). | | | | side walls, slightly behind the listening |
| | | | position, and should have a nomal hi quality |
| Describes the numerous matrixed pre Prologic | | | | monopolar construction. |
| Surround processors. | | | | |
| | | | 6.1 Channel Surround (digital discrete: |
| Speaker placement: (3 speakers in total) | | | | DTS-ES) |
| Three identical speakers placed equidistant | | | | |
| around a central listening position. | | | | Delivers 6 audio channels and 1 LFE channel |
| | | | from a 7 channel source: |
| 4.0 Channel Surround (analog matrixed: | | | | |
| Quadraphonic) | | | | Two channels for speakers at the front - left |
| | | | (LF) and right (RF). |
| Extracts 4 audio channels from a stereo | | | | |
| source: | | | | One channel for speaker at the center - |
| | | | center (C). |
| Two channels for speakers at the front - left | | | | |
| (L) and right (R). | | | | Two channels for surround speakers at the |
| | | | sides - side left (L) and side right (R). |
| Two channels for surround speakers at the | | | | |
| rear - surround left (LS) and surround right | | | | One channel for both surround speakers at the |
| (RS). | | | | rear - mono surround channel (S). |
| | | | |
| Describes the early matrixed Surround | | | | One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer |
| Quadraphonic, Quadraphonic Stereo system. | | | | (LFE). |
| Source media, usually records or tape is | | | | |
| often branded 4 channel stereo. | | | | Describes the DTS ES discrete Surround |
| | | | system. Source media, usually DVD is often |
| Speaker placement: (4 speakers in total) The | | | | branded with "DTS ES" logo. |
| front speakers should be placed at the edges | | | | |
| of the screen, toed in to face the central | | | | Surround Sound speaker placement: (8 speakers |
| listening location, and the tweeters should | | | | in total) Surround Sound speaker placement is |
| be ear height. Rear channel speaker should be | | | | different for both music and movie content. |
| placed high on the back wall, slightly behind | | | | |
| the listening position, and can be of smaller | | | | For music speakers placement is unknown |
| size, due to the frequency limitations of the | | | | |
| surround channel. | | | | For movie surround, the front speakers should |
| | | | be placed at the edges of the screen, toed in |
| 4.1 Channel Surround (analog matrixed: Dolby | | | | to face the central listening location, and |
| Prologic) | | | | the tweeters should be ear height. The center |
| | | | speaker should be placed behind the screen |
| Extracts 4 audio channels, and 1 LFE channel | | | | (when using projection) or over or under a |
| from a stereo source: | | | | tv, and as close to ear high as possible. |
| | | | Side channel speakers should be placed high |
| Two channels for speakers at the front - left | | | | on side walls, to the left and right of the |
| (L) and right (R). | | | | listening position, equidistant from the |
| | | | front speakers and the rear speakers. Rear |
| One channel for speaker at the center - | | | | channel speakers should be placed high on |
| center (C). | | | | side walls, slightly behind the listening |
| | | | position, and should have a nomal hi quality |
| One channel for both surround speakers at the | | | | monopolar construction. |
| rear - mono surround channel (S). | | | | |
| | | | 7.1 Channel Surround (digital discrete: Dolby |
| One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer | | | | Digital Plus, DTS-HD) |
| (LFE). | | | | |
| | | | Delivers 7 audio channels and 1 LFE channel |
| Describes the Dolby Prologic matrixed | | | | from an 8 channel source: |
| Surround system. Source media, usually VHS, | | | | |
| Laserdisc or television broadcast, CableTV | | | | Two channels for speakers at the front - left |
| Satellite is often branded with "Dolby | | | | (LF) and right (RF). |
| Surround" logo. | | | | |
| | | | One channel for speaker at the center - |
| Surround Sound speaker placement: (6 speakers | | | | center (C). |
| in total) The front speakers should be placed | | | | |
| at the edges of the screen, toed in to face | | | | Two channels for surround speakers at the |
| the central listening location, and the | | | | sides - side left (L) and side right (R). |
| tweeters should be ear height. The center | | | | |
| speaker should be placed behind the screen | | | | Two channels for surround speakers at the |
| (when using projection) or over or under a | | | | rear - surround left (LS) and surround right |
| tv, and as close to ear high as possible. | | | | (RS). |
| Rear channel speakers should be placed high | | | | |
| on side walls, slightly behind the listening | | | | One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer |
| position, and should be of bi-pole | | | | (LFE). |
| construction, due to the frequency | | | | |
| limitations of the surround channel. | | | | Describes the Dolby Digital Plus discrete |
| | | | Surround system. Source media, usually HD-DVD |
| 5.1 Channel Surround (analog matrixed: Dolby | | | | and sometimes Blu-Ray is often branded with |
| Prologic II) | | | | "Dolby Digital Plus" and/or DTS-HD logos. |
| | | | |
| Extracts 5 audio channels and 1 LFE channel | | | | Surround Sound speaker placement: (8 speakers |
