Have you ever had a problem listening to your favourite music or the soundtrack of the in-flight movie on a long plane journey? The constant background noise of the engines can cause difficulty in setting the volume level on standard headphones to listen comfortably without being too quiet or too loud. Using noise reduction headphones gives an amazing solution, when you put them on, the background roaring and humming noises are reduced to virtually nothing. In addition, after using these headphones you will feel more refreshed and a lot less fatigued at the end of a lengthy flight.
Standard headphones are designed to carry audio. They don’t do very much to fade background disruption. The best quality noise reduction headphones are manufactured by the likes of Sennheiser, Bose QuietComfort, Sony and Philips. Future articles will include some details on specific products along with some impartial reviews and advice. You won’t believe how good these headsets are until you try them out, so how do noise reduction headphones actually work?
Sound is formed by a succession of pressure waves that pass through the air. A sound is constructed from equivalent numbers of high and low pressure waves that travel from where the sound is formed into your ear where the sound is heard. The simple way to silence a sound is to put a device, such as earplugs or earmuffs that blocks the path of these waves to your ear.
Noise reduction headphones have tiny microphones inside the cups of both earphones that monitor what you are hearing, including any outside background noise. Some electronic processing wizardry takes place to create a correction signal, which is the difference between the required sound and the background noise. This signal is fed to the speaker in each earphone. The net result, when combined with the passive noise reduction of the headphones themselves, is a massive reduction in background noise and a much-improved listening experience. Some noise reduction headphones allow you to switch on the noise reduction system without actually listening to music, reducing background disruption and making you more relaxed!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Getting The Best Out Of Music Downloads
has undergone a rapid transformation over the past few years. A wide variety of software is available in music and hardware stores, as well as over the internet. Numerous websites allow you to download music, often giving away to make themselves popular. To successfully make the best use of the facility, we need to familiarize ourselves with a few basic requirements. Let us examine these requirements for a successful music download.
First and foremost let us look at the hardware requirements. Apparently, a PC or a laptop is the primary requisite. Your PC/ Laptop should have a minimum of 128 MB RAM if you want good quality output. Latest systems come with much higher RAM, and it’s a simple case of the more the merrier. Get a 1GB RAM and see that music fly along!
A Hard Disk Drive with at least 2 MB free space is essential. If you have more, it is better as the more the free space, the better will be the performance of the system. Though most motherboards today support audio, for improved output you may need to think of installing an additional audio and/or a graphics card, which will also do the job admirably.
A high speed modem of min capacity 56 Kbps is a must, as is an internet connection to go with it. If you can manage to hook on to a high-speed broadband connection of 2Mbps or above, well; your job will be done in a fraction of the time. Most music files, even MP3, are fairly large for a dial-up connection to handle comfortably; hence a high speed connection will definitely be an asset as it will allow much faster downloads. If you are planning to download music videos, then a min internet speed of 512 Kbps is absolutely essential.
While laptops come with inbuilt speakers, good quality PC speakers may be chosen from famous brands like JBL, Sony, Yamaha, or the very boss of them all – Bose. Branded PCs, of course, come bundled with their own speakers.
Coming to the Software. If you have a Windows based system, anything that is Windows 98 upwards will do just fine. Red Hat Linux also supports music downloads. If you have a Mac, well- you need look no further.
Besides using the basic internet browser to connect to the internet, you will need a good Audio/Video player to enjoy the results of your efforts once you have downloaded your music. Windows Media Player comes bundled with the operating system itself and is a powerhouse in itself, offering a host of mind-boggling options. Interested in trying out something new? Take your pick from other good players that are available freely on the internet. Try out Jet Audio, VLC Media player, Music Match to add interesting options to your basic music player. These are audio/video players with a lot of playing options for different music experiences like Jazz, Rock, Classical, Vocal etc, automatically setting the equalizers for the best output for each of these music forms. Further, they give several options of enjoying your music with the varied output effects of sitting in a hall, big or small room, theatre etc. A number of interesting visualizations are bound to add to the enchanting experience. You can even set your own equalizer settings, depending whether you like more bass or not.
