Surround Sound
Definition
A multi-channel audio format that places speakers around the listener to create a horizontal 360° sound field. Common formats include 5.1 (left, center, right, left surround, right surround, plus LFE) and 7.1. The predecessor to immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos, and still widely used in broadcast and cinema.
In Simple Terms
Speakers placed around you in a circle—front, sides, and behind—creating a 360-degree horizontal sound field. Dolby Atmos adds height on top of this, but surround was the foundation that came first.
In Practice
A 5.1 mix for broadcast positions music in the left and right channels, dialogue in the center, ambient sound effects in the surrounds, and low-frequency content in the LFE channel.
Common Confusion
Surround sound is channel-based — sounds are assigned to fixed speaker positions. Dolby Atmos is object-based — sounds have spatial coordinates interpreted by the renderer. The distinction matters enormously for how a mix is created and delivered.