User Manual

Multichannel Monitoring Tutorial Booklet (M2TB) rev. 3.5.2

Masataka Nakahara : SONA Corporation

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7. Summary

At present, multi-channel productions are being released in numerous types of consumer media, including

film, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD, digital broadcast, and games. The multi-channel

playback specification is defined for each of these types of media, and the construction of a playback

environment that complies with these is required of studios in which such productions are being created.

This means that in order to construct a multi-channel playback environment, it is first necessary to

understand the formats for the types of media that are being produced.

When compared with two-channel systems, end-user playback environments are highly diverse, involving

factors such as down-mixing and bass management. Being mindful of compatibility with the end-user

environment is professional technique that is a requirement for any workplace that creates packaged

media, and on this point, there is no difference between two-channel and multi-channel production. In

order to be mindful of the end-user listening environment, it is important that the mixing engineer

understands the playback (decoding) process of consumer devices and the problems of speaker placement

in the typical home. To this end, it is important not only to have an interest in constructing the ultimate

surround playback environment in the studio, but also to have a full consumer-level experience of how the

home surround user sets up his surround environment, operates his equipment, and listens. In two-channel

production, most engineers have mixing techniques that take into account playback on a radio cassette

player, TV, car stereo, or through headphones, and this is due to their own experience as an end-user.

Due to the above considerations, consideration of the playback environment is important when creating

multi-channel productions, and when constructing a monitoring environment for such work, the acoustic

design and selection of equipment must involve an overall consideration of the following factors:

1. Understanding of the format for the media being produced

2. Consideration of the studio environment (spaciousness, acoustic absorption)

3. Consideration of the end-user environment (compatibility with a variety of playback

environments).

4. The process of measurement and adjustment.

This document provides the basic items needed for this process, and it is the hope of the author that it will

be of assistance to those involved in constructing a multi-channel monitoring environment.

The Yamaha DM2000, DM1000, and 02R96 digital consoles contain virtually all of the monitoring

system required for multi-channel playback, and allow a professional-level playback environment to be

easily constructed without the use of special external equipment. Consideration has been taken for

specialized operability for surround playback, and changes in playback format for a variety of media

can be performed intuitively. Measurement signals such as pink noise are also built in, making this a

surround console that provides all-around support for the establishing of a playback environment.