If, however, you are planning something more advanced like studio recording etc, go in for higher end that has sound editing and audio ripping capabilities. Some of the freely available ones are N-Track studio, MIDI Maestro, Chord Composer, MusiGenesis and VF160EX Fostex digital recorder.
So don’t think any longer about how your colleague is a hit with the opposite sex, just because he always seems to be up-to-date with the latest music. Step out and become an expert yourself.
First and foremost let us look at the hardware requirements. Apparently, a PC or a laptop is the primary requisite. Your PC/ Laptop should have a minimum of 128 MB RAM if you want good quality output. Latest systems come with much higher RAM, and it’s a simple case of the more the merrier. Get a 1GB RAM and see that music fly along!
A Hard Disk Drive with at least 2 MB free space is essential. If you have more, it is better as the more the free space, the better will be the performance of the system. Though most motherboards today support audio, for improved output you may need to think of installing an additional audio and/or a graphics card, which will also do the job admirably.
A high speed modem of min capacity 56 Kbps is a must, as is an internet connection to go with it. If you can manage to hook on to a high-speed broadband connection of 2Mbps or above, well; your job will be done in a fraction of the time. Most music files, even MP3, are fairly large for a dial-up connection to handle comfortably; hence a high speed connection will definitely be an asset as it will allow much faster downloads. If you are planning to download music videos, then a min internet speed of 512 Kbps is absolutely essential.
While laptops come with inbuilt speakers, good quality PC speakers may be chosen from famous brands like JBL, Sony, Yamaha, or the very boss of them all – Bose. Branded PCs, of course, come bundled with their own speakers.
Coming to the Software. If you have a Windows based system, anything that is Windows 98 upwards will do just fine. Red Hat Linux also supports music downloads. If you have a Mac, well- you need look no further.
Besides using the basic internet browser to connect to the internet, you will need a good Audio/Video player to enjoy the results of your efforts once you have downloaded your music. Windows Media Player comes bundled with the operating system itself and is a powerhouse in itself, offering a host of mind-boggling options. Interested in trying out something new? Take your pick from other good players that are available freely on the internet. Try out Jet Audio, VLC Media player, Music Match to add interesting options to your basic music player. These are audio/video players with a lot of playing options for different music experiences like Jazz, Rock, Classical, Vocal etc, automatically setting the equalizers for the best output for each of these music forms. Further, they give several options of enjoying your music with the varied output effects of sitting in a hall, big or small room, theatre etc. A number of interesting visualizations are bound to add to the enchanting experience. You can even set your own equalizer settings, depending whether you like more bass or not.
If, however, you are planning something more advanced like studio recording etc, go in for higher end that has sound editing and audio ripping capabilities. Some of the freely available ones are N-Track studio, MIDI Maestro, Chord Composer, MusiGenesis and VF160EX Fostex digital recorder.
So don’t think any longer about how your colleague is a hit with the opposite sex, just because he always seems to be up-to-date with the latest music. Step out and become an expert yourself.
A Costly Mistake For Videographers
All videographers should be familiar with the headaches that go with recording audio. The list of possible disasters seems to get longer each time I conduct an interview, record an event or performance, or mix vocal recordings with music.
It is essential, therefore, to use headphones on the job while recording audio in any form. In December of 2005 I conducted an outdoor interview but I forgot to include my headphones in my audio case. The site was secluded so I took the chance that the recordings would come out even though I couldn’t hear what was actually being recorded.
Imagine my frustration as I listened to the playback. Vehicles on the highway were all over the soundtrack. While the voice was still clear, it was cut by loud diesel engines and a struggling sedan that couldn’t have been worth more than $500 in spare parts.
Lesson: Never record on-site audio without headphones.
Not even the advanced audio filters included in Final Cut Pro 4 could save me from this one. I cut one frequency after another but the vocals seemed too closely aligned with the background noise. There was simply no way of saving the track as it stood.
Fortunately, my clients were forgiving and I was able to transcribe the spoken section of the original recording. Recording under tightly controlled circumstances, the new sound track was laid down beautifully. Since the words were not each equal and the speaking speed was different, I included several photographs as a montage to cover the areas where the new sound and the original video could not match.
