Sounding out Surround

It is only when you see a saas-bahu serial live on an HD channel,with speakers that give you the full effect that you realise that the sound is better than the script. And behind this technology is a name now familiar to Indians.

For decades Dolby Laboratories has set the benchmark as far as cinema sound is concerned. Many of us might remember how it was an entirely different experience to watch movies in a Dolby digital theatre,especially a Hollywood one. Soon cinemas across the country were racing to meet the 5.1-audio benchmark.

Now,Dolby has kicked off a similar revolution on Indian television. While Indian homes got great television sets years ago,the content being shown has been in mono and has not been up to the mark in sound quality. Over the past few months we have been working with key stakeholders in the broadcast industry to ensure that the audio quality matches the HD standards, says Pankaj Kedia,country manager,Dolby laboratories,India explaining how the company worked with production houses,channels and DTH operators to bring HD sound into Indian homes.

We work closely with our partners to enable the entire chain of content creation,distribution services and playback devices to enable high quality and clear surround sound to complete the entertainment experience, says Kedia.

But the battle for good sound is far from won. While Indians now have the option of HD channels with superb picture quality and 5.1 sound,most of our homes still lack the home theatre systems required to recreate the immersive experience. For us HD ends with a top of the range flat panel. Very few people inquire about the audio aspect of the product that completes the high-definition experience; we need education about the importance of quality audio for a complete entertainment experience, says Ashim Mathur,head of marketing,Dolby laboratories India.

It is not as if we dont have options. While a couple of decades ago a music system which sported the Dolby logo would have been rare,these days the technology has become all-pervasive and is found in everything from headphones to tablets. Dolby has been trying to bring the big screen experience,that it is synonymous with,to the smallest screens. The Nokia N8 and N9 can beam 5.1 surround sound to a home theatre through HDMI cables. So can a host of new laptops and tablets.

Meanwhile,in the cinema space the company has been working on Dolby Surround 7.1 to give filmmakers more control over the exact placement of different sounds within the theatre. While most theatres now have 5.1 channels,the two additional channels will open an entirely new range to the audio experience.

Personal Dolby

If you are keen to acquire Dolby sound at home,take a look at the Sennheiser PC 163D with the new 7.1 surround sound atmosphere that takes 3D games to a whole new level. The Dolby headphones feature an open-acoustic design with integrated volume control,adjustable boom and a microphone.

Price Rs 9,990.

A cheaper option with similar quality sound is the Sennheiser PC 333D which delivers a hyper-realistic sound-scape thanks to Dolby headphone technology. This one too has 7.1-channel capability and professional noise cancelling microphones. Price Rs 4,490.

One of the best options for Dolby home theatres now are Sonys BDV-E980 and BDV-E870 featuring Dolby Digital technology. The two Blu-ray home theatre units also feature 3D sound and 3D image realism with newly developed wider directional speakers,promising an unparalleled audio experience. Both the home theatre systems cost Rs 39,990. If you dont want Blu-ray,Sonys entire range of DVD home theatre systems also with Dolby Digital sound comes for prices as low as Rs 9.990.