Multichannel Audio Installations

For multi-channel sound installations, the following equipment is required from the CDA EV Depot: an Apple laptop, a MOTU audio interface (with six or more balanced analog outputs), and the number of speakers required.

Laptops:

The CDA laptops have Adobe Audition and Reaper software installed for playback of 5.1 or 7.1 surround or other configurations of multichannel audio. Audition can only playback the standard 5.1or 7.1 configurations but in Reaper the output can have any number of channels.

It is also possible to playback a video with multi-channel sound using Adobe Premiere. For the video projection, go to Adobe Playback Preferences and choose the attached projector (or LCD TV) as the second monitor for full screen playback from the Premiere sequence.

MOTU interfaces:

The drivers for the MOTU interfaces are installed in the CDA laptops. Go to the Audio I/O hardware settings in the audio (or video) software to set the MOTU interface as the playback device. Use the channel configuration window to set your output channels.

When using standard 5.1 or 7.1 confiugrations use the SMPTE standard channel ordering: 1. Left, 2. Right, 3. Centre, 4. LFE, 5.Ls. 6. Rs, 7. Lrs, 8. Rrs.

Speakers:

Reserve either the Genelec 8010 or JBL speakers. If the multi-channel installation uses a subwoofer, one possible setup is to output the left and right channels (channels 1 and 2) from the MOTU interface to an active Genelec 7040 subwoofer, which will play back the bass frequencies while routing the rest of the signal to the left and right speakers.

Cables:

Always use balanced XLR or balanced quarter inch phono cables for long distances. DI boxes are also available to convert an unbalanced signal to balanced.

Another option for video:

If you are setting up a multichannel video installation with multichannel audio then the best option is to use the TXD233 Bright Sign media players. Each single player can playback a video with stereo audio, but when multiple players are synchronized multichannel audio playback is possible. See this guide on how to set up the players.

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