Natural Sound Positioning in Surround:
 New V2.5 of Studer D950 with Virtual Surround Panning

  Regensdorf, Switzerland, October 5, 2000 -- The new Software Version 2.5 for the Studer D950 Digital Mixing System and its proprietary Virtual Surround Panning enhances surround mixing techniques. By respecting the physics and psychoacoustics of human hearing, Virtual Surround Panning with its newly added reverberation goes far beyond simple amplitude panning.
D950 M2

New Studer D950 M2 incorporating new Virtual Surround Panning for natural audio source positioning
(click for large image)
Studer's proprietary Virtual Surround Panning VSP algorithms have already captured the attention of surround sound engineers throughout the world. Now in the Studer D950 Digital Mixing System Version 2.5 and with the introduction of the new Studer D950 M2, software capabilities and performance of VSP have been even further enhanced.

Mixing surround is far more complex than mixing 2 channel stereo. Simple amplitude panning as found on most of the mixing consoles neglects the complexity of human hearing. Natural sound, in fact every sound you hear has space-dependent intensity, time and frequency characteristics. Virtual Surround Panning does address exactly these subjects and achieves a natural and realistic perception of a surround mix. This by respecting the physics and psychoacoustics and giving the human brain more "cues" to perceive a natural, realistic sound.

Virtual Surround Panning goes beyond simple amplitude panning. VSP is generating early reflections within a simulated acoustic space, depending on the pan position. These reflections are reproduced from the correct direction, at the correct time. Better directional imaging (left-right panning) is achieved by adding phase and frequency spectrum information to the customary amplitude difference between left and right loudspeakers. The new VSP Version 2.5 also provides for late reflections (reverb). These are delivered in de-correlated form, independent of the pan position. VSP in conjunction with reverb is a complete room simulation tool built into the Studer D950 range of products.

In other words, stability of the acoustical image is much improved with defined and clearly audible positions of all sound sources. Furthermore, the sweet spot becomes much wider giving a larger audience a realistic and pleasant surround image. These benefits are also available when using VSP for stereo mixing.
VSP Mic Tool

The new and unique VSP tool allows the user to "build" his own surround microphone array (click for large image)
New and unique in Version 2.5 are various multichannel panning characteristics based on combinations of intensity, delay, and head-related panning. Emulation of basic microphone characteristics related to HRTF, Sphere, ORTF, and AB are included as well. Even a user-defined surround array can be generated using the integrated VSP Microphone tool. The comprehensive delay management offers a choice of Static or Doppler effect, latter simply applied by the distance control of the joystick.

With VSP in its newest version, creating natural and realistic sound images for surround production becomes an easy and creative task, far beyond usual amplitude panning. The Version 2.5 software for the Studer D950 Digital Mixing System will become available before the end of year 2000.

Studer is an internationally operating company offering turnkey system solutions and complete broadcast houses based on a wide range of proprietary products including complex digital audio routing systems, digital mixing consoles and digital mixing systems using the very latest in digital technology, analog and digitally controlled analog mixing consoles, radio automation systems, analog and digital recorders, active studio monitors - analog and digital components for even the most sophisticated system applications. All products and components are developed and manufactures at Studer Headquarters in Switzerland.


Source: Studer
Web: www.studer.ch