Multichannel audio is the name for the numerous techniques for expanding and enriching the sound of audio playback by recording additional sound channels that can be reproduced on additional speakers. Surround sound refers to the application of multichannel audio to channels "surrounding" the audience, generally some combination of left surround, right surround, and back surround) as opposed to "screen channels" which are center,front left, and front right place speakers.
Surround sound systems were traditionally used in cinema sound systems. Now there available as home entertainment systems such as "home theater" systems, video arcade games, computer games, and a growing number of other applications.
5.1 Channel Surround, analog matrixed: Dolby Pro Logic II)-->Extracts 5 audio channels from either a specially encoded 2 channel or a stereo source,
Speaker location
2 channels for speakers at the front, left (L) and right (R).
1 channel for speaker at the center, center (C).
2 channels for surround speakers at the rear, surround left (LS) and surround right (RS).
1 low-frequency effects channel (LFE).
Describes the Dolby Pro Logic II matrixed surround system. Source media is often branded with "Pro Logic II" logo. Most modern theatrical motion picture films include a digital soundtrack in this format.
Surround sound speaker placement, 6 speaker channels in total surround sound speaker placement is different for both music and movie content.
For listening to music, speakers should be placed closest to the left and right of the listening position, close to that of the 6.1 surround speakers.
For viewing movie surround, the front speakers should be placed at the edges of the screen, toed in to face the central listening location, and the tweeters should be ear height. The center speaker should be placed behind the screen "when using projection" or over or under a TV, and as close to ear height as possible. Rear channel speakers should be placed high on side walls, slightly behind the listening position.
Once you have had a 5.1 home theatre and have listened to the superb quality of brilliant sound you will feel like your definitely at the movies and theirs no way you can resort back to normal stereo, mono, and bog standard Dolby sound.
