Using Ordinary Headphones to hear Dolby Digital 5.1/ 7.1 Surround Sound
One of the fun goodies we have obtained from the technological vending machine of science is surround sound. This three dimensional palette of aural bliss makes our movies more immersive, gives our music new depth and makes gaming more addicting than ever.
When looking at the handful of speakers in a surround sound system, one could offer a rough guess at how all of those tones are delivered from every direction to envelop the listener. But what about getting Dolby Digital 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound from a set of headphones that only sport two speakers in the first place? While the thought of surround sound from normal headphones may seem like a stretch in the credibility …show more content…
After hearing such uncanny presentations, you may be wondering how this is even possible without walls of speakers surrounding you on all sides. To understand virtual surround, you need to understand how you perceive normal sounds in daily life.
The ears and brain: a winning team
For the sake of simplicity, let’s pretend our ears are a pair of microphones and our brain is a super-computer that evaluates all of the audio information coming from the ears. While there are some people who seem to lack a bit of RAM in their “computer”, we all have to admit that our brains are really amazing. Let’s look at a few basic concepts when considering the audio information that our ears offer to our brain:
Volume tells us about where a sound is coming from. If someone drops a coin and the sound is slightly louder in the left ear than the right, your brain will interpret this to mean that the coin was dropped to the left of you.
The difference in tone tells us where a sound is coming from. That same coin dropped on the ground to your left will not only sound slightly louder, but just a bit clearer in your left ear as opposed to your right ear. This is all about the direct path vs. the slightly convoluted path that the sound took to reach your left and right …show more content…
Just a fraction of a second later, the same sound is played from the right/left speakers at a ratio of 80/20 respectively. This sound is slightly dulled in tone.
Just a moment later, this same sound that is processed to appear as a reflection is played from the right/left speakers at a 80/20 ratio.
Your brain will interpret this chain of events to mean that the sound source is behind you and to the left.
Keep in mind that if your brain perceives a first reflection from the front, it will assume that the source is in the back.
The above example is extremely simplified, but I’m sure you get the point. With a high quality processor put to the task, stereo headphones can create a very convincing surround sound effect. These special processors simply speak the spatial language that our brains have spent a lifetime learning.
Prepare to be amazed
While I am sure that there are some virtual surround processors that produce lackluster results, be assured that a high quality surround sound processor paired with moderate headphones will leave you amazed as you hear sounds move in circles around your
One of the fun goodies we have obtained from the technological vending machine of science is surround sound. This three dimensional palette of aural bliss makes our movies more immersive, gives our music new depth and makes gaming more addicting than ever.
When looking at the handful of speakers in a surround sound system, one could offer a rough guess at how all of those tones are delivered from every direction to envelop the listener. But what about getting Dolby Digital 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound from a set of headphones that only sport two speakers in the first place? While the thought of surround sound from normal headphones may seem like a stretch in the credibility …show more content…
After hearing such uncanny presentations, you may be wondering how this is even possible without walls of speakers surrounding you on all sides. To understand virtual surround, you need to understand how you perceive normal sounds in daily life.
The ears and brain: a winning team
For the sake of simplicity, let’s pretend our ears are a pair of microphones and our brain is a super-computer that evaluates all of the audio information coming from the ears. While there are some people who seem to lack a bit of RAM in their “computer”, we all have to admit that our brains are really amazing. Let’s look at a few basic concepts when considering the audio information that our ears offer to our brain:
Volume tells us about where a sound is coming from. If someone drops a coin and the sound is slightly louder in the left ear than the right, your brain will interpret this to mean that the coin was dropped to the left of you.
The difference in tone tells us where a sound is coming from. That same coin dropped on the ground to your left will not only sound slightly louder, but just a bit clearer in your left ear as opposed to your right ear. This is all about the direct path vs. the slightly convoluted path that the sound took to reach your left and right …show more content…
Just a fraction of a second later, the same sound is played from the right/left speakers at a ratio of 80/20 respectively. This sound is slightly dulled in tone.
Just a moment later, this same sound that is processed to appear as a reflection is played from the right/left speakers at a 80/20 ratio.
Your brain will interpret this chain of events to mean that the sound source is behind you and to the left.
Keep in mind that if your brain perceives a first reflection from the front, it will assume that the source is in the back.
The above example is extremely simplified, but I’m sure you get the point. With a high quality processor put to the task, stereo headphones can create a very convincing surround sound effect. These special processors simply speak the spatial language that our brains have spent a lifetime learning.
Prepare to be amazed
While I am sure that there are some virtual surround processors that produce lackluster results, be assured that a high quality surround sound processor paired with moderate headphones will leave you amazed as you hear sounds move in circles around your