The three dimensional audio soundfield: delivering reality

First impressions can be overwhelming experiences that transcend all subsequent events. The first stereo record I heard was Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band back in 1969, and the stereo effects were sensational; totally unrealistic but fascinating. My first experience in a professional recording studio operating a large format Neve console was pure heaven. My first surround sound live concert was Pink Floyd at Wembley Stadium in 1974 with sounds flying around the venue. Most recently, my first experience of surround sound mixing using digital recorders was another watershed in my aural life. It is easy to be seduced by first impressions, particularly for broadcast and production personnel, who, in my experience, are easily seduced by new technology. The excitement for an audio producer working with surround sound environments can enact a renaissance for a soul used to the limitation of the stereo soundfield. What I'd like to briefly explore in this paper is some of the work being created by artists, musicians, audio engineers and producers using surround sound technologies and what a listener can expect from these systems in their homes. The rapid advancements in digital technologies are making this immersive aural experience very accessible.