M-Audio Revolution 7.1 Reviewer's Manual page 17

R E V I E W E R ' S
R E V O L U T I O N
7.1 Surround Sound
S U P P O R T S A L L
Because 7.1 surround sound is new, some of your readers may be unfamiliar with it.
O F T H E M O S T
To assist you in providing your readers with an authoritative overview, we've pro-
C O M M O N — A N D
vided you with answers to the five most commonly asked questions about 7.1 sur-
E V E N S O M E O F
round. For more detailed information, visit the web sites of Dolby, DTS, THX, and
Microsoft about their respective technologies.
T H E M O R E O B -
S C U R E — T Y P E S
O F S P E A K E R
C O N F I G U R A -
T I O N S .
G U I D E
Speaker Configurations
2.0 Left, right
"2.1" Left, right with subwoofer (no discrete subwoofer input)
2.1 Left, right; discrete subwoofer
4.0 Left, right, two surrounds
4.1 Left, right, two surrounds; subwoofer
5.0 Left, right, center; two surrounds
5.1 Left, right, center; two surrounds, subwoofer
6.1 Left, right, center; three surrounds, subwoofer
7.1 Left, right, center; four surrounds, subwoofer
Q
"Why would I want more than 5.1 surround sound?"
A Simply put, 7.1 provides a more immersive surround experience.
Sound goes not only from the front to the side-positioned surround
speakers, but also goes straight from front to rear, and from the sides,
can loop around the listener in a half circle. The following graphic il-
lustrates this idea. The 7.1 experience provides a level of realism that
5.1 cannot deliver. For those interested in the ultimate surround experi-
ence, 7.1 is the way to go.
The best way to compare is to audition an EX title with a scene that has
good surround mixing, such as the Star Wars Pod Racer scene. Com-
pare the surround experience in 5.1 vs. 7.1
Q
"Where do the extra speakers go?"
A The extra speakers go directly behind the listener(s) as shown in the
following illustration.
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