There is a wide variety of headsets to choose from. On the surface it would not seem to make a difference which type of headset you use but on the job it makes a huge difference. I would never take a pair of those cheap iPod type earphones on the job for one thing. Those types don’t shield any background noise which makes it difficult to hear subtle differences during recording. The ideal set of headphones for recording live events needs to have sound-proofing elements in place. You know that fuzzy stuff on the head set? It is not just there to be soft on your ears. The primary function is to filter out the nearby noise and allow you to better hear what is coming through the cords.
The only brand I actually recommend is unquestionably the best. A real professional videographer will have a pair of Bose earphones, the new QuietComfort 3 set is the most incredible pair I have ever worn. Bose products are worth every penny you spend on them, or better yet, invested. Consider purchasing Bose headphones an investment. Even the really dumb clients will recognize the quality of the brand name since it commands respect everywhere. If you show up with a weeny little pair of no name brand headphones, your clients will not feel inspired to trust you as a professional. When you strap on a pair of Bose QuietComfort 3 head phones, your clients will instantly respect you as a professional. You can get them from the Bose website and I promise you that it will be a decision you will never regret.
It is essential, therefore, to use headphones on the job while recording audio in any form. In December of 2005 I conducted an outdoor interview but I forgot to include my headphones in my audio case. The site was secluded so I took the chance that the recordings would come out even though I couldn’t hear what was actually being recorded.
Imagine my frustration as I listened to the playback. Vehicles on the highway were all over the soundtrack. While the voice was still clear, it was cut by loud diesel engines and a struggling sedan that couldn’t have been worth more than $500 in spare parts.
Lesson: Never record on-site audio without headphones.
Not even the advanced audio filters included in Final Cut Pro 4 could save me from this one. I cut one frequency after another but the vocals seemed too closely aligned with the background noise. There was simply no way of saving the track as it stood.
Fortunately, my clients were forgiving and I was able to transcribe the spoken section of the original recording. Recording under tightly controlled circumstances, the new sound track was laid down beautifully. Since the words were not each equal and the speaking speed was different, I included several photographs as a montage to cover the areas where the new sound and the original video could not match.
There is a wide variety of headsets to choose from. On the surface it would not seem to make a difference which type of headset you use but on the job it makes a huge difference. I would never take a pair of those cheap iPod type earphones on the job for one thing. Those types don’t shield any background noise which makes it difficult to hear subtle differences during recording. The ideal set of headphones for recording live events needs to have sound-proofing elements in place. You know that fuzzy stuff on the head set? It is not just there to be soft on your ears. The primary function is to filter out the nearby noise and allow you to better hear what is coming through the cords.
The only brand I actually recommend is unquestionably the best. A real professional videographer will have a pair of Bose earphones, the new QuietComfort 3 set is the most incredible pair I have ever worn. Bose products are worth every penny you spend on them, or better yet, invested. Consider purchasing Bose headphones an investment. Even the really dumb clients will recognize the quality of the brand name since it commands respect everywhere. If you show up with a weeny little pair of no name brand headphones, your clients will not feel inspired to trust you as a professional. When you strap on a pair of Bose QuietComfort 3 head phones, your clients will instantly respect you as a professional. You can get them from the Bose website and I promise you that it will be a decision you will never regret.
Rewards Cards: Redeem Your Points!
I wrote previously urging anyone who still has a credit card that does not give them a “reward” for using that card to convert to a rewards card or switch to a credit card provider that has a rewards program. The reason? If you are going to use a credit card you might as well get something out of the experience. Of course, a rewards card makes no sense for the person who doesn’t pay off their card every month as the interest on the card will likely offset any points accumulated. So, if you are a savvy consumer who lives debt free you can accumulate points quickly and get some nifty stuff. Let’s take a look at one plan and how to make it work for you.
Alright, I am not going to reveal this particular provider’s name. However, I will tell you something about the program. If you spend a dollar on mostly anything, you accumulate a point. It is that easy. Moreover, this particular provider is automatically bestowing 500 points on new users for just using the card once within the first 90 days. Not bad, especially when you only need 2000 points to qualify for merchandise, cash credit, or travel.
I realize rewards programs vary and this particular one allows for users to accumulate an unlimited amount of points per year. You must, however, redeem them within five years or start to watch points drop off.
