NRG Acoustics A-70: Multichannel surround sound
Multichannel audio is a method of enhancing the sound processing high
quality of any audio source with additional audio channels from speakers
that surround the listener (surround channels), providing sound from
the 360 radius in the horizontal plane (2D) contrary to "screen
channels" (middle, [front] left, and [front] right) coming from only
within the listener's forward arc.
Multichannel audio is portrayed by a listener location or sweet spot
where audio effects performs best, and provides a set or frontward
perspective of the sound field towards listener at this location. The
technique enhances the perception of sound spatialization by taking
advantage of sound localization; a listener's ability to get the
location or origin of a noticed sound in route and distance. Typically
this is achieved by making use of multiple discrete audio channels
routed to an array of loudspeakers.
There are various surround sound based types and techniques, ranging in
processing and saving tactics together with the amount and positioning
more channels.
NRG Acoustics HJ-17: Areas of application
Though cinema and soundtracks signify the primary uses of surround
techniques, its scope of application is more expansive than that as
multichannel surround sound permits creation of an audio-environment for
all variations of functions. Multichannel techniques are useful to
recreate contents as various as music, conversation, natural or
synthetic sounds for cinema, television, transmissions, or pc's. When it
comes to music material as an illustration, an active performance is
able to use multichannel approaches to the context associated with an
open-air event, of an musical theatre or perhaps for broadcasting; for a
film specific techniques are adjusted to movie theatre, or to home
(e.g. home cinema systems).
The narrative area is also a content which could be improved through
multichannel solutions. This is applicable mainly to cinema narratives,
much like the talk of the characters of a film, but will be also used
on plays for theatre, to a convention, or to integrate voice-based
comments in an archeological site or monument. Here is an example, an
exhibition may very well be improved with topical background sound of
water, birds, train or equipment sound. Applicable natural sounds could
also be used in educative applications.
NRG Acoustics SG-4 - Other fields of application include gaming controllers, computers and other platforms.
In such applications, the content would typically be synthetic noise
maded by the computer device in interaction with its user. Significant
work has also been done using multichannel surround sound for enhanced
situation knowledge in government and public safety purposes.
