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Surround Basics
Surround sound is a common name for various techniques for positioning audio in reference to the
listener. Whereas regular stereo is limited to left/right positioning, within a relatively narrow field,
surround sound opens possibilities of positioning an audio source anywhere around the listener.
Surround sound comes in many formats. The differences between the formats are in three areas:
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The number of speakers—this varies from 3/2 all the way to 10.2 and beyond.
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The angles of the speakers.
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The intended final coding format—this depends on the media the audio will be "stored" on: film,
broadcast video or DVD, for example.
The most common format is 5.1, which consists of five full-range channels and a low-frequency effects
(LFE) channel (the “.1” in 5.1 is the LFE or sub channel). The five full-range channels are reproduced by
left, right, and center speakers positioned in front of the listener (L, R, and C for short), and left and
right surround speakers positioned behind the listener (Ls and Rs for short). The LFE channel can be
routed to the main speakers or to a subwoofer that can be positioned almost anywhere.
The center channel is typically used to lock dialog or sounds to a video screen. The LFE channel is
generally routed to a subwoofer to enhance low audio frequencies for effects such as explosions or
crashes. Audio in this channel is limited to a range of approximately 25 Hz to 120 Hz.
Configuring SONAR for Surround Mixing
This section covers setting up SONAR for surround sound.
Using Surround Format Templates
A Surround Format template specifies the number of speakers and the order in which the speakers are
arranged.
There are several different surround formats, including LCRS, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1, with 5.1 being most
common. The number after the decimal point refers to the number of Low Frequency Effect (LFE)
speakers. However, there are even different flavors of 5.1. The different flavors specify in which order
the speakers are arranged, and the speaker angles. For example:
The speaker positions, moving clockwise from center, are identified as:
Surround Format
Speaker Order
5.1 SMPTE/ITU
L, R, C, LFE, Ls, Rs
5.1 Music Alternative
L, R, Ls, Rs, C, LFE
5.1 Film Alternative
L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE
Label
Speaker
C
Center (directly in front of listener)
Rc
Right of Center
R
Right (standard Stereo placement)
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