Anime in Surround Sound...

[Aeolus21]

How many of you guys are equipped to hear anime in 5.1 surround sound? I'm curious because a lot of the anime companies are starting to have the dubs mastered in Dolby Digital.

I have a 5.1 setup at home and I usually listen to the dub just to get a kick out of the mixes. If it's an action-packed show (like Madlax) there is a lot of benefit to having six speakers.

Other than that, it's a little too much since I believe that only a few anime fans have or care to watch anime in surround sound.

[eva-boy7985]

I love watching anime if there's a 5.1 mix! Alot of the newer series are featuring both the English dub and the Japanese track in 5.1 now as well!!! Obviously the mixes in some shows are better done or more noticeable in others, like your Madlax example. The newly done 5.1 mix in the NGE platinums is very well done, as is Gunslinger Girl and Last Exile. Long live 5.1!!! (or 6.1 or the newer 7.1 down the road :-)

[Aeolus21]

Well I guess it's just you and I who have had the joys of watching anime in surround sound, Eva-boy.

Yeah, the Eva Platinum re-mix sounds great in Japanese and English. It seems a lot of little detailed things were done in the action scenes and in the music (you ever notice how good the conga line sounds in the left-surround speaker during the intro theme?). Plus it's always good to hear the dialogue in the center.

Of course, if I wanted to hear surround sound for a title that only has Japanese stereo, I'd simply set my receiver to the "Pro-Logic" mode and voila! Of course it doesn't sound as great as a true surround mix, but it works for about 90% of the anime that I have.

And I'd certainly stick to using a 5.1 setup for now as there is such a thing as having too many speakers.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

surround sound eh... that would require a lot of speakers for me

cause i watch fansubbs ^^

unless i connect my ibook to the tv, THEN we get big picture... quality... things

[Yojimbo]

Yeah I do occasionally bring it out to the living room with the surround sound system. Oldies like Robotech sounds terrible in it , but Bebop and other titles made for Dolby Digital sound great.

[mechana2015]

I dont have the setup... it's cool though if it's set up right.

[Debitt]

I saw the first episode of Saiyuki in surround sound. It was glorious - I usually don't pay attention to technical stuff like that, but there was one part where Goku's bouncing and popping up from behind Sanzo - and suddenly there's two Gokus. Then three. And you could hear his cute little "Neh, neh!" coming from all corners of the room. XD; I loved it.

[Aeolus21]

Ah, so more people have. One doesn't have to be 'technical' to enjoy surround sound. All you have to know is that there are three speakers in front, two in the back, and a big 'bass machine' called a subwoofer.

But anyways, there are some pretty funny uses for surround sound. Kokoro Daisuke mentioned one in Saiyuki. In Azumanga Daioh, there are quite a number of instances where you'll hear Chiyo-chan's voice coming from all different directions (I think it was during that New Year's Dream episode).

Though if you watch anime (or anything else) in surround sound, the voices\dialogue all come from the center speaker, unless you have Chiyo-chan flying around you.

[Sephiroth]

i watch anime is surround sound, i love my 5.1 speakers.