Ambisound - Sound that embraces you

Philips’ Ambisound delivers truly immersive surround sound. Without the constraints of room shape or size, and without the clutter of multiple speakers and cables.

This unique surround sound experience is the result of the combined effect of three mechanisms.

Array processing
Array processing applies only to the lower frequencies. It enables control of sound radiating from a loudspeaker array.

Conventional 5.1 system with surround sound from five speakers

Conventional 5.1 set-up
In conventional 5.1 systems sound beams come directly from the front and back. This creates the surround sound experience. However, a system with multiple speakers and wires creates clutter. And it disagrees with most home décor.

Ambisound system with surround sound from fewer speakers

Ambisound set-up
Ambisound realises a full multi-channel surround sound experience with speakers only in front. Unique and thoroughly researched techniques enable you to perceive sounds as if they originate from all corners of the room.

Precisely angled driver positioning
Due to the presence of aliasing, a band pass filter is applied to the surround channels and the front channels. This removes the higher frequencies at which aliasing occurs.

As such, array processing is applied only to lower frequencies.High frequency sounds are naturally more easily directed, and Ambisound capitalizes on this. As in a conventional multi-channel home theater system, center channels and front channels are fed to drivers pointing at the listener, providing direct sound. Surround channels are fed to the outer drivers. These are deliberately placed at an angle so that they point away from the listener and he perceives only the indirect and diffused sound.

Psychoacoustic phenomena
A simple example of psychoacoustic phenomena is the directional sensation of sound. Because sounds reach each of our ears at different times, we can tell which direction sounds come from. Ambisound changes the characteristics of surround channels so that they carry the same key characteristics as sounds coming from the rear. The result? Embracing surround sound from fewer speakers.