The TiMax Reality Check

It's funny how easily we forget that the world, in reality, is not "stereo", or "5.1", but in fact offers a much more infinitely panoramic, even omniphonic, aural experience.

Stereo was developed mainly to be better than mono, but was constrained by technology that could waggle a stylus in two directions at once and a delivery medium that was intended to work best for ears encased in headphones or conveniently positioned at about head-height in the middle of a couch. "Quad" came and went in various guises, its ultimate demise resulted from similar compromisesor economics.

5.1 seeks to expand on these compromises to deliver sound around and behind us mainly for immersive, dramatic effects, but in the end it is principally just a manageable, expanded mix format still constrained by a delivery medium that originally required it to be squeezed onto the edge of a strip of celluloid.

Neither of these truly represents an effective sound-reinforcement approach that would inherently deliver uniform energy, clarity and panoramic imaging to an audience distributed over a wide area.

There has also been growing demand from live event producers and their audiences for improved authenticity and impact to secure that ultimate dramatic outcome often referred to as "..a willing suspension of disbelief". To ensure this total "audience immersion" it is essential for performers to sound like they are coming from actually where they are standing or moving, and that sound effects feel real and don't seem to be obviously coming from loudspeakers.

Source Oriented Reinforcement (SOR) techniques for amplifying sound can provide an effective stereo or multipoint panorama and enhanced surround sound environment in small or large auditoriums for theatre, opera, corporate events and themed attractions, even hotel bars and nightclubs, that will improve the listening experience and message impact for all audience members.