So, just what can you get with only 2000 points? Here are some examples:
# A $15 Pizza Hut gift card or gift cards from one of four other retailers.
# Sony Open Air Headphones.
What’s more is that you can see your points add up for even bigger and better prizes. Here are some examples:
# At 5000 points you can receive a $50 Hertz certificate.
# At 10,000 points you are eligible for a free night’s stay on a weekend night at a Wyndham Hotel.
# For 20,000 points you can get a $200 cash rebate on your credit card balance.
# For 50,000 points you can get a $1000 cash rebate or merchandise including Sony’s Home Theatre in a box.
Point levels peak at 225,000 – you get a Bose Lifestyle 28 Series II DVD Home Entertainment System at this level – and you can redeem all or some of your points at any time. Generally there are no fees involved except on some travel related items. Everything is clearly outlined in a little redemption catalog the credit card provider sends out to all members and online or monthly specials are listed on their website for special or limited time redemption opportunities. You can redeem your points online or over the phone.
As you can see, the points can add up to some very useful rewards. I only listed one per category as there are literally hundreds of choices [and many different point levels] from which you can make your selection.
Not a bad way to reward yourself and at no cost to you. Shop around for the rewards program that fits your lifestyle and watch your points accumulate rapidly for rewards that are simply fun to redeem!
A rewards card can provide to you, the cardholder, an opportunity to make your credit card work for you instead of against you. My rewards card redemption catalog came in the mail last week and I have been thumbing through it in search of items that I want to redeem. The pickings are terrific and I am glad to have selected this particular card. How about you? Do you have a rewards card; if not, why not?
Alright, I am not going to reveal this particular provider’s name. However, I will tell you something about the program. If you spend a dollar on mostly anything, you accumulate a point. It is that easy. Moreover, this particular provider is automatically bestowing 500 points on new users for just using the card once within the first 90 days. Not bad, especially when you only need 2000 points to qualify for merchandise, cash credit, or travel.
I realize rewards programs vary and this particular one allows for users to accumulate an unlimited amount of points per year. You must, however, redeem them within five years or start to watch points drop off.
So, just what can you get with only 2000 points? Here are some examples:
# A $15 Pizza Hut gift card or gift cards from one of four other retailers.
# Sony Open Air Headphones.
What’s more is that you can see your points add up for even bigger and better prizes. Here are some examples:
# At 5000 points you can receive a $50 Hertz certificate.
# At 10,000 points you are eligible for a free night’s stay on a weekend night at a Wyndham Hotel.
# For 20,000 points you can get a $200 cash rebate on your credit card balance.
# For 50,000 points you can get a $1000 cash rebate or merchandise including Sony’s Home Theatre in a box.
Point levels peak at 225,000 – you get a Bose Lifestyle 28 Series II DVD Home Entertainment System at this level – and you can redeem all or some of your points at any time. Generally there are no fees involved except on some travel related items. Everything is clearly outlined in a little redemption catalog the credit card provider sends out to all members and online or monthly specials are listed on their website for special or limited time redemption opportunities. You can redeem your points online or over the phone.
As you can see, the points can add up to some very useful rewards. I only listed one per category as there are literally hundreds of choices [and many different point levels] from which you can make your selection.
Not a bad way to reward yourself and at no cost to you. Shop around for the rewards program that fits your lifestyle and watch your points accumulate rapidly for rewards that are simply fun to redeem!
A rewards card can provide to you, the cardholder, an opportunity to make your credit card work for you instead of against you. My rewards card redemption catalog came in the mail last week and I have been thumbing through it in search of items that I want to redeem. The pickings are terrific and I am glad to have selected this particular card. How about you? Do you have a rewards card; if not, why not?
Acoustic Research Speaker May Just Be The Right Choice For You!
I have been an audiophile for a long time, but surprisingly, I never had really good sound that I could count on until I got my first Acoustic Research wireless speaker. Before the Acoustic Research speaker, I was using inferior equipment. Although I did not go straight from my first, big, clunky second hand bass speakers with broken cones to the Acoustic Research speaker, the difference was almost as pronounced. Nonetheless, the Acoustic Research speaker was just the last step in a string of slowly improving audio equipment that I had been acquiring since I was very young.
Before I ever saw an Acoustic Research speaker, I tried many other brands. I thought Bose were pretty good, and for a long time they were my favorite. Even now, when I am listening to music quietly to avoid disturbing my girlfriend, I turn off the Acoustic Research speaker and plug in my Bose headphones. But still, nowadays my whole house is wired with Acoustic Research speakers which pipe music to any corner that I want, any time.
It started when I was a teenager growing up in the 70s. This was a long time before there was such a thing as Acoustic Research speakers, or many of the other bands that are popular today. What I had was a pair of second hand speakers which I had inherited from a friend, when he bought his new stereo. He seemed to not think that they were good enough for his use anymore, but for me they were amazing. They had all of the bass that a teenager wants, and a mellow tubey sound that I still find tasteful. Unfortunately, they had many weaknesses including a torn speaker cone that buzzed, and very low treble fidelity. But still, I did really like them, and they did a good job for me all the way through college.
You can even use an Acoustic Research speaker to hear sound outside, as I have done. I have a wireless Acoustic Research speaker which plays music to the patio whenever I am entertaining. It saves me the trouble of having to bring out a boom box, and the sound quality is simply sensational. All of my guests have complemented the good fidelity that an Acoustic Research speaker provides, and many of them have gone on to buy them themselves. I say that they have good taste in sound.
I have been an audiophile for a long time, but surprisingly, I never had really good sound that I could count on until I got my first Acoustic Research wireless speaker. Before the Acoustic Research speaker, I was using inferior equipment. Although I did not go straight from my first, big, clunky second hand bass speakers with broken cones to the Acoustic Research speaker, the difference was almost as pronounced. Nonetheless, the Acoustic Research speaker was just the last st...
Before I ever saw an Acoustic Research speaker, I tried many other brands. I thought Bose were pretty good, and for a long time they were my favorite. Even now, when I am listening to music quietly to avoid disturbing my girlfriend, I turn off the Acoustic Research speaker and plug in my Bose headphones. But still, nowadays my whole house is wired with Acoustic Research speakers which pipe music to any corner that I want, any time.
It started when I was a teenager growing up in the 70s. This was a long time before there was such a thing as Acoustic Research speakers, or many of the other bands that are popular today. What I had was a pair of second hand speakers which I had inherited from a friend, when he bought his new stereo. He seemed to not think that they were good enough for his use anymore, but for me they were amazing. They had all of the bass that a teenager wants, and a mellow tubey sound that I still find tasteful. Unfortunately, they had many weaknesses including a torn speaker cone that buzzed, and very low treble fidelity. But still, I did really like them, and they did a good job for me all the way through college.
You can even use an Acoustic Research speaker to hear sound outside, as I have done. I have a wireless Acoustic Research speaker which plays music to the patio whenever I am entertaining. It saves me the trouble of having to bring out a boom box, and the sound quality is simply sensational. All of my guests have complemented the good fidelity that an Acoustic Research speaker provides, and many of them have gone on to buy them themselves. I say that they have good taste in sound.
I have been an audiophile for a long time, but surprisingly, I never had really good sound that I could count on until I got my first Acoustic Research wireless speaker. Before the Acoustic Research speaker, I was using inferior equipment. Although I did not go straight from my first, big, clunky second hand bass speakers with broken cones to the Acoustic Research speaker, the difference was almost as pronounced. Nonetheless, the Acoustic Research speaker was just the last st...
Bose Home Theater Speakers
Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, Bose was founded by Dr Amar G Bose in 1964. Bose Corporation is an American specialist in high-end audio systems. Bose is world’s leading manufacturer in home theater speakers and professional audio market. It manufactures variety of model for home theater system including its own patented Wave radio system. The founder of Bose Dr Amar G Bose was an electrical engineering professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
The brand name Bose has strong marketplace. In US alone Bose is the highest regarded brand name amongst US population than any other brand name. Top-notch product lines of Bose are Speakers, amplifiers, and just recently acoustic headphones and last but not the least high-end digital technology speakers. For musician Bose offers amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Bose Lifestyle 48 home theater system
Bose Lifestyle 48 home theater system comprises five satellite speakers, one subwoofer or Acoustimass, one disk player and a remote control. Disk player can play compact disk, DVD, MP3, Writable CD, Rewritable CD etc with full DTS, Dolby digital compatibility. Bose acoustimass has power amplifier plus subwoofer for enhancing deep bass. Lifestyle home system has ability to adjust itself according to living room acoustics. The Bose lifestyle 48 system has many other input outputs, which can create composite output from all the inputs to create lively experience from all corner of the home.
Positioning of Bose home theater speakers system
The positioning of speakers is most important in creating home theater system. First look at the front speakers. Ideally all front speakers should be in horizontally line throughout in the middle of the image. But this is not possible in most of today’s home theater speakers system. To get most realistic sound experience speakers should be arrange in such a manner that they create the sound at par with source on the image. Placement should be above the ear level. In modern patented systems like Dolby Prologic or Dolby digital there are many other things, which needs to be done including software installation, tuning of the entire component. For better results manual should be referred to avoid any trouble and bad experience.
Buying Bose home theater speakers
Buying Bose home theater speakers are more than just normal home theater speakers. It is buying the most admired in quality entertainment system. Before buying it is always advisable to check out the latest price at directly on Bose site and if possible buy directly from Bose. But if it’s not possible even then make sure that it is from Bose authorized outlet and if there is no Bose outlet it needs to be imported by Bose authorized entity.
About Bose Corporation
Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, Bose was founded by Dr Amar G Bose in 1964. Bose Corporation is an American specialist in high-end audio systems. Bose is world’s leading manufacturer in home theater speakers and professional audio market. It manufactures variety of model for home theater system including its own patented Wave radio system. The founder of Bose Dr Amar G Bose was an electrical engineering professor at Massachusetts Institute of Tec...
The brand name Bose has strong marketplace. In US alone Bose is the highest regarded brand name amongst US population than any other brand name. Top-notch product lines of Bose are Speakers, amplifiers, and just recently acoustic headphones and last but not the least high-end digital technology speakers. For musician Bose offers amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Bose Lifestyle 48 home theater system
Bose Lifestyle 48 home theater system comprises five satellite speakers, one subwoofer or Acoustimass, one disk player and a remote control. Disk player can play compact disk, DVD, MP3, Writable CD, Rewritable CD etc with full DTS, Dolby digital compatibility. Bose acoustimass has power amplifier plus subwoofer for enhancing deep bass. Lifestyle home system has ability to adjust itself according to living room acoustics. The Bose lifestyle 48 system has many other input outputs, which can create composite output from all the inputs to create lively experience from all corner of the home.
Positioning of Bose home theater speakers system
The positioning of speakers is most important in creating home theater system. First look at the front speakers. Ideally all front speakers should be in horizontally line throughout in the middle of the image. But this is not possible in most of today’s home theater speakers system. To get most realistic sound experience speakers should be arrange in such a manner that they create the sound at par with source on the image. Placement should be above the ear level. In modern patented systems like Dolby Prologic or Dolby digital there are many other things, which needs to be done including software installation, tuning of the entire component. For better results manual should be referred to avoid any trouble and bad experience.
Buying Bose home theater speakers
Buying Bose home theater speakers are more than just normal home theater speakers. It is buying the most admired in quality entertainment system. Before buying it is always advisable to check out the latest price at directly on Bose site and if possible buy directly from Bose. But if it’s not possible even then make sure that it is from Bose authorized outlet and if there is no Bose outlet it needs to be imported by Bose authorized entity.
About Bose Corporation
Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, Bose was founded by Dr Amar G Bose in 1964. Bose Corporation is an American specialist in high-end audio systems. Bose is world’s leading manufacturer in home theater speakers and professional audio market. It manufactures variety of model for home theater system including its own patented Wave radio system. The founder of Bose Dr Amar G Bose was an electrical engineering professor at Massachusetts Institute of Tec...
Home Theater Surround Sound Basics
Major movie houses, theatres, home entertainment environments, gaming, arcade and other public and in-house presentation areas today use surround sound systems for enhanced audio entertainment. Surround sound is basically when you increase the dimension of your sound (or sound waves), sort of like on the Twilight Zone. In other words you take the standard one dimensional audio production, referred to as mono / Left-Right, and turn it into multiple dimensions; two or three.
Sound Systems
To create surround sound, you can go any one of several different directions. The simplest and probably the oldest way, would be to set up a bunch of speakers surrounding the audience, so that the sound comes in to the listeners from all over, from the different directions.
A different method is to combine the use of headphones with localized audio production with psychoacoustics. The result is a simulated three-dimensional effect.
And another way to create surround sound is with ambisonics where you reconstruct the sound at a central point. However, you get a gradual decline in quality as you move outward.
Still another way is to use wave field synthesis (WFS), with multiple loudspeakers and a computer aid.
Popular today are everyday devices like stereo, PC soundcards, some camcorders and AV receivers. These feature digital signal or audio processors that create surround sound via stereo sources, or have add-ons, as in some camcorder cases.
Formats
Just as nothing stays the same, ditto with sound formats. Top ones have included discrete 5.1 Surround sound format with DVD-Audio, also known as DVD-A and SACD which stands for Super Audio CD. Moving on you have ambisonics, quadraphonic then Dolby 5.1 Surround sound. And later are: DTS, DVD-Video or DVD-V and the latest MP3 Surround.
Surround Sound Specs
3.0 Surround (matrixed): 3 audio channels: 2 for speakers front – left, right; 1 rear
4.0 Surround (matrixed Quadraphonic): 4 audio channels: 2 for speakers front – left, right; 2 rear
4.1 Surround (matrixed Prologic): 4 audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 1 rear (.1 = subwoofer)
5.1 Surround (matrixed Prologic II): 5 audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 2 at rear or side (.1 = subwoofer)
5.1 Surround (discrete Dolby Digital, DTS): 5 digital audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 2 at rear or side (.1 = subwoofer)
6.1 Surround (discrete Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES): 6 digital audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 3 for the rear / side (.1 = subwoofer)
7.1 Surround (discrete SDDS): 7 digital audio channels: left, right, center, left surround, right surround, left rear, right rear positions (.1 subwoofer)
Sound Systems
To create surround sound, you can go any one of several different directions. The simplest and probably the oldest way, would be to set up a bunch of speakers surrounding the audience, so that the sound comes in to the listeners from all over, from the different directions.
A different method is to combine the use of headphones with localized audio production with psychoacoustics. The result is a simulated three-dimensional effect.
And another way to create surround sound is with ambisonics where you reconstruct the sound at a central point. However, you get a gradual decline in quality as you move outward.
Still another way is to use wave field synthesis (WFS), with multiple loudspeakers and a computer aid.
Popular today are everyday devices like stereo, PC soundcards, some camcorders and AV receivers. These feature digital signal or audio processors that create surround sound via stereo sources, or have add-ons, as in some camcorder cases.
Formats
Just as nothing stays the same, ditto with sound formats. Top ones have included discrete 5.1 Surround sound format with DVD-Audio, also known as DVD-A and SACD which stands for Super Audio CD. Moving on you have ambisonics, quadraphonic then Dolby 5.1 Surround sound. And later are: DTS, DVD-Video or DVD-V and the latest MP3 Surround.
Surround Sound Specs
3.0 Surround (matrixed): 3 audio channels: 2 for speakers front – left, right; 1 rear
4.0 Surround (matrixed Quadraphonic): 4 audio channels: 2 for speakers front – left, right; 2 rear
4.1 Surround (matrixed Prologic): 4 audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 1 rear (.1 = subwoofer)
5.1 Surround (matrixed Prologic II): 5 audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 2 at rear or side (.1 = subwoofer)
5.1 Surround (discrete Dolby Digital, DTS): 5 digital audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 2 at rear or side (.1 = subwoofer)
6.1 Surround (discrete Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES): 6 digital audio channels: 3 for speakers front – left, center, right; 3 for the rear / side (.1 = subwoofer)
7.1 Surround (discrete SDDS): 7 digital audio channels: left, right, center, left surround, right surround, left rear, right rear positions (.1 subwoofer)
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