HARMAN High Performance A/V Introduces QuantumLogic™ Surround At CEDIA 2011: An Entirely New Technology for More Realistic Surround Sound From Any Source

quantumlogic_logo.jpgINDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – At CEDIA 2011, HARMAN High Performance A/V (HPAV) announced the introduction of QuantumLogic Surround, a proprietary HARMAN technology that creates an unprecedented 7.1-channel or 9.1-channel surround sound listening experience from any mono, stereo or multichannel signal source, and provides 12.1-channel listening in the new Lexicon® flagship MP-20 preamplifier/surround processor making its debut at CEDIA 2011. QuantumLogic Surround (QLS) employs a host of newly developed audio algorithms and signal processing techniques to achieve a remarkable new level of surround sound realism in home and professional audio applications.

QuantumLogic Surround will be on display in the new Ferrari FF at HARMAN High Performance A/V Booth 1343 at the Indiana Convention Center, September 8 – 10, 2011. The FF, Ferrari's new four-seat Gran Turismo automobile, is available with a factory option JBL Professional QLS audio system.

QuantumLogic Surround uses proprietary algorithms to extract signal streams and impulse responses from the original recording. Individual voices and instruments, as well as reverberant spatial information, are identified and then re-authored into a precise multichannel soundfield. A key component of QLS is its Aesthetic Engine, which combines the individual signal streams using patented filter bank technology and psychoacoustic modeling to create an immersive multichannel listening experience with exceptional clarity, detail and image specificity. It is compatible with mono and stereo sources, as well as all popular surround sound formats.

Three levels of QuantumLogic Surround processing are available: QLS 7.1, QLS Height mode which adds two left- and right-front height channels, and QuantumLogic Surround 3D, which is incorporated into the Lexicon MP-20 and provides five discrete height channels: left, center, right and surround channels in addition to a 7.1-channel configuration.

Unlike other derived-surround technologies, the QLS Aesthetic Engine functions in the frequency domain, rather than within the time domain – a fundamental difference that enables entirely different methods of signal processing. QLS identifies “Spatial Slices” from the soundstage of the original recording, and re-assembles them into a 7.1-channel surround sound format. In addition, QLS extracts reverberation information from the original source and re-creates multiple channels of reverberation for redistribution.

Spatial Slices can be comprised of a single source instrument, vocalist or sound effect. QLS identifies the location of the sound source within the stereo image and is then able to re-direct the Spatial Slices around the listening space in a controlled manner. QLS can create a totally stable surround sound playback environment, and working with the individual Spatial Slices enables an unprecedented level of imaging accuracy as well as a smooth, realistic tonal balance.

A brief technical description of how QuantumLogic Surround operates is as follows: a mono, stereo or multichannel audio input is processed with stream extraction, reverb extraction and signal decomposition, along with signal analysis, speech detection and mono signal detection. The resulting 13 streams – seven spatial filters and six decorrelated reverb streams – are then processed through the Aesthetic Engine and psychoacoustic modeling. The signal then goes through a mixer, which can be adjusted by the user to tailor the audio output to personal preferences. Finally, the signal is fed into a post-processor that adjusts volume and delay levels, and delivers a 7.1-channel audio output.

“We are excited to introduce an entirely new surround sound enhancement technology that is the result of intensive signal processing and psychoacoustic research by HARMAN, and that we feel significantly advances the state of the art,” said Jim Garrett, Market Manager, HARMAN High Performance A/V. “We look forward to introducing QuantumLogic Surround in a number of future Lexicon, JBL® Synthesis® and other products and providing our customers with a better and more enjoyable surround sound listening experience.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.