REVIEW of
THE NEW STEREO SOUNDBOOK
Third Edition, by
Ron Streicher and F. Alton Everest
Audio Engineering Associates, Pasadena, CA
275 pages (hardbound)
ISBN: 978-0- 9665162-1-0
The text of this book blends the stereophonic illusion with
the art of “microphony” and the fundamental
physics of sound. It includes fourteen chapters and an
addendum.
Chapter 1 recalls the history of early stereophonic
research. While many may consider stereophonic sound as a
product of the 1950s, the 50s were actually the period when
the audiophile began to embrace a two-decade old technology
that had major roots in 1931.
Chapter 2 reviews how basic sound waves are conveyed. It
explains how single-dimensional information can be
transformed into an entirely different listening experience
with the addition of a second path and stereophonic
principles. This chapter provides the principles of
locating an image in a two-channel soundfield. The last
page of this chapter offers a simple procedure to determine
that the two loudspeakers are of the same polarity.
Chapter 3 relates the stereophonic illusion to the human
auditory system. This reviewer found a number of
interesting experiments with respect to masking, intensity,
and delay in this chapter. Try them. You will find these
simple experiments useful in gaining a better understanding
of the stereophonic illusion.
In Chapter 4 the authors tell the reader to take the time
to understand the nature of the recording and what one is
attempting to accomplish before engaging that record
button. Consider the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, and why
someone is listening) as well as the tradeoffs associated
with each stereophonic technique.
Chapter 5 describes the most basic of stereophonic
recording techniques such as the two-microphone pickup.
However, there are several adaptations of two-microphone
pickups. This chapter reviews the various approaches and
the sonic effects that result.
Chapter 6 calls binaural listening a two-channel
stereophonic experience. However, the intention of binaural
reproduction is for listening via headphones. When
listening to the stereophonic illusion as reproduced with
loudspeakers, the room and the listening position both
become factors. There is a difference between these two
stereophonic experiences.
Chapter 7 tells how the stereophonic illusion is created
through time and intensity differences between the two
paths. Stereo coincident microphone arrays create the
stereophonic illusion through intensity differences and
offer monophonic compatibility. There are several
adaptations of this technique, all of which are covered in
this chapter. The subject of absolute polarity is defined
and explained in this chapter, which states that there is
an audible difference.
Chapter 8 deals with the audibility of reflections.
Reflections, either in the recording or reproduction
environment, affect the audibility of the content.
Ambience, reverberation, and comb filtering, their audible
effects, and how to evaluate these effects are discussed
here.
Chapter 9 covers the stereophonic illusion, which is
created through time and intensity differences between the
two paths. Spaced stereo microphone arrays create the
stereophonic illusion through time differences.
Nearcoincident arrays, which bring both time and intensity
differences to create the stereophonic illusion, are also
presented.
In Chapter 10 the authors deal with the use of
multimicrophone, multitrack, and pan pot technology to
create the stereophonic illusion. No text on stereophonic
microphone techniques would be complete without a
discussion of the use of multimicrophone, multitrack, and
pan pot technology to create the stereophonic illusion.
Here the text illustrates the need for knowledge of
directional microphone patterns as well as the basic rules,
the mix, and the creation of the illusion. When the
original recording is monophonic and the desire is to
enhance the original into a stereophonic illusion, the need
is to create a difference between the two paths and enhance
that difference to create a stereophonic effect.
Chapter 11 deals with the various techniques used to create
a pseudostereo effect. Listening in an indoor environment
involves room reflections.
Chapter 12 reviews the issues of auditory spaciousness,
perception of distance and definition, which are the result
of the relationships of direct sound, propagation delays,
reflections, and rever- beration as experienced by the
listener. While the basic subject of the book is based on
the relationship between the two channels of a two-channel
path,
Chapter 13 does offer some insight into multidimensional
and surround systems. Fantasound, three-channel stereo,
rear-channel sound, four-channel surround, matrixed Quad
systems, as well as surround and ambienceenhancement
systems, such as the ambisonics process along with its
soundfield microphone—which by the way is compatible
with stereophonic transmission—are all presented in
this chapter. Other surround approaches which are derived
from stereophonic techniques are also included. One of the
interesting discussions within this chapter is the
potential incompatible phase relationship of the center
channel with the phantom center channel as derived from the
sum of the left and right channels. This is an issue that
needs to be understood and resolved during the recording
process.
While the home theater has begun to mandate surround sound,
many living room environments favor the simplicity of a
two-channel stereophonic system, thus, the attention to
compatibility issues becomes important.
The preceding chapters relate to the process of recording
the stereophonic illusion. Once the recording has been
captured on the medium, the attention then turns to the
playback. Chapter 14, the final chapter, provides guidance
in the preparation of optimizing the listening environment
as the final step to experience the intended sonic
experience. This chapter discusses the enclosure, its
geometry, resonances, reflections, absorption, and
treatment as they relate to the resultant sound.
Much of the stereophonic illusion we enjoy today relates to
the research of Alan Blumlein as we acknowledge the 75th
anniversary of his patent application in December 1931. In
the Appendix the authors include the text of this patent
application. When you consider that today’s classical
recording techniques, stereophonic phonograph recordings,
and the matrix for stereophonic broadcasting are all
erived from this 75-year-old patent, we owe much to
Blumlein for what we enjoy today.
The New
Stereo Soundbook provides an excellent reference source on
the subject of stereophonic recording. It explains, in
simple terms, the principles of the stereophonic illusion,
the various microphone techniques employed in the process,
as well as, the basic five Ws of communication. This
edition has more details and diagrams than the second
edition as well as a rewritten Chapter 13 on
Multi-Dimensional and Surround Sound Systems. For those
intending to better understand the stereophonic illusion
and how to produce a better stereophonic product, this is
the book for you.
Richard W. Burden
Canoga Park, CA
LITERATURE
551-552 J.
Audio Eng. Soc., Vol. 55, No. 6, 2007 June
Journal, Audio Engineering Society
Volume 55, no. 6; 2007 June, pages 551 - 552
Review of The New Stereo Soundbook