It turns Dolby Digital's 5.1-channel output into the two virtual surround channels. The key lies in a so-called virtualizer, developed by companies such as SRS Labs, Spatializer, and Qsound. They can create a very realistic surround sound field from only two speakers placed in front, to the left and right, of the listener, as found in standard stereo systems. Virtual surround sound systems mimic actual surround sound by exploiting the way that the auditory system perceives the direction from which a sound is coming. Virtual surround, which needs only two speakers to create a surround sound image, was the answer to both Dolby's and the consumer's problems. But the company recognized that an alternative to complex multispeaker systems would be required if it wanted to expand the appeal and hence the market of the system, which uses a five-speaker plus subwoofer system to deliver surround sound. Virtual surround systems revert to two speakers but add signal processing to create phantom speakers.ĭolby Laboratories Inc., San Francisco, developed what is now the most prevalent system for delivering 5.1 surround to the home, namely, Dolby Digital. Today's 5.1 home-surround systems are like those used in movie theaters, delivering five audio channels through traditional speakers plus a bandwidth-limited channel through a subwoofer. Quad, in the 1970s, was the first attempt to surround a listener with sound. Only a true "audiophile" will purchase extra speakers, wiring, and amplifiers and conduct setup tests or adjust the speakers for the best listening possible.Įvolution of Home Audio: Stereo in the late 1920s and early 1930s relied on two speakers. Face it-standard surround sound is cumbersome. Each must be positioned properly, wired to the main amplifier or receiver, and balanced-daunting tasks for someone who just wants to watch a good movie.įor many people this is the beginning and the end of their surround sound experience. A system requires five speakers (Left, Center, Right, Surround Left, and Surround Right) and typically also includes a subwoofer (represented by.
The idea of experiencing 5.1-channel surround sound in their homes thrills most people until they discover how expensive and complicated it is to set up and adjust the equipment.
Found under brand names such as TruSurround from SRS Labs and N-2-2 from Spatializer, these technologies envelop even those who are space, wiring, or speaker challenged in sound appearing to come from the front, rear, and sides. They are out there now, and more are coming: DVD players, television sets, set-top boxes, and receivers that include virtual surround technologies.
0 kommentar(er)
