Surround 2000: Issues For DVD-Audio And 5.1-Channel Music

The first annual Surround 2000 conference took place November 5 and 6 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The aim of the gathering was to offer audio professionals an opportunity to see, hear and interact with applications of surround sound technologies for film, video, music, and multimedia. The focus clearly seemed to be on the widely anticipated transition from 2 to 5.1-channels of audio for the music recording industry, with the forthcoming DVD-Audio format.In a seminar devoted to mastering for surround sound, three highly-regarded professionals offered their views on the issues they face when working with 5.1-channels. In particular, Bob Ludwig, President of Gateway Mastering Studios, cited the lack of a standard for monitor loudspeaker placement, as well as the need to minimize delays between multiple channels. Such delays are possible with certain recording consoles, if different channels are utilizing different consoles, and if multiple sampling converters are used, particularly if the 5.1-channels are not using the same sampling rate. (Multiple sampling rates are possible with DVD-Audio.)For the production of surround sound recordings, issues were discussed concerning orientation of the soundfield, use of the center channel, bass management, and strategies for remixing classic recordings in surround sound. Some new jargon seems to have surfaced: the use of ""five dot one"" as an equivalent name to 5.1 (""five point one""), and the term ""repurposing"" to describe the use of previous stereo recordings to create a new 5.1-channel mix.Representatives for the music industry were on hand to share their views about DVD-Audio. Clearly, the format is at its infancy in terms of marketing and distribution plans. Many issues were discussed but not yet resolved, such as pricing, use of the allotted video portion of the DVD, production costs, and acceptance by the consumers. They did clearly underscore the importance of promoting DVD-Audio as a superior format to the CD, as well as a need for creative forces to develop innovative 5.1-channel material that would convince the public at large that multichannel surround sound is the way to go.