Operating on top of any core audio codec such as AAC, HE-AAC and MPEG-1 Layer II, the system provides an unrivalled set of features including:

• Full backward compatibility to stereo equipment;
• Subjective audio quality substantially better than matrixed surround formats;
• A wide scalability in terms of bit rate used for describing the surround image;
• Compatibility with matrixed surround stereo signals; and
• Virtualised binaural multi-channel sound reproduction capability for stereo headphones.

In combination with HE-AAC, MPEG Surround can carry a five or seven channel surround program at a total bit rate of 64 kb/s or less.

Demonstrated at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, the company behind the MP3 compression algorithm, MPEG Surround emerged from activities of the MPEG Audio standardisation group, consisting of Fraunhofer, LSI, Dolby and Philips.

Ideally suited to the automobile, Fraunhofer IIS head of Multimedia Realtime Systems Harald Popp says MPEG Surround “will become a major online distribution format when downloading music, movie and TV content, and offers the music industry a way to sell iPod-compatible surround content through the existing stereo download infrastructure.

“As a consequence, we will work for the global acceptance of MPEG Surround in 2009 as the new sound paradigm for entertainment downloads as we have done for the radio broadcasting markets in the past.

“In addition, we will deliver efficient MPEG Surround software implementations to content providers, operators, music stores, broadcasters and related equipment OEMs to spur further industry adoption.”

With MPEG Surround, Fraunhofer brings a new level of audio fidelity to the living room, the PC, the car and portable devices such as iPods and 3G phones. Music labels including Eagle Rock Entertainment and Telarc International have also already endorsed this enhanced music standard.

Renowned producer, multiple Grammy and TEC Award winner George Massenburg says: “As a music mixing professional, I hear a dramatic world of possibilities mixing music in surround.

“For some time I’ve been looking for the right technology to make it easy for everyone to enjoy high-quality surround music. This technology will have to fit easily into existing delivery channels. It will have to offer a real stereo downmix solution. It will have to be scaleable and it will have to sound really good – good enough to pass modern critical listening evaluations conducted by impartial professionals – like me.

“That solution is Fraunhofer’s MPEG Surround.”