ABSTRACT
Multi-channel recording became a major part of classical music recording in the mid-1990s with the worldwide success of the DVD, which offered video with surround sound audio. This was followed by the development of the high resolution SACD (Super Audio CD) for audio only, and later the Blu-ray disc, which allowed for high definition sound and picture. Support from the major record labels waned in the early 2000s, but there is now a rebirth of interest across the entertainment industry. A few companies have maintained multi-channel production over the years, steadily releasing 5.1 surround sound versions of their catalog along with the standard stereo format.
