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2+2+2 Multichannel

I just bought two DVD-A discs put out by a German Audiophile recording outfit called MDGD. They use the six available channels differently.

They use the Left and Right, Front and Rear channels in the usual way. But then they call for two additional front speakers, located above and outside the regular front speakers. These are driven by the Center and Subwoofer channels. It is all supposed to produce a "3-dimensional" sound field, with no particular "sweet spot" for listener location.

I have not yet had the time to jury-rig this setup. The printed material that came with the discs does not provide much in the way of description of this 2+2+2 scheme. Does anyone out there have any info?
eldartford

Showing 4 responses by flex

flex
292 posts
 
Eldartford,
I've heard the 2+2+2 setup several times in Europe, and it has sounded very good in the large convention rooms I've heard it in. Your description is accurate; the two front height channels have been set up about 8-10 feet above the front mains, using smaller bookshelf sized speakers. There are some who think height channels are most effective in large high-ceiling rooms but less effective in domestic rooms. If you try it, please post your results, it would be very interesting.

This is the reference on the MDG site. Click on the menu item for 2+2+2 room setup. I saw only the German version; if there isn't a translator on the URL and you can't readit, you can copy it and run it through a translator.

Good luck.
http://www.mdg.de/frame2.htm
flex
292 posts
 
Chesky's version is different though. The two height channels are at the sides of the room, between the listener and the main channels, whereas the European 2+2+2 has the height channels in the front of the room. The two formats aren't strictly interchangeable, since the microphone placement and mixing was done assuming one speaker configuration or the other.
flex
292 posts
 
Almost everyone who cares about multichannel audio agrees on the point about the problems of 5.1. But there are just so few people with audio-only multichannel systems that its hard to make the case for profitability of non-HT compatible formats. The eventual answer would be hierarchically processed multichannel data which can be configured by your player/receiver to whatever speaker arrangement exists in your home, for HT as well as for audio. But this is still a research area and years away from being a reality or a recording standard.

The 2+2+2 ideas could work if the mains and rears were at the same angles as in 5.1; then the additional 2 could be switched in or out depending on the format of the recording.
flex
292 posts
 
There is an interesting article posted this month at the Audiophile Audition website on non-5.1 music surround formats. It's not on 2+2+2, but it has much discussion on the problems of 5.1 for music listening and what might be better in the future:

http://www.audaud.com/audaud/OCT03/EQUIP/equip3OCT03.html
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