Audio center channel phantomizer
The invention relates to a method of processing an input signal into a phantomized signal, including adding at least one attenuated delayed signal to the input signal, the phantomized signal having at least one delayed attenuated signal and the input signal. A phantomized signal according to the invention offers a new and impressive integration of a center channel signal of a multi channel audio system into the complete audio image provided by the system.
1. A method of processing a center input signal of a multi-channel input including said center input signal as a distinct center input, into a phantomized signal comprising:
adding at least one attenuated delayed signal to the center input signal by circuitry to create the phantomized signal, wherein the phantomized signal is fed to a center channel of a multi-channel audio reproducing system and wherein the phantomized signal is perceived by a listener as an audio signal which has been established in a multi-channel reproduction system having no center channel and where the multi-channel reproduction system has two or more channels.
2. The method of processing an input signal according to claim 1 further comprising comb-filtering of the input signal.
3. The method of processing an input signal according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one delayed attenuated signal is delayed 0.2-0.4 ms with respect to the signal added to the at least one delayed attenuated signal.
4. The method of processing an input signal according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one delayed attenuated signal is attenuated 5 to 20 dB with respect to the signal added to the said at least one delayed attenuated signal.
5. The method of processing an input signal according to claim 1 , wherein said phantomized signal comprises said at least one delayed attenuated signal and said input signal.
6. A phantomizer for processing a signal into a phantomized signal comprising:
a center channel of a multi-channel rendering system at which the phantomized signal is reproduced, and
at least one signal input connected to comb-filtering means, said comb-filtering means feeding at least one signal output;
such that a timbre of the signal, when reproduced in a center channel loudspeaker of the multi-channel rendering system, is perceived by a listener as an audio signal which has been established in a multi-channel rendering system having no center channel.
7. The phantomizer for processing according to claim 6 , wherein said input of the phantomizer feeds a summing node, via a feed forward line, said feed-forward line comprises a delay line serially connected to an attenuator.
8. The phantomizer for processing according to claim 7 , wherein said delay line has a delay of approximately 0.2 to 0.4 ms.
9. The phantomizer for processing according to claim 7 , wherein the attenuator attenuates 5 to 20 dB.
10. A method of phantomizing a center channel signal of a multi-channel reproduction system, comprising:
manipulating the center channel signal by adding at least one attenuated delayed signal by circuitry to the center channel signal such that a timbre of the signal, when reproduced in a center channel loudspeaker of the multi channel reproduction system, is perceived by a listener as an audio signal which has been established in a multi-channel reproduction system having no center channel.
11. The method of phantomizing a center channel signal of a multi-channel reproduction system according to claim 10 , said manipulating of the center channel being approximated to an HRTF based transfer function.
12. The method of phantomizing a center channel signal of a multi-channel reproduction system according to claim 11 , wherein said approximation comprises at least one comb-filtering of the center channel.