Reference Guide

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Surround Mixing
Configuring SONAR for Surround Mixing
• The number of speakers. This varies from 3.2 all the way to 8.1.
• The angles of the speakers.
• The intended final coding format. This depends on the media the audio will be "stored" on:
film, broadcast video or DVD, for example.
The most common format is 5.1, which consists of five full-range channels and a low-frequency
effects (LFE) channel (the “.1” in 5.1 is the LFE or sub channel). The five full-range channels are
reproduced by left, right, and center speakers positioned in front of the listener (L, R, and C for
short), and left and right surround speakers positioned behind the listener (Ls and Rs for short). The
LFE channel can be routed to the main speakers or to a subwoofer that can be positioned almost
anywhere.
The center channel is typically used to lock dialog or sounds to a video screen. The LFE channel is
generally routed to a subwoofer to enhance low audio frequencies for effects such as explosions or
crashes. Audio in this channel is limited to a range of approximately 25 Hz to 120 Hz.
See:
Configuring SONAR for Surround Mixing
Configuring SONAR for Surround Mixing
This section covers setting up SONAR for surround sound.
Using Surround Format Templates
Choosing a Surround Format
Surround Buses
Routing in Surround
Downmixing
Using Surround Format Templates
A Surround Format template specifies the number of speakers and the order in which the speakers
are arranged.
There are several different surround formats, including LCRS, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1, with 5.1 being most
common. The number after the decimal point refers to the number of Low Frequency Effect (LFE)