RE: realtime stereo to surround

[kkissinger@kevinkissinger.com]

Quoting Qua Veda <qua@oregon.com>:
>
> I have a RME FF800 that has 8outputs.  I have 5 identical cabinets plus a
> sub. I use 5 outs to go to FrontL, FrontR, C, RearL, RearR.  My Front L&R
> have a special crossover for the sub, so they get full range, and the
> crossover takes care of the split.
>
Qua,

You have described my system -- RME FF800, 5 SRM450s, and two  
SWA1501s.  The only difference is that I've opted to address the subs  
discretely.  To date, I have sent the same signal to both subs however  
I would like to do some work where I address them seperately.  I've  
limited myself to 5.1 because my Cubase SX3 mixer has an internal 5.1  
buss.  I can do 5.2 by using a 5.0 buss and then a L-R or two mono  
channels for the subs.  I have been told that when using two subs that  
one can get some remarkable phasing effects, etc.  However, one of my  
subs must go to the shop :( so it will be a while before I can play  
with it.

My approach is to mix everything to 5.1 from the start -- and then  
fold that mix down to stereo.  This is pretty easy with the FF800.   
Thus, I can supply surround AND stereo mixes concurrently.

To fold up from stereo to surround is tough compared to folding down.

My K2600 has a MONO-to-Stereo algorithm -- it splits the mono signal  
into frequency bands and then each band can be panned and/or delayed.   
This produces a downright shocking amount of stereo realism.

By way of example, you will find on my website a remix of a Bach work  
that I did on my A3340s.  The first three channels were submixed to  
mono and then I added three more tracks and then another track live  
for a total of seven.  In the remix, I processed the mono track  
through the K2600 (as described above).  In the "old" days -- one  
could easily hear when the mono track was the only one playing -- just  
panned to the center.  In the remix, one must listen pretty intently  
to pick up the difference between the mono track and the discreet  
stereo.

http://kevinkissinger.com/downloads/music/BachDminorM03hi.mp3

To fold up stereo to surround, one could utilize a similar approach --  
that is, to split the stereo channels into frequency bands and then  
pan/delay then to the various speakers.  The key to the effect is  
delay -- to pan only just gives the effect of "panned" mono but  
careful application of delay makes all the difference.

Well, I will hit <send> -- there are other responses to this that I  
haven't yet read and look forward to reading other comments.

-- Kevin