YOU'RE SURROUNDED!
Is Offering Surround Sound Practical for You?

ProMax can turn your editing system into a surround sound production machine with our surround sound audio bundle. Click here for more details, or call (800) 977-6629 to find out more about surround sound options for your system!

In the advent of a high definition world, we cannot forget the fact that almost forty percent of homes in the U.S. have a surround sound entertainment environment. In fact, there are more families with surround sound than there are with high definition televisions. This makes the delivery of 5.1 media more viable than ever, and there are still many production and post companies that look at surround as some sort of magic trick. While you may or may not be delivering in surround now, you can be sure that in the very near future you will come across a project that could benefit from the use of a 5.1 mix.

The largest misconception with working in surround seems to be the workflow aspect of it. While we all seem to know what it takes to watch something in 5.1, (a receiver, five speakers and a subwoofer.), the mixing side of it is something altogether different. In a surround mixing environment the components needed change drastically, starting with the output. The reasoning behind this is actually simple. When you are enjoying something in surround, the audio is being sent in a single stream, usually in the AC3 format. This encoded stream is then decoded by a surround receiver, which then converts the digital data into six discrete analog channels that are amplified and sent out to the appropriate speakers. This results in a wonderful listening experience, which puts you right in the middle of the action. While there are many different products that can serve the purpose of outputting and monitoring in surround, the theory is essentially the same, six discrete analog outputs. This allows you to route and control every audio channel to put them in the appropriate place in the listening field. What this means is that you will have tactile control over where the sound comes from and how it moves around the listening environment. For example, a plane taking off from behind the camera and flying overhead, the sound originates from the rear and slowly moves to the front. So how do I get six analog channels out of my computer? The answer is an audio interface.
The next piece to the puzzle is your monitors, or speaker system. To create a proper mix environment you must have the ability to route each output channel to each individual speaker. Controlling your speaker levels, as well as the ability to listen to each one individually is also a concern, as you don’t want to have to adjust the control room volume from the master out in your software. What about the software you ask? There are many titles to choose from that support surround, including Apple’s Soundtrack Pro. You can make a decision based on which feels or looks best to you, or you can call us here at ProMax and we can make some suggestions based on your current workflow.

This may be a lot to consider, but that’s just what we do here at ProMax. We come up with the solutions that will work for you. Whether you are just starting out, or a seasoned professional, give us a call and we can develop a workflow that is customized to your business.

What's your take on Surround Sound and the importance of audio? Let us know what you think!

Post a comment on our blog here.

Send us an email, or give us a call at (800) 977-6629