Analog Surround Sound Was Everywhere, But You Probably Didn’t Notice

Analog Surround Sound Was Everywhere, But You Probably Didn’t Notice

These days, most of the media we consume is digital, with movies and TV shows packaged in digital files containing millions of pixels and multiple audio channels.

In the past, engineering limitations meant that media on film or tape were limited to analog stereo audio at best.

However, Dolby created a surround sound format that could operate within these limitations, turning two channels into four.

What started as a cinematic format would bring surround sound to the home, all the way back in 1982.

Dolby's surround sound efforts were initially aimed at the cinema, not the home.

Dolby were able to create a surround sound format that could operate within those very limitations, turning two channels in to four.

Author's summary: Dolby created analog surround sound in 1982.

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