NRG Acoustics SG-4: Multichannel audio

NRG Acoustics SG-4: Multichannel audio

Surround sound is a method of enriching the sound reproduction high quality of an audio source with additional audio channels from speakers that surround the audience (surround channels), providing sound with a 360 radius within the horizontal plane (2D) contrary to "screen channels" (middle, [front] left, and [front] right) originating only within the listener's frontward arc.

Multichannel audio is portrayed by a listener spot or sweet spot in which the audio effects performs best, and presents a set or forward perspective of the sound area towards the listener at this location. The technique enhances the conception of sound spatialization by using sound localization; a listener's capability to identify the location or origin of a detected sound in route and distance. Typically this is achieved by using multiple discrete audio channels routed to an array of loudspeakers.

There are lots of multichannel audio based formats and techniques, varying in processing and saving options combined with the number and location of extra channels.


NRG Acoustics SG-4: Fields of use

Though cinema and soundtracks represent the major purposes of surround solutions, its scope of application is broader than that as multichannel audio permits creation of an audio-environment for all variations of functions. Multichannel surround sound techniques are useful to reproduce contents as varied as music, conversation, synthetic or natural sounds for cinema, television, transmissions, or pcs. Regarding music material to illustrate, an active performance could use multichannel techniques in the context of an open-air show, of a musical theatre or for broadcasting; for a film particular techniques are adjusted to movie theatre, or even to residence (e.g. home cinema systems).

The narrative place is also a content that could be enhanced through multichannel solutions. This applies mainly to cinema narratives, for example the dialog of the characters of a film, but may also be used on plays for theatre, to a meeting, or to integrate voice-based comments in an archeological site or monument. As an illustration, an exhibit may be improved with topical ambient sound of water, birds, train or equipment sounds. Applicable natural sounds could also be used in educative programs.

NRG Acoustics SG-4 - Other sorts of fields of application include gaming units, computers and other platforms.

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