Today we will talk a little about what the Dolby Surround system is, what it is for and how it works . A guide to understand the benefits that this sound system offers us to enjoy our favorite series and movies.
What we will discuss below should not be confused with activating spatial sound or Dolby Atmos in Windows 10 . In any case, it is something that we also recommend if you want to improve the audio playback of your device.
Index( )
- What is the Dolby Surround system?
- What is this sound system for?
- What are the different techniques for the Dolby system?
- Dolby Stereo
- Dolby Surround
- Dolby Digital (AC3)
- Dolby True HD
- What do I need to have surround sound at home?
What is the Dolby Surround system?
The Dolby Surround format is a format designed for the world of cinematography, which aims to create more realistic and deep experiences . This technology makes use of the so-called 7.1 sound, but also includes variations of up to 9.1 in terms of audio channels. To enjoy this technology, it is often necessary to switch the audio between headphones and speakers .
The Dolby Surround system is standardized in the world of cinema, just look at the DVD / Blu-Ray cover and find the Dolby logo. Even so, to reproduce this audio format, it will be necessary to have a sound system capable of reproducing it .
In other words, you will need to use 7.1 or 9.1 speakers in order to take advantage of the surround sound audio, as well as it is necessary to configure the sound in the speakers of your PC in case you want to use it on your computer. The truth is that understanding that this system is already very standardized, finding economic options today is not very complicated.
What is this sound system for?
As its name suggests, surround sound, also known as surround sound , is a sound reproduction modality that seeks to surround the user. In fact, the objective of this type of sound is to surround people with a sound field of 360 °.
In other words, unlike classic stereo that recreates the feeling of left, right and center, surround sound is also focused on the rear and sides, with the purpose of enveloping the person with the sound .
This type of sound is used very frequently in the cinema, in fact, theaters are acoustically prepared to offer a surround sound experience. Even so, over time the technology has spread to other markets as well, so nowadays you can buy variations of surround sound for the home .
A clear example of this is the so-called 5.1 or 7.1 sound that aims to generate this sensation for use in our homes. These systems are also designed to watch series or movies, as well as video games and various content. In the same way, we have variants and proposals made by the Dolby company, that is the case when activating or deactivating Dolby Atmos on any Samsung mobile .
What are the different techniques for the Dolby system?
The surround sound has gone through several stages throughout his life. Surround sounds are very common these days and are not expensive at all. However, there will always be high-end models. Some of the most common are Digital, True, and Original Surround.
Dolby Stereo
Dolby Stereo is a sound system that came out in 1976, it is a format specifically designed for audio in the world of cinema. All of this was produced by the Dolby Laboratories company and Dolby SVA was the technology in charge of bringing this experience to the world of cinema .
In fact, Dolby standardized the way audio is recorded and played back in the theater, again bringing surround sound to the fore. The most interesting point that the company provided to the world of cinema is that a high-quality recording is obtained in stereo format , when before everything was recorded in mono, which, added to the square phonic and surround sound, was a revolution in how the audios are recorded and played.
Today Dolby sound is also present for the average user. In other words, you don’t have to go to the movies to enjoy a surround experience . This is where Dolby Surround is born.
Dolby Surround
Dolby Surround is one of the first inventions of the home surround system . This had its birth in the 1980s as a theater audio system. Currently it is still widely used due to its low cost. In terms of practicality it is one of the most convenient because it does not need as many instruments and it encodes the channels cleanly.
Dolby Digital (AC3)
On the other hand, Dolby digital is the direct evolution of the previously mentioned, this system works in a similar way, being widely used at home. However, its main difference is that the sound is divided into six different channels. These channels are represented by one speaker each and have to be positioned in a certain way in the rooms.
Dolby True HD
The True version is somewhat more modern and this adds at least two more speakers to the previous system. In this type of systems, the audio is not compressed to improve its quality, but the audio is reproduced faithful to how it is structured. It is widely used to reproduce high quality audios or directly from the studio.
What do I need to have surround sound at home?
If you want to have surround sound at home, you should bear in mind that it is a small investment. Currently there are several options, but in most of them, the more speakers you have the better. For this reason, for large budgets you can think of a True HD sound, but you will have to have other instruments such as Blue Ray or a sound equipment that handles high sound quality. For this you will have to buy 8 speakers including the bass.
On the other hand, if you want something more modest, you can think of an AC3 sound , which consists of 6 speakers and is somewhat easier to achieve together. This is because they usually sell home theater systems.