| from a specially encoded stereo source: | | | | in total) Surround Sound speaker placement is |
| | | | different for both music and movie content. |
| Two channels for speakers at the front - left | | | | |
| (L) and right (R). | | | | For music speakers placement is unknown |
| | | | |
| One channel for speaker at the center - | | | | For movie surround, the front speakers should |
| center (C). | | | | be placed at the edges of the screen, toed in |
| | | | to face the central listening location, and |
| Two channels for surround speakers at the | | | | the tweeters should be ear height. The center |
| rear - surround left (LS) and surround right | | | | speaker should be placed behind the screen |
| (RS). | | | | (when using projection) or over or under a |
| | | | tv, and as close to ear high as possible. |
| One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer | | | | Side channel speakers should be placed high |
| (LFE). | | | | on side walls, to the left and right of the |
| | | | listening position, equidistant from the |
| Describes the Dolby Prologic II matrixed | | | | front speakers and the rear speakers. Rear |
| Surround system. Source media, usually PS2 or | | | | channel speakers should be placed high on |
| Gamecube is often branded with "Pro-Logic II" | | | | side walls, slightly behind the listening |
| logo. | | | | position, and should have a nomal hi quality |
| | | | monopolar construction. |
| Surround Sound speaker placement: (5 speakers | | | | |
| in total) The front speakers should be placed | | | | 8 Channel Surround (digital discrete: Dolby |
| at the edges of the screen, toed in to face | | | | Digital HD, DTS-HD Master Audio) |
| the central listening location, and the | | | | |
| tweeters should be ear height. The center | | | | Dolby Digital HD and DTS-HD Master Audio are |
| speaker should be placed behind the screen | | | | emerging 8 channel home surround systems |
| (when using projection) or over or under a | | | | currently supported by HD-DVD and Blu-Ray |
| tv, and as close to ear high as possible. | | | | DVD. Currently there are no consumer |
| Rear channel speakers should be placed high | | | | receivers on the market supporting either |
| on side walls, slightly behind the listening | | | | DD-HD or DTS-HD MA, supported receivers may |
| position, and should have a normal hi quality | | | | be released as soon as the first half of |
| monopolar construction. | | | | 2007. It is not clear at this time whether |
| | | | these receivers will be 8 channels or 8.1 |
| 5.1 Channel Surround (digital discrete: Dolby | | | | channels. |
| Digital, DTS) | | | | |
| | | | Cinematic 8 channel audio is a commercial |
| Delivers 5 audio channels and 1 LFE channel | | | | surround sound standard that adds two |
| from a 6 channel source: | | | | speakers to the more conventional, and |
| | | | consumer-oriented 6-channel (5.1) audio |
| Two channels for speakers at the front - left | | | | set-up. 8-channel positional audio utilizes |
| (L) and right (R). | | | | the standard front, center, and LFE (bass) |
| | | | speaker configuration, but in addition, |
| One channel for speaker at the center - | | | | includes two speakers positioned by the side |
| center (C). | | | | and two by the backside. Using such a sound |
| | | | configuration, almost every angle of sound |
| Two channels for surround speakers at the | | | | can, theoretically, be captured for a |
| rear - surround left (LS) and surround right | | | | completely immersive experience. |
| (RS). | | | | |
| | | | But the 8-channel format has another, even |
| One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer | | | | more well-established tradition. The history |
| (LFE). | | | | of 'electronic music' includes the evolution |
| | | | of multi-channel playback in concert |
| Describes the Dolby Digital and DTS Surround | | | | (arguably the real roots of 'surround sound' |
| systems. Source media, usually DVD and | | | | for cinema) and for a considerable time the |
| sometimes Laserdisc or satellite/digital | | | | 8-channel format was a de facto standard. |
| cable is often branded with "Dolby Digital" | | | | This standardisation was fostered, in great |
| and/or DTS logos. | | | | measure, by the development of professional |
| | | | and semi-professional 8-track tape recorders |
| DTS uses a higher sampling rate than Dolby | | | | - originally analog, but later manifesting in |
| Digital, thus DTS uses less compression and | | | | proprietary cassette formats by Alesis and |
| achieves higher fidelity than Dolby Digital. | | | | Tascam. The speaker configuration, however, |
| | | | is much less traditional, and unlike |
| Surround Sound speaker placement: (6 speakers | | | | cinematic reproduction systems, there is no |
| in total) Surround Sound speaker placement is | | | | hard-and-fast 'standard'. |
| different for both music and movie content. | | | | |
| | | | In fact, composers took (and to some extent |
| For music speakers are placed in a circle | | | | still take) considerable interest in |
| around the listener. The center channel has | | | | experimenting with speaker layouts. In these |
| 0o offset, left and right are offset | | | | experiments, the goal is not limited to |
| ± 30o, and the left/right | | | | creating 'realistic' playback of believably |
| surrounds are offset by | | | | natural sonic environments. Rather, the goals |
| ±110o. Also all speakers | | | | are frequently simply to experience and |
| should be monopole, equidistant to the | | | | understand the effect created by variations |
| listener, and all delay (ms) calculations on | | | | on source and imaging. |
| the surround decoder should be turned off | | | | |
| (0ms). | | | | 10.2 Channel Surround |
| | | | |
| For movie surround, the front speakers should | | | | 10.2 is the surround sound format developed |
| be placed at the edges of the screen, toed in | | | | by THX creator Tomlinson Holman of TMH Labs |
| to face the central listening location, and | | | | and University of Southern California |
| the tweeters should be ear height. The center | | | | (schools of Cinema/Television and |
| speaker should be placed behind the screen | | | | Engineering). Developed along with Chris |
| (when using projection) or over or under a | | | | Kyriakakis of the USC Viterbi School of |
| tv, and as close to ear high as possible. | | | | Engineering, 10.2 refers to the format's |
| Rear channel speakers should be placed high | | | | slogan: "Twice as good as 5.1". It has been |
| on side walls, slightly behind the listening | | | | touted as the audio equivalent of IMAX - |
| position, and should have a nomal hi quality | | | | spectacle beyond what can be achieved by any |
| monopolar construction. | | | | other format. |
| | | | |
| 6.1 Channel Surround (analog matrixed: Dolby | | | | 10.2 augments the LS (left surround) and RS |
| Prologic IIx) | | | | (right surround) channels by two point |
| | | | surround channels that can more finely |
| Extracts 6 audio channels and 1 LFE channel | | | | manipulate sound - allowing the mixer to |
| from a specially encoded stereo source: | | | | shift sounds in a distinct |
| | | | 360° circle around the |
| Two channels for speakers at the front - left | | | | movie watcher. |
| (LF) and right (RF). | | | | |
| | | | The 14 discrete channels are: |
| One channel for speaker at the center - | | | | |
| center (C). | | | | Five front speakers: Left Wide, Left, Center, |
| | | | Right and Right Wide |
| Two channels for surround speakers at the | | | | |
| sides - side left (L) and side right (R). | | | | Five surround channels: Left Surround |
| | | | Diffuse, Left Surround Direct, Back Surround, |
| One channel for both surround speakers at the | | | | Right Surround Diffuse and Right Surround |
| rear - mono surround channel (S). | | | | Direct |
| | | | |
| One low-frequency channel using a sub-woofer | | | | Two LFE channels: LFE Left, LFE Right |
| (LFE). | | | | |
| | | | Two Height channels: Left Height, Right |
| Describes the Dolby Prologic IIx matrixed | | | | Height |
| Surround system. Source media is unknown. | | | | |
| | | | The .2 of the 10.2 refers to the addition of |
| Surround Sound speaker placement: (8 speakers | | | | a second subwoofer. The system is bass |
| in total) Surround Sound speaker placement is | | | | managed such that all the speakers on the |
| different for both music and movie content. | | | | left side use the left sub and all the |
| | | | speakers on the right use the right sub. The |
| For music speakers placement is unknown | | | | Center and Back Surround speaker are split |
| | | | among the two subs. The two subs also serve |
| For movie surround, the front speakers should | | | | as two discrete LFE (Low Frequency Effects) |
| be placed at the edges of the screen, toed in | | | | channels. Although low frequencies are not |
| to face the central listening location, and | | | | localizable, it was found that splitting the |
| the tweeters should be ear height. The center | | | | bass on either side of the audience increases |
| speaker should be placed behind the screen | | | | the sense of envelopment. |
| (when using projection) or over or under a | | | | |
| tv, and as close to ear high as possible. | | | | 22.2 Channel Surround |
| Side channel speakers should be placed high | | | | |
| on side walls, to the left and right of the | | | | 22.2 is the surround sound component of Ultra |
| listening position, equidistant from the | | | | High Definition Video (Super Hi-vision TV |
| front speakers and the rear speakers. Rear | | | | with 4320 scanning lines), and has been |
| channel speakers should be placed high on | | | | developed by NHK Science & Technical Research |
| side walls, slightly behind the listening | | | | Laboratories. As its name suggests, it uses |
| position, and should have a nomal hi quality | | | | 24 speakers. These are arranged in three |
| monopolar construction. | | | | layers: A middle layers of ten speakers, an |
| | | | upper layer of nine speakers, and a lower |
| 6.1 Channel Surround (digital discrete: Dolby | | | | layer of three speakers and two sub-woofers. |
| Digital EX with a matrixed 6th channel) | | | | The system was demonstrated at Expo 2005, |
| | | | Aichi, Japan and the NAB 2006 conference, Las |
| Delivers 5 audio channels, 1 extracted audio | | | | Vegas |
| channel and 1 LFE channel from a 6 channel | | | | |