The word virtual surround, the small partner who loves audio must not be unfamiliar with it.
When we choose sound equipment such as audio and headphones, we are often attracted by the "virtual surround effect" declared by the product, although the clouds are foggy, but we are not aware of it, and we begin to look forward to the smooth experience of music flowing in the ears and immersive movies. But can the virtual surround effect really live up to our expectations?
What is the difference between virtual surround and real surround? Are the two different sound products of the speaker and the headset the same virtual surround effect? In fact, the virtual surround is also powerful, not so powerful! Today, Jebel will have a good chat with you about the "armor" and "weakness" of the virtual surround effect!
1. What exactly is surround sound, physical surround, and virtual surround?
Surround sound can be divided into two modes: physical surround and virtual surround, we generally say that surround sound refers to physical surround. Literally, it is the playback effect of the sound surrounding the listener, and generally more than 5 speakers will be used, which are placed in the front, middle and rear positions to surround the listener, forming a comprehensive spatial three-dimensional sense of the sound.
Schematic of a physical surround 5.1-channel sound system
Of course, achieving a surround sound effect is not just a matter of more than 5 speakers surrounded by it, but a very complex process: the audio is recorded according to the surround sound coding scheme to record multi-channel audio that can bring the audience a sense of presence, and then played by the surround sound speaker system that has undergone positioning and listening tests. The listener can perceive the direction and distance of the sound, perceive the subtle sound movement, and feel the shocking surround and sense of presence in it, as if he is not the audience, but the protagonist participating in the scene. For small partners who love to watch movies, the surround sound system can be said to be the peach blossom source in their hearts.
From another technical point of view, surround sound is a real, actual spatial surround effect formed by multiple independent channel signals during recording, corresponding to multiple surround speakers, and multi-channel surround effects for recording and playback are indispensable, otherwise it is not true!
Virtual surround cannot be omitted as surround sound because it is "false". Virtual surround sound, also known as non-standard surround sound technology, literally means false surround, analog surround, it is not a real multi-channel signal, multiple surround speakers formed by the surround sound effect, but through the technical processing and the use of human physiological characteristics to form a sound surround "illusion". Specifically, on the basis of two-channel stereo sound, no sound channels and speakers are added, but the sound field signal is processed and then surrounded by the principle of refraction, so that the listener feels as if the sound comes from multiple directions, resulting in a simulated stereo sound field.
2. Virtual Surround: There are "soft ribs" and "armor"
Virtual surround, surround is fake, the effect is real, although there is a "sound effect without physical surround real" weakness, but the so-called technology to change life, its armor is also crunchy hard, there are many uses.
First of all, the value of virtual surround technology is that the use of two speakers can simulate the effect of surround sound, without increasing the channel can hear the sound positioning, feel the immersive pleasure surrounded by sound, although not as good as the effect of physical surround sound, but the price of two channels for surround effect is also worth it.
And the virtual surround technology is also particularly suitable for application to headphones, because the headset is a close to the ear product, physically there can only be two channels, it is impossible to achieve physical real surround, to let the audience feel more realistic and more realistic surround listening effect when using headphones, it can be said that it can only be achieved through virtual surround technology.
Secondly, the virtual surround sound effect is not as realistic as the real surround sound effect, but it can also bring a lot of experience improvement, and its price cost and space cost are much lower than physical surround. Recently, due to the improvement of home video sound quality and good price, easy to use, no additional wiring installation and the fire of echo wall TV audio (mostly 2.0/2.1 channels), there are many with virtual surround effects.
For example, Jacko's T130Pro TV sound, itself is a 2.1-channel stereo combination of bar speakers + subwoofers, coupled with 30 years of virtual surround 5.1-channel effects tuned by professional tuners, although it is incomparable with the real 5.1-channel surround sound, but the sense of presence that can be felt in it is also bursting, shocking balance, video and audio flow. There are also three modes of music, movie, and K song, switch at will, feel the change of the soundstage of different modes, wide and balanced. In addition, The upcoming new products of Jacko are all-round sound surround, god-given good sound, so stay tuned.
T130Pro TV stereo
Finally, back to the question we started with, can the virtual surround effect meet our expectations? It depends on what our expectations are.
If you want to buy headphones, the natural virtual surround headphones are better.
If you are an audio-visual enthusiast, or have high requirements for sound, have a high budget in terms of audio equipment, and have enough home audio space to be wired and installed, then the virtual surround sound must not be able to meet your needs, so buy a 5.1-channel or even higher-channel surround sound system, feel the almost shocking space stereo, and enjoy the happiness of being surrounded by the sound.
If you want to improve the sound quality but the requirements are not so high, the budget is within a few thousand pieces, afraid of trouble but also want the surround sound effect of the small partner, then the echo wall TV sound with virtual surround effect will not let you down, the sense of presence is also leveraged.
Virtual surround has advantages and disadvantages, will you choose virtual surround sound when you see this article? Leave a message in the comment area to tell Jebel!