technoguy

sound recorded simultaneously through two or more electronic channels. For live recordings, microphones are placed in different positions relative to the sound source. The recorded sound is played back through loudspeakers placed more or less as the recording microphones were placed. The resulting sound does not emanate from a point source, but instead the voices or instruments composing the sound seem to be spread out as they would be naturally. Thus, some of the ambience of the recording hall is recreated. Almost all commercial recordings and motion pictures produced today use stereophonic sound, as do many television and frequency modulation (FM) radio programs. See record player; sound recording; compact disc.

Desiree

I always wanted to know how that was done, is that the basic idea behind surround sound?

Trinity

way back when---home systems were monotone-----when the "new" stero systems came out----a record player with two speakers----it was fun to turn off one speaker to catch the seperation of sound.

Desiree

So I guess it is the basic idea then?

vipl

To improve listener perceived characteristics multi-channel sound reproduction systems are known which include a surround sound channel. It is preferred to reproduce the surround sound signal without having rear loudspeakers, so using the front stereophonic loudspeakers. To improve the surround sound, the frequency range of the surround sound signal is divided in at least two adjacent frequency bands. After division, the two parts of the surround signal are expanded to further improve the reproduced surround signal. At last, the expanded surround signals are combined with the respective stereophonic signals.