NRG Acoustics SG-4: Multichannel surround sound

NRG Acoustics SG-4: Multichannel surround sound

Surround sound is a way of enhancing the sound processing superior quality of an audio source with additional audio channels from audio speakers that surround the listener (surround channels), providing sound from the 360 radius within the horizontal plane (2D) as an alternative to "screen channels" (centre, [front] left, and [front] right) originating only within the listener's frontward arc.

Multichannel surround sound is characterized by a listener position or sweet spot in which the audio effects are the most effective, and features a set or frontward perspective of the sound area to the listener around this location. The technique improves the notion of sound spatialization by taking advantage of sound localization; a listener's capability to know the location or origin of a detected sound in path and distance. This typically is achieved by utilizing multiple discrete audio channels routed to an array of loudspeakers.

There are lots of surround sound based types and techniques, differing in reproduction and recording options together with the number and placement of more channels.


NRG Acoustics HJ-17: Domains of use

Though cinema and soundtracks characterize the foremost uses of surround techniques, its scope of use is broader than that as multichannel surround sound enables creation of an audio-environment for all variations of functions. Multichannel techniques are useful to reproduce contents as varied as music, speech, natural or synthetic sounds for cinema, television, broadcasting, or computers. In terms of music content one example is, an active performance can make use of multichannel techniques in the context of an open-air show, of an musical theatre or perhaps for broadcasting; for a film specific techniques are tailored to movie theatre, or to residence (e.g. home cinema systems).

The narrative place is also a content which could be enhanced through multichannel solutions. This applies mainly to cinema narratives, as an example the speech from the characters of a film, but might also be utilized on plays for theatre, to a conference, or to integrate voice-based comments in an archeological site or monument. One example is, an exhibit might be improved with topical background sound of water, birds, train or machine sound. Applicable natural sounds can also be used in educational applications.

NRG Acoustics A-70 - Several other fields of application incorporate video gaming units, computers and other platforms.

In this purposes, the content would typically be fabricated noise made by the computer system in interaction with its user. Significant work has been specifically done using multichannel surround sound for enhanced situation knowledge in armed forces and general public safety applications.