Single Speaker Unit Delivers Surround Sound

Makarand writes "A one-speaker home theater system that is able to deliver surround sound has been unveiled by Nirotek America (Torrance, CA). The single speaker unit actually contains five individual speakers packed horizontally into a single case. The surround sound effect is achieved by playing some sophisticated psychoacoustic trickery on the human brain. Realistic surround sound from movies and stereo CDs can be obtained as long as listeners are at least six feet away from the speaker unit and the unit stands near the front edge of whatever surface it is placed on. The unit is priced at around $799 and USA Today has a review."

Comments

Psychoacoustic trickery?

[BabyDave]

/me adjusts his AFDB

psychoacoustic trickery?

[einer]

An $800 ventriloquist?

Re:Practical Application

[GwabbaWabba]

However, you'd have to have fairly long arms to work a handheld gaming device that must be a minumum of six feet away, wouldn't you?

the trickery being

[Anonymous Coward]

try to seperate your cash from your wallet all while trying to convince you that the laws of physics have been broken specifically for this product.

yack..

[dcordeiro]

These "head related transfer functions" take account of differences in the time at which a sound arrives at each side of the head, as well as subtle distortions caused by the shape of each ear.

the subjects used to test this new gadget were very very ugly...

Single speaker surround sound?

[Anonymous Coward]

> The single speaker unit actually contains five individual
> speakers

In other news, auto manufacturers have released a one wheeled car that handles every bit as good as a four wheeled car. The one wheeled unit actually contains 4 individual wheels...

Re:Every person has different HRTF

[jelle]

Yeah, and while it does that, in the slightly darkened room, a laser draws a grid all across your face and around your head as if to take detailed measurements, while the camera makes a 360 around you.

Some beeps in the background, and then in true hollywood fashion a very beautiful woman in laboratory clothes steps forward to do something with a little flashlight in your ear that looks remotely medical of nature. She then proceeds to inform you that the calibration procedure was successful.

You get up, and greet the group of 6 or so people in custom black suits standing across the room, who had been watching the whole procedure with respect. Now they are nodding their heads and smiling, obviously happy that the procedure went well. With a very big smile on your face, you crack some quick jokes while you shake the hands of each of them as you leave the room to continue with your quests to save the world and conquer the heart of that sweet and pretty girl that fights as if she learned it from Jackie Chan himself, including a considerable amount of thematrix and charliesangels special effects.

You're the MAN.

Yeah!