ABSTRACT
The choice of loudspeakers for use with surround-sound systems is never easy. One problem is that the concept of surround means so many different things to so many different people. Except for professional cinema applications, where Dolby and THX, along with a few other companies, have laid down strict guidelines, the rest of the world of surround exists in near chaos. Even in professional, industry magazines, recording engineers and producers, who ought to know better, can be seen promoting the idea that there are no rules, so everybody should do it in their own way. Well; if there are no rules in the studios, then where are the references for the domestic reproduction systems to comply with? The majority of this confusion stems from the fact that modern, music-
only surround sound was never conceived and controlled purely by the music business, but has developed as an adjunct to other surround technologies which have developed for their own purposes, and which were never primarily intended to be capable of audiophile quality music reproduction. Exactly how best to deal with the subject of the recording and reproduction of music in surround is something which is still very controversial; even in professional circles. In domestic applications, we have to accept that in the majority of
cases one loudspeaker arrangement will be used for home cinema and the reproduction of music-only SACDs and DVDs in surround. This is a very unsatisfactory situation, but it would be totally unrealistic to expect people to have ten or more loudspeakers in their lounges. Firstly, therefore, it may be beneficial to look at the reasons for the undesirability of the above circumstances by looking at a range of professional surround mixing circumstances. This will also establish a more global understanding before embarking on a more detailed discussion of the requirements of each individual loudspeaker.
