7.1 Virtual Surround

[Michael]

Virtual surround is an audio system that attempts to create the perception that there are many more sources of sound than are actually present. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to devise some means of tricking the human auditory system into thinking that a sound is coming from somewhere that it is not. Most recent examples of such systems are designed to simulate the true (physical) surround sound experience using one, two or three loudspeakers. Such systems are popular among consumers who want to enjoy the experience of surround sound without the large number of speakers that are traditionally required to do so.[1]

A virtual surround system must provide a means for 2-dimensional imaging of sound, using some properties of the human auditory system. The way that the auditory system localises a sound source is a topic that is studied in the field of psychoacoustics. Thus, virtual surround systems use knowledge of psychoacoustics to "trick" the listener. There are several ways in which this has been attempted.

Some methods use knowledge of head-related transfer function (HRTF). With an appropriate HRTF the signals required at the eardrums for the listener to perceive sound from any direction can be calculated. These signals are then recreated at the eardrum using either headphones or a crosstalk calculation method.[2][3] The disadvantage of this approach is that it is very difficult to get these systems to work for more than one listener at a time.

Some virtual surround systems work by directing a strong beam of sound to reflect off the walls of a room so that the listener hears the reflection at a higher level than the sound directly from the loudspeaker. One example of this technology is a commercially available Digital Sound Projector by Cambridge Mechatronics (formerly 1 Ltd). It employs 40 micro drivers and 2 woofers as well as projection technology to control the direction of the sound. The micro drivers' sound is focused into groups of "beams" that reflect off the room's walls. The center channel's sound is projected directly to the listening position. Another example is S-Logic marketed by the German headphones manufacturer Ultrasone. With this technology (which may also be considered a hybrid of HRTF and reflection-based methods), decentralized transducer positioning is used to spread sound over the outer ear in an attempt to mimic sound heard over speakers.

For virtual surround to be effective, the room should be both physically symmetrical about the perpendicular to the line between the speakers, and the absorbing characteristics of the left and right walls. An absorptive piece of furniture close to one speaker, and not matched on the other side will cause the sound field to shift to the "live" side of the room. The resulting "sound stage" is affected by asymmetry.

Sound, and in particular surround sound, is critical for fantastic gaming experiences. Whether it's to truly immerse you in the world of a game or to pinpoint the location of your foes and gain a competitive advantage, surround sound makes a huge difference.

5.1 is the industry standard used in most cinemas, home entertainment systems, and also games. Modern games work with at least 5.1 channels, with the precise implementation of surround sound depending on the game, your computer's hardware (i.e., its sound card), software, and the chosen settings for each.

7.1 surround sound delivers slightly better quality by adding two extra channels, bringing the total to eight. 7.1 uses the same six speakers as 5.1, with two additional side speakers to add more depth to the surround sound experience. With extra hardware, 7.1 surround sound is more expensive than comparable 5.1 systems.

Standard, everyday headphones have one driver for each ear, delivering only two audio channels (left and right). When we say driver, we are referring to the part of a speaker that converts the electrical signal into pressure waves, producing the sounds we hear when wearing a pair of headphones. With drivers positioned so close to the ears, it is actually much easier to deliver excellent sound quality using headphones than speakers.

However, having only two driver units can limit the potential for surround sound. Stereo speakers only have left and right audio channels and therefore are stuck only providing sound from two directions. To improve your gaming experience, you will want to find something better.

Audio engineers have many methods and tricks up their sleeves to achieve this. For example, when someone is talking to you directly on your left, you aren't only hearing them in your left ear. You'll also hear them, much quieter, in your right ear, and there will also be a very small delay. When someone is speaking directly in front of you, you will hear them in both ears instantaneously and at the same volume.

While stereo headphones apply volume differences between the two drivers, virtual surround sound devices apply a range of processing tools to create the illusion of sound coming from more than two sources. Among them is this short, sometimes exaggerated, delay in the off-ear driver. This is just one example used in virtual surround sound systems, many more techniques exist, and a lot are proprietary.

It is important to note the overwhelming majority of gaming headsets on the market utilize virtual surround sound. Even surround sound headsets listed as 5.1 or 7.1 generally only have two drivers, with the specification referring to the number of channels rendered by the software.

Without going into too much technical detail, what virtual surround sound headphones attempt to do is recreate our HRTF. This is the effect our body (shoulders, head, outer ears, etc.) has on the incoming sound waves and how this differs depending on the direction of the source.

The physical interactions that result from our specific HRTF change the volume, timing, and phase relationship between different frequencies. Through millions of years of evolution, our brains have learned to interpret these differences and determine the direction sound comes from.

Everyone's HRTF is different, and virtual surround sound headsets typically apply a generic function. However, even these can have impressive results. Virtual surround sound can also work with standard headphones, using HRTF approaches to deliver varying levels of directional information.

In comparison, true surround sound headsets add additional drivers to deliver directional information. So rather than using software to trick the brain into thinking there are more sound sources, there are actually more sound sources. However, true surround sound requires much more complex hardware, adding drivers around the ear to generate sound from new locations.

True surround sound headphones can come as either 5.1 or 7.1, with five or seven drivers split across both ears and an additional driver for lower frequencies. These drivers are positioned around the ear, creating sounds corresponding to the intended source's location.

For example, if someone is directly behind you in a multiplayer game, the sounds they create will come through both the rear left and rear right drivers at equal volume. If you turn such that they are in front of you, the sound shifts to the central channel. But if they are to your left, you will receive sounds loudly in the left headset drivers and a significantly quieter sound in your right drivers.

True and virtual surround sound headsets are separate solutions to generating directional audio. Whereas virtual surround sound applies software to trick the brain into hearing in many directions using only two drivers, true surround sound adds drivers to the headset to really generate sound coming from different locations.

Generally speaking, true surround sound produces better directional sound thanks to more drivers positioned around the ear. However, they are also mechanically complicated and much larger and heavier devices. They are also much more expensive compared to a virtual surround sound headset.

This approach has consumed almost the entire market due to cheaper digital signal processors that consume less power and advanced virtual surround sound software. You can check the number of drivers your headset has by seeing how many sizes are listed in the specifications. If only two are listed, they are virtual surround sound headphones.

A great example of a virtual surround sound gaming headset is the HyperX Cloud Orbit S. Powered by AudezeTM 100mm planar magnetic drivers and Waves NxTM technology; the HyperX Cloud Orbit S delivers a truly immersive 3D experience that includes:

The digital sound processing card accurately localizes audio in three dimensions putting you at the centre of the action. The head tracking function samples the position of your head almost a thousand times a second to restabilize in-game audio based on any movements. This means the audio source remains in a fixed position regardless of the direction you are facing, enhancing the realism of your experience.

With advanced audio customization, you can calibrate the HyperX Cloud S to match your individual measurements as well as tune your virtual room to get the exact ambience you're looking for. This is all done using intuitive Audeze HQ software with built-in equalizer (EQ) profiles. You can even adjust settings for the head tracking software's pitch, yaw, and roll.

Finding the best surround sound experience to enhance your gaming experience can be confusing. While true surround sound headsets with multiple drivers are available, these are typically large, bulky, and expensive devices.

The vast majority of gaming headsets instead utilize software to build a virtual surround sound experience. These devices have come a long way, and headsets like the HyperX Cloud S can generate a truly immersive 3D experience with excellent sound quality - all with only two drivers.

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