5.1 to Stereo conflicting information

[Robmoragas]

Hi There,

I am trying to get a technically correct answer to this question.

What is the Correct Ratio and DB of each Audio Channel from 5.1 to Stereo and is there a quick way or a good plug in that does it in pro tools rather than using buses?

Rob

[Craig F]

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t...ghlight=maggot

will this help

[Jacksonland]

Rob, What I use is the Neyrinck SoundCode Stereo LtRt. Some adjust to taste, but the default settings are considered standard.
I set the L&R to 0, Center to -3, Ls and Rs to -3. You can also add LFE if you want, like I do (-3), or leave it off -144, as many like to do. PL2 is a great setting for a really clean downmix conversion. They also have a new product: http://www.neyrinck.com/en/products/...de-stereo-ltrt

[SZE]

Hi

Can anyone confirm if it is necessary to phase reverse the surround channels when doing a 5.1 to stereo downmix using busses/auxes.

Thanks

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by SZE

Hi

Can anyone confirm if it is necessary to phase reverse the surround channels when doing a 5.1 to stereo downmix using busses/auxes.

Thanks

You need to be clear whether your generating an Lo/Ro or Lt/Rt. If you're generating a 2 track that is intended for a dolby pro logic decoder then you do need to rotate the phase of the surrounds +/- 90. If you're generating an Lo/Ro then do not rotate the phase.

As to the rest of your question, there is no perfect formula for downmixing from 5.1. Results depend completely on the surround mix; typical values for center foldown are anywhere from -1.5dB to -3dB, and surrounds can be anywhere from 0dB to -6dB depending on the content and whether the original 5.1 was mixed to theatrical (surrounds back -3dB on monitor) or home (surrounds even with fronts). Even within the same mix, different instruments will downmix differently. AFA LFE content: again depends a bit on the specifics; in general the LFE is an 'effects' channel and should not be in the downmix, but many music mixers use the LFE for dramatic musical effect and it can sometimes be part of the musical intent of the mixer, in which case it's nice to have it in the downmix - personally in general, I'd stay away from it. A downmix is a quick and dirty way of generating a 2 track from a 5.1 mix, but really a 5.1 mix and a stereo mix are different beasts; in an ideal world they would be generated separately, but that's just not practical in the real world.

best,
rich

best,
rich