Theory
and
Design
music.
If you have no side loudspeakers, both Ambience and Reverb contain versions of the Panorama program that will simulate them within a narrow area between the speakers. Choosing one of the speaker configurations with no side speakers (see page 13) will automatically turn the Panorama Effect on and mix the side outputs into the main outputs. (If you have a set- up with six or more loudspeakers, you may want to try setting the configu- ration for no side speakers. This will still turn on Panorama and mix the sides to the front, while leaving the side outputs on.)
While the Ambience program simulates the early reflections of real halls, Reverberation is more concerned with what happens to the sound after the first hundred milliseconds or so. The first reflections are not intended to simulate any particular hall and no real shape will be audible.
The Reverb program produces a rapidly increasing echo density that smooths out impulsive sounds. The decay in this program is unusually smooth and natural and can create the effect of a church or a very reverber- ant hall. The early sideways reflections, which produce the most SI, are weaker than they are in the Ambience program. In Reverb, as in Ambience, the stereo input is fed directly to the front loudspeakers. Some of the side energy can also be fed to the front speakers; side and rear outputs are generated from the stereo input.
For the largest possible effect from the Reverb programs, consider placing speakers in the front corners of the room and driving them in parallel with the rear speakers. Note, however, that this configuration does not compen- sate for the absence of side speakers, which continue to be the most important.
Direction is critical to maintaining clarity in Reverb and Ambience. The recording engineer has probably put as much reverberation in the record- ing as the music can withstand. Adding more through speakers located in front of the listener is generally not a good idea, since these effects combine with the sound from the front speakers, making the music muddy. Delay and reverb in the rear can occasionally be helpful but the ear is not particularly good at distinguishing between front and rear sounds and, as with Ambience, it is at the sides that Reverb is most needed.
If you have no side loudspeakers, both Ambience and Reverb contain versions of the Panorama program that will simulate them within a narrow area between the speakers . Choosing one of the speaker configurations with no side speakers (see page 13) will automatically turn the Panorama Effect on and mix the side outputs into the main outputs. (If you have a set- up with six or more loudspeakers, you may want to try setting the configu- ration for no side speakers. This will still turn on Panorama and mix the
The Reverb Program 
Reverb is very good for simulating a large reverberant space.
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