Differences in Surround Sound Formats

Just like the computer and IT industry, things change in home theater and audio at a blistering pace. Only a few years ago Dolby Surround Sound was state of the art, giving audiences a reasonable recreation of what it was like to be sitting in a movie theater. Today the technologies are Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES, SACD, and DVD-Audio. Just when consumers think that nothing else is needed or possible, the latest technology comes along and blows everyone away. Some manufactures have gone to hardware and software upgradeable platforms for their products that ensure their clients get years of entertainment and use for their investment. The trend seems to be rolling toward adding more and more speakers to a system.

The current standard is 5.1 (Five speakers and one subwoofer.) Left, Center, Right, Right Rear, Left Rear, and Subwoofer. This setup, when meticulously tuned offers excellent involvement in the experience for a select few viewing spots in the middle of the room. With the addition of more speakers, in this case adding a left and right side speaker (7.1, Dolby ES, DTS EX), the "envelope" of the room that has potential for great presentation is radically increased. Some surround studios are already experimenting with 10.1 surround sound and beyond.

Another major advance in technology is the ability to reproduce super-high fidelity digital audio. Both SACD and DVD-Audio are audio playback methods capable of playback at double CD quality in a surround sound environment. The result must be heard to be believed. Never before has it been possible to so closely match the experience of "being there" in a clients own home. The recording artist has the ability to place the listener anywhere in the recording space, in the audience, or onstage for instance. All this with better than CD quality audio. A few pioneering manufacturers have even managed to take the DVD-Audio platform a step further, allowing the encoded audio on disc to remain digital all the way to the speaker.

With continuing advances in technology making the best devices obsolete, it is important for us as designers and consultants to look for the most future proof solutions. In some cases, manufacturers on the upper end of audio and video focus on providing their clients with ever increasing resistance to incompatibility. We consider this focus to be one of our most important tools when designing and implementing systems for our